Illinois 117, Chicago State 64 Postgame

[The Galloping Ghost]

So did our Kenpom score move after this game? Sitting at 19 now, but don’t know what it was before the game.

We were 23 at the start of the day, so up 4 with the blowout. Meanwhile, Indiana started the day at 54, but dropped to 56 despite winning against a Winthrop team that was in the 180s (moved up to 177). For those wondering, that's why you play a team like Chicago State. The system rewards you for a massive blowout against a horrible team and penalizes you for a closer win against a semi-decent team. Brad's taken advantage of this with his scheduling.

 

[Oracle21]

Courts will allow unlimited eligibility at some point in the future

 

[nichi]

Maybe a little less crazy if we realize assists did not become an official stat until the 1983/84 season..

Well, that can't be correct, but they weren't always counted by the NCAA.

 

[PleaseMakeABowlGame]

Okay? Why not let us hear him speak?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1873500959147745597

 

[BalloonsTheElephant]

Look at my picture, there isn't a bigger TJ fan in the world than me.

But comparing Ayo to TJs impact on this program is wild lol.

TJ was a better player but impact isn't even remotely comparable. How dope it is to root for 2 good kids like that for our team though at least we can all agree on that.

Which is exactly why Brad cannot screw this Morez thing up. Chicago kid wants to go to Illinois takes pride in going here it matters. We werent TJs second choice after he transferred from his first choice its just not comparable.

Without TJ we may not have our current team and possibly our coach.

TJ kept our names in the papers and there was absolutely no one like him in the country. We surely would have gotten someone, but not him or someone as impactful over the next two years.

Ayo was the one who brought us back from the depths, but TJ elevated us to an Elite 8. I think that helped us take the next step into the elite teams in the country and helped us get Will Riley, KJ, and Tomi.

This is not disparaging to Ayo. Ayo and TJ are Illini greats and top tier humans that are amazing for our brand.

This is just like my opinion, man. It may suck and be dumb, but luckily opinions don't have to be facts.

 

[One Man Fast Break]

Don’t see the point of scheduling this team so often but whatever. Good stat day for the fellas I suppose.

 

[hoopsfan47]

Without TJ we may not have our current team and possibly our coach.

TJ kept our names in the papers and there was absolutely no one like him in the country. We surely would have gotten someone, but not him or someone as impactful over the next two years.

Ayo was the one who brought us back from the depths, but TJ elevated us to an Elite 8. I think that helped us take the next step into the elite teams in the country and helped us get Will Riley, KJ, and Tomi.

This is not disparaging to Ayo. Ayo and TJ are Illini greats and top tier humans that are amazing for our brand.

This is just like my opinion, man. It may suck and be dumb, but luckily opinions don't have to be facts.

I have said this before and will say it again. Having watched and played organized basketball for almost 7 decades, I have never seen a player that can do what TSJr. can do on the hardwood in either college or pro basketball. He is uniquely talented, still getting better, and I hope he finds great success over his career and life.

 

[AndyKaufmanstutor]

I feel bad for Booth. I think these kids really need to think about what team they are transferring to before making a decision.

I wonder if he regrets coming to Illinois. Hopefully, his NIL package was good.

He was one of the first guys we signed. All the studs signed after him. I doubt we sign him if we knew the haul we were going to bring in.

 

[AndyKaufmanstutor]

I would think it’s almost certain that he does.

I’d be shocked if he’s not in the portal after the season. We signed a bunch of studs after we signed him.

 

[MoCoMdIllini]

Okay? Why not let us hear him speak?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1873500959147745597

Somebody needs to learn how to mix down the taped action audio so you can hear him describe it, yeah.

 

[AndyKaufmanstutor]

Hopefully their replacement was there watching the game today.

They were two of the first guys we signed. If the staff could have known the studs we were going to sign after them, it’s possible that neither of these guys would have been signed.

 

[jamie13197]

So do you like many think Brad Underwood is wrong so far for starting Ben? I feel Riley may take that role eventually if BU makes a change. However, Will Riley is really the only likely option to be a starter at the 4 because we need Morez to play nearly all the minutes at the 5 when Big T sits. It still seems a bit early to give up on Ben with Riley still also struggling. BU knows our players strengths, sees them battle in practice each day, what players abilities to fill roles are. Morez may be a starting option if Dain had stayed or someone else was on our roster. Imo the need for Morez to stay out of foul trouble and back up the 5 with really no other depth at the 5 is why BU will continue to choose Ben to start unless Riley steps up, gains confidence. And gets more experience which could wouldn't surprise me at all if that happened over the next few weeks.

I was listening to announcers on FS1, another game. They brought up Kansas and Coach Self. He has a 10million worth ten guys. They were not shooting and playing defense up to his standards. He shrunk his lineup to 8 and then 7. After a few W's, he's back to 8 man rotation. Other 2 not seeing court. His team his rules.
IMO, we need to shrink to 8 man rotation:
Kj-Kylan-Tomi-Tre- Dgl.
Will, Morez, and Jake coming off bench.
Ben get better in practice or wherever. Booth redshirt. 8 men.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

I have said this before and will say it again. Having watched and played organized basketball for almost 7 decades, I have never seen a player that can do what TSJr. can do on the hardwood in either college or pro basketball. He is uniquely talented, still getting better, and I hope he finds great success over his career and life.

Outside of the greats, I'm with you.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Without TJ we may not have our current team and possibly our coach.

TJ kept our names in the papers and there was absolutely no one like him in the country. We surely would have gotten someone, but not him or someone as impactful over the next two years.

Ayo was the one who brought us back from the depths, but TJ elevated us to an Elite 8. I think that helped us take the next step into the elite teams in the country and helped us get Will Riley, KJ, and Tomi.

This is not disparaging to Ayo. Ayo and TJ are Illini greats and top tier humans that are amazing for our brand.

This is just like my opinion, man. It may suck and be dumb, but luckily opinions don't have to be facts.

Ayo and Kofi brought Illinois back to prominence, TJ solidified it as an elite program capable of true sustained success.

 

[Brosky]

Morez was makin' free throws. How 'bout that?!

 

[NASchamp]

I would think it’s almost certain that he does.

Why would Booth regret being at Illinois? It’s not like the dude is going to be a star somewhere right now. Not getting a ton of minutes but I’m sure he’s learning and developing 10x more right now.

 

[OrangeBlue98]

Don’t see the point of scheduling this team so often but whatever. Good stat day for the fellas I suppose.

It's easy scheduling to get a game for the purposes of tuning the team up before they really get into the meat of the conference schedule. Chicago State makes an easy bus ride to the game. Not every game has to be a Quad 1 game.

 

[BretMyBeachHouse]

Why would Booth regret being at Illinois? It’s not like the dude is going to be a star somewhere right now. Not getting a ton of minutes but I’m sure he’s learning and developing 10x more right now.

Well, I'm not sure how much he's developing.

Players want to play. With Hawkins leaving im sure Booth saw lots of opportunity. I personally didn't see much promise. Some thought he had NBA potential. He just seemed to have a soft fame in my mind. I really expected him to leave at semester.

 

[PasadenaIllini]

Did you not read the post? Love DGL, but at this point, he is great against lesser condition and struggles with better teams with more size. I have high hopes that will change as he matures.

I read your post. DGL got 6 minutes to perform against Tennessee, 12 against Wisconsin, 9 against Northwestern, and 14 against Arkansas. He had a bad game against Alabama with 17 minutes when he went 0-5. I don't think it's safe yet to conclude whether DGL struggles or doesn't struggle against better teams given this sample size. Heck, against Missouri, he went 3-4. I want to see more minutes and a greater chance for him to perform. I feel he's earned it.

 

[Mobi]

Okay? Why not let us hear him speak?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1873500959147745597

Happy for him

 

[band camp]

I would think it’s almost certain that he does.

No one here knows that.

 

[AirNeazy]

Lol I think a lot of people have forgotten just how terrible our program's perception was before Ayo signed on.

My four years at UI we didn't make a single tourney...meanwhile had to watch Okafor, Jabari, Tatum, Beal, all not even give us a passing glace. Rick Brunson was telling his son that he'd waste his career playing for Illinois and needs to go out of state to Nova. Not to mention Cliff mocking us nationwide on ESPN lol

No disrespect to the Illini greats in the past but Henson building the brand back in the 80s didn't help us get back to where we rightfully are now. In fact, I could argue that mentality (Guenther's mentality IMO) was what killed our program in the first place: "Oh we're ILLINOIS, we've been a premier CBB program so things will always work out and in state players will always be knocking the doors down for a chance at a scholarship here"

Everything turned when Ayo came and we've been off to the races since. Wasn't by himself (Kofi, Trent, DMFW) but he was the guy. Kid should never pay for a meal in Central Illinois for the rest of his life IMO.

 

[Old Farm Illini]

Well, I'm not sure how much he's developing.

Players want to play. With Hawkins leaving im sure Booth saw lots of opportunity. I personally didn't see much promise. Some thought he had NBA potential. He just seemed to have a soft fame in my mind. I really expected him to leave at semester.

A few years ago we wouldn’t have put so much weight on a sophomore big looking raw but we expect immediate contributions and brush them off if they don’t show promise right away. Makes sense given the era of college basketball we’re in but going against Morez and Ivisic every day in practice will make him a pretty good big at some point. He’s learning to guard two completely different types of centers. It’ll click, whether it’s while he’s an Illini or decides to give another school a shot.

Side note, at the end of the game, both Booth and Rodger’s looked pretty happy for Bam. They appear to be good teammates so I can live with players leaving if they decide what’s best for their careers as long as they’re not perceived as being toxic while they’re here. Perhaps Skyy and Epps lowered the bar for player expectations but I can live most things at this point as long as a player has positive body language on the court with their teammates.

 

[Mobi]

Lol I think a lot of people have forgotten just how terrible our program's perception was before Ayo signed on.

My four years at UI we didn't make a single tourney...meanwhile had to watch Okafor, Jabari, Tatum, Beal, all not even give us a passing glace. Rick Brunson was telling his son that he'd waste his career playing for Illinois and needs to go out of state to Nova. Not to mention Cliff mocking us nationwide on ESPN lol

No disrespect to the Illini greats in the past but Henson building the brand back in the 80s didn't help us get back to where we rightfully are now. In fact, I could argue that mentality (Guenther's mentality IMO) was what killed our program in the first place: "Oh we're ILLINOIS, we've been a premier CBB program so things will always work out and in state players will always be knocking the doors down for a chance at a scholarship here"

Everything turned when Ayo came and we've been off to the races since. Wasn't by himself (Kofi, Trent, DMFW) but he was the guy. Kid should never pay for a meal in Central Illinois for the rest of his life IMO.

Ayo did stick the neck out for us. He will probably always be my favorite ILL player.

 

[ChiTown]

Don’t see the point of scheduling this team so often but whatever. Good stat day for the fellas I suppose.

Sometimes is helping a small in state school that’s struggling to stay alive because this is how they get money to continue running their program.