Game Thread: Illinois vs Eastern Illinois

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Early thoughts:

1) Even after an entire offseason following our recruiting and knowing we’d be a totally new look, this is so weird! So many new faces.

2) COLEMAN!

3) Holy moly, I’ll love watching TSJ and Skyy later this season once they’re in a groove.

 

[zentrails]

Sencire is a freak

He definitely looks like a real nice player already, hope he can keep it up against better competition

 

[spillini]

Who coached up Hawk’s shooting motion and are they available to help with team free throw practice?

 

[PNWIllini]

How much did Coleman Hawkins bulk up this summer? He seems a bit more cut

 

[NJJ871]

Now I know why Nova is good...5 out, 1 in? They ought to win big

 

[skyIdub]

Luke warm take: CoHawk has a 30 point game this year.

 

[aaeismacgychel]

Mayer just playing too tentative out there. Seems out of rhythm.

 

[aaeismacgychel]

Luke warm take: CoHawk has a 30 point game this year.

Haha, he has a decent shot to get that by the end of the night.

 

[The Galloping Ghost]

PJ's son is pretty darn good.

 

[skyIdub]

Haha, he has a decent shot to get that by the end of the night.

I almost made it a "cold" take.

 

[aaeismacgychel]

Dainja definitely got away with switching pivot foots there, but he has some polished big man moves.

 

[madillini4]

He definitely looks like a real nice player already, hope he can keep it up against better competition

Athleticism usually translates, then again, they said that about shooting too (Cosby)

 

[Stevegarbs]

PJ's son is pretty darn good.

EIU seems an odd place for him to be playing since his dad has literally been everywhere.

 

[sacraig]

I'm pretty impressed with EIU so far. They've made some pretty athletic plays, had some good backdoor cuts. I expected them to be more overmatched than this.

 

[madillini4]

Confident Epps. Yes please.

 

[skyIdub]

Hot take: Epps and Sencire will be All B1G back court in a couple years.

 

[hoopsfan47]

Pretty good show out half for a team that has no experience playing together. Now, coaches have to keep all players invested and build confidence, especially from the FF line for a couple. I like what i see but this is EIU and not a big bunch of quick and skilled players like Houston. Gotta keep growing and learning but I love these "every day guys".

 

[logjam]

If Dainja and Rogers want to see meaningful end game minutes...they must improve their FF shooting.

Freefrow?

 

[illiniguy24]

E Illinois is hitting some really tough shots, but I really like what I see from the Illini so far overall

 

[logjam]

Hawkins with a new shooting motion it seems. Just flicking the ball at the rim like it’s pop a shot.

It was flatter last year...

 

[phats22]

offense has been terrible, on pace to only score 92 this game

 

[jumpingjack]

What happened to the guys last year telling me Coleman Hawkins would never be as good as Brian Cook?
EIU or not, he looks phenomenal.

 

[skyIdub]

When King Kofi winked at the camera...did anyone else think he's saying "I could crush you with my thumb."?

Just me?

 

[Mistakenj]

Freefrow?

Yes

 

[The Galloping Ghost]

Okay, so there's definitely some first-game sloppiness, but this team is so incredibly fun to watch. I cannot wait to see what this thing looks like at the end of the season. The foundation is there for something really special.