Pregame: Illinois vs Arkansas State, Friday, November 12th, 8:00pm CT, B1G+
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The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
Really hope we have at least one of our primary ball handlers in this one so we can see what the offense is actually supposed to look like.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Pretty wild. According to ESPN’s Matchup Predictor (which isn’t the most accurate thing in the world, but is still a data point), the first game this season we have a less than 50% chance to win is @Purdue on 2/10.
illiniswish09
- Northwest Suburbs
Hopefully we get both Curbelo and Frazier back for this one. Arkansas State is legit.
IMO we need at least 2 of Frazier, Curbelo, and Hutch back by next Monday to beat Marquette. Hope we can get someone back for Friday’s game.
MDchicago
- Lake Norman NC
Arkansas State looks to be a better team than Jackson State, so hope we come healthy (or at least healthier) and ready to play. They are an experienced team (return 13 lettermen from last year’s team, including two pre-season all-Sunbelt conference players) and added a transfer (Desi Sills) who started 47 games for Arkansas.
They won their first game of the season 81-55 over Harding University last night. 6’2” guard Sills scored 21 points in 20 minutes and 6’7” forward Omier had 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals. They made 20 out of 21 free throws
as a team.
Arkansas State Red Wolves – Program Overview:
They won their first game of the season 81-55 over Harding University last night. 6’2” guard Sills scored 21 points in 20 minutes and 6’7” forward Omier had 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals. They made 20 out of 21 free throws
as a team.Arkansas State Red Wolves – Program Overview:
- Located in Jonesboro, Arkansas (NE Arkansas, ~70 miles from Memphis)
- Conference: Sun Belt
- Coach Mike Balado: entering 5th season at Arkansas St. (51-69); hired after working 15 years as an assistant coach at several schools, most recently four years at Louisville (including Sweet 16 and Elite 8 teams).
- 1 NCAA tournament appearance (0-1 in 1999); 4 NIT appearances, most recently in 1991
- Most recent NBA draft pick: 7’ C Jason Jennings (2nd round to Portland, #42 overall in 2002)
- In 2020-21, ASU finished 11-13 overall and 7-8 in the Sun Belt. They return 13 of 14 players who lettered for last season’s team, and add a talented transfer who may be their leading scorer this year.
- KenPom.com ranking: #184; Barttorvick.com ranking: #165
- Expected significant contributors include:
- Desi Sills, 6’2” G transfer from Arkansas started 47 of his 98 games with the Razorbacks and averaged 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 turnovers per game. He made 103 three-pointers at a 35.4% rate. Initially planned to transfer to Auburn via portal before changing course. He scored 33 points in his first appearance with Ark. St., a public intra-squad scrimmage, despite missing part of the second half due to a minor injury.
- Norchad Omier (preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection); 6’7” forward who averaged 12.6 points and 12.3 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game last season.
- Marquis Eaton (preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection); supersenior 6’2” guard who averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 assists, 1.2 made 3FG per game (33.7%) last year; 86.6% FT%.
- Caleb Fields, 6’0” guard averaged 11 points, 3.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game last season.
- Keyon Wesley, 6’9”, 176 lb forward, averaged 7.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 21.9 minutes last season.
- Malcolm Farrington, 6’3” sniper (75% of his shots last year were from 3FG), 42% 3FG% last season; 5 3FG in 19 minutes in their exhibition game.
looks like they got the juice to provide a decent challengeArkansas State looks to be a better team than Jackson State, so hope we come healthy (or at least healthier) and ready to play. They are an experienced team (return 13 lettermen from last year’s team, including two pre-season all-Sunbelt conference players) and added a transfer (Desi Sills) who started 47 games for Arkansas.
They won their first game of the season 81-55 over Harding University last night. 6’2” guard Sills scored 21 points in 20 minutes and 6’7” forward Omier had 15 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 steals. They made 20 out of 21 free throws
Arkansas State Red Wolves – Program Overview:
- Located in Jonesboro, Arkansas (NE Arkansas, ~70 miles from Memphis)
- Conference: Sun Belt
- Coach Mike Balado: entering 5th season at Arkansas St. (51-69); hired after working 15 years as an assistant coach at several schools, most recently four years at Louisville (including Sweet 16 and Elite 8 teams).
- 1 NCAA tournament appearance (0-1 in 1999); 4 NIT appearances, most recently in 1991
- Most recent NBA draft pick: 7’ C Jason Jennings (2nd round to Portland, #42 overall in 2002)
- In 2020-21, ASU finished 11-13 overall and 7-8 in the Sun Belt. They return 13 of 14 players who lettered for last season’s team, and add a talented transfer who may be their leading scorer this year.
- KenPom.com ranking: #184; Barttorvick.com ranking: #165
- Expected significant contributors include:
- Desi Sills, 6’2” G transfer from Arkansas started 47 of his 98 games with the Razorbacks and averaged 7.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.3 turnovers per game. He made 103 three-pointers at a 35.4% rate. Initially planned to transfer to Auburn via portal before changing course. He scored 33 points in his first appearance with Ark. St., a public intra-squad scrimmage, despite missing part of the second half due to a minor injury.
- Norchad Omier (preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection); 6’7” forward who averaged 12.6 points and 12.3 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game last season.
- Marquis Eaton (preseason All-Sun Belt Conference selection); supersenior 6’2” guard who averaged 14.2 points, 5.2 assists, 1.2 made 3FG per game (33.7%) last year; 86.6% FT%.
- Caleb Fields, 6’0” guard averaged 11 points, 3.5 assists, 3.1 rebounds in 29.9 minutes per game last season.
- Keyon Wesley, 6’9”, 176 lb forward, averaged 7.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 21.9 minutes last season.
- Malcolm Farrington, 6’3” sniper (75% of his shots last year were from 3FG), 42% 3FG% last season; 5 3FG in 19 minutes in their exhibition game.
MDchicago
- Lake Norman NC
Yep, lots of experience and Sills appears to be a real bucket getter for them. Would be nice to see Trent check him on Friday.
Fwiw at this point in the season, their kenpom rating is ahead of Illinois State, Citadel (who beat Pitt by 15 last night) and Western Illinois (who beat Nebraska last night).
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Same w/ KenPom.
We have a massive target on our back these first 3 games for any resume building team as we're short handed. Cannot slouch through these next couple.
I agree. I'd be shocked if Curbelo isn't back by then just given the time frame of when it happened, but concussions are definitely not something to play around with.
Reports were very favorable on Fraizer coming back for this past game so I assume he's a true day to day guy and another week seems like a big cushion to clear him.
Bruised tailbones absolutely suck and anyone who's had one will tell you that. Basic tasks are borderline impossible. Seeing hutch sitting on the sideline and walking around makes me feel like he's pretty darn close to coming back too.
I have a feeling that if we played a more skilled team yesterday, at least one of those three would've played.
Yep when I had one I wasn't moving like that for several weeks.
I get the thought process but the thought seems to come from when we are on defense. If Kofi is there....they have no defense and would have to collapse which would leave wide open 3's and this year we have the arsenal to deliver on those.
texillwek
🔶🔹🔸🔷
In the app, go to events, select the date of the game, and voila! Replay.
I thought I heard a report that Curbelo was very close to playing the other day. I could be wrong, but if that's true, I would hope that he would be ready to play this game.
I imagine BU will want to get as many starters into this game that he can (safely) before Marquette.
If we don't have Curbelo and Frazier back for this game we are in trouble. I cant imagine either of them not playing. We need everyone.
As I see it, ASU is very capable of winning this game if the same four Illini sit out. They seem to have decent size and athleticism to go along with scorers. Could prove a tougher test than Marquette....or not. Sad that BTN is not going to broadcast this game as there should be a large and VERY interested group of Illini fans aching to watch. Hope the SFC is rocking...these kids will need the support. The team also sorely needs Trent and Andre to play. Without them, ASU may have an advantage in backcourt play.
But I could be full of it....who knows? It is just sad to see so many quality Illini players sitting on the bench in street clothes. Fortunately, there are plenty of new faces performing well on the court.
But I could be full of it....who knows? It is just sad to see so many quality Illini players sitting on the bench in street clothes. Fortunately, there are plenty of new faces performing well on the court.
Hard to judge a team missing so many players. That said, I think they responded well in the opener, and they'll have more time practicing with the limited roster. The optimist in me says this will pay dividends down the road. Hopefully we have at least one guard back.
Tacomallini
- Washington State
Anyone know how close to game time a coach can wait before announcing which players will suit up or not for the game?
Loyalillini10
- Urbana, IL
Well if they are still injured, then they won’t play whether we need them or not.
Not sure if it was just a bad game or not, but Arkansas St. shot 19% from 3 in their first game versus Harding.
Belo went through some pregame warmups on Tues. The radio folks didn't know if he would play or not at that point.
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