In the early 2010's when Mizzou had the Pressey bros and were a top 10ish team, and we were sputtering through the end of the Bruce years, I'm pretty sure the crowd was still 50/50. They MAYBE had slightly more black and gold sprinkled in our orange section, but not much.
Pregame: Illinois vs Missouri, Sunday, December 22nd, 12:00pm CT, ESPN
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In the early 2010's when Mizzou had the Pressey bros and were a top 10ish team, and we were sputtering through the end of the Bruce years, I'm pretty sure the crowd was still 50/50. They MAYBE had slightly more black and gold sprinkled in our orange section, but not much.
I have no data to back this up...but I think we are in an anomaly year where a ton of teams have very tough schedules. First, it seems like there are a lot more high quality non conference matches. Could be wrong, but that's what it feels like to me. Combined with that...the SEC, BIG12, and B1G are like a 3 headed monster this year. All 3 conferences are insanely tough.
What's that mean? I'm guessing all these good teams are going to beat up on each other. There are going to be a lot of good teams with just "meh" looking records. Teams that could go 23-8 in most years, might end up 19-12 this season.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Also, this is likely overly dramatic (especially) considering how young we are), but this feels like a line-in-the-sand game as far as what we are on track for. Lose, and I’m worried about a campaign like 2022-23 where even if we look great sometimes … we’re just stacking too many losses too often. Win, and I think we are on track to continue to progress, potentially get hot in Big Ten play and earn another #3 seed, giving us that true chance to make a run without shocking a #1 seed.
Let’s just win!
Let’s just win!
The organizers really love 12/22. It's been held on this date for four years straight (including this year).
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
He has a ridiculous amount of talent for getting boxed out.
This right here. The guy's 6'9. Surely he can do more offensively beside standing out on the perimeter and just be a spot up shooter. We've all seen the tape of him at Evanville where he was doing some Domask type things. I can't think of the last time Ben shot a two for us. Very little display of a midrange game so far out of him. I think the coaching staff are dead set on what they want out of Ben on offense and they're contempt with just him being that spot up shooter for us.
ESPN stats…Last year’s team shot it a little better. Just one more 3 pointer was the difference vs. NW and Tenn.
PPG
2024: 84.4
2025: 84.0
Turnovers per game
2024: 10.8
2025: 11.2
FG%
2024: 47.1%
2025: 43.2%
FT%
2024: 74.5%
2025: 73.5%
3PT%
2024: 35.0%
2025: 32.4%
KJ is actually leading the team at 42% from 3. Statistically, things are looking up as I’m comparing a full season last year to this season-to-date. We’re going to continue getting better. Brad and company (even Hamer
) deserve some credit.
PPG
2024: 84.4
2025: 84.0
Turnovers per game
2024: 10.8
2025: 11.2
FG%
2024: 47.1%
2025: 43.2%
FT%
2024: 74.5%
2025: 73.5%
3PT%
2024: 35.0%
2025: 32.4%
KJ is actually leading the team at 42% from 3. Statistically, things are looking up as I’m comparing a full season last year to this season-to-date. We’re going to continue getting better. Brad and company (even Hamer
) deserve some credit.
Very very likely they lose to Missouri, then # 10 Oregon (With a win over Chicago State). Probably wont have an AP vote at 8-5.
I don't think Underwood's offense calls for spot up midrange jumpers. JMO. I do hope he becomes more aggressive around the hoop.
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
It's so wild to me that a team many thought was going to be all offense is now seemingly being carried by its defense. Is it too much to expect our offense to get back on track before the end of the season so we can make a huge push in March?
Ben is the worst defender on the team. If he can’t hit his 3’s he needs to sit.
More Riley. More Morez. He’ll give Booth those 30 minutes a game and see what he can do.
More Riley. More Morez. He’ll give Booth those 30 minutes a game and see what he can do.
Think it’s time we get Riley or Rez in the starting lineup in place of Ben. I’m not worried about Ben’s shot, he’ll get out of the slump. What I’m worried about is his rebounding. Outside of that I have few concerns with this team. Issues like closing out games will come with experience. The defense is far ahead of where I thought it would be, just need to figure out offense and that should be correctable with our roster.
Physical games..
we have some ref points...not necessarily confidence builders: tennessee, Alabama, northwestern and ole miss exhibition.
They all have a common outcome .....(L)
I believe the Illini will add another L to that streak against Mizzou. Another week off, they have struggled over the years in long layoffs. The shooting is off, they seem to be out of sync, sometimes they play like they have never seen their teammates before. Only Gibbs-Lawhorne has been in this Braggin rights game before. It is different than most games. The intensity, the rivalry, this is the whole season. The Illini will be thinking about Christmas and being home with family, sugar plums dancing in their heads. They will go thru the motions [KJ will do his best to carry them] but their hearts and minds will be elsewhere. We will hear constant clanging of the ball bouncing off the rims playing a sour note and falling into the hands of a Mizzou player. I think Mizzou embarrasses the Illini 89-69
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
I think most of the contempt has been from the fans watching his defense...
Bigtex
- DFW
maybe you missed the offensive rebound/Dunk against Tennessee. His only Rebound and 2 pointer against Tennessee.
Give me Morez over Ben to start. I feel like Will needs extended runs in the game to find his rhythm.
If I had to chose between Will or Ben for minutes, I'd choose the 5* kid who is 100% effort and might be here next year as a major part of the program. Neither is outperforming the other currently.
RichardKeenesCousin
Richard Keene's Cousin
I say we go with both. We would be way better if we played six at one time.
Bigtex
- DFW
yeah but what about spacing the floor?
- Ben's Game By Game 23-24 Log at Evansville - If you look game by game at Ben's best offensive performances last season, outside of an 18 point performance at home against Drake, they were all against teams with losing records. Against the top teams in the MVC, Ben struggled offensively. There's absolutely no comparison between Ben's performances last year at Evansville and Markus Domask at SIU. There's a reason Markus made multiple all conference teams and was first team all conference his last year at SIU and Ben wasn't considered for an all conference team.
- By this time last season, Markus Domask had already had a 33 point performance against #11 FIU on national TV. He had also had an 18 point performance in a losing effort against nationally ranked Marquette. He also hadn't shown the defensive and rebounding deficiencies that Ben has so far this season. Even at the beginning of the season before he started to put up ridiculous numbers, Markus proved that he belonged as a leader on our team. Can you honestly state the same about Ben this season given what we've seen on the defensive end alone?
- Ben has proven last season that he is capable of shooting the basketball. Against the best competition that we've faced this season, however, he just hasn't done it. He's also proven that he doesn't have the athleticism or the strength to defend at the B1G level. Does that mean he shouldn't have a role with our team? Not at all. There are always roles for shooters. But playing him 30-39 minutes when we have talents like Morez Johnson is absolute madness.
KJ in the gym will 2am that same day.
What's interesting to me is that on 12/18/2023, our KenPom adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency ratings were 28th and 13th, respectively. I chose December 18th as a reference because it was post- Tennessee & Colgate and pre-Missouri. Our overall ranking was 14th in KenPom then. Our AP rank was 13th. Bragging Rights last year was the final game with TSJ before the controversy.
Through January and into February, our offensive efficiency began to climb in the rankings while defensive took a back seat (and Illinois inevitability ended the season ranked 80th defensive efficiency, ranked 3rd offensively).
Today, on 12/17/2024, our adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency ratings on KenPom are 29th and 11th, respectively.
I'm not sure what the significance of this is but it's interesting to consider what schematic changes were made around this time last year and going into the new year. My guess is that this is the point where offensive roles and chemistry became more established/matured, so we leaned on it more to win games vs. grinding out teams defensively. One obvious example of maturing offensively and role establishment through the season is Domask, who around the turn of the new year, really hit his stride from 3 (see green line on the graph below, showing his 5-game moving average from 3 compared to from 2 and overall) while also finding success with booty ball.
Is it crazy to say we'll see the same as players like KJ, Kylan, Tre White, Tomi, etc. come to accept and commit to their responsibility towards "the winning formula"?
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This may end up as a quad 1 win by seasons end. 3 potential quad 1’s before the new year ain’t too shabby. This’ll be a tough game imo, close to a coin flip.
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