Michigan State 81, Illinois 72 Postgame

[Dan]

 

[LoveLovie]

No big ten championship, time to focus on the big tournament. Everyone was off in this one. Illinois really needs to finish strong

 

[illiniapolis]

I have a hard time getting my hopes up going forward.

 

[KnoxIllini2]

Those that said a humbling loss would be good for us, now what?

 

[DB11Headband]

B1G games with Larry Scirotto part of the crew: 3-3
Without Scirotto: 9-1

Get him off our crews moving forward! Didn’t deserve to win this one but the officiating sure didn’t help.

 

[Go Nats 88 Illini]

We were simpky outplayed from minute 2 on. Just how it was. Let's just win out.

 

[skyIdub]

 

[foby]

Damn.

 

[Miles Leonard]

We were really still pressing there? lol

 

[azillini1]

Kofi getting into foul trouble the 1st half and having to sit and horrible FT shooting do us in. We do out-rebound them by 5

 

[drsmitty74]

On to the next one.

 

[SuperMetroid]

Just one of those games where nothing went right. Whatever. The refs, Tom Izzo, and Larry Nassar St. can all pound sand. Crush Nebraska.

 

[Warren Carter Fanclub]

I know I'll get disagreement but at this point in time Curbelo is a liability .

 

[CurbeloYourEnthusiasm]

MSU was stronger, more athletic, quicker to loose balls. Great game plan by them. Crowded Kofi, fouled him to not let him get any rhythm. Didn't give up anything in transition to Ayo.

This was another opponent of the ilk of Mizzou, Rutgers, Ohio State, Maryland where Illinois just gets outmuscled/outathleted. Our bad matchups are teams that are strong/athletic and play half court.

 

[CentralILifer]

Kofi needs to learn out to find the open man if he gets triple teamed. I know he shoots a high percentage, but not when there are 3 defenders.

Also the kicked out 3 is a very high percentage shot. So much rhythm to be had when it comes straight back out from the post.

 

[haasi]

Awful, ugly loss. Refocus and on to the next. Quick turn around.

 

[Double ACL]

This was a game that the B1G specifically called in order to help MSU get into the tournament.

 

[logjam]

CRAP! That's all I got to say

 

[Deleted member 8896]

19-34 from the free throw line- shameful

 

[ugottabjoshinme]

Out toughed a bit (again). Bad free throws (again). There certainly is a coaching opportunity moving forward getting Kofi to kick the ball out a couple times.

 

[Go Nats 88 Illini]

Ayo, so so tonight. Seemed not into it. Kofi frustrated,. Trent brought it. Fouled out a big part of their team, but could not take advantange. Still missing soooo many free throws. They wanted it, we just were not there. Hope losing now brings victory the rest of the way (or at least when it counts). How many times has MSU lost a bunch and got to the final four and also won it all. Why not us?

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Yep, Big Ten title hopes are gone. Honestly, they probably died with the Maryland game, because you can’t leave yourself zero margin for error.

With that said, we’ll have plenty of opportunities (three) for truly great wins to catapult us right back into top seed conversations. Will we show up? We have to figure something out as far as being mentally prepared. I’m honestly most worried about Nebraska at home. If we can survive that one (am I SERIOUSLY saying that for a top 10 team?!), I think we can snag one of the other three.

If we beat Nebraska and only also beat Wisconsin, we are likely in 3-seed territory. Snag one of the other two, as well, and we are still comfortably a 2. If we got the stink out of our game tonight and can win out, we’ll be a 1.

Needless to say ... practice our damn FTs, remember (AGAIN) what happens when you don’t come to play and then MOVE ON. I’ll be really disappointed if we don’t come out and take our frustration out on what should be a clearly inferior Nebraska squad.

 

[AnnaMay]

This team is an emotional team..when they are playing against 8 it shows. They need to focus when they are not getting calls and not let it effect them.

 

[Oldskoolkoach]

B1G games with Larry Scirotto part of the crew: 3-3
Without Scirotto: 9-1

Get him off our crews moving forward! Didn’t deserve to win this one but the officiating sure didn’t help.

He wasn't even the worst on the crew tonight. He was his typical whistle-blower, but the guy that had the ball bounce off him out of bounds was atrocious

 

[haasi]

Kofi needs to learn out to find the open man if he gets triple teamed. I know he shoots a high percentage, but not when there are 3 defenders.

Also the kicked out 3 is a very high percentage shot. So much rhythm to be had when it comes straight back out from the post.

Yes. Kofi has made huge progress with his post footwork and finishing (tonight mostly excepted), but he has not made any progress yet on passing out of the post. Needs to happen.