Illinois 68, Northwestern 61 POSTGAME

[IceCuban]

Where do you live? I often find that hatred of Northwestern directly correlates to your closeness to Chicago. It's kind of like how everyone from more central/southern Illinois hates Missouri and sees them as a huge rival but I personally don't care that much. Northwestern on the other hand I highly dislike and would greatly enjoy their basketball demise for eternity. Helps with recruiting.

I've lived in Chicagoland (city, suburb, and far western suburb) my whole life except 4 years in Champaign. I Always thought Wisconsin and Iowa were the big football games and Indiana was the basketall rival to beat. Northwestern was always just the best academic school, and they never let you forget it. That's where most of the hate comes from in regards to NU fans, they can be insufferable.

 

[IceCuban]

Big old hug from Whitman for Groce afterward. The AD was showing the love to all the players as well.

 

[OptimistOrange]

when we get 18+ assists I think we win virtually every game. when we get 10 or less = guaranteed loss. probably stating the obvious but offensive flow, spacing, movement creates wins and that best happens with TJL at point

 

[helppitch]

Some random thoughts...

Not even looking at the stats, the offense looks SO much better with TJL probing the lane and driving. I don't even care what his RPM is, the offense is better with him.

When did MM become a defensive factor? I really liked how he played on both ends of the floor tonight.

Kudos to Finke for stepping up when we really needed it late in the 2nd!

MH continues to grind it out. I respect the guy.

Unfortunately all we've really shown this year is that we can beat meh teams when their best player is out (tonight and Iowa when Jok barely played).

Losing all our Seniors is going to hurt, but we have a nice nucleus for next year with TJL, Black, Finke, KN, and JCL (if he gets his head/shot right). The paint is going to be our problem unless we keep Tilmon.

Jok barely played?? He played 32 minutes which was more than any other player on both teams. His effectiveness may have been down because of an injury. Actually, arguably, Iowa's two best games came with Jok out. He is a really talented player.

 

[Deleted member 29907]

In the now 5 games he's played 25+ minutes:

v Iowa: 27 min, 1/4 FG, 1/1 3P, 3/4 FT, 6 pts, 6 ast, 2 reb, 2 stl, 2 to
@ Penn St: 25 min, 2/8 FG, 0/3 3P, 0/0 FT, 4 pts, 3 ast, 2 reb, 3 stl, 1 to
v Wisco: 26 min, 0/4 FG, 0/0 3P, 0/0 FT, 0 pts, 1 ast, 4 reb, 2 stl, 2 to
v Minn: 27 min, 1/5 FG, 1/3 3P, 0/0 FT, 3 pts, 4 ast, 1 reb, 0 stl, 0 to
@ NU: 33 min, 4/9 FG, 1/2 3P, 2/3 FT, 11 pts, 6 ast, 5 reb, 1 stl, 2 to

By far his best game of the season tonight, but he hasn't had many other performances that really indicate he would've changed the trajectory of our season with more minutes.

That said, he seemed to come out aggressive tonight, so getting him involved SHOOTING early was excellent.

Its all relative - compared to the alternatives - those are some pretty good stats - but of course - its much more than stats. The eye test shows he is running this team much, much better than the alternatives. He's at the half court line at 5 seconds and get the O moving much faster. He'd likely have more assists if we would shot worth a crap during 3 of those middle games.

Plus, I'd suggest our subbing patterns during most of those games keep players cold. Actually those stats look pretty good considering the whole story - i particularly like the steals stat because this team is for the most part devoid of them. And pretty good rebounding for the young fella.

Season changing, we'll never know how this would have played out if he had been given the keys earlier. Some coaches see the potential and let players struggle through it to get ready. Some make you show 90% of it in practice before you get the chance. His performance against FSU was all I needed to convince me.

 

[Illiini]

I've lived in Chicagoland (city, suburb, and far western suburb) my whole life except 4 years in Champaign. I Always thought Wisconsin and Iowa were the big football games and Indiana was the basketall rival to beat. Northwestern was always just the best academic school, and they never let you forget it. That's where most of the hate comes from in regards to NU fans, they can be insufferable.

Just ask what their rank in library size is. U of I is, depending on whether you count branches, 3rd or 5th largest library in the US, behind Library of Congress and Harvard. If you count branches, we're behind NYC and Boston city libraries.

I have no idea how big NU's library is.

 

[The Dave]

Jok barely played?? He played 32 minutes which was more than any other player on both teams. His effectiveness may have been down because of an injury. Actually, arguably, Iowa's two best games came with Jok out. He is a really talented player.

Ok, I stand corrected. He might have played, but he was not effective. He ended up with only 10 point IIRC and wasn't a factor in the game. I think he ended up sitting out the next two with his back problems.

The point was not actual minutes played, the point was he wasn't a major factor due to his back.

 

[IlliniOllie]

Where do you live? I often find that hatred of Northwestern directly correlates to your closeness to Chicago. It's kind of like how everyone from more central/southern Illinois hates Missouri and sees them as a huge rival but I personally don't care that much. Northwestern on the other hand I highly dislike and would greatly enjoy their basketball demise for eternity. Helps with recruiting.

Teddy "Purplestein" Greenstein, the Chicago Tribune's own Northwestern homer, is enough reason to dislike the Wildcats. He's a complete knob.

 

[breadman]

It is now at that point in the season that whenever I see TJL, Kipper, Finke, Black, DJW, AJ in the game, I keep telling myself I am now watching next year's team. And you know what, I go to a better place. and feel really good.

 

[chief9]

Teddy "Purplestein" Greenstein, the Chicago Tribune's own Northwestern homer, is enough reason to dislike the Wildcats. He's a complete knob.

He's the bag that tried to put out the rumor Lovie wasn't happy in Champaign. What's the over/under that this was done due to recruiting?

 

[OrangeKrus28]

It is now at that point in the season that whenever I see TJL, Kipper, Finke, Black, DJW, AJ in the game, I keep telling myself I am now watching next year's team. And you know what, I go to a better place. and feel really good.

I feel like Illinois fans have been saying this same exact thing for the last 2 years. Always about next year, next year, next year. It should not be that way here.

 

[Dan]

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[Calvin]

I hope most of everyone listened to the announcers....Illinois is a good team...I had the pleasure of watching the Former Illini coaches Basketball Classic in Kansas last night (on TV) .....Weber held in there and lost by a small bit to Self....I will be the lone fan of Give Groce a break over the frustration of a team that has talent...but not had it together...and he has a good recruiting class entering.. he does have energy and obviously he is too loyal to Seniors. Gotta love loyalty....but it has its place. Penn St beat Maryland...it is a weird year..I am gonna bet Whitman is patient and this board is as effective as the famous march....lets let it ride...It is very hard to start over....

I am now ready to be landblasted!!! Have fun!!

Happy for the team and the players. And glad we have positive fans.

 

[VTIllini]

-1

NU is this state's best hope for getting a tournament team. Also, they're a good group of guys. Some people's hatred for NU is a little dumbfounding to say the least. People treat NU like they are Indiana or Kansas or UNC.

Just a little payback, is all. NU ("Chicago's Team") routinely looks down on
its downstate country cousins--and always has. Still, Indiana they are not.

 

[LurkLongandProsper]

I slept on this thought, but I am really having trouble getting over the asterisk of that win coming with Lindsey out. By all means, it was nice to get a road win, but the consensus is that we played great, and we won by 7 against a team missing its best scorer.

Really glad the guys get to celebrate a W, lord knows they deserve it, but I just don't know if this is really an indicator that we've turned the corner, per se.

 

[AlmaMater]

I slept on this thought, but I am really having trouble getting over the asterisk of that win coming with Lindsey out. By all means, it was nice to get a road win, but the consensus is that we played great, and we won by 7 against a team missing its best scorer.

Really glad the guys get to celebrate a W, lord knows they deserve it, but I just don't know if this is really an indicator that we've turned the corner, per se.

That's the thing, we don't know what would have happened if Lindsey had played. No sense dwelling on hypotheticals and just accept that we won. The next few games will tell us if we have turned a corner or not.

 

[LurkLongandProsper]

That's the thing, we don't know what would have happened if Lindsey had played. No sense dwelling on hypotheticals and just accept that we won. The next few games will tell us if we have turned a corner or not.

You're right, we don't know at all, but his contributions to NU are very similar to Malcolm Hill's to our team, and I don't think we'd win very many games without MH. That's all. Not trying to say this is an auto-loss if they have Lindsey, just something I've been thinking about.

 

[Dayman]

Fun game to watch. Guys played hard. Bottom line is we played better because we played the best point guard the most minutes, shorter rotation with best players playing the most minutes. Wish we would have done this a long time ago. Also had more movement at times as well with the weave action out front. If groce has learned his lesson on these fronts and we get hot and win a bunch here, I would be ok with him staying as long as Whitman let's him know this is how it needs to be going forward

 

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

I slept on this thought, but I am really having trouble getting over the asterisk of that win coming with Lindsey out. By all means, it was nice to get a road win, but the consensus is that we played great, and we won by 7 against a team missing its best scorer.

Really glad the guys get to celebrate a W, lord knows they deserve it, but I just don't know if this is really an indicator that we've turned the corner, per se.

McIntosh played kind of a stinker of a game, too. He did have one really good stretch where he couldn't miss, but it took him 17 shots to get those 21 points and he had 6 turnovers, most of which were crucial ones down the stretch.

Never the less, it was one of our more complete games and took place in another team's arena so that is a plus.

 

[LurkLongandProsper]

Never the less, it was one of our more complete games and took place in another team's arena so that is a plus.

Yep, that's certainly inspiring and it was nice to see us make winning plays in crunch time. We haven't done that in a fair bit this year, and we didn't have any totally horrible stretches for once, despite my sitting on the couch in timid anticipation of one, which was a welcome change. I was expecting catastrophe when we came out of halftime and gave up a 3 immediately, honestly. This team has given me trust issues :huh:

 

[IllinoisBill]

when we get 18+ assists I think we win virtually every game. when we get 10 or less = guaranteed loss. probably stating the obvious but offensive flow, spacing, movement creates wins and that best happens with TJL at point

Interesting nobody brought up we won this with a team that had a guy who didn't miss.....If he did not have his night we easily won....

 

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

Interesting nobody brought up we won this with a team that had a guy who didn't miss.....If he did not have his night we easily won....

 

[haasi]

I assume he's talking about McIntosh, who hit several long jumpers on his way to 8-20 from the field....

 

[LurkLongandProsper]

I assume he's talking about McIntosh, who hit several long jumpers on his way to 8-20 from the field....

Yeah, I mean they shot 33.9% last night, that was not even close to a hot shooting night for NU and we won by 7 while shooting 45.3%.

 

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

I assume he's talking about McIntosh, who hit several long jumpers on his way to 8-20 from the field....

Yeah, I had literally just outlined that he had an off game. And good catch, it was actually 20 shots to get the 21 points, not 17.