Pregame: Illinois vs Northwestern, Tuesday, February 16th, 8:00pm CT, BTN

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#51      
SactownIllini
Nebraska is better than people give them credit for. They got a win at Penn State. We shouldn't panic as we have not had good times at Pinnacle Bank Arena. The home court advantage is still strong in the Big Ten even without fans.

No 15 point deficit this time! Go U!! Of I!!
 
#52      
ugottabjoshinme
I think we should run more weave, especially now that Kofi is a lot more sure handed with the ball than earlier in the season. A good pick and roll action at the top is hard to beat'.
 
#53      
doowink
ugottabjoshinme said:
I think we should run more weave, especially now that Kofi is a lot more sure handed with the ball than earlier in the season. A good pick and roll action at the top is hard to beat'.
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To me the weave (where 3-4 players are involved) is different than a traditional pick and roll (where 2 offensive players are involved)....to me the pick & roll is better suited for Illinois with Ayo and Kofi being the 2 players of choice
 
#54      
sinmyp1
At least a few people have started discussing Ayo over Luca for POY. To me Luca is a close second to Ayo. I hope we win in a blow out and Ayo goes for 30 - 10 - 10 and everyone starts to see it my way.
 
#55      
Chitownkid
sinmyp1 said:
At least a few people have started discussing Ayo over Luca for POY. To me Luca is a close second to Ayo. I hope we win in a blow out and Ayo goes for 30 - 10 - 10 and everyone starts to see it my way.
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Titus and Tate on their podcast have mentioned they would pic ayo or butler if it ended today. Parrish has also said it’s up for grabs. All have ayo as a lock first team.
 
#56      
ugottabjoshinme
doowink said:
To me the weave (where 3-4 players are involved) is different than a traditional pick and roll (where 2 offensive players are involved)....to me the pick & roll is better suited for Illinois with Ayo and Kofi being the 2 players of choice
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Our weave action frequently ends with a pick and roll at the top of the key coming off a double screen. It is different than a regular pick and roll.
 
#57      
IlliniKat91
doowink said:
To me the weave (where 3-4 players are involved) is different than a traditional pick and roll (where 2 offensive players are involved)....to me the pick & roll is better suited for Illinois with Ayo and Kofi being the 2 players of choice
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The issue is that everyone knows they need to focus on shutting down Ayo and Kofi. If you only run the offense through them, you make it super easy for the other team to come up with a defensive plan for us. The weave at least opens up multiple options to score and makes us harder to stop.
 
#58      
Ransom Stoddard
nycillini said:
But that's the thing, its a set play and not just wasting time. Waisting time would be someone dribbling the ball for 15 seconds at the top of the key with nobody else moving.
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There have been posters in the game threads griping about the lack of set plays--specifically when we're running the ball screen/weave offense. Some folks just don't basketball, I guess.
 
#59      
Goode-for-3
wewillwint said:
Game announcers like the weave. Say it wears opponents out trying to keep up with their man and break through screens. I don't see anything to complain about concerning it.
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Here's some Highlights from Kansas with great ball movement. They utilize the weave quite a bit to get things flowing but you can see the key is to constantly be looking for pass/drive it inside and not just hand it off at the top of the key the entire time.

So while I have no issue with the weave, I do agree we need to be looking to push the ball inside from the tip-off.
 
#60      
illinitiger
Goode-for-3 said:

Here's some Highlights from Kansas with great ball movement. They utilize the weave quite a bit to get things flowing but you can see the key is to constantly be looking for pass/drive it inside and not just hand it off at the top of the key the entire time.

So while I have no issue with the weave, I do agree we need to be looking to push the ball inside from the tip-off.
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I don't recall seeing crosscourt pass to an open 3 when we run the weave....but that's what Kansas uses it for. Seems like we just continuously hand it off.
 
#61      
Cook
I think what we're reacting to is not running it with purpose and urgency. It's not the action per se, but how we execute it. Seems like we too often weave just for the sake of weaving. Running 3-4+ handoffs in the center of the court (the ball also "sticks" in that court position) and no one looking to really pass or drive, rather just give the next hand off. This has been the case mostly at the beginning of games/halves imo. On the other hand, when we're attacking with purpose we can look good in the weave.
 
#62      
GallopingGhost
I don't wanna hear any more of "hOw mAnY minUTEs wiLL tHe BenCH geT?"

That line of thinking is dangerous and pretty much reflects how the guys thought of Nebraska, too. Seems we are a team that could lose to anyone, any time if we are not up mentally to the challenge. Focus on the 1st half of NW, don't even show the guys the 2nd half. Focus on how idiotic they made you feel at halftime. Come out mad. Come out ready, and win to get to W6.

Illinois- 68
NW- 59

:hailtotheorange:
 
#63      
trtl
GallopingGhost said:
I don't wanna hear any more of "hOw mAnY minUTEs wiLL tHe BenCH geT?"

That line of thinking is dangerous and pretty much reflects how the guys thought of Nebraska, too. Seems we are a team that could lose to anyone, any time if we are not up mentally to the challenge. Focus on the 1st half of NW, don't even show the guys the 2nd half. Focus on how idiotic they made you feel at halftime. Come out mad. Come out ready, and win to get to W6.

Illinois- 68
NW- 59

:hailtotheorange:
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This. I couldn’t agree more. But seriously, how many minutes will the bench get?
 
#65      
JFGsCoffeeMug
GallopingGhost said:
I don't wanna hear any more of "hOw mAnY minUTEs wiLL tHe BenCH geT?"

That line of thinking is dangerous and pretty much reflects how the guys thought of Nebraska, too. Seems we are a team that could lose to anyone, any time if we are not up mentally to the challenge. Focus on the 1st half of NW, don't even show the guys the 2nd half. Focus on how idiotic they made you feel at halftime. Come out mad. Come out ready, and win to get to W6.

Illinois- 68
NW- 59

:hailtotheorange:
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Tough situation. On the one hand, I agree that we shouldn't be overlooking any B1G opponent. On the other hand, we need to keep developing our depth to prepare for the stretch run. This team is going to stall out if we can't get some consistent production out of the Grandison, Williams, Hawkins, and Bezhanishvili group. Need at least one to be really dependable on both ends of the floor. Ideally two or three (to hedge against injury, foul trouble, or an off-night). And if you can't play these guys against Northwestern, how are you going to play them past the second rounds of the B1G or NCAA tournament? Can't just think short-term here. Not with the types of goals we have in mind.
 
#66      
Cairo
GallopingGhost said:
I don't wanna hear any more of "hOw mAnY minUTEs wiLL tHe BenCH geT?"

That line of thinking is dangerous and pretty much reflects how the guys thought of Nebraska, too. Seems we are a team that could lose to anyone, any time if we are not up mentally to the challenge. Focus on the 1st half of NW, don't even show the guys the 2nd half. Focus on how idiotic they made you feel at halftime. Come out mad. Come out ready, and win to get to W6.

Illinois- 68
NW- 59

:hailtotheorange:
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Ghost, dropping knowledge. He said it before the Nebby game too. I did as well, but I'm not going to rub it in. Well, maybe I am.
No gimmes in this league. We are the hunted. It's a great place to be, and great experience for March and April.
 
#67      
Deleted member 29907
For those not thrilled with the weave - watch the off ball movement. While its being used to reverse the ball from side to side, and get the team moving and the D moving, but then there is positioning for Kofi as well. The weave is attempting to give Kofi time to put his guy on his back and get a better look. Thus the guards aren't necc. trying to turn a corner, rather get an angle.

Not saying its a full time offense - it shouldn't be and would wear our guys out as well - but its a tool in the toolbox.
 
#68      
CubsIlliniFan
Ransom Stoddard said:
There have been posters in the game threads griping about the lack of set plays--specifically when we're running the ball screen/weave offense. Some folks just don't basketball, I guess.
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We run so few set plays mainly out of a time out but I have been a drive dish , drive ball screen type guy. We have improved our zone offense some as we seem to get a guy in the middle the ball to facilitate. But I want quick, smart passes. I still think back to the 15 pass score in 2005. The ball went in and out at least three times and we found Dee for an open three, Moving the D side to side makes teams vulnerable to a team who can make great passes, We throw too many lazy passes in games or make bad angle passes. We can clean that up and make the right pass, our turns will drop.
 
#69      
CubsIlliniFan
JFGsCoffeeMug said:
Tough situation. On the one hand, I agree that we shouldn't be overlooking any B1G opponent. On the other hand, we need to keep developing our depth to prepare for the stretch run. This team is going to stall out if we can't get some consistent production out of the Grandison, Williams, Hawkins, and Bezhanishvili group. Need at least one to be really dependable on both ends of the floor. Ideally two or three (to hedge against injury, foul trouble, or an off-night). And if you can't play these guys against Northwestern, how are you going to play them past the second rounds of the B1G or NCAA tournament? Can't just think short-term here. Not with the types of goals we have in mind.
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If we have to play 4 games in 8 days we will need the bench to play serious minutes.
 
#70      
Fighter of the Nightman
Alright, it's time to get a confidence booster in, lol. Struggling NU team, Illini team on a winning streak, back at home, got the scare out of the way at Nebraska ... everything should point to the guys comin' out and taking care of business and winning by 10-15. I hope so, anyway. If it's close again, I'll be more mad at how nervous I am during the game than the simple fact we didn't blow them out, because as Ayo said ... this is the Big Ten every night, and we are The Hunted now.

Northwestern 66
#5 Illinois 78

P.S. I felt very vindicated that Nebraska finally nabbed a win at PSU. Obviously, PSU isn't at the top of the B1G or anything, but there really isn't a team in this league right now that doesn't have enough pieces to knock off somebody on any given night.
 
#73      
IllinoisssssssVarsity
VAIllini35 said:
For those not thrilled with the weave - watch the off ball movement. While its being used to reverse the ball from side to side, and get the team moving and the D moving, but then there is positioning for Kofi as well. The weave is attempting to give Kofi time to put his guy on his back and get a better look. Thus the guards aren't necc. trying to turn a corner, rather get an angle.

Not saying its a full time offense - it shouldn't be and would wear our guys out as well - but its a tool in the toolbox.
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Exactly. It gets the defense moving around the court and usually leads to Kofi and Ayo in a P/R at the top of the key.

Our 2 biggest threats in a pick and roll/post scenario with the helpside occupied and shifted by previous movement seems like a pretty advantageous position for us.
 
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