Illini Basketball 2019-2020

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#76      
Hi Everyone!

Wondering if there are any longtime Illini fans here. I am a producer on a new docu series for BTN that celebrates the best moments in Big 10 history. One that we are focusing on is Nick Anderson's game-winning buzzer beater shot against Indiana in 1989.

Was anyone on this thread at the game, or have a specific story about watching it? If not, do you know anyone who might? We are looking for all different perspectives of that historic Illini moment.

Thanks in advance for any info you might have!
 
#77      
Hi Everyone!

Wondering if there are any longtime Illini fans here. I am a producer on a new docu series for BTN that celebrates the best moments in Big 10 history. One that we are focusing on is Nick Anderson's game-winning buzzer beater shot against Indiana in 1989.

Was anyone on this thread at the game, or have a specific story about watching it? If not, do you know anyone who might? We are looking for all different perspectives of that historic Illini moment.

Thanks in advance for any info you might have!

Will look for the docu series....I simply remember the sheer awesomness of that shot and the Loosiers lowly faces afterwards!!!
 
#78      
"Where was the left foot?"

I don't have any particularly interesting stories about the game, but have always wanted to talk with the one guy in orange sitting behind that basket when it went in.
 
#79      
I've posted this other places but thought I'd share here. Got around to watching the Mizzou game from last night and had some thoughts:

As an opponent, Incarnate looked way more like Lewis than Nichols St. No size whatsoever, no attempts to do anything dynamic defensively, very little athleticism.

Regardless, Jeremiah Tilmon looked pretty awesome. He scored 8 straight points when the game still mattered and just dominated. He kind of got into a little foul trouble on some questionable refereeing and we should absolutely look to get him in foul trouble in our match up because their stable of bigs otherwise is mostly a pile of trash or inexperience. Really hard to watch him and not imagine him in Champaign but whatever.

Definitely weird to see 3 faces on their team that could easily be in our program right now.

Mark Smith is apparently recovering from a foot injury but he missed some pretty easy looks that he'll eventually make. However, the guy still doesn't seem to have a clue defensively and is really not the smart basketball we were sold on. Mizzou fans have tried to tell me otherwise but he was not sharp last night. He is not missed here, straight up.

Javon Pickett on the other hand...people are not going to like this but I would trade DaMonte for Javon in a heartbeat. They have very similar physical profiles and skill sets but Javon just has that Feliz-like mentality and confidence, something I believe DaMonte is sorely lacking.

Kobe Brown is going to be a match up problem for us. He's like a 6'5"-6" wrecking ball that has some Draymond Green to his game. And as a somewhat unheralded freshman, that's pretty scary. He was not afraid to mix it up, take 3 pointers or drive it. I could see Giorgi, Kipper and BBV having real difficulties with him.

Pinson (Simeon kid) does some magical stuff man. Incredible vision. I don't think he fits on our roster super well but he'd be a nice luxury to have for sure. I can also see where Mizzou fans could get frustrated with him as he forces the issue at times.

The Dru Smith vs Ayo match up is going to be fascinating. 2 really big guards but Dru is more of the older Shaun Livingston type with his craftiness against Ayo's NBA level body and length.

I used to go watch Jimmy McKinney at Vashon with my dad when I was a kid so it was really cool to see Mario in a Mizzou uniform, as much as I might dislike the program on the whole. The kid is a spark plug that we'll need to force into freshman mistakes. He will be the most athletic player on the floor in our game, no question.
 
#80      

IlliniMot

Springfield, IL
I was living in Indiana at the time and was watching the game as the only Illini fan in a room filled with Hoosier fans. Watching had been a fairly miserable experience until Anderson's shot found the bottom of the net.

The room emptied as my soul filled with joy. Nobody in that room has been able to speak to me about that game since.

Great memory!
 
#81      

Illwinsagain

Cary, IL
Hi Everyone!

Wondering if there are any longtime Illini fans here. I am a producer on a new docu series for BTN that celebrates the best moments in Big 10 history. One that we are focusing on is Nick Anderson's game-winning buzzer beater shot against Indiana in 1989.

Was anyone on this thread at the game, or have a specific story about watching it? If not, do you know anyone who might? We are looking for all different perspectives of that historic Illini moment.

Thanks in advance for any info you might have!
I just remember ABC pulling away to a commercial, saying that the game was over and the Hoosiers won. I was yelling at the TV that there was still time left. Well, there was, and the rest was a beautiful moment in time.
 
#82      
Kobe Brown is going to be a match up problem for us. He's like a 6'5"-6" wrecking ball that has some Draymond Green to his game. And as a somewhat unheralded freshman, that's pretty scary. He was not afraid to mix it up, take 3 pointers or drive it. I could see Giorgi, Kipper and BBV having real difficulties with him.

Griffin should get the matchup. With some help from DMW and Kipper, but I think Griffin can handle it.
 
#83      

Deleted member 8632

D
Guest
I've posted this other places but thought I'd share here. Got around to watching the Mizzou game from last night and had some thoughts:

As an opponent, Incarnate looked way more like Lewis than Nichols St. No size whatsoever, no attempts to do anything dynamic defensively, very little athleticism.

Regardless, Jeremiah Tilmon looked pretty awesome. He scored 8 straight points when the game still mattered and just dominated. He kind of got into a little foul trouble on some questionable refereeing and we should absolutely look to get him in foul trouble in our match up because their stable of bigs otherwise is mostly a pile of trash or inexperience. Really hard to watch him and not imagine him in Champaign but whatever.

Definitely weird to see 3 faces on their team that could easily be in our program right now.

Mark Smith is apparently recovering from a foot injury but he missed some pretty easy looks that he'll eventually make. However, the guy still doesn't seem to have a clue defensively and is really not the smart basketball we were sold on. Mizzou fans have tried to tell me otherwise but he was not sharp last night. He is not missed here, straight up.

Javon Pickett on the other hand...people are not going to like this but I would trade DaMonte for Javon in a heartbeat. They have very similar physical profiles and skill sets but Javon just has that Feliz-like mentality and confidence, something I believe DaMonte is sorely lacking.

Kobe Brown is going to be a match up problem for us. He's like a 6'5"-6" wrecking ball that has some Draymond Green to his game. And as a somewhat unheralded freshman, that's pretty scary. He was not afraid to mix it up, take 3 pointers or drive it. I could see Giorgi, Kipper and BBV having real difficulties with him.

Pinson (Simeon kid) does some magical stuff man. Incredible vision. I don't think he fits on our roster super well but he'd be a nice luxury to have for sure. I can also see where Mizzou fans could get frustrated with him as he forces the issue at times.

The Dru Smith vs Ayo match up is going to be fascinating. 2 really big guards but Dru is more of the older Shaun Livingston type with his craftiness against Ayo's NBA level body and length.

I used to go watch Jimmy McKinney at Vashon with my dad when I was a kid so it was really cool to see Mario in a Mizzou uniform, as much as I might dislike the program on the whole. The kid is a spark plug that we'll need to force into freshman mistakes. He will be the most athletic player on the floor in our game, no question.
It looks like MIZNOZ is destined for an SEC championship and a probable final 4 appearance. N. Kentucky will be a much better gauge.
 
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#85      
I just remember ABC pulling away to a commercial, saying that the game was over and the Hoosiers won. I was yelling at the TV that there was still time left. Well, there was, and the rest was a beautiful moment in time.
I'll never forget the look on Edwards' face after he hit that impossible shot.

Lou doesn't get enough credit for some of the awesome plays he designed for last shots.
 
#86      
Hi Everyone!

Wondering if there are any longtime Illini fans here. I am a producer on a new docu series for BTN that celebrates the best moments in Big 10 history. One that we are focusing on is Nick Anderson's game-winning buzzer beater shot against Indiana in 1989.

Was anyone on this thread at the game, or have a specific story about watching it? If not, do you know anyone who might? We are looking for all different perspectives of that historic Illini moment.

Thanks in advance for any info you might have!

My wife was there as a high school senior, born and raised in Illinois but the daughter of two IU grads. She and the parents all went to the game as part of their college visits to IU and U of I. After Nick hit the shot, she cheered and turned to her parents and said "I'm going to Illinois!!!!"
 
#87      
I don't think ABC would have said Indiana won after Jay Edwards' shot. Edwards' two-pointer tied the game at 67 and it seemed the game was headed to overtime. (And yeah, I wondered at the time whether Edwards' left foot was out-of-bounds.) Nick Anderson's three-pointer gave Illinois the win, 70 - 67.
 
#89      
Hi Everyone!

Wondering if there are any longtime Illini fans here. I am a producer on a new docu series for BTN that celebrates the best moments in Big 10 history. One that we are focusing on is Nick Anderson's game-winning buzzer beater shot against Indiana in 1989.

Was anyone on this thread at the game, or have a specific story about watching it? If not, do you know anyone who might? We are looking for all different perspectives of that historic Illini moment.

Thanks in advance for any info you might have!

I was 15 watching with my Dad in the living room. It was a Sunday afternoon game we brought up cows for spring worming that day and knocked off to go in and watch the Illini. They came charging back and ABC threw up some stats about how many game winning shots Jay Edwards had hit then he hit that !!!! from behind the backboard. Dad thought it was a 3 I guess and he banged the coffee table and cussed then stomped out to the bathroom in disgust. They cut to commercial immediately and when they came back there was 2 seconds. Bardo throws that baseball pass because they didn't guard the inbound man and Nick's shot was so perfect. They are all rolling around on the Indiana Assembly Hall floor and the Pbp man is screaming Illini wins! when my Dad came back in the room and goes "WTF happened?!?" I never let him live that down that he missed that shot! Anytime a basketball game was over for 20 years he'd look at me and say "You think its safe to hit the john now?" 😄

I should add that my Dad hated Bobby Knight like no-one in the world which made it that much funnier.
 
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#90      

haasi

New York
I was 5 visiting my grandma in Florida with my mom and brother. It was the first game- of any sport- I remember watching on TV. I remember my brother screaming that Nick Anderson hit a 30 footer to win.

My brother had some Illini #1 decor on the wall in his room. I think I thought at that point that that was what it was generally like to be an Illini fan.
 
#91      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
I just remember ABC pulling away to a commercial, saying that the game was over and the Hoosiers won. I was yelling at the TV that there was still time left. Well, there was, and the rest was a beautiful moment in time.

Didn't happen. Edwards tied the game with his circus shot.
 
#92      

89illini

Grand Rapids, MI
I have lived in Michigan the past 35 years. Watched the game on TV. Kept the Tribune front page with the huge photo of NIck leaping in the air and the giant headline "In the Nick of Time".

Several years later the Orlando Magic, owed by the DeVos family, were in Grand Rapids for a preseason game. The team visited the children's hospital where I work. Both Nick and Sean Higgins were there. I brought the front page to work, met Nick and had him autograph it (Nick Anderson, #25). This gave me the opportunity to accuse Higgins of going over the back on Nick during the final possession of the 1989 Final Four game we have all replayed a million times. They both laughed at my accusation.
 
#93      
Watched Teske and Haarms in their first game. They looked good. Interesting test for Kofi.
 
#94      

Illwinsagain

Cary, IL
I don't think ABC would have said Indiana won after Jay Edwards' shot. Edwards' two-pointer tied the game at 67 and it seemed the game was headed to overtime. (And yeah, I wondered at the time whether Edwards' left foot was out-of-bounds.) Nick Anderson's three-pointer gave Illinois the win, 70 - 67.
Didn't happen. Edwards tied the game with his circus shot.
I stand corrected, I just watched the replay. I do remember yelling at the TV though, insisting that there was still time left. :doh:
 
#95      

The Recruit

The Eternal Optimist
Denver, CO
I know it's just one game, but I would be shocked if Kofi is here for 4 years based off of what we have seen so far. I love 4 year players, but I'm hoping we start to get some quality big guys that see Illinois as a quality landing spot to get them to the NBA. Keeping Antigua is such a huge part of landing these top tier guys like Kofi, not to mention giving us the credibility and development.
 
#96      
I totally agree. I know it's just one game, but I would be shocked if Kofi is here for 4 years based off of what we have seen so far. I love 4 year players, but I'm hoping we start to get some quality big guys that see Illinois as a quality landing spot to get them to the NBA. Keeping Antigua is such a huge part of landing these top tier guys like Kofi, not to mention giving us the credibility and development.

He will definitely be an interesting case. Being a big in the modern NBA is just different than it used to be. If he can hit a jumper and play D, he will be gone in 2 years. If not, it will be interesting. Look at Okafor, Alexander, Tilmon, etc. They leave early, but struggle to have sustained success in the league. Lucky for him, he’s got the big man coach from Kentucky when Karl Anthony Towns and Anthony Davis were there, so he should get some good development while here.
 
#99      
He will definitely be an interesting case. Being a big in the modern NBA is just different than it used to be. If he can hit a jumper and play D, he will be gone in 2 years. If not, it will be interesting. Look at Okafor, Alexander, Tilmon, etc. They leave early, but struggle to have sustained success in the league. Lucky for him, he’s got the big man coach from Kentucky when Karl Anthony Towns and Anthony Davis were there, so he should get some good development while here.

I saw a video of Kofi in a 3 point contest with Cole Anthony and Kofi smoked Cole. On top of that, Kofi hit a few ranged shots in the exhibition game. The other thing he did was miss a bunch of free throws which is not great... so he's a little bit of a mixed bag but definitely has the potential to develop some shooting ability and gain the interest of the NBA.
 
#100      
I said last year i thought Ayo was a 3 year player i am sticking with that.

I hope you are wrong. Not that I wouldn’t LOVE to see Ayo here for year 3, but if he sticks around—something went wrong. He gets injured or regresses.

I want to see Ayo elevate his game to the point where he is a top 3 pick.
 
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