1) I think most would agree that IU had not played well at all in the new year, until the last two games now (they lost their first three games of the year and got wiped out in Happy Valley prior to the Wisconsin game).
2) It might be semantics, but IU crushed Wisconsin at home by 18, not away, and then had plenty of time to rest and prep for the game in Champaign (for a rivalry game...even if they claim otherwise). This is a distinct advantage for IU, despite the fact that they are down a couple key pieces.
3) My general argument: IU is not a bad team, regardless of what their record and play was in the new year. You probably did not read my statement after word six if this is your conclusion. There are no real gimmies in the B1G this year. Tired legs may be an excuse; but if you watched the game, it looked like the Illini were a step slow and not due to laziness or discombobulation. This loss felt and looked much different than the PSU, Mizzou, and NW losses, IMO.
BUT if you feel that Illini treated this game as a cakewalk, then no reasoning will ever change your mindset.
I wonder if the guys followed the coaching staff’s scouting report at all. I said multiple times on the game thread that it is obvious the team lacked focus based on the observation of multiple missed layups and free throws.
The scouting report on TJD is to take away his left hand. DD, from what I could see, didn’t even attempt to do this. Instead, DD was a practice body for him.
I agree, we looked more than a step slow, however, on offense, we didn’t make IU work at all outside of the last 3 minutes of the first half, and that is why the deficit was cut to 10.
One play that was really telling was the 3 on 1 fast break with Epps having the ball. He chose not to pass it or throw the Oop to RJ, instead went up for one of his many missed and contested layups of the night. Everyone was looking for “theirs” instead of running the set or the spread offense.
IU’s confidence was building coming out of the Wisky game (at home) and the last time IU played our Illini they did beat us and clamped down our offense.
This was a repeat performance for IU against us in the BIG Tourament last March, this time, we didn’t have Kofi and Trent. Instead we had Epps and DD. TSJ had a big game and it wasn’t even noticed because of how bad our Illini play with a lack of team ball on offense.
I could keep going, but the Jekyll and Hyde personality of this team is daunting. When a team wants to punk us, they do and they have. With little to no resistance. Not the calling card of a normal BU team.
