Ohio State 87, Illinois 81 Postgame

#51      

joncoker22

Rockford, IL
Time to change the starting lineup. Demonte should go to the bench and help the second unit. Grandison or BBV should start. We need length not the four small guards.
 
#55      
This team hasn’t even hit the tough part of their schedule yet. After Penn State they could lose five in a row if they continue to play like they are
 
#57      
We are a good team! We are not a great team. We still have time to develop into a great team. I think this team will improve. Considering what people have endured over the last year, I am enjoying all of these games...even the heartbreaking losses.
I’d say we’rea talented team, but not a great team. A lot of pieces that haven’t quite gelled together. Right now, the sum isn’t greater than the parts.
 
#59      

BMoreIllini

Baltimore, MD
Since many poster are going to be in full meltdown mode again, I'm going to say there were some things I liked:
1) Grandison gave some good minutes and hit some big shots.
2) Kofi made a few quick passes to open guys when the double team came. (Still wish he would stop putting the ball on the floor when he's under the basket.)
3) Giorgi contributed after being more frustrated in the UMD game than I had ever seen him.
4) Miller made some shots.

There's a lot to like with our team. I still think I would take our roster over any in the B1G in the NCAA tournament, other than Michigan if I get them with how they're playing right now. If we don't win the B1G I honestly don't care if we finished second in the B1G or 6th, as long as we get a decent seed in the tourney.

I see progress from our guys. Against UMD Kofi backed away from a few double teams and today he made quick passes out. He did neither of those things even earlier this year. Curbelo has like a 3:1 assist to TO ratio in B1G play after nearly a 1:1 ratio in non-con. Miller is hitting shots more after a slump to start B1G play. Sometimes the progress is hard to see, especially after losses, but I think it is there. If we could just hit free throws, we missed 2 front ends of one and ones in the first half, our record would look much better and we could keep momentum - Looking at Kofi after that fragrant.
 
#61      
6557F149-429B-4002-99E6-151B5FF76892.jpeg
 
#62      
Since many poster are going to be in full meltdown mode again, I'm going to say there were some things I liked:
1) Grandison gave some good minutes and hit some big shots.
2) Kofi made a few quick passes to open guys when the double team came. (Still wish he would stop putting the ball on the floor when he's under the basket.)
3) Giorgi contributed after being more frustrated in the UMD game than I had ever seen him.
4) Miller made some shots.

There's a lot to like with our team. I still think I would take our roster over any in the B1G in the NCAA tournament, other than Michigan if I get them with how they're playing right now. If we don't win the B1G I honestly don't care if we finished second in the B1G or 6th, as long as we get a decent seed in the tourney.

I see progress from our guys. Against UMD Kofi backed away from a few double teams and today he made quick passes out. He did neither of those things even earlier this year. Curbelo has like a 3:1 assist to TO ratio in B1G play after nearly a 1:1 ratio in non-con. Miller is hitting shots more after a slump to start B1G play. Sometimes the progress is hard to see, especially after losses, but I think it is there. If we could just hit free throws, we missed 2 front ends of one and ones in the first half, our record would look much better and we could keep momentum - Looking at Kofi after that fragrant.
Fragrant fouls sound like something I never want to see
 
#64      

joncoker22

Rockford, IL
Bbv isn’t even playing he’s not starting. That’s like Weber throwing in Crandall to start after not playing
So after two years in the program the kid can't play? Underwood can't get one wing between 6'6" and 6'9"? Complete failure on his part.
 
#65      
Time for BU to prove if he’s an elite coach or just a good coach. Way too much talent to be down double digits in what feels like every game now.
I think Brad needs to shorten the bench. Gut tells me Giorgi and Curbelo need to sit more, and Granderson needs to play more. Not against all teams, but in general. Eye test tells me that this team is grinding to a halt with Curbelo at the point and Giorgi's head in Europe or somewhere else. Just my 2 cents.
 
#66      

Deleted member 747903

D
Guest
Am I missing something as to why they did not foul at the end of the first half with two to give?

non trivial momentum swing there and that bucket of course was huge with us being down 2 at the end.
 
#67      

JFGsCoffeeMug

BU:1 Trash cans:0
Chicago
The issue is clear: lack of consistency, focus, and energy. The solution is less clear. Could be leadership from upperclassmen. Could be more coaching.

But I think it boils down to pride and competitive edge. The team is a little too comfortable allowing opponents to go on big runs right now. Whether it means running crisp offense or locking down on defense, this team needs to see it as totally unacceptable to allow an opponent to completely impose their will on the game for any significant period of time. We are just giving games away and it's not happening at the end; it's happening when we lose the battle of wills.
 
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#68      
So after two years in the program the kid can't play? Underwood can't get one wing between 6'6" and 6'9"? Complete failure on his part.
I’m not saying that. I’m just saying this Is major D1 and we are a ranked team. A kid doesn’t not play all year, then get thrust into the starting lineup. It just doesn’t happen with a competent coach.

Also he got one. Tevian Jones. He’s scoring 20 a game in Southern Utah.
 
#70      
Effort and intensity for 40 minutes. Didn’t do it and lost again.

As a side note, how are we 3/3 on being on the wrong side of flagrant situations?
 
#71      
It is sad that we go down by double digits almost every game. We are better then what we showed. It is frustrating.
 
#73      
Since many poster are going to be in full meltdown mode again, I'm going to say there were some things I liked:
1) Grandison gave some good minutes and hit some big shots.
2) Kofi made a few quick passes to open guys when the double team came. (Still wish he would stop putting the ball on the floor when he's under the basket.)
3) Giorgi contributed after being more frustrated in the UMD game than I had ever seen him.
4) Miller made some shots.

There's a lot to like with our team. I still think I would take our roster over any in the B1G in the NCAA tournament, other than Michigan if I get them with how they're playing right now. If we don't win the B1G I honestly don't care if we finished second in the B1G or 6th, as long as we get a decent seed in the tourney.

I see progress from our guys. Against UMD Kofi backed away from a few double teams and today he made quick passes out. He did neither of those things even earlier this year. Curbelo has like a 3:1 assist to TO ratio in B1G play after nearly a 1:1 ratio in non-con. Miller is hitting shots more after a slump to start B1G play. Sometimes the progress is hard to see, especially after losses, but I think it is there. If we could just hit free throws, we missed 2 front ends of one and ones in the first half, our record would look much better and we could keep momentum - Looking at Kofi after that fragrant.
Thanks for looking at positives Bmoreillini. I liked today's finish much more than MD...we are not "done" but we arent seizing early momentum. Kudos to Ayo for FTs at end that kept us in it.
 
#74      
Not gonna lie, I'm pretty close to hitting the panic button. Obviously the SOS is very high and they dont have a bad loss yet, but it's time to start winning these games against strong competition. If you keep contextualizing these as "good losses" the end result is gonna be getting bounced in the round of 32 wondering what happened.
 
#75      
I think the most disappointing part about this team for me is we really don’t have an identity this year. We don’t play exceptionally good defense by any means, at least not consistently. Our offense is good but too reliant on hot shooting and usually goes as far as Ayo and Kofi will take it. We aren’t exactly a hustle/effort team unless we want to be or are in a 15 point hole. It feels like we have a great roster where the sum of the parts is greater than the whole, and that’s a frustrating pill to swallow. I don’t know how much of that is coaching vs good/bad luck. We won almost every close game last season and have lost almost every one this year. Eventually, we will win a 2 or 3 point game in the B1G. But elite teams don’t dig themselves in 15+ point ruts, and we’ve done that 3x in 8 games already, not to mention imploding at Rutgers and giving up a 19-0 run to Purdue. This team has been an absolute head-scratcher, and while I don’t like to blindly blame “coaching” as an issue, it’s pretty inexcusable to have this type of roster and be 9-5 (5-3) with arguably the softest start to B1G play of any team in the conference. I hope this team progresses, but so far we looked better back in December (Duke, Minnesota) than we do now.