Ohio State 77, Illinois 67 POSTGAME

#101      
I think play at both ends were good for the first half. Second half, things just fell apart. Could be that tOSU adjusted. If the kids c as n keep fouls to a bare minimum things should turn around. The season is gone. Might as well gain experience. AND hopefully gain some good recruits.
 
#102      
I wouldn’t say the refs cost us the game but there was terrible and inconsistant calls both ways. The biggest call was the reversal of a charge to a block in the 2nd half. They didn’t show it on the screen at the game was it replayed on TV? They went on a run from that point. That the team never recovered from.
I like what I am seeing from the freshmen and sophomores but the upper class is letting us down. Kipper had a nice game but refused to take open shots same with AJ. It was frustrating to watch but I like where this team is heading.
 
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#103      

IllFanInMi

I
Guest
I watched Washington 2 years ago, he played for Grand Rapids Christian along with Xavier Tillman and Marcus Bingham JR., (both MSU). DW left for the recruit me tour his Sr. year, I think California as Derek Fisher is his uncle. He was sort of just another guy on that team, not getting the recruiting hype of the other two, but man did he improve and unquestionably solidify he’s a B10 talent.

4 current MSU guys plated vs each other in the state finals two years ago, Washington a 5th B10 guy played in that game. MSU has done tremendous with in state guys and that is a huge problem that Illinois can’t solve:confused:
 
#104      

Tacomallini

Washington State
Haven't had a chance to read through this or the game thread, apologies if this is already mentioned:
I recorded the game but it cut me off with about 5 minutes left. IL was down about 10 pts and it stayed that way. Can anyone tell me what the super angry GIF with Underwood was all about w/ about 30 seconds left?
 
#105      

SKane

Tennessee
People will always be able to point to some positive signs and players, but most teams can do the same. We will always be able to say "look at player X or Y, they will get better as they grow, they are young." Sure, but Ohio State and multiple others can say the exact same thing, even with more confidence. Don't you think Luther Muhammad (playing despite an injury and without his jersey) and Duane Washington, both freshmen, won't get better? Of course they will, and then they bring EJ Liddell (who IMO will be a stud) and Alonzo Gaffney on top of that.

The gap with some of the better teams in B1G is getting bigger at this point in terms of talent.

Very true. And the gap between Illinois and Rutgers is getting smaller.
 
#106      
The good - 1. We are getting some open shots. 2. We are getting layups. 3. The defense is causing turnovers.
The bad - 1. Fouls 2. Team is too tired.
The Ugly - 1. Underwood not utilizing Ayo. 2. Underwood's timing of when to chew !!! and when to play it cool. 3. Ayo's body language.

Did I see Ayo turn his back on Underwood during a second half timeout? Anyone else?
 
#107      
As much as the defense has been a subject of concern and should be this team just doesn't shoot the ball well. They often shoot 40-42% , last nite much lower. Some of the "lay-ups" are contested and tough shots, but they are missing too many that should be converted. As BU has said Ayo is taking off too early sometimes making it a more difficult shot.
 
#108      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Haven't had a chance to read through this or the game thread, apologies if this is already mentioned:
I recorded the game but it cut me off with about 5 minutes left. IL was down about 10 pts and it stayed that way. Can anyone tell me what the super angry GIF with Underwood was all about w/ about 30 seconds left?
A couple of bad calls by the bald ref. Phantom call when an OSU player just fell down and lost control of the ball, questionable call on Frazier and a no-call on us under the basket all contributed. There was a run of questionable calls when we were mounting a comeback. It didn't lose the game for us (missed layups and shots did) but it didn't help. The biggest issue I had with the reffing was that in the first half they let them play, in the second half (possibly due to the complaint and subsequent T on Holtmann) they called a VERY tight game on both teams and the flow just completely stopped. Tough for kids to adjust to that type of reffing.
 
#109      

illini80

Forgottonia
As much as the defense has been a subject of concern and should be this team just doesn't shoot the ball well. They often shoot 40-42% , last nite much lower. Some of the "lay-ups" are contested and tough shots, but they are missing too many that should be converted. As BU has said Ayo is taking off too early sometimes making it a more difficult shot.
We have been a poor shooting team for the last 10 years it seems. Every off season we believe we will be improved, but so far it's been the same old story. Not sure why.
 
#110      
As much as the defense has been a subject of concern and should be this team just doesn't shoot the ball well. They often shoot 40-42% , last nite much lower. Some of the "lay-ups" are contested and tough shots, but they are missing too many that should be converted. As BU has said Ayo is taking off too early sometimes making it a more difficult shot.

This was a legitimate concern for some folks pre-season. We were a poor shooting team last year, and we are a poor shooting team this year, in which case small ball don't work. I think the only hope for this squad moving forward is 1. The back court improves, especially shooting, and 2. how much Higgs, Samba, Tev and January move the needle when they're up to speed. I don't believe that's enough of a talent infusion to help all of our woes, but those are 4 guys over 6'7" with plus athleticism, which we desperately need.
 
#111      
A couple of bad calls by the bald ref. Phantom call when an OSU player just fell down and lost control of the ball, questionable call on Frazier and a no-call on us under the basket all contributed. There was a run of questionable calls when we were mounting a comeback. It didn't lose the game for us (missed layups and shots did) but it didn't help. The biggest issue I had with the reffing was that in the first half they let them play, in the second half (possibly due to the complaint and subsequent T on Holtmann) they called a VERY tight game on both teams and the flow just completely stopped. Tough for kids to adjust to that type of reffing.
The worst call was when the ref called the technical on Holtmann in the middle of an Illini fast break whistling the play dead. We could of scored on that play and possibly got fouled. So instead of a basket, possibly four free throws, and the ball out of bounds, we got two free throws and the ball out of bounds. The ref should of waited for the play to conclude since it was a fast break that pretty close to being completed.
 
#112      
This was a legitimate concern for some folks pre-season. We were a poor shooting team last year, and we are a poor shooting team this year, in which case small ball don't work. I think the only hope for this squad moving forward is 1. The back court improves, especially shooting, and 2. how much Higgs, Samba, Tev and January move the needle when they're up to speed. I don't believe that's enough of a talent infusion to help all of our woes, but those are 4 guys over 6'7" with plus athleticism, which we desperately need.
Poor at finishing around the rim, definitely. But not a poor shooting team. We're currently 27th in the nation in 3P%.

I guess the physicality issue is why we can't finish at the hoop, but otherwise it's a mystery to me.
 
#115      
13 missed layups!! Wow. I knew there a lot, but had no clue it was that many until the radio guys threw the stat out there. The offense did what it was supposed to do. It created good looks and high percentage shots. If they convert on half of the bunnies...they win.

Guards have to get tougher and more physical. Tougher for Trent because of his size, but he has the learn to finish three feet from the hoop.

BU was frustrated beyond belief on the post game....as was Deon for that matter.
I thought that on many, many of those missed layups our guy . . . any and all of them . . . was absolutely flying to the basket. It seemed that a dead sprint was what it took for our guy to get to the glass. And in my experience, layups taken at that speed clang out pretty often, including last night. They're supposed to be "layups", not "smashups". We were firing that ball against the glass.

What that made me wonder is why other teams can get to the glass at a manageable speed, while we can only get there in a dead sprint.
 
#116      
Illiniguy i hope those 4 players are all their next year i think they would help athletically and in the paint. Does anyone know if Jones was in uni last night?
 
#117      
B
Ayo finding out defenses in Division One are a bit more to handle than in AAU.
Before last night he was shooting 45% from the field and over 50% from 3, averaging just under 5 boards a game with 24 assists and 16 TOs. You were expecting better than that?
 
#119      
A couple of bad calls by the bald ref. Phantom call when an OSU player just fell down and lost control of the ball, questionable call on Frazier and a no-call on us under the basket all contributed. There was a run of questionable calls when we were mounting a comeback. It didn't lose the game for us (missed layups and shots did) but it didn't help. The biggest issue I had with the reffing was that in the first half they let them play, in the second half (possibly due to the complaint and subsequent T on Holtmann) they called a VERY tight game on both teams and the flow just completely stopped. Tough for kids to adjust to that type of reffing.

College refs are BRUTAL. Frazier had two terrible calls against him and those fouls caused him to have to ride pine. That charge in the backcourt was particularly ridiculous. Feliz had one where he didn't even touch the guy. I think the refs cost us the game because it took Frazier out of the game and he's the key to our team.
 
#121      
The fouls called were even across the board, maybe some were called at the wrong times, maybe some were called at the right times...ILLINI cannot put this game on the officials.

22-26 last night in foul calls. 14-19 turnover comparision, might that have something to do with it? 32% vs 47%fg .....I mean I get the point, but why always is this reason? Just wasn't and usually isn't...we got to be better is all! Simple, why does every game HAVE to come down to we got hosed, we got homered, we got.......more fouls called against us?

Of course we did, we play an ultra aggressive type of defense, we WILL always have more calls against us. We have got to score and be more efficient with our offense to off set what WILL always happen during our defense.

We played great ILLINI ball for a long stretch in 1st half, didn't sustain it as usual, and lost.

Please, Feliz got called for tripping where replay showed he never even made contact with the OSU kid and Frazier's charge in the backcourt where he only barely got two feet join the ground, took him out of the game. He's our key player and that call was ridiculous, even Hummel said as much.
 
#122      

Deleted member 746094

D
Guest
Ayo finding out defenses in Division One are a bit more to handle than in AAU.

Every freshman finds this out the hard way. I have watched every Duke televised game this year and even the top 2 picks in next years NBA draft (Zion and RJ) struggled at times forcing it in the lane or getting too deep on their drives. Much more physical and everyone is 2 to 4 inches taller on average.

Ayo is half the athlete of those two Duke players and driving and dunking has never been his game. People knew he would have to develop offensively as being a “great layup maker” doesn’t translate to 20+ pts a game in high major college basketball. That being said, he has played well and I think he is still trying to figure out his overall role offensively on this team and how he fits in BU’s scheme. Kid is going to be a stud here.
 
#123      
B

Before last night he was shooting 45% from the field and over 50% from 3, averaging just under 5 boards a game with 24 assists and 16 TOs. You were expecting better than that?

I stand by my statement and I’m not sure how your response refutes it in any way. Did I say he wasn’t playing up to my expectations? Go strawman someone else...
 
#125      
A couple things stood out to me last night more so than before:

1. There are plays to be made (rebounds, putbacks, loose balls, open driving lanes) but we simply don't have the athletes to make them.
2. This has been said about BU before, but anytime a player or a lineup of players gets into a rhythm, they get pulled out shortly thereafter.