NCAA Tournament

[Cook]

One piece of hackneyed rhetoric I’d like to see retired is the “good Belo/bad Belo” fiction. Guess what? Every player on every team has games and sections of games where they shine and others where they flop. But there’s something about Belo in particular that really eats at a segment of our fans when the game isn’t going his way. Considering all the obstacles he’s had to deal with this season, it’s stunning how much he has contributed to the success of this team. And the dude just plays with crazy intensity and boundless enthusiasm every minute he’s on the floor.

My theory is that Curbelo haters tend to fall into three main buckets:
1) Upholders of an old baddadcoach rendition of “fundamental basketball” based on the days of deliberate play, set shots and risk aversion - you can often hear them angrily muttering words like hot dog, showoff, and selfish.
2) Anxiety-driven folks whose panties bunch up at the mere thought of any loss of control that leads to a bad moment - to the extent that they would trade away five positive outcomes if it means avoiding one cause of frustration.
3) Ignoramuses who watch games with no notion of the nuances that produce winning basketball - concepts such as defensive help & recovery, weak-side rebounding, working off of screens, generating tempo, passing to the pocket, and so on.

If you’re still reading, thanks for indulging a good rant going into tourney time. I feel better already! And kudos to Mr. LaTulip for providing a knowledgable defense of a key component of our team. But it should not have been necessary…

Go, Illini! Let’s rock this thing!

Amen. I've also been wondering if the Curbelo fan syndrome (haters, polarized, good/bad Belo stuff) isn't partly due to his virtuosity raising expectations. Like we know he's so good, how could he possibly make a bad decision at a critical moment? Easier to accept or excuse your high school band being off key than the Philharmonic. I.e. the old "they know better/don't know better type argument." Not saying it's fair, just, or warranted... but perhaps an explanation to how some folks get as ultra-judgy as they do when it comes to AC.

Totally agree the good/bad, Jekyll/Hyde narrative needs to stop immediately. There's plenty of room for honest critique and/or praise/admiration without that dichotomous persona nonsense.

Mark it down: Belo and CoHawk will be the keys to our tourney, we'll go as they go!

 

[illiniguy24]

Rumored Devante Jones is out for Michigan against Colorado State

 

[Bigtex]

Rumored Devante Jones is out for Michigan against Colorado State

If true that is a big loss

 

[HensonHall71]

Interesting stat from Evan Miyakawa

Best Lineup	Players	Off Eff	Def Eff	Adj Eff Margin	Poss

Two Man	J. Grandison / A. Plummer	117.2	94.9	33.4	1297
Three Man	T. Frazier / J. Grandison / A. Plummer	120.1	95.5	36.3	1116
Four Man	K. Cockburn / T. Frazier / J. Grandison / A. Plummer	122.7	93.6	40.8	794
Five Man	K. Cockburn / A. Curbelo / T. Frazier / C. Hawkins / A. Plummer	147.6	87.5	76.6	66

Thank you for posting this- I’ve been hoping to see more of that 5 man lineup- hoping we start it in the tourny- it’s our best lineup by far so it’s interesting to see the stats to back it up

Belo needs to be on the floor with Kofi- that is our secret sauce and what willl get us as far as we can go- and we’ve seen so little of it this year

 

[DB11Headband]

Thank you for posting this- I’ve been hoping to see more of that 5 man lineup- hoping we start it in the tourny- it’s our best lineup by far so it’s interesting to see the stats to back it up

Belo needs to be on the floor with Kofi- that is our secret sauce and what willl get us as far as we can go- and we’ve seen so little of it this year

This^. Have been clamoring for that lineup. Those 5 plus Jake and RJ (Payne spot minutes) is the formula that will take us the furthest IMO.

 

[CharliedonSurf]

Seth Davis still talking up Chattanooga

Only one solution to that. Let's TCOB

 

[WizardBill]

Amen. I've also been wondering if the Curbelo fan syndrome (haters, polarized, good/bad Belo stuff) isn't partly due to his virtuosity raising expectations. Like we know he's so good, how could he possibly make a bad decision at a critical moment? Easier to accept or excuse your high school band being off key than the Philharmonic. I.e. the old "they know better/don't know better type argument." Not saying it's fair, just, or warranted... but perhaps an explanation to how some folks get as ultra-judgy as they do when it comes to AC.

Totally agree the good/bad, Jekyll/Hyde narrative needs to stop immediately. There's plenty of room for honest critique and/or praise/admiration without that dichotomous persona nonsense.

Mark it down: Belo and CoHawk will be the keys to our tourney, we'll go as they go!

I think the “good/bad” Belo comes from his out of control play that sometimes occurs. Now, I don’t agree with the description, but I’d bet that’s what is meant.

Also, that description can change BY THE NEXT PLAY. Those times that he makes the absolutely ridiculous pass to CoHawk are offset by the wild drives, going up with no one to receive the pass.

I think that is what is meant. I do not think it is Game by game. I think it is minute by minute.

 

[Hopingfor500]

This team was expected to finish somewhere in the 3-6 range in the Big10 before facing a slew of adversity. To be fair, we were in the 10-15 range in preseason national rankings, but again that was before all the adversity entered the picture. We wind up finishing #1 in conference and #19 nationally. Now, of course we want to ace the final. There’s no question about that. But apparently if this final wasn’t a thing, we’re sitting at 70%, barely passing the class by the skin of our teeth. Got it.

This has been a great topic. Expectations vs reality. To continue the comp to school lol...the final exam starts Friday. To me, that ultimately determines the outcome. If we lose to Chattanooga, there is nobody who will view this season as a success. If we get to the Elite 8(probably even the Sweet 16), this will unequivocally be a success based on my thoughts on their ceiling. I really did and still do think a lot of the group. The real season starts Friday. I want us to be expected to be a Sweet 16 team, with the ceiling for more. This is a big, big weekend for this program.

 

[Goldtop]

This has been a great topic. Expectations vs reality. To continue the comp to school lol...the final exam starts Friday. To me, that ultimately determines the outcome. If we lose to Chattanooga, there is nobody who will view this season as a success. If we get to the Elite 8(probably even the Sweet 16), this will unequivocally be a success based on my thoughts on their ceiling. I really did and still do think a lot of the group. The real season starts Friday. I want us to be expected to be a Sweet 16 team, with the ceiling for more. This is a big, big weekend for this program.

Agree to some extent, but this group will still always have a banner hanging in the rafters, so not a complete bust even if they were to lose Friday.

 

[The Galloping Ghost]

Buzz has the oratory skills of a 4th grader doing a book report. He's big mad about not making the tournament and now doing he's doing his own research on the NCAA Selection Committee. He's essentially calling the committee corrupt for not picking his extremely mediocre A&M team. I get what he's going for, but man, I don't think this is as good of a look as he, and apparently the school, think it is.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1503950408561139717

 

[IllinoisssssssVarsity]

Buzz has the oratory skills of a 4th grader doing a book report. He's big mad about not making the tournament and now doing he's doing his own research on the NCAA Selection Committee. He's essentially calling the committee corrupt for not picking his extremely mediocre A&M team. I get what he's going for, but man, I don't think this is as good of a look as he, and apparently the school, think it is.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1503950408561139717

You could certainly say it’s justified after that Indiana Wyoming game last night.

 

[Icy veins]

Buzz has the oratory skills of a 4th grader doing a book report. He's big mad about not making the tournament and now doing he's doing his own research on the NCAA Selection Committee. He's essentially calling the committee corrupt for not picking his extremely mediocre A&M team. I get what he's going for, but man, I don't think this is as good of a look as he, and apparently the school, think it is.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1503950408561139717

I can appreicate the emotion that he showed and the fact that he's sticking up for his guys - but at the end of the day I think of this as a boxing/MMA match: if you want to win, don't leave it up to the judges. If you're a bubble team, there's going to be a chance that you're left out of the tourney by the committee - fairly or unfairly. You can be mad about it but you can also just win enough games to not have to be mad about it

 

[The Galloping Ghost]

You could certainly say it’s justified after that Indiana Wyoming game last night.

That game was truly hideous, but anytime you manage to lose 8 straight games in a season, it might be something more than a conspiracy that's keeping you out of the tourney.

 

[Ramrod2010]

Buzz has the oratory skills of a 4th grader doing a book report. He's big mad about not making the tournament and now doing he's doing his own research on the NCAA Selection Committee. He's essentially calling the committee corrupt for not picking his extremely mediocre A&M team. I get what he's going for, but man, I don't think this is as good of a look as he, and apparently the school, think it is.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1503950408561139717

Don't lose to Vandy and Mizzou (at home), Buzz!

 

[illiniguy24]

DeVante’ Jones confirmed out with a concussion

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1504103644387545089

 

[CarsonHowe_9]

If we win Friday is there any clue what time we would play Sunday and when will that information be released

 

[Bigtex]

If we win Friday is there any clue what time we would play Sunday and when will that information be released

TV decides based on Matchup. 4 vs 5 typically get good TV times.

 

[SweetLuh]

Buzz has the oratory skills of a 4th grader doing a book report. He's big mad about not making the tournament and now doing he's doing his own research on the NCAA Selection Committee. He's essentially calling the committee corrupt for not picking his extremely mediocre A&M team. I get what he's going for, but man, I don't think this is as good of a look as he, and apparently the school, think it is.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1503950408561139717

This is cringe worthy. Right or wrong, I don’t think this was the proper place to put on this “show”. Try not losing 8 games in a row during the conference season?

 

[727ill]

This is cringe worthy. Right or wrong, I don’t think this was the proper place to put on this “show”. Try not losing 8 games in a row during the conference season?

A&M wasn't even in the discussion until the conference tourney. Feel bad for them but they had plenty of time to get on the right side of the bubble.

 

[InDaAZ]

Buzz has the oratory skills of a 4th grader doing a book report. He's big mad about not making the tournament and now doing he's doing his own research on the NCAA Selection Committee. He's essentially calling the committee corrupt for not picking his extremely mediocre A&M team. I get what he's going for, but man, I don't think this is as good of a look as he, and apparently the school, think it is.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1503950408561139717

 

[FAR Penthouse]

A&M wasn't even in the discussion until the conference tourney. Feel bad for them but they had plenty of time to get on the right side of the bubble.

Even with that I don't know what numbers he looked at. Their ranking using any of Net, Ken Pom, or RPI have them on the outside looking in.

 

[FAR Penthouse]

Slight edit to my earlier comment. He's clearly referring to either Rutgers or Notre Dame. However, Rutgers has a better Quad 1 record than A & M and not as many cupcake Quad 4 games to fatten their record, but he might have a point when it comes to Notre Dame. Their Quad 1 record was worse, and they had fewer Quad 2 games too.

 

[NJJ871]

DeVante’ Jones confirmed out with a concussion

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1504103644387545089

“How can you not feel sorry for him?”

Sure, feel sorry for HIM, but don’t feel sorry for Michigan (who didn’t really earn a spot in this tournament, they’re in because of their name and power), and definitely don’t feel sorry for Coach Coward, who is a miserable substitute for a program leader.

 

[Rocky]

Buzz has the oratory skills of a 4th grader doing a book report. He's big mad about not making the tournament and now doing he's doing his own research on the NCAA Selection Committee. He's essentially calling the committee corrupt for not picking his extremely mediocre A&M team. I get what he's going for, but man, I don't think this is as good of a look as he, and apparently the school, think it is.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1503950408561139717

I wonder why he has spent "all [his] time doing research" in the last 48 hours instead of preparing for the NIT opponents?

LSU and Alabama had the same conference record, were better in quad 1 wins, and were equal to or better in quad 3 losses. But Texas A&M's NET was better than Wyoming's. So I agree with his frustration, just not the way he handled it. Let the AD or someone else "do the research" and make the statement.

 

[frozenrope9190]

You could certainly say it’s justified after that Indiana Wyoming game last night.

I dunno. They played about 48 hours after getting their assignments. Logistics and acconodations are rough, especially travelling halfway across the country like Wyoming did. Maybe one practice with a a hastently put together game plan. Then early game nerves. I think both teams can be forgiven for a subpar game.

Those Tuesday play-in's are always rough.