Arkansas 73, Illinois 63 Postgame

[Sedino]

I know this will upset people if true. And keeping players is almost always the better outcome, but I don’t think I’m as upset by this as others. Sure, kids an offensive prodigy while driving the ball. He also missed wide open 3s consistently, doesn’t have the passing ability or pure handles to be a pure 1, but is incredibly undersized at the 2. ESPECIALLY on defense. He couldn’t guard any 1 guard over 6’3. People want a veteran PG for him to “play off of” but I’m sorry I don’t want what we had last year of two guards at 6’ and 6’1 in at the same time. Teams like Houston and teams like this Arkansas team we just played feed off undersized backcourts. After all of this, I think it’s pretty clear he doesn’t have the mental fortitude to play for a coach like BU.

I was worried with him and Dra coming in we’d fall into the trap of undersized backcourts again, but if he moves on we have a chance to change that.

 

[illini510]

Skyy Clark prefers to play on a 4 win team, then so be it. Maybe he'll catapult them to 8 wins next season...no 10 wins! At least Emoni Bates went back to his home state when he transferred. Forget about Skyy. He used mental health as a scapegoat for his real intentions. That's a scumbag move in my opinion

 

[illini510]

I think many fans forget how awful we were prior to Underwood getting here.

We don't want to go back to mediocrity and struggling to make tournaments. Completely agree. But, at a certain point, Underwood needs to start having some success when it matters in March. That's what this is about. For 3 yrs now, his teams have come out flat in the NCAA tournament in virtually every single game and that includes the Drexel game. That's no longer excusable and seems to be a pattern more than an anomaly. I believe next year will be a critical year in what direction this whole thing goes in for the long run

 

[chudaman]

Just curious, why a change to the staff? Head coach sure....assistants ?

Now would be a good time to shake things by hiring the dad of a five star recruit to be an assistant coach.

 

[illini0440]

The only thing I think Underwood has done better than his recent predecessors is hire Antigua, Coleman, Frazier and Anderson.

We get it. You don’t like Brad.

 

[jumpingjack]

I failed to call this out earlier, RJ busted his butt and showed the two-way game that he has at a Big Dance level. That kid, for such a hard year, has fought to close out this season and I'm really impressed by him.
Whether he makes a big jump or not next year, he showed serious character getting right this year.

 

[Se Il Illini]

I can name at least 10 coaches who would not allow a player to consistently not run plays or to follow the game plan. If the player consistently did what he wanted versus the coach, the player would sit until they figured it out. Cronin, Huggins, Few, Barnes, etc. would never let the problems persist all year.

You do not win national champrionships by not reigning in your players.

 

[hoopsfan47]

I can't stop going back to the play where we have cut the deficit to only 5 with still almost 2 minutes left and we had the ball and Coleman leading the fast break...Had he not turned it over then...I know it's not healthy but thinking about the what-ifs is probably the worst part of a loss in a NCAA tournament game as a fan.

To me, that was the dagger moment as well as the poster moment for this team. It was a 3 on 2 break. That means there were 3 players behind him and he was obligated to try to look for a trailing defender ready to pick his pocket. The two on the wing could also have helped him be aware. Players should always know if there is a close trailing defender, or at least assume so. This is the NCAA tourney where kids hustle and leave it all on the line. But alas, it was not in the cards.

 

[cjw1901]

I can't stop going back to the play where we have cut the deficit to only 5 with still almost 2 minutes left and we had the ball and Coleman leading the fast break...Had he not turned it over then...I know it's not healthy but thinking about the what-ifs is probably the worst part of a loss in a NCAA tournament game as a fan.

Absolutely, that was a tough moment. The thing is, we needed to be up 5 (or, better yet, 10) with 2 mins left. I'd say that our chances, being down 5 with 2 min left, are already dangerously low, maybe 20% of less of forcing OT or winning it in regulation. This points back to the rest of the game: the 10-point deficit at halftime, getting outrebounded (43-to-34), and commuting more TOs (17-to-11). By next year, we have to replace our two leading scorers (TSJ and Mayer), maybe with Coleman and ?, and be strong enough on the boards and with the ball, that we win 20+ games and get another shot at this. That is my hope! It won't be easy, but it's not impossible either.

 

[jumpingjack]

To me, that was the dagger moment as well as the poster moment for this team. It was a 3 on 2 break. That means there were 3 players behind him and he was obligated to try to look for a trailing defender ready to pick his pocket. The two on the wing could also have helped him be aware. Players should always know if there is a close trailing defender, or at least assume so. This is the NCAA tourney where kids hustle and leave it all on the line. But alas, it was not in the cards.

Sencire has been getting his clock cleaned on backpicks at half court all year. Communication was not a consistent strength of this team. If Coleman comes back, I don't feel like he'll let that be a problem again.

 

[I-L-L]

Absolutely, that was a tough moment. The thing is, we needed to be up 5 (or, better yet, 10) with 2 mins left. I'd say that our chances, being down 5 with 2 min left, are already dangerously low, maybe 20% of less of forcing OT or winning it in regulation. This points back to the rest of the game: the 10-point deficit at halftime, getting outrebounded (43-to-34), and commuting more TOs (17-to-11). By next year, we have to replace our two leading scorers (TSJ and Mayer), maybe with Coleman and ?, and be strong enough on the boards and with the ball, that we win 20+ games and get another shot at this. That is my hope! It won't be easy, but it's not impossible either.

This may shock people that I say this, but after a year under his belt, I think Harris could blossom on offense next year. True dog who is always hyped and ready to go. Skinny freshmen in the BIGTEN. Put a little meat on those bones and look out!

 

[jumpingjack]

LaTulips preview analysis of these two teams was so dead on, it's a little scary.

 

[Rad]

I appreciate BU ability to adapt and bring in new players and new coaches and get us into the tournament. We are certainly better in those regards compared to before, but he is the leader of this team. When you have so many young and new players and assistants he needs to provide the constancy and consistency to improve over the course of the season....he didn't. I was in Las Vegas and enjoyed the new team, the successes there and the thought of watching the team and players grow....this obviously didn't happen. I was very disappointed in the way RJ was constantly berated at the beginning of the season while others were given a pass. I felt like this was a big part of why RJ struggled so much and i am sure other players saw and felt this (people on this board were complimenting BU for "sticking" with RJ but imo that was the least he could do). We keep wanting our players to be consistent but sure seems to me we are a reflection of an up (so and so is elite) and down (we stinks) coach that struggled to instill confidence and a clear and consistent picture of what he expected from ALL of his players (I get a much greater sense of this from our football and women's bball coaches). This "everyday guy" mantra has to start at the top. Sorry for the rant...

 

[EggyMule]

…. and the horse he rode in on.

I don't suppose we play Louisville next year, do we?

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

Have to try to keep Epps.

He cannot play starter minutes unless he can be more competent defensively. He really, really struggles against more physical guards. They've gotten him all year long and did again tonight. He'd be a nice role player off the bench on a really good team. In the era of instant gratification, I'm not sure that he's willing to accept the role. I'm not sure that roles were even defined this season. It just never came together.

 

[InDaAZ]

Sencire has been getting his clock cleaned on backpicks at half court all year. Communication was not a consistent strength of this team. If Coleman comes back, I don't feel like he'll let that be a problem again.

Communication / Leadership

A couple of Coleman’s TOs today were due to no one calling out a double coming from behind.

While acknowledging he made his share of terrible passes all year, a not insignificant number of those that looked bad were due to teammates not coming to the pass or not going to the right spot.

It’s my hope that Coleman returns next year and implements what he’s learned about leadership - also hoping for a step up from RJ & Luke in being vocal leaders. Luke is almost there already, imo.

TJ - if he comes back - will always be the quiet one, I suspect (but I’ll take one “quiet assassin” guy on any team).

The rising Sophomores - jury is still out.

What I’d be sad to see is having to restock the roster wholesale (again) and then go through 3/4 of next season figuring out roles.

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

So we are losing Epps? Great.

He's going to want to play starters minutes. His defense simply won't allow it. He's a role player, at best, in a good conference and he can be a very good one. I don't think the he's willing to accept that.

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

What was his issue? He played a ton as a freshman. Was he unhappy playing point? Did he not get along with the coaches? WTF…. This would be a blow. Losing 2/4 freshmen recruits from last year!!??

What did you think about his defense this year, especially vs more physical guards? What does BU preach that his teams are based on? There in lies the problem.

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

Hello, I'd like to take this opportunity on Page 11 of the Postgame thread to say thanks to everyone for observing, analyzing & take-sharing during yet another crazy season of Illini Basketball on this humble website.

It's not always easy to enjoy Illini MBB, yet through it all the fanbase here remained enormous, loyal & powerful. Thanks again for hanging out & making this place so much fun, lively & informative. Go Illini

Very well done Dan. This board makes the season much more enjoyable. Good group on this board. Thank you everyone for the insight and participation.

 

[PNWIllini]

Our 3-point shooting percentages go to 11?

Percent

 

[illini510]

I don't suppose we play Louisville next year, do we?

It would be a Quad 3-4 game. Underwood schedules tough, not soft. Let Skyy get his stats. I hope he's happy playing for a loser

 

[AttentionDeficit]

You do not win national champrionships by not reigning in your players.

Yes, but after you lose one freshman point guard mid-year, you've probably got better odds to make the tournament if you don't scare off the other. Who knows how close Mayer was to leaving? As i said in an earlier thread, we fans see the games, and that's, what, 10% of what goes on? 5%? It's the important 10% but we know so little and that's the way it will stay. We lost Skyy and (some) people were freaking out. We lost Perrin, who played two minutes, and (some) people couldn't believe we'd lost two players mid year. Losing another rotation player may well have been a possibility and would have jeopardized things to an even greater extent.

At some point not reining in your players is a strategic decision to get you through the year and on to the next. Brad's sideline demeanor changed dramatically after Skyy left. There were no more back-from-commercial 'Look at Brad give it to them' segments. He yelled some, but he was different. He came out at halftime and sat on the bench. The coach-speak was there, but he usually wants us to believe him, and now he was just reciting the lines. I think with all of the new folks we just never ended up with the critical mass of culture needed to bring the outliers on board, and Brad (felt like he) had to coach to the team he assembled. I think that, while no coach could ever say it, NO ONE is more excited about this year being behind us than Brad Underwood. But i just see the games, so who knows.

In the last game of the year, Brad kind of gets to tell us how he really feels, because he doesn't have to manage egos and feelings for the next one. Today Mayer sat most of the second half after not taking the game seriously in a way that seems a direct analogue to Curbelo getting benched at halftime of last year's tourney loss. Last year i was really bummed because Curbelo was disrespecting the seniors and nonchalantly ending Trent and Kofi and DaMonte's Illini careers. This year it was just Mayer self inflicting the wound. Dude had his shoe in his hand on offense, and couldn't put it on? I think we would have dribbled at the top of the key for him to give him some time. I was excited we got him and bummed when Nance went to Carolina, but didn't know to be sad when we missed out on Pickett and Funk. I obviously don't know anything.

 

[illinitiger]

Skyy transferred to louisville and posted on social media the second we lost

NIL likely prevented earlier release

 

[forbesfrosh]

Hawkins definitely cares. Unfortunately I think he’s been coached very poorly during his time here. He’s been given the green light by his coach who calls him an “elite shooter”, but shoots well under 30% from 3. Brad also has him handling the ball 30-40 feet from the basket which leads to turnovers.

Hawkins should have been in the paint all season. Protecting the rim on defense and getting his offense near the basket. No dribbling. No shooting 3s. I feel like maybe one of the reasons he’s been here is Brad’s promise to allow him to do the NBA stretch 4, when his best college usage is just be a simple in the paint big man. Very frustrating player to watch but I blame the coach for not reigning him in

Excellent points and ones I've been calling for all season to friends and relatives. Hawkins is NOT a good 3-point shooter and certainly not a point guard at 6-10 with questionable ball handling skills. So why did he spend all year roaming the perimeter, jacking up and missing treys with his flat shots, often bringing the ball upcourt and getting turned over by smaller, much quicker players?. Why Underwood didn't force him to play in the paint where his size, length and quickness would be a clear asset is beyond me. I see it as an indictment of the coaching staff, and it caused the team's offense to be less effective than it could've been

 

[ILikeCoffeeMugs]

LaTulips preview analysis of these two teams was so dead on, it's a little scary.

I've been following his analysis for some time and he's quite good at it. Meacham ain't too bad too.