Illinois 75, Northwestern 71 POSTGAME

#101      

Flight#33

Flight#33
At one point in the game, Illinois had Giorgi, AF, and Damonte running a wave, we were down at the time. Could someone explain where the offense was going to come from in this scenario? They packed in the paint getting bored watching guys who can't shoot run around. IMO, Damonte should only get spot minutes when we need to shut someone down. I know AG was off today but he clearly brings more game to the table.
 
#103      
At one point in the game, Illinois had Giorgi, AF, and Damonte running a wave, we were down at the time. Could someone explain where the offense was going to come from in this scenario? They packed in the paint getting bored watching guys who can't shoot run around. IMO, Damonte should only get spot minutes when we need to shut someone down. I know AG was off today but he clearly brings more game to the table.
I don't really have a strong opinion one way or the other on whether the Son of Nitty should start or come off the bench, but the problem with arguing the latter is that we're winning games with him starting, and the assertion, "Yeah, but we'd be even better with AG starting!" is impossible to make.
 
#104      

the national

the Front Range
(If you’re ever trying to find something like this, Wikipedia has a page on literally all of our seasons.)

12/6/2014 ... vs. American ... lol (we were #24)

Last time we beat a power five team while ranked?

1/5/2013 vs. #8 Ohio State (we were #11)
Was that OSU game the crazy Brandon Paul’s beat down (40pts)?
 
#106      

Deleted member 4960

D
Guest
Were Tevian and BBV still out with injuries I heard nothing mentioned about them during or after the game?
 
#107      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
Relax, NW has played everyone close this year.
i am relaxed skippy, but thanks for your concern. Most of those close losses have been at their home and the B1G home team advantage has been obvious this year. I wasn't looking for a 25 point win, rather a 10+ at our home court. We did not take them seriously enough - I imagine many teams are not and tend to not defend as aggressively as they/we should have. We were up 7 late - at home that should have gotten to 10, not down to 2 towards the end.
 
#109      

sacraig

The desert
I saw colorado lost to AZ....... I have no idea how AZ is not ranked

They went on a nice little losing streak, including to some unranked teams. They had a stretch of losing 5 out of 7. Given, three of those were to Baylor, Oregon, and Gonzaga, but they also lost to St. John's and Oregon State. I am sure they'll be back in the polls soon.
 
#111      
At one point in the game, Illinois had Giorgi, AF, and Damonte running a wave, we were down at the time. Could someone explain where the offense was going to come from in this scenario? They packed in the paint getting bored watching guys who can't shoot run around. IMO, Damonte should only get spot minutes when we need to shut someone down. I know AG was off today but he clearly brings more game to the table.
First people say when DMW is in it is like playing 4 on 5, but now you even have Illini playing 3 on 5 with him in there. Maybe some of the offense comes from the other two players in there — likely Kofi and either Trent or Ayo.
Also, people do realize that there are other ways of attacking a zone other than shooting over it don’t they? Like getting into lane and dishing to Ayo running baseline or passing to Kofi as he rolls to basket. Oh wait, those came from two of the guys in the “where is the offense going to come from” scenario.
I like AG and am now of the opinion that he should receive more minutes than DMW in most games. And he actually did play one more minute. And I’m guessing the difference would have been even more if he wasn’t throwing up bricks. But this idea that DMW has no value to the team is ridiculous. Yesterday AG accounted for 3 points. DMW had 3 assists, which led to at least 6 points. He also played solid D or better when he was in there. Bottom line is both are going to need to contribute when in there — and both are valuable.
 
#112      
Northwestern has 4 players in double figures.
Which of NW players is DW holding down?
DMW played 15 minutes. Is he now responsible for points scored when he is on the bench? I don’t have the resources nor the inclination to watch the game 8 or 9 times to grade every player’s defensive and overall game. But you know who does? Illini staff, and it has reported and voiced by BU and at least one other coach this year that DMW grades at or near the top for the team. If he continues to do that BU will be playing him.
 
#113      

ILLINI IN NE

Omaha,Ne.
An Illini victory and back to back Duke losses, does not get much better than that.

Despite having a young team Northwestern really played with pose and discipline
4 players in double figures, three of them frosh or sophomores
Starting point guard also a freshman, injured.
Add in Pearl getting blown out their last two games and NC being sub .500 midway through the season and it gets even better.
 
#114      
Which is why he won't be once again...he is playing himself back into the 1st rd possibly.
Is Ayo a PG or a SG? To me, he has to be a PG, because in today's NBA, SGs have to be able to shoot the 3. I only bring it up, because what we are really missing is a lights out shooter. This exact team plus Adam Miller would be fun, maybe not quite Dee, Deron, and Luther fun, but the closest thing we have had since 2005.
 
#115      
They're a young team that clearly isn't good

They are a solid coached under talented team, so yes almost like us....Collins will have them back in NCAA as soon as in 2 years if not next year. They have a solid nucleus.
 
#116      
Northwestern has 4 players in double figures.
Which of NW players is DW holding down?

And likewise ILLINI had how many in double figures this game? This is why we won imo, everyone played their part. If BU gets 4-5/5-6 main players in double figures every game, DMW will continue to play his part and the staff clearly won't be concerned with it. In fact, BU would take those numbers happily.
 
#117      
Bottom line is Northwestern is better than their record.

Not really, they will be possibly, but now they are exactly what they thought they would be. Why do you think Collins is not beating them up? He knows he has the makings of another class that got them back to the NCAA, Kopp will continue to get better and better, the lacrosse guy looks to be a BU type of find talent wise (he will be gone). The actual PG is injured but will probably end up being a 20 pt scorer for them, and the young inside player Jones I think shows promise. With another solid recruiting class....NW will be far better than this record so far, just not now in this league.
 
#118      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
Have been watching the Illini for 45 years; it seems to me this month that, finally, the long drought (the duration of which I thought we'd never see) is ending. Rest of BT season will be rough but these guys can hang and finish.

- Trent is a rock and BU has slotted him in the proper place and role;
- This group is fun to watch, even when they bungle. They're getting tougher (which is better) by the game and seem to have good chemistry. And they're still fairly young;
- I'm all about those late-'70s script ILLINOIS home unis they've been rocking since Miami. I missed those and realized they're my favorites. Would love to see them in orange at home (they wore those on the road in the late '70s, IIRC);
- I'm optimistic for the future of the program.

(Oh... the commenter who tossed out the bon mot about pessimism being like paying interest on a debt you might never owe: props. I'm using that one with my teenage daughter from now on.)

Saw Purdue v. Maryland in DC yesterday. Purdue was just awful from the field (9% at one point well into the first half), trailed by nearly 20 for most of first half and yet made it a one-possession game under 4 mins via its 2H defense. I hope we can lock down on D against them Tuesday. Haarms didn't start and was troubled by MD's bigs; Trevion Williams underneath had even more trouble with them. Stefanovic from 3 was awful (0-5 and 1-8 from 2). Eastern eventually got it together in 2H and scored 14. But Purdue really lacked communication and flow for most of the game.

Won't be surprised if MD falls to NW in Evanston Tuesday night. The 'Cats are due.
 
#119      
We have a real good coach and the future/present is very bright.

I agree we have a very good coach, and I was one who was questioning OI coming in or another if BU didn't start winning. What has changed my mind almost as much as winning the games now, is the fact that he has openly admitted to having to drastically alter his system/gameplan. Not every coach will do this or can, much less admit to doing it. Bravo BU, well done, I recant my previous comments, and wish you and our ILLINI well!
 
#122      
Ok...when do we start a Whitney Transfer Watch thread?

I think you are already late to this party....

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#123      

Tacomallini

Washington State
the lacrosse guy looks to be a BU type of find talent wise (he will be gone).
He (Spencer) is a grad transfer. Just posting that in case anyone else was confused, as I was, about why a transferred player who switched sports would be gone in a year. Went to the internets to find the scoop, and someone wrote that he's the lebron james of lacrosse, fwiw.
 
#124      
Illinois not getting much love from the NET rankings at #40. Keep in mind Illinois has beaten Rutgers, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Michigan all ranked ahead. Also Maryland narrowly escaped an Illinois lost at home and Illinois ahead of OSt by 2-3 games in the BigTen standing. Illinois has some bad losses (Miami, Mizzou) but the metrics used for the NET are hurting the Illini. Bottom line is they need to sustain the performance of the last 4 games.