Problem is the system completely changed for everyone. That's part of the up and down start, IMO. Not just because we are young, but because all the upperclassmen are learning a completely new system as well.
Illini Basketball 2022-2023
- Status
Problem is the system completely changed for everyone. That's part of the up and down start, IMO. Not just because we are young, but because all the upperclassmen are learning a completely new system as well.
Thanks for providing the evidence which proves my argument. Four year scholarships can be terminated for lots of reasons, but just not being "good enough" is not one of those reasons.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Right, Goode would be getting a ton of minutes for us because Goode can shoot, and we need all the floor spacing we can get.
It's one of the reasons Epps is playing so much, and why Harris' minutes are still pretty limited.
BMoreIllini
- Baltimore, MD
To sum up where this team is after the Mizzou loss (observations from the Mizzou post-game thread):
The team lacks chemistry and on-court leadership.
There's a talented upperclassman that can be immature, lack focus, and have an ego, which has lead to frustrated teammates.
The timing of this prior to players going home for break is less than ideal.
We have several prima donnas.
Freshman are freshman, as talented as they may be.
DMFW still shouldn't be starting.
The team lacks chemistry and on-court leadership.
There's a talented upperclassman that can be immature, lack focus, and have an ego, which has lead to frustrated teammates.
The timing of this prior to players going home for break is less than ideal.
We have several prima donnas.
Freshman are freshman, as talented as they may be.
DMFW still shouldn't be starting.
Last edited:
Correcto! There is no chemistry. "what we have here is failure to comunicate" The freshmen are playing like and shooting like freshmen. Until we find some constituency, this is what we are going to look like. Right now, we don't know where everyone is or where they are going to be on offence or defense. I think we have to play our way out of this funk.
I don't know what flavor this cake is going to be but it definitely needs more time in the oven.
The talent is obviously there but everything else is debatable.
The talent is obviously there but everything else is debatable.
Would love to be a fly on the wall at practice the past few weeks.
It almost seems like the staff has been trying to implement a more structured offense, and it has just completely broken the players. We have zero confidence offensively, so we try to overcome that by "playing harder". But "play harder" for this team means getting antsy defensively which leads to break downs, and attacking the offensive glass recklessly which leads to fast break chances.
But it's obviously hard to say what's really happening without being in practice. I'm really hoping there aren't locker room issues. The fun thing about college basketball is there are 3 seasons. The non-con season, the B1G season, then the B1G tournament and March Madness. This team needs to realize they just finished the least important part of the season. They have plenty of talent and can turn it around, as long as they can stick together and trust in each other.
It almost seems like the staff has been trying to implement a more structured offense, and it has just completely broken the players. We have zero confidence offensively, so we try to overcome that by "playing harder". But "play harder" for this team means getting antsy defensively which leads to break downs, and attacking the offensive glass recklessly which leads to fast break chances.
But it's obviously hard to say what's really happening without being in practice. I'm really hoping there aren't locker room issues. The fun thing about college basketball is there are 3 seasons. The non-con season, the B1G season, then the B1G tournament and March Madness. This team needs to realize they just finished the least important part of the season. They have plenty of talent and can turn it around, as long as they can stick together and trust in each other.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
We don't have a single guy it's deadly to leave open from three.
Mayer can go through streaks that way, I think Epps can develop into that kind of player, Goode will be, but there's really not enough shooting on this team.
2019-20 was also really bad that way, but that was the most rock-solid together unit with the most chemistry on offense that we've had probably since the Dee and Deron days. This team, uh, not so much.
Also, looking ahead, the first 5 B1G games in January could be a blessing.
@Northwestern
Wisconsin
@Nebraska
MSU
@Minnesota
You won't find a 5 game stretch much easier than that. Let's get some things cleaned up in practice, get our mojo back, and go at least 4-1 during this stretch.
@Northwestern
Wisconsin
@Nebraska
MSU
@Minnesota
You won't find a 5 game stretch much easier than that. Let's get some things cleaned up in practice, get our mojo back, and go at least 4-1 during this stretch.
Chief, if it's three-point shooting that you like, might I suggest that you give the Illini women a look. They are shooting 42% as a team vs. 33% from the men. Other comparisons (women listed first):
Points 80.5 vs. 77.5
FG% 48 vs. 46
FT% 76 vs. 65
Assists 14.7 vs. 14.1
Rebounds 43.3 vs. 39.8
TOs 14.4 vs. 15.3
This is an entirely new coaching staff with 8 new and 5 returning players. They are still trying to find their roles but sit at 11-2 after many years of futility in the program. Tough conference schedule coming up (5 B10 teams in top 25), but they are bound to top last year's single conference win.
Shameless plug - single game tickets only $5 with plenty of seats in the first ten rows.
DICKnaggie
- Champaign
Yes, and curiously none of our committed recruits are great shooters either...
It is impossible to win in today’s college and pro games without the Three. And that means, LOTS and lots of Threes.
There is virtually no way to win without the Three ball. You will be doing your best to score at 50% of your Twos while the other guys are draining their Threes.
Basketball is a beautiful game when the ball is being passed around and passes are being threaded through needles and dog-intense Defense is being played. But in today’s game, none of that means anything without the Three.
It remains to be seen just what the ceiling is for the Three ball with the young guys. We pretty much know what we’ve got with the Portal Guys.
And this also means a greater premium exists for bringing guys in who can hit from distance with lethality. Young guns or Portal guys.
You need a well-rounded game and you need to defend. But the Distance Ball is now the lifeblood of staying on the floor and having a future.
A side note: Anyone notice how Ayo is improving on his outside game? When you’ve got someone that’s always working to make his game better... it’s a beautiful thing. A guy named Jordan always did that.
krushalot2005
- Chicago, IL
While at first it didn’t seem like a big loss, I get the feeling that losing Luke Goode for the first half of the season was very bad as I think he really is the leader, glue guy, and three point threat the team needs.
What happened to the 7-second offense? Is it gone with the weave?
I don't think it ever made an appearance in Champaign.
sacraig
- The desert
That's not really a reflection of "our offense" so much as our collection of players who play hero ball and don't run the offense. I'm pretty confident this is now how BU has the offense drawn up.
I THINK, and I don't know this for sure, but I think that is taken out of context. I don't think BU ever claimed to have a 7 second offense. I think he has stated a strategy of trying to score within the first 7 seconds of the shot clock, but if you don't then, you run your normal offense. It is a strategy to run and put pressure on the D when you can.
this. Bad defense makes it pretty damn difficult to beat their defense back downcourt. Even worse, they can throw a basic press at us at their leisure and we're halfway through the shot clock before we've gotten anything close to a decent look. It starts on the defensive end.
If their heads are in the right place, both Hawkins and Melendez can be deadly from 3. Just gotta get their heads on straight.
- Status