Someone mentioned defense in another thread, and I thought this was worth posting this video on Houston's #1 defense. They genuinely go 10 deep, and use a very aggressive on-ball style with a lot of double-teams. You'd think that would lead to a lot of open 3s, but the way they trap and close out, teams tend to shoot it poorly. Hard to get a good shot when the pass comes in off target. I couldn't help but wonder how we'd match up with them if we see them in the dance.
Illini Basketball 2023-2024
- Status
the national
- the Front Range
That may be the reason Kansas shot 70% yesterday. That and some home cookin’
But generally this is a good observation. Houston is very effective and tilts the floor in their favor through thier intense defense. In some ways it reminds me of Purdue. One very effective strategy (Edey) night in and night out dominates until someone cracks the code (NW, Neb). Houston is much the same with their defense but a few teams have cracked the code (Iowa State, TCU, Kansas). For Houston, hit some shots early and make them guard the shooters. That usually opens up the lane. If you have an off shooting night against them, better hope your own defense holds but they are very physical and hard to stop. They are a very good team.
This seems like a gross over-reaction to me. The next CFP guarantees a "group of 5" team now that they've gone to a 12 team format. I believe you'd have to go back a long way to find a team that's won a national championship that doesn't have a path to win it. We all know it's football driving the bus, but even still It's hard to imagine the advisory committee wanting to exclude bball teams when so much money is in the NCAA tournament *because* of the broad participation and fan appeal. Also, it becomes a political football (pun intended) if college conferences try to go too far pushing out the smaller schools. You might not recall, but there were members of congress threatening action on the football side when the format left no path for the non-P5 teams. I can't see any scenario where basketball doesn't have an open tent philosophy, even if, in the words of Orwell, “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Brad can’t coach
Here are our Torvik rankings before, during, and after the TSJ suspension. Despite the really good offense and slightly better overall ranking while TSJ was out, I actually prefer the pre-suspension version of the team. I thought we made the best use of our collective strengths and had more ways we could beat a team. The biggest difference between where we are today vs where we were then is our defense.
Since the suspension our defense against twos has gone from 4th in the country to 81st and our 3 point defense has gone from 23rd in the country to 277th. Just an absolutely wild drop off on that end that we've been able to hide somewhat because our offense has been so good. But we have to get that fixed.
Since the suspension our defense against twos has gone from 4th in the country to 81st and our 3 point defense has gone from 23rd in the country to 277th. Just an absolutely wild drop off on that end that we've been able to hide somewhat because our offense has been so good. But we have to get that fixed.
| Overall Ranking | Offensive Ranking | Defensive Ranking | Tempo Ranking | |
| Before Suspension | 13 | 32 | 18 | 50 |
| During Suspension | 12 | 3 | 83 | 126 |
| After Suspension | 26 | 23 | 78 | 58 |
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
As I get excited for our CBS game in East Lansing, it got me thinking ... I have this weird nostalgia for "important" Big Ten road games on a Saturday afternoon like this, especially if they are on a premier channel like CBS. As conferences continue to change, it just reminds me so much of the college basketball I grew up with. There is an inherent optimism about a Saturday afternoon (the "heart" of the weekend), and adding the anticipation of an Illini game to it is icing on the cake. For fun, these are some especially fun Illini memories of mine that fit into this exact type of game:
Saturday 1/25/2020: #21 Illinois W 64-62 at Michigan. Ayo's buzzer beater extends our Big Ten winning streak to 6!
Saturday 2/27/2021: #5 Illinois 74 W 74-69 at #23 Wisconsin. In our second game without Ayo, we pick up a top 25 victory.
Saturday 3/6/2021: #4 Illinois W 73-68 at #7 Ohio State. Ayo's return game with the Batman mask, and we win our fourth straight to end the season.
Saturday 3/5/2022: #18 Illinois W 74-57 at Indiana. Handily beating the Hoosiers to win our fourth straight and extend our record to 17-5 (10-2), this likely represented the height for that team for me until we hung the Big Ten banner. We had a few more stumbles in our next couple of games, but we looked great in Bloomington ... and I was at a bar in Indianapolis sporting my Illini gear to take it all in.
Saturday 2/7/2015: Illinois W 59-54 at Michigan State. This one might seem like a strange inclusion as this team ended up flopping, but I was also in Indianapolis for this one to visit my sister for her birthday, and I remember being SO pumped watching this one at a sports bar. It was our third straight win and moved us to 16-8 (6-5) and provided some hope yet for the Groce Era.
Saturday 3/4/2006: #10 Illinois W 75-68 at #25 Michigan State. I was at a soccer tournament during this one, but this win felt like the first time during conference play this season where we returned to that 2005 swagger. It was only our third top 25 win of that season and the first on the road. To go into East Lansing and beat a ranked MSU team for the second year in a row felt like something only an elite program could do.
Saturday 2/19/2005: #1 Illinois W 75-65 at Iowa. While seemingly a forgettable game for most, I would literally do anything to get my hands on the full video of this game. It was a great game throughout, and we only pulled away late with some AWESOME plays down the stretch - including saving the ball from going out of bounds leading to a Dee Brown fast break 3-point play AND a Nick Smith fade-away three to ice it. The Krush made the trip in addition to a reported 4,000 other Illini fans, and it gave the arena an atmosphere like Braggin' Rights. As an impressionable seventh grader who'd never seen the Illini do anything but win, I felt literally so damn cool.
Saturday 1/25/2020: #21 Illinois W 64-62 at Michigan. Ayo's buzzer beater extends our Big Ten winning streak to 6!
Saturday 2/27/2021: #5 Illinois 74 W 74-69 at #23 Wisconsin. In our second game without Ayo, we pick up a top 25 victory.
Saturday 3/6/2021: #4 Illinois W 73-68 at #7 Ohio State. Ayo's return game with the Batman mask, and we win our fourth straight to end the season.
Saturday 3/5/2022: #18 Illinois W 74-57 at Indiana. Handily beating the Hoosiers to win our fourth straight and extend our record to 17-5 (10-2), this likely represented the height for that team for me until we hung the Big Ten banner. We had a few more stumbles in our next couple of games, but we looked great in Bloomington ... and I was at a bar in Indianapolis sporting my Illini gear to take it all in.
Saturday 2/7/2015: Illinois W 59-54 at Michigan State. This one might seem like a strange inclusion as this team ended up flopping, but I was also in Indianapolis for this one to visit my sister for her birthday, and I remember being SO pumped watching this one at a sports bar. It was our third straight win and moved us to 16-8 (6-5) and provided some hope yet for the Groce Era.
Saturday 3/4/2006: #10 Illinois W 75-68 at #25 Michigan State. I was at a soccer tournament during this one, but this win felt like the first time during conference play this season where we returned to that 2005 swagger. It was only our third top 25 win of that season and the first on the road. To go into East Lansing and beat a ranked MSU team for the second year in a row felt like something only an elite program could do.
Saturday 2/19/2005: #1 Illinois W 75-65 at Iowa. While seemingly a forgettable game for most, I would literally do anything to get my hands on the full video of this game. It was a great game throughout, and we only pulled away late with some AWESOME plays down the stretch - including saving the ball from going out of bounds leading to a Dee Brown fast break 3-point play AND a Nick Smith fade-away three to ice it.
The Krush made the trip in addition to a reported 4,000 other Illini fans, and it gave the arena an atmosphere like Braggin' Rights. As an impressionable seventh grader who'd never seen the Illini do anything but win, I felt literally so damn cool.Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I would expect a pretty darn good rating for our MSU game this Saturday on CBS. CBS generally delivers the best ratings overall (though a big-time game on ESPN or FOX will also deliver), and Illinois/MSU both have large fan bases. For reference, these are the other big weekend CBS time slots this year by total viewers:
2.40 million for North Carolina vs. Kentucky (Saturday 12/16 at 4:30 pm CST)
1.55 million for TCU at Kansas (Saturday 1/6 at 1:00 pm)
1.46 million for Illinois at Tennessee (Saturday 12/9 at 11:00 am)
1.45 million for Kansas at Indiana (Saturday 12/16 at 11:30 am)
1.23 million for Michigan State at Maryland (Sunday 1/21 at 11:00 am)
1.21 million for UCLA vs. Ohio State (Saturday 12/16 at 2:00 pm)
947k for Mississippi State at South Carolina (Saturday 1/6 at 11:00 am)
782k for UCLA at Oregon (Saturday 12/30 at 3:00 pm)
721k for Vanderbilt at Memphis (Saturday 12/23 at 3:00 pm)
687k for Creighton at Marquette (Saturday 12/30 at 1:00 pm)
668k for San Diego State at New Mexico (Saturday 1/13 at 1:00 pm)
This weekend's game is one of only TWO we have left on a major channel (the other being our game at Maryland, which is on FOX), so it would be nice to put on a good showing with a huge national audience!
2.40 million for North Carolina vs. Kentucky (Saturday 12/16 at 4:30 pm CST)
1.55 million for TCU at Kansas (Saturday 1/6 at 1:00 pm)
1.46 million for Illinois at Tennessee (Saturday 12/9 at 11:00 am)
1.45 million for Kansas at Indiana (Saturday 12/16 at 11:30 am)
1.23 million for Michigan State at Maryland (Sunday 1/21 at 11:00 am)
1.21 million for UCLA vs. Ohio State (Saturday 12/16 at 2:00 pm)
947k for Mississippi State at South Carolina (Saturday 1/6 at 11:00 am)
782k for UCLA at Oregon (Saturday 12/30 at 3:00 pm)
721k for Vanderbilt at Memphis (Saturday 12/23 at 3:00 pm)
687k for Creighton at Marquette (Saturday 12/30 at 1:00 pm)
668k for San Diego State at New Mexico (Saturday 1/13 at 1:00 pm)
This weekend's game is one of only TWO we have left on a major channel (the other being our game at Maryland, which is on FOX), so it would be nice to put on a good showing with a huge national audience!
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I'm no basketball junkie, but this jives with your gut feeling as a fan watching the team. We were just a well-rounded team that was humming pre-suspension. During the suspension, we made the best of it and our offense looked shockingly good ... but you could tell we really missed TSJ on defense. Post-suspension, the defense has stabilized SOMEWHAT, but it is clear we are still trying to figure things out.
When I watch this team, it looks like a very talented group that plays hard, likes playing together and really wants to win ... but we are just a bit clunky. We all keep waiting for it to click and I DO believe it will, but this is an incredibly unique situation. I'll be patient with these guys.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Also another random stat for a slow Monday ... average attendance in the Big Ten so far this season:
Total
Indiana: 16,922
Wisconsin: 14,930
Purdue: 14,876
Illinois: 14,833
Michigan State: 14,797
Nebraska: 14,107
Maryland: 12,387
Michigan: 11,252
Ohio State: 9,950
Iowa: 9,712
Rutgers: 8,000
Penn State: 7,859
Minnesota: 7,343
Northwestern: 5,152
Percent of Capacity
Purdue: 100%
Michigan State: 100%
Rutgers: 100%
Indiana: 98%
Illinois: 95%
Nebraska: 91%
Michigan: 89%
Wisconsin: 86%
Northwestern: 73%
Maryland: 69%
Iowa: 65%
Penn State: 51%
Ohio State: 51%
Minnesota: 50%
Hate to say it, but props to Indiana fans. The top three schools in total attendance will always be the schools in the Big Ten I most associate with basketball - Illinois, Indiana and Purdue. I know both have been disappointing this year, but Maryland and Ohio State attendance appears especially pathetic.
Total
Indiana: 16,922
Wisconsin: 14,930
Purdue: 14,876
Illinois: 14,833
Michigan State: 14,797
Nebraska: 14,107
Maryland: 12,387
Michigan: 11,252
Ohio State: 9,950
Iowa: 9,712
Rutgers: 8,000
Penn State: 7,859
Minnesota: 7,343
Northwestern: 5,152
Percent of Capacity
Purdue: 100%
Michigan State: 100%
Rutgers: 100%
Indiana: 98%
Illinois: 95%
Nebraska: 91%
Michigan: 89%
Wisconsin: 86%
Northwestern: 73%
Maryland: 69%
Iowa: 65%
Penn State: 51%
Ohio State: 51%
Minnesota: 50%
Hate to say it, but props to Indiana fans. The top three schools in total attendance will always be the schools in the Big Ten I most associate with basketball - Illinois, Indiana and Purdue. I know both have been disappointing this year, but Maryland and Ohio State attendance appears especially pathetic.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Maryland is a casualty of conference realignment, but Ohio State has just always had a terrible disinterested fanbase for basketball.
Indiana will be back.
Zorak
- Naperville
Good God, another reason we just cannot lose that one
BIG teams very good at scouting. Think we need a few wrinkles to be less predictable. Don’t know what that is but we pay some big bucks to people who have that responsibility. Houston found that out also. If it’s not working, change it.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
The OSU apathy is pretty astounding. Yeah, yeah, they're a football school and the arena is bleh and they're bad right now ... but man. Usually recent (let's say 7-10 years back) success provides a stable floor for attendance. Add on to that a massive student body and one of the largest Big Ten cities/towns, and it's very surprising. I mean, we are the crazy fans, but there are always going to be people in most college towns who literally don't know a single player but are going to the game for SOME reason ... even if it's free ice cream cone night.
blackdog
- Champaign
When you are in a larger city sure there are more people but there is more competition for activities to do. Why go spend time watching an inferior product in an unfun arena when there options of better things to do? I love Central Illinois but there aren't as many activities that would rival going to a basketball game, even when the team wasn't very good.
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
I agree that on the second game of the tourney weekends we’ll be difficult to prepare for the transition game, booty ball, and the non traditional pg lineup with our PG pounding the offensive glass. Compare that to prior years that just felt like it’s just to get Kofi a deep Post touch that he’ll never pass out of.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
That's fair (although I think Columbus' dynamic would certainly be more of an intermediary between a Chicago and a Champaign, so while there's more to do ... going to a basketball game for a Big Ten school isn't totally out of left field boring), but I would think it's almost counteracted by the pure population so a wash overall. It's like, how are they not taking in a few more strays on weekends who just want to take their kids to "Ohio State's basketball arena" or something?! Haha.
And yet Underwood hasn’t been coach of the year in that time…
Cool graphic. I’ve felt like our defense has looked off since TJ was suspended. He was just defending at such an insane level before everything. Defense takes so much mental fortitude and focus. I just wonder if all the noise going on in his life right now isn’t affecting that. Understandably of course. Can’t imagine what that young man is going through.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
because he doesn't know what he's doing. Chauncey Gardener of coaches
uofi7477
- Silver & Gold Vandals
Is the voting BEFORE the Tourney? If not, make explain it.
- Status