Nebraska 75, Illinois 60 POSTGAME

#51      
I took a quick look at media quide.

This season , through first 8 games, ranks with the worst at 2-6.

1960-61: 3-5 (finished season 9-15, 5-9 Big 10)

1965-66: 3-5 (12-12, 8-6)

And the winner through first 8: 1906-07: 1-7 (finished 0-8 in Big 10). Losses to Peoria and Chicago YMCAs and Wabash!
I'm confident we beat Peoria YMCA team....not sure about Chicago YMCA team though.
 
#55      

Deleted member 746094

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Just watched game...

Team looks tired, confused and defeated. Scary as we are only 7 games in to the season.

Someone else said this prior, but there is no chemistry. Giorgi is the only one playing with what I see as true passion and emotion right now. If DaMonte doesn’t want to start he needs to come off the bench 60 seconds into the game. You can see the youth, but there is an obvious lack of talent and especially athleticism when you compare to the competition. Unless Tevian did something terribly wrong he needs to be on the court figuring it out. If I see TU play meaningful minutes anymore this year I will reverse my thoughts on BU. It’s insulting to our current players and, say what you will, looks ridiculous to recruits. It’s getting worse, not better.
 
#56      
Trying to remain optimistic. Giorgi looked really quick today, made plays today. Just a freshmen, shows a lot of heart. Ayo struggled at times today, but any freshmen who averaged 10+ points will be very good upperclassmen. Same with AG.

Regarding the game, team is playing against two opponents. One vs Nebraska the other are schemes that don't work for this team. All Nebraska had to do was force defensive switches and now you have mismatches. Or just dribble drive and get fouled.
 
#57      
Just watched game...

Team looks tired, confused and defeated. Scary as we are only 7 games in to the season.

Someone else said this prior, but there is no chemistry. Giorgi is the only one playing with what I see as true passion and emotion right now. If DaMonte doesn’t want to start he needs to come off the bench 60 seconds into the game. You can see the youth, but there is an obvious lack of talent and especially athleticism when you compare to the competition. Unless Tevian did something terribly wrong he needs to be on the court figuring it out. If I see TU play meaningful minutes anymore this year I will reverse my thoughts on BU. It’s insulting to our current players and, say what you will, looks ridiculous to recruits. It’s getting worse, not better.

Agree on TU, terrible look to sit Ayo for coaches son. Seems like a very Bobby Knight move.
 
#58      

Deleted member 651864

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I have watched Illini basketball and football religiously since the late 80s. When a game was televised (which they basically all are now), I would ALWAYS watch the whole thing and sit on the edge of my seat, cheering, knowing we would be competitive against anyone. Those days have been gone for quite a few years now, with no end in sight. I'm sad for Illini nation. I'm sad they got rid of Chief. I'm sad that it will take a miracle now to make our teams better. I'm sad that it isn't as fun to watch anymore. And I'm heartbroken that I could not bring myself to watch most of the 2nd half against Nebraska today. I will always be an Illini fan, but it just isn't the same anymore. Bring on the Scarlet Knights to help make us feel better!!!!
 
#59      
Simplify the offense. Give ayo the darn ball and screen for him and let him put pressure on the defense. Make Trent option two and let him attack when the defense is closing out or rotating. Time for BU to be a little creative, or just not try to be the smartest guy in the room.
 
#60      

Deleted member 4960

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Have you watched the games lately? Ayo gets blocked or misses layups at the rim against tall athletic bigs. He doesn’t have much of a floater or pull up game. He has to finish better. Frazier has to play better. The turnovers and fouling killed us today. Unfortunately we are getting a reputation for fouling and get a ticky tack fouls called against us that the opposing teams get away with. Also we just don’t seem to dive immediately for loose balls like other teams do. When the ball gets loose we can’t seem to react quick enough or be strong enough.
 
#61      
I can remember B U at OK state losing half a dozen games in a row at seasons start, and then deciding the
guards were guarding too far out, so he brought them back to the top of the key. OK state's defense
immediately improved, they won, and made it to the NCAA tournament. He has the Illini doing the same poor
strategy, too porous, too spread out. Would cut fouling as well.

Offense is easily guarded, no opens, no screenings. Screen, or even double screen and we get an open look.
Never saw Samba either, no twin towers and stay to guard the rim, but saw Giorgi way outside with smallers guarding
bigs, huge mismatches.

I am afraid team will lose hope, not buy into the systems, some will transfer etc. Hope I am wrong.

keep on truckin

joe
 
#62      
Illinois commits a lot of fouls, because they do not play good defense. Lets remember Nebraska had their own issues with fouls. Watson and Roby were both in foul trouble most of the game.
 
#63      
Underwood isn’t getting it done in terms of game planning, rotations, player development. And oh yeah, he’s a minus recruiter to this point.

I was over the moon when we hired him, but this is bad and I’m struggling to see the signs pointing in a better direction.

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#64      
Illinois commits a lot of fouls, because they do not play good defense. Lets remember Nebraska had their own issues with fouls. Watson and Roby were both in foul trouble most of the game.

We are always scrambling on defense because we switch way too much. Somebody else mentioned that we guard too far out leaving too much space. I noticed today that when NE wasn’t trying to get us lost in the switches, their other mode of attack was to take advantage of our defense being too spread out and getting one on one battles where they could get past us to the hoop.

We aren’t athletic enough to play out so far, especially against teams with multiple ball handlers and guys that can get to the rack. We need to pack it in and force teams to take long jumpers instead of giving up clear paths to the basket.
 
#65      
What bothers me is this team looks defeated on the court after only 8 games. The hand-off from GB to whoever usually accomplishes nothing. Guy getting the hand-off doesn't get a good look nor does the post. Now sometimes a turnover will happen and sometimes transition basket for the other team.
These guys do not rub off screens nor do they set their man up with a fake step or cut to help come off the screen. Don't see the guards actually try to drive their defender into the high ball screens. That's all lazy and undisciplined basketball.
Did a decent job rebounding but rarely if ever see a guy actually body his man up on a box out.
Nebraska shot 48% from 2 (actually good for ILL), 49% from 3 and 30 free throws. This defense is so bad what can i say that hasn't already been said.
Trent took 7 shots. Seven. ILL shot the usual 40%. The half court offense doesn't have any rhythm to it, yet is supposed to be unstoppable according to Chin when you figure out or have the patience to go thru all the progressions.
 
#66      
The half court offense doesn't have any rhythm to it, yet is supposed to be unstoppable according to Chin when you figure out or have the patience to go thru all the progressions.

Which begs the question, if the half court offense is so unstoppable given patience, why is our primary goal a 7 sec offense again?
 
#67      
Which begs the question, if the half court offense is so unstoppable given patience, why is our primary goal a 7 sec offense again?

The theory is to push the ball every time to try to get an easy look. If you don’t then you go through the progressions until you get a great look.

My biggest problem with the offense is opposing big men seem to have an easy time defending the rim for the hand off at the elbow. If the ball is handed off to the curling guard, all the opposing big man has to do is take one step towards the rim for a block. Compared to a traditional pick n roll at or past the 3-pt line where the big man would have to cover a lot more ground to get back to the rim.
 
#68      
The theory is to push the ball every time to try to get an easy look. If you don’t then you go through the progressions until you get a great look.

It was a rhetorical question pointing to the fallacy of "unstoppable" half-court offense, given patience. If that was the case, you do not need 7-sec shots to begin with, it is "unstoppable."
 
#71      
What bothers me is this team looks defeated on the court after only 8 games. The hand-off from GB to whoever usually accomplishes nothing. Guy getting the hand-off doesn't get a good look nor does the post. Now sometimes a turnover will happen and sometimes transition basket for the other team.
These guys do not rub off screens nor do they set their man up with a fake step or cut to help come off the screen. Don't see the guards actually try to drive their defender into the high ball screens. That's all lazy and undisciplined basketball.
Did a decent job rebounding but rarely if ever see a guy actually body his man up on a box out.
Nebraska shot 48% from 2 (actually good for ILL), 49% from 3 and 30 free throws. This defense is so bad what can i say that hasn't already been said.
Trent took 7 shots. Seven. ILL shot the usual 40%. The half court offense doesn't have any rhythm to it, yet is supposed to be unstoppable according to Chin when you figure out or have the patience to go thru all the progressions.

Nebraska shot 48% from 2 (actually good for ILL), 49% from 3 and 30 free throws.

This is almost unprecedented. A very bad omen.
 
#72      
The defensive scheme is terrible and has to change.
On D against Nebraska....we actually held them significantly below their 60% season avg on 2p attempts; their 3P shots dropped at a over 40% clip which is above their season avg of 33%.

On Nebraska...if Ayo plays his normal game and we cut out a couple of the dumb fouls, we are within a bucket or two at the end and have a chance.

Kudos to Giorgi and KN for keeping us within reach in the 2d half.
 
#74      
The strength of this team is supposed to be the guards and right now that’s not happening. Hopefully it gets better with experience

The weakness was supposed to be the "bigs". And the Center seems to be doing rather well. So, a couple of suggestions (IMVVHO), feed the center AND center please stop fouling.

This team has no leader and that could be an (the?) issue. The FR/SO are talented, but not mature. The JR/SR are mature, but not talented.
 
#75      
Brad Underwood’s system is failing in spectacular fashion. Adapt and survive, refuse and fail. It appears Underwood is choosing not to adapt. It appears Brad Underwood is going to fail and it doesn’t look like he will be coaching at Illinois long.

I think he did adapt at Nebraska. BU went away from his pinch-post in the second half. I suspect the kids are not executing. No matter what they are taught. I suspect it is just too much "me" ball.