Some can hate on Epps but we are worse without him than with him. It’s not like our bigger guys do better at taking care of, driving the basketball or distribution it. Also they struggle big time to stay in front of smaller, quicker players. Clary and others blew by us for lay ups too often vs Penn State. There is a reason he is second in the team in plus minus behind Hawkins the last time I saw it posted. Sometimes he gets beat by some of the great guards in the B10 but others do too. He has not really played much if at all the last few games and we missed him big time running our offense. TSJ can drive but no one drives while also looking for passes better than Epps. We have had too much dribbling without him recently.Hawkins-Harris-Rodgers-TSJ-Mayer. The intensity lineup. Subbing in RJ and Goode at times. That's the lineup that would ideally carry us through Arkansas, and even Kansas. It's no secret that most of our big second half runs have occured with that lineup. The Hawkins-Rodgers-Harris combo in particular is insanely good at forcing turnovers and getting offensive boards. So good that it more than overcomes their offensive shortcomings by a lot because of all the fast break transition chances and possessions gained. The point differential with that lineup is consistently great.
Epps would help with the offense but his defense will be a serious issue against Arkansas length and athleticism. I just don't see how he can fit in this matchup unless they use a smaller guard at points in the game.
Dainja would be okay on defense since Arkansas is terrible at shooting anyway, but I think they'd contain him pretty easily in the post with swarming defense and doubles and he'd have a ton of trouble holding on to the ball.
Gotta ride that 7 man rotation I mentioned above as much as possible this game, and probably the entire tourney if we manage to win anything. I like Epps and Dain and think they'll be great players for us in the future but for this tourney they're more situational matchup type guys. Brad needs to be smart about when to use them and how long. Ride our intensity lineup and our true identity which is defensive pressure and causing chaos. That's how we're gonna win with this team.
I love the B10 but I don’t buy that the SEC isn’t at least as good as the B10. At least it is this season. Especially the top few teams. Arkansas was 10th. Bama, A&M, Tenn, Kentucky, Missouri, Auburn and are all good. Vegas usually is good at what they do. I do think we can win this game but we better bring it!I'm not sure why we're an underdog at all. Sure we've struggled but so has Arkansas, and in a worse conference. Plus we've been disrupted by concussions, and now everyone is back.
Because they're way more talented than we are. Outside of maybe Duke and Kentucky, Arkansas is as talented as anyone in the country.I'm not sure why we're an underdog at all. Sure we've struggled but so has Arkansas, and in a worse conference. Plus we've been disrupted by concussions, and now everyone is back.
Location. It's all about location. Both of those sessions are played in Alabama, with a team from Alabama in both.I'm surprised there isn't more demand for our session. Cheapest ticket is only $46 (for those that don't know, that's for our game and the Kansas vs 16 seed game). The session with Houston, Auburn, and Iowa is going for $162. The session with Bama, Maryland, and West Virginia is $100.
I hope this doesn't mean our fanbase is uninspired to give a good showing.
Agree. And I've been watching the tickets closely on StubHub in Des Moines as going to head over to the game (about a 4-hour drive for me), and I also was worried about Kansas being in that region as far as ticket demand and prices, but then figured that some percentage of KU fans not really that excited about a 1 vs 16 game and waiting until later in the tournament to go see them. So the prices for Des Moines look reasonable. Just was hoping to get them through U of I but didn't make the cut.Location. It's all about location. Both of those sessions are played in Alabama, with a team from Alabama in both.
Well, we know that there isn’t much local interest in Des Moines…I'm surprised there isn't more demand for our session. Cheapest ticket is only $46 (for those that don't know, that's for our game and the Kansas vs 16 seed game). The session with Houston, Auburn, and Iowa is going for $162. The session with Bama, Maryland, and West Virginia is $100.
I hope this doesn't mean our fanbase is uninspired to give a good showing.
Maybe.....but I want to kick his A$$ this week.Muss is a great dude
All are welcome to come and watch the Illini shoot 73% from 3.
One theory is they’re all out looking for Shoeless Joe in the cornfields. Whole towns and villages have wondered off and got lost since the release of a Field of Dreams in 1989. Coincidence? I think not.Well, we know that there isn’t much local interest in Des Moines…
They are all ‘out walking around.’
I believe multiple data points (at UK, at LSU) were used in discussion which spanned more than a year and then the decisionMy bad. Do you have a source? I’ve lived contently with that one for a long time. I tried fact checking it before I posted and came across a Kentucky site with the blurb below and thought I was good. Silly me.
Home Court in NCAA
- In 1984, a highly ranked Kentucky squad barely survived an upset bid from #6 ranked Illinois in the NCAA Regional final, which just happened to be hosted in Lexington, KY. The closing moments of the game came down to a disputed play over what Illini Coach Lou Henson thought was a travel by UK guard Dicky Beal. Henson claimed that it was impossible for his team to win under those conditions. The NCAA instituted a rule for the 1985-86 season that no home team can play in the same regional that they are hosting. Later in 1988, the same rule was applied to all games (including first round games) due to perceived favoritism for Syracuse playing in the Carrier Dome.
Well, we know that there isn’t much local interest in Des Moines…
They are all ‘out walking around.’
One theory is they’re all out looking for Shoeless Joe in the cornfields. Whole towns and villages have wondered off and got lost since the release of a Field of Dreams in 1989. Coincidence? I think not.
If you take a good look at Iowa today it’s nothing but endless cornfields of lost fools. Damn you Kevin Costner.
Playing 'tight' and nervous is fatal in this sport. If you are in that frame of body and mind then you may as well just not even leave the locker room and take the floor. You simply CAN NOT play tight as a drum and win.
That does not mean you do not feel the pressure or the heat of the moment. Of course you will.
But the difference between Winners and Losers is that Winners have learned how to get past the tension and pressure and to transcend it... play outside and above it... or purge it outright. Those that lose in those games do not.
And as far as the Illini... this is a Chicken and Egg thing. Do the Illini lessen the pressure they feel by succeeding on the court first (which seems not possible based upon my ‘pressure’ scenario)... or can they release the pressure first and THEN they will succeed on the court?
The answer is release the pressure and tension first. Because when you are tense your mind is out of whack and your body is off and not releasing your shot right... forcing bad passes... missing defensive assignments... missing free throws... so victory is virtually impossible. In fact, the only way you can possibly win that way is if your opponent is playing even worse than you are. Not a good strategy to wait for.
The longer you go without success in the tournament the more the pressure can build up. The Illini will either break that spell this time around... or they will when when they get the guys on the court that have the floor presence to not let the tension get to them.
Titus picked IllinoisNot too many "talking heads" giving us much of a shot in this one with 1) Arkansas just having too much talent and 2)the Illinois inconsistency being an issue ......as the rationale.
If UK and Duke are so good why aren't they 1seeds?Because they're way more talented than we are. Outside of maybe Duke and Kentucky, Arkansas is as talented as anyone in the country.
And the SEC is hardly an inferior conference.
What's the status of Epps? If he can't play effectively, we're screwed.
Good is not equal to athletic in many cases. Illinois was considered the most athletic team this year, by many, in the big ten but not was not the best team. Steph Curry is the best shooter and top winners in NBA history (not trying to create a debate) but not close to the most athletic. Russel Westbrook is one of the most athletic but not close to the best at winning championships.If UK and Duke are so good why aren't they 1seeds?
He said talented. Talent doesn't always equate with wins. You have to execute. Just watch the tape of any of our games with PSU this season.If UK and Duke are so good why aren't they 1seeds?
Maybe a whole bunch of the talent is over rated.He said talented. Talent doesn't always equate with wins. You have to execute. Just watch the tape of any of our games with PSU this season.
It often is. Look at UNC... Sometimes it comes together, too. Look at Duke the past few weeks, compared to early in the season. Talent is a raw material. Coaches have to turn it into something useful. Without it, you are done before you started.Maybe a whole bunch of the talent is over rated.
Gotta get it out of their system before the game.All are welcome to come and watch the Illini shoot 73% from 3.