Illinois 83, Duke 68 Postgame

[RoosterCockburn40]

We beat Dook so bad Coach K doesn't even want to play anymore.

Coach K questions continuing play in pandemic

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski wonders whether college basketball should continue with the COVID-19 pandemic surging.

www.espn.com

 

[Ransom Stoddard]

I haven't watched the game yet, but just the box score has me giddy. Not to mention a big jump up to #14 in KenPom (I know, it's still early, but the analytics are catching up to what we've been seeing on the floor).

 

[Jon]

At risk of digging myself a bigger hole-

Got slammed for saying this was an ehh game for Ayo. I believe these are his goals (either mentioned in his return video or implied):
National Championship
Wooden Award
A top draft pick
I looked at his goals and looked at his performance last night and thought "ehh maybe, not sure it moved the needle for his two individual goals."
We already know Ayo is great, but he wants to be the best.

 

[RoosterCockburn40]

At risk of digging myself a bigger hole-

Got slammed for saying this was an ehh game for Ayo. I believe these are his goals (either mentioned in his return video or implied):
National Championship
Wooden Award
A top draft pick
I looked at his goals and looked at his performance last night and thought "ehh maybe, not sure it moved the needle for his two individual goals."
We already know Ayo is great, but he wants to be the best.

People don't want to hear it, but Ayo didn't score like he needs to if he wants to win those awards. I agree, he had an "ehh" game that didn't live up to his expectations.

 

[LJ22]

That was one of my Top Five favorite Illini basketball games.

 

[ProfessorQC]

That win is speaking Volumes in recruiting circles already

We made Duke look like a JV team! Freshman balled out!

 

[Ransom Stoddard]

People don't want to hear it, but Ayo didn't score like he needs to if he wants to win those awards. I agree, he had an "ehh" game that didn't live up to his expectations.

Yes, he needs flashy numbers for those awards, but to play devil's advocate: 18 points going 6-9 from the field, 6-6 for FT, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. That's a solid line against pretty good competition.

 

[thehass]

It's great to beat one of the blueblood hierarchies but we have got to clean up some things. Our rebounding went south again as it did against Baylor and the turnover bug has got to go. I know Kofi was being pounded but he has got to finish more plays and improve on free throws because he will be shooting them a lot. Let's not have a letdown and beat the stripes off the tigers. Go Illini.

 

[SescIllini]

People don't want to hear it, but Ayo didn't score like he needs to if he wants to win those awards. I agree, he had an "ehh" game that didn't live up to his expectations.

Overall stat line not bad, but I agree the scouts would like to see him finish at the rim against these smaller guards. Still think his dribble needs
to be tightened. There were a couple where he recognized the mismatch and advantage and scored at the rim with ease.

 

[RoosterCockburn40]

Yes, he needs flashy numbers for those awards, but to play devil's advocate: 18 points going 6-9 from the field, 6-6 for FT, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists. That's a solid line against pretty good competition.

I agree 100%. I think that Ayo's stat line last night was one of his most impressive. But for the awards to come, he has to score over 20 each game. Luka will average a 20 point double double. Cade Cunningham is a force. He has to put up huge numbers if he wants what he set out to do by coming back.

 

[AirNeezy]

Some takes on the game:

Man Ayo was great, played within himself, didn't seem to force things (like he was against Baylor) and it seems like every time we were getting a bit flat, he snagged a nice rebound, made a tough shot or had a great assist. Exactly what you need from your upperclassman All American.

I still don't know if we are recognizing what we have with Curbelo here. This is a true freshman point guard who has now played great, showing absolutely no fear, against two top 10 teams in a row. In his first 4 games ever. People are drooling about what he can turn into with a couple years under his belt, I'm just waiting on what he looks like by mid B1G play. Even with some of the out of control TOs, he has the ball on an absolute string and some of the dribble moves he made to get out of traps and doubles, along with his passes had my eyes popping out of my head. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on him for B1G FOY. Yeah, he's that good.

Damonte being able to hit threes consistently since the last quarter of B1G play last year is arguably the biggest reason our offense has become so potent. It wasn't long ago that teams were sagging off and daring him to shoot, clogging the lane for our driving guards. Sample size is big enough now that it's not a fluke.

Giorgi has his confidence back, if he keeps it up we are haaaaaaard to beat. We aren't dead in the water inside if Kofi gets in foul trouble.

Adam Miller is a sniper. Tighten up his handles a bit and the sky's the limit. Again, I don't think we appreciate enough how unafraid of the moment our freshmen have been. Against top ten teams. IN THEIR FIRST 4 GAMES.

Scary thing is that Kofi hasn't been playing at the level we know he can and we've still been playing awesome ball (aside from a 90 second stretch against Baylor).

It could just be the long awaited elation from being nationally relevant again and actually backing it up, but damn I really feel like the sky is the limit for this team. We're maybe only playing at 75% the level we know we can and we are still really freakin' good. Kudos to the staff for putting this team together from literally the basement, lets just keep getting better every day so we can win this chip.

 

[Ransom Stoddard]

BTW, why did Duke shoot so poorly in their own gym? 40.3% FG, 22.7% 3pt, and 56.3% FT? Those are road numbers, not home.

 

[ChiefIllini]

People don't want to hear it, but Ayo didn't score like he needs to if he wants to win those awards. I agree, he had an "ehh" game that didn't live up to his expectations.

Correct he didnt play like a Wooden Award winner or perhaps a top draft pick, but I'll argue all day that the performance he gave last night is exactly what a national championship contending team needs.

He didn't force shots because he wanted volume, hog the ball, he played his role. When he got the ball late in the clock he worked his magic because he had to, he played within the offense the rest of the time. Defensively he was solid, albeit on a lesser opponent most of the night. He was also defended by one of the best on ball guys in D1. He managed a double double with 18 pts.

That doesn't win you POY's, but he elevated the team as much as he could today. It wont go down as his best game, but he played as well as could've been expected or wanted.

 

[SescIllini]

Duke is not a top 20 team - rating is based on history and perhaps potential. Glad we played well, but boy, did it just look like K threw the ball out there and let them try to figure out something on offense.

Not discounting our play or capability at all - I think we are around 5 right now. I will also point out I think our Freshmen were better prepared than their freshmen.

I am so happy Duke pressed us last night. We need to be able to handle that and with Ayo, Trent and either AC or AM on the floor at the same time, no one will be able to trap us after this game. But geesh Trent, stay out of the coffin corner. You're a senior for crying out loud.

Totally agree, this Duke team I see dropping out of the top 25. It almost seemed like the Illini toyed with them and we were far from perfect. Ayo and Kofi weren't as sharp as usual, Trent and Curbello were a little sloppy with the ball. Felt like Damonte and Giorgi played as close to their potential as anyone. Feel that UNC looked tougher than Duke and other teams will beat them. Duke lacks any interior presence and 3 point shooting is average to poor.

 

[pruman91]

It's great to beat one of the blueblood hierarchies but we have got to clean up some things. Our rebounding went south again as it did against Baylor and the turnover bug has got to go. I know Kofi was being pounded but he has got to finish more plays and improve on free throws because he will be shooting them a lot. Let's not have a letdown and beat the stripes off the tigers. Go Illini.

As far as kofi and FTs, he has changed the number of times he bounces the ball and raises his left arm up from ,i believe 3 times , to only 1 time now...not a big change but seems he is rushing his FTs a bit to me.....

 

[forbesfrosh]

Exciting to think how solid this team can be as our freshmen gain experience and Kofi settles down and plays better, presuming he does. Disappointed in his play so far. Expected more in his second season after having slimmed down and bulked up some more.
He has struggled more than he should thus far on offense and was clearly frustrated last night at his inability to finish at the rim. He needs to go up stronger when closely guarded. He will draw a foul almost every time if he does, but he needs to also shoot FTs better than he has. He showed last year that he can make those (about 60% from the line?). Also needs to work on keeping the ball above his head and not lowering it so it can be stripped.
His potential remains great, and if he starts to put it all together, wow! Agree that at this point that he's unlikely to be a first-round pick in the next draft, which could obviously help us big time next season.

 

[AirNeezy]

That win is speaking Volumes in recruiting circles already

We made Duke look like a JV team! Freshman balled out!

I don't know if people realize that we only became ranked in the second half of the season last year, and we never got higher than #17 at that. Unfortunately by the time we were rolling and ready to announce ourselves on the national stage, everything got cancelled. After almost a full decade of abject mediocrity it's a bit silly to think that we'd immediately hit on all of our targets out of the gate.

This year though? Things are a bit different

 

[champaignchris]

We beat Dook so bad Coach K doesn't even want to play anymore.

Coach K questions continuing play in pandemic

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski wonders whether college basketball should continue with the COVID-19 pandemic surging.

www.espn.com

I’d take K more seriously if he...

A. Said this prior to losing the Illinois game, and
B. Hadn’t decided to have back surgery midway through the season the last time Duke didn’t have a tourney caliber team.

 

[ChiefIllini]

Is the fact that all we've heard about Miller is that it was a 'funny bone thing' good news, or bad news?

 

[201154JC]

It's great to beat one of the blueblood hierarchies but we have got to clean up some things. Our rebounding went south again as it did against Baylor and the turnover bug has got to go. I know Kofi was being pounded but he has got to finish more plays and improve on free throws because he will be shooting them a lot. Let's not have a letdown and beat the stripes off the tigers. Go Illini.

Completely agree with your analysis. The turnovers were far too abundant. Duke is not a very good team.

 

[ChiefIllini]

Correct he didnt play like a Wooden Award winner or perhaps a top draft pick, but I'll argue all day that the performance he gave last night is exactly what a national championship contending team needs.

He didn't force shots because he wanted volume, hog the ball, he played his role. When he got the ball late in the clock he worked his magic because he had to, he played within the offense the rest of the time. Defensively he was solid, albeit on a lesser opponent most of the night. He was also defended by one of the best on ball guys in D1. He managed a double double with 18 pts.

That doesn't win you POY's, but he elevated the team as much as he could today. It wont go down as his best game, but he played as well as could've been expected or wanted.

Oh and for everyone saying Ayo isn't at least in contention for POY, he's currently averaging 22.6 pts, 8.2 rebs, and 6.0 assists. Only player in the country averaging 20,6,6.

 

[RoosterCockburn40]

Oh and for everyone saying Ayo isn't at least in contention for POY, he's currently averaging 22.6 pts, 8.2 rebs, and 6.0 assists. Only player in the country averaging 20,6,6.

I was saying this game alone is not a good look for award season. Doesn't mean I don't think he's the best guard in the country.

 

[AirNeezy]

It's great to beat one of the blueblood hierarchies but we have got to clean up some things. Our rebounding went south again as it did against Baylor and the turnover bug has got to go.

Not worried about our rebounding at all, we killed em' on the defensive glass. Only reason they got so many offensive boards was they were bricking every long three baaaaadly and getting long boards.

 

[sacraig]

We beat Dook so bad Coach K doesn't even want to play anymore.

Coach K questions continuing play in pandemic

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski wonders whether college basketball should continue with the COVID-19 pandemic surging.

www.espn.com

I am not a huge Coach K fan in general. It's weird timing right after a big loss. But... he's not necessarily wrong. The NCAA needs to be constantly evaluating the situation and being transparent about it with its constituents.

If the Big Ten got a little clever, I would think you could sort of create a handful of smaller bubbles and have a handful of teams stay in each one for a few weeks and essentially play round robin style, then shuffle the bubbles up. That would seem to mitigate a fair bit of the risk without requiring them to rent out Disney World.

 

[Tacomallini]

Don’t think this has been mentioned, unless it was in the game thread...BU is now +.500 w Illinois (51-50). No turning back.