Captain Bubbles
- Fairfield, IL
Wasn't that only an option, like when you're creating your player? I know you can select Illinois, but a college ball mode? Tell us more.
Illini Basketball 2016-2017
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hooraybeer
- Peoria, IL
Illinois was one of like 10 programs to be selected for the game. Basically you start out in college, play thru college, and then go thru the draft process. Not sure how much (if any) detail they are putting into the college part of the game (SFC, jerseys, etc), but was surprised to see us as one of the schools on the game with our recent lack of success.
http://www.thechampaignroom.com/2016/8/26/12658738/nba-2k17-college-teams-my-career-illinois-fighting-illini-basketball
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This and I have heard that there is a little more involvement with the college part of my career mode. Also you can buy (with points you earn in the game) certain "all time great" teams and legendary players of all the 10 collegiate programs. Pretty awesome especially because i hated the teams that were in 2k16 haha.
ILL in IA
- Iowa City
I can't say for sure, but I would guess this had more to do with the CLC, the company that manages licenses for UI. They have been very aggressive lately in getting added $$$ for the schools it manages. They probably pushed us more than 2k17 saw us as a great add on to the game.
What's happening with the walking wounded? How are injuries healing up? Will there be an improvement in defense?
Captain Bubbles
- Fairfield, IL
I understand what you're saying, but you have to look past Giddens. He's no longer part of the team. OSU will still be good and tough without him.
It's Sept. 1st. The 2016 Illini take the floor end of October. We have a really tough
big 10 schedule coming. We have good to great players but so many coming off injuries.
It sure would be great to get some kind of news. Will Tracy be effective at point guard?
Will Mike Thorne be fully healed? What about his weight & conditioning? How is TeJon Lucas doing in his rehab? How are Coleman-Landis or Tate doing. Last year was a disaster. Any signs that there will be a greatly needed improvement on defense?
What's happening?
big 10 schedule coming. We have good to great players but so many coming off injuries.
It sure would be great to get some kind of news. Will Tracy be effective at point guard?
Will Mike Thorne be fully healed? What about his weight & conditioning? How is TeJon Lucas doing in his rehab? How are Coleman-Landis or Tate doing. Last year was a disaster. Any signs that there will be a greatly needed improvement on defense?
What's happening?
Having Thorne and Black back along with a more experienced Finke and an improved Mav means our defensive rebounding should be immensely improved. And that will also greatly improve our defense.
"These questions—and many others—will be answered in the next episode of...Soap."
:thumb: Immediately the theme song kicked on in my head
It just seems like the season is right around the corner and we know practically nothing
about how the Illini are doing. Conversation on this thread tells us precious little about prospects for the upcoming critical season. A little information does not seem too much to ask for.
about how the Illini are doing. Conversation on this thread tells us precious little about prospects for the upcoming critical season. A little information does not seem too much to ask for.
Yes it should be improved.
But last year's team was the worst rebounding Illinois team I can remember and I have been following the Illini for over 50 years. Imo, there was no excuse for it even with the injuries. I fear that Groce's scheme contributed to the disaster. I worry that he doesn't have the same conviction in the importance of rebounding that a Henson or Izzo or Ryan has/had.
Hope I am wrong.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
GMAB (yes, you're wrong). If you go into a gunfight with a knife, the results are predictable.
You finish 320th out of 346 teams in rebound margin in division I with a 6-10 Morgan and a 6-10 Finke and a 6-6 Hill, you get no breaks from me.
MSU was no 1 out of 346 teams. I'm sure with Black and Thorne we would have been right there with them.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
No one is suggesting we'd have been "right there" with the number 1 D1 team. Or even close. Nice strawman.
Really? You don't understand how a team with Mav at C and Hill at PF along with three guards wouldn't rebound the ball well? That's precious.
On par with wondering how a team starting Tate, Lewis, or Starks at PG wouldn't look smooth offensively.
We should have put Mav at pg and Starks at C.
It was almost entirely due to having your 2 best rebounders in street clothes.
I don't want to hear any excuses for them being out of position, but it's like they didn't even try to box out from the bench.
Tevo
- Wilmette, IL
No doubt the injuries left us devoid of players who were naturally good rebounders. But we also talked last season about Groce's (apparent) game plan of not sending guys (and certainly not guards) to the offensive glass contributing to our overall lack of rebounds, too. Presumably that was because we lacked the ability to slow down opposing teams who got out and ran. Maybe this year we'll also see improved transition defense, so that we can send more guys to the offensive glass without risking easy baskets on the other end.
My comments were very specific about defensive rebounding and how it impacts team defense. It's hard to get stops when you give up many second chances.
The decision to not go after the boards on offense is a separate discussion. It was clearly a choice the coaches made, whether it was a good one can be debated. But I don't think it's any kind of overall philosophy that they follow.
I suggested it in my original post by specifically mentioning Izzo.
If you send guys to the offer sive glass and they don't come up with the ball you end up giving up fast breaks. Obviously that's a problem, we all already know that, and maybe our transition d wasn't up to par. The other possibility for that strategy has to do with the amount of capable bodies we had available. If the other team is getting out on the break your defense is having to bust a$$ back to defend, wearing legs out much sooner. We just didn't have that luxury with so many people in street clothes. It could have been a strategy to conserve energy.
It was probably a bit of both, I imagine
320th out of 346.
Illini rebounding leaders under Groce...
2012-13:
Egwu - 4.9 per game
B. Paul - 4.4
2013-14:
Egwu - 6.0
Rice - 6.0
2014-15:
Rice - 6.5
Egwu - 6.0
2015-16: (excluded Thorne)
Hill - 6.6
Nunn - 5.0
We're just a precious rebounding machine year after year. Aren't we?
Like I said, hope I am wrong about the issue being at least partially systemic. Looking back at the Groce era though, well, hope I'm wrong.
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