2/18 Games

[FromTheLogo]

Michigan's length would be a problem. Hence the discussion on who guards who. It isn't straightforward.

Last night, they played about the first 10 minutes of the second half without subbing. They look plenty "rested". Besides Brown, their bench is thin, and Juwan knows it.

 

[BlueLeader]

Michigan's length would be a problem. Hence the discussion on who guards who. It isn't straightforward.

Last night, they played about the first 10 minutes of the second half without subbing. They look plenty "rested". Besides Brown, their bench is thin, and Juwan knows it.

Driving is key. Can't settle for 3PT against Michigan, they'll foul themselves to death if our guards are aggressive. RU got to the basket plenty but they aren't great at finishing.

They also don't have a Kofi.

 

[FromTheLogo]

Driving is key. Can't settle for 3PT against Michigan, they'll foul themselves to death if our guards are aggressive. RU got to the basket plenty but they aren't great at finishing.

They also don't have a Kofi.

I agree. But..... unfortunately, besides Ayo, our guards 'aren't great at finishing' either.

 

[illiniguy24]

Michigan fans on Twitter were going out of their way to roast Rutgers and rub it in like they just beat their bitter rival. It was strange. I hope they get humbled so so badly. We might be obnoxious at times but we’ve also be deprived of success for a long time.

 

[RockfordIllini]

Watched parts of most of last night’s games.

Not surprised Wisconsin lost. They don’t have anyone inside to check any sort of decent big, let alone a Garza or Kofi, and really seem to lack firepower offensively.

Michigan looks really good. I do think we can beat them but as many have alluded to, a lot will depend on how well we check Livers and Wagner. Think we match up pretty well with them otherwise.

Penn State really pushed Ohio State but ultimately just couldn’t keep up. Ohio State just shot lights out and really feel like they’ve been on a team-wide heater really since their game with us. I keep waiting for them to revert to the mean. If they do, they become the team that was quite beatable earlier in the year. Maybe they keep up the hot shooting through year end, but have to think they come down to earth at some point. Hopefully not until after Sunday.

 

[the national]

Watched parts of most of last night’s games.

Not surprised Wisconsin lost. They don’t have anyone inside to check any sort of decent big, let alone a Garza or Kofi, and really seem to lack firepower offensively.

Michigan looks really good. I do think we can beat them but as many have alluded to, a lot will depend on how well we check Livers and Wagner. Think we match up pretty well with them otherwise.

Penn State really pushed Ohio State but ultimately just couldn’t keep up. Ohio State just shot lights out and really feel like they’ve been on a team-wide heater really since their game with us. I keep waiting for them to revert to the mean. If they do, they become the team that was quite beatable earlier in the year. Maybe they keep up the hot shooting through year end, but have to think they come down to earth at some point. Hopefully not until after Sunday.

It seems like teams that beat us go on a run and teams we beat go cold (Wisconsin). I was really bummed Penn st couldn’t pull it out. They were a touch sloppy but played well at times. Ohio state just doesn’t beam themselves.

 

[Deleted member 747903]

You know that wagner is 6'9 and ace is 6'3 and probably spotting him at least 30 lbs?

Wagner is a slasher and perimeter scorer. You never really see him back a guy down and score. AM can be physical with him on the perimeter and has the foot speed to cut him off on drives.

I don't see how Damonte can stay with Wagner.

 

[RockfordIllini]

Wagner is a slasher and perimeter scorer. You never really see him back a guy down and score. AM can be physical with him on the perimeter and has the foot speed to cut him off on drives.

I don't see how Damonte can stay with Wagner.

I do think DaMonte has a significant wingspan advantage over Ace which often lets him play bigger than his 6’3 height. Based on that wouldn’t surprise me to see DaMonte on Wagner or Livers. I think Miller most likely matches up with Brooks.

I wonder if they use Hawkins at all in this game. Not sure if he has the quickness to stay with Wagner but he might and certainly has plenty of length.

 

[I11ini82]

Wagner is a slasher and perimeter scorer. You never really see him back a guy down and score. AM can be physical with him on the perimeter and has the foot speed to cut him off on drives.

I don't see how Damonte can stay with Wagner.

Wagner would just shoot right over Miller.

 

[pruman91]

I do think DaMonte has a significant wingspan advantage over Ace which often lets him play bigger than his 6’3 height. Based on that wouldn’t surprise me to see DaMonte on Wagner or Livers. I think Miller most likely matches up with Brooks.

I wonder if they use Hawkins at all in this game. Not sure if he has the quickness to stay with Wagner but he might and certainly has plenty of length.

I think Grandi starts out on him and then DMW when he comes in....Play him tough nose to nose and you can get in his head....He has whined and pouted some in the games I have watched them play...he is a threat , no doubt, but that little smith dude is tenacious and worries me ...trent can neutralize him but if TF gets in foul trouble then what ? Belo will have trouble staying in front of smith.......
Hope that Brown doesn't have a career game against us also.....
DMW on Livers is what I think BU will do...all the rest is a mystery...Who does Ayo guard ?

 

[Deleted member 747903]

Wagner would just shoot right over Miller.

Didn't AM match up with Aleem Ford against Wisco or am I not remembering that correctly? If he didn't then ignore my comments lol.

 

[EllderIlliniFan]

Didn't AM match up with Aleem Ford against Wisco or am I not remembering that correctly? If he didn't then ignore my comments lol.

With all of the discussion about match ups with Michigan, there is a chance we never play them this year. Or did I miss something?

 

[LostinNebraska]

Wagner is basically a bigger, whinier version of Weiskamp. Both of those guys are the key to beating their respective teams, IMO. I would be curious how Cole would hang with him for a few minutes. I'm sure Grandison would draw the assignment from the opening tip but who knows.
Also, Rutgers played MI pretty tough in the second half but their inability to hit wide-open 3's (and the abysmal foul-shooting) ended up sinking them. Michigan played extremely sloppy the last 10 minutes of the game, but Rutgers should just could not make them pay from deep. They had many opportunities to get it to a 1 score game. If we shoot as poorly as they did from 3, we'll almost certainly lose - but then again, so would pretty much anybody else in the country. In terms of OSU-Penn State, the Buckeyes made way more mid-range jumpers than PSU. I think their proficiency with those hurt as badly in our matchup as well. It's not a preferred shot these days analytics-wise but teams that are really good at pulling up from 15 and knocking them down can wreak havoc. Washington can hurt you but he's a volume scorer. Ahrens is pretty much a 3-D guy, you cannot give him clean looks at the basket. Liddell is Liddell. You have to go at him on defense and try to take him away with foul trouble. The five minute stretch midway through the second half where PSU could not buy a bucket ended up being the difference.
In terms of Iowa/Wisconsin, Reuvers has regressed so much from even earlier in the season, much less last year. He is Charmin-soft. Potter put up some points, but you would think Wisconsin would dominate inside with those two bigs. For whatever reason, it just does not work.

 

[2qtslow]

With all of the discussion about match ups with Michigan, there is a chance we never play them this year. Or did I miss something?

B1G Final

 

[EllderIlliniFan]

B1G Final

Maybe

 

[RML]

I watched just a tiny bit of OSU and a tiny bit of UM. From that tiny bit, I'm more nervous about OSU. I think we 'll beat UM (and win two more games than them during the regular season, and thus finish 1/2 game ahead of them, but behind them by a tiny bit in win percentage.)