Illinois 91, Penn State 52 Postgame
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We out rebounded them 57 to 32 and o-rebounds 19 to 6. That is 25 and 13 for you English Majors
Hard to get better than 100%....but that shot was at point blank....I'll turn the lights out and shut the doorHe was definitely the better shooter.
Chad Fleck
- Eureka, IL
I'm not really too bothered by a flop when the contact is legit. Boswell lowered his shoulder into him.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
People can contradict me with the cold, hard analytics if they wish, but my perception has certainly been that even during this program's magnificent ascent since 2019-20, there remains one point of stress for me as a fan ... EVERY year, we have seemed peculiarly susceptible to having a lethargic "off game" at home vs. an inferior opponent. To be clear, we have WON the VAST majority of these games, but I am sure we all have memories of home games vs. the likes of Nebraska, Minnesota, Northwestern, etc. over the last 5 years where it just seemed like we should have run away with it, and yet we let them hang around and need something like an Ayo dagger to pull away late.
To watch this squad - without our best player! - just systematically dominate a PSU team that is NOT a doormat (they beat Purdue and have a good record) gave me the warm and fuzzy feeling I had back in the day as a seventh grader in 2005, when my confidence in Illini basketball was sky-high. It was far from the most important game of the last 5 years and I am certainly still aware of the fact that any team can knock off another one on a given day in the Big Ten, but damn ... I think last night was the "straw that broke the camel's back" in finally helping me to shed my excessive nerves as a fan that I developed during the dark years of 2010 to 2019. Again, anything can happen ... but I TRUST this team to come out every game and play hard and win games they should in a way that I honestly haven't for multiple teams of the past 5 years that did things like hang Big Ten banners, earn #1 seeds and advance to the Elite Eight.
I frickin' love this squad, and I think the sky is the limit. Perception seems to usually change gradually and then "flip" very quickly after a long build-up. After 2021, you could have argued our success was because of Ayo. After 2022, you could have argued we were set to regress without Kofi. 2023 did a lot of damage to our efforts to regain program prestige, and even after last year, you could have proclaimed that Illinois couldn't keep it going after losing pretty much its whole Elite Eight team, plus an historically good All American. And yet here we are ... a win on Saturday from possibly being back in the Big Ten. While we have been "back" for a while now, I have this strange feeling that JUST LATELY, Illini basketball has TRULY returned to that stable status among the upper echelon of programs, with multiple years of recent success behind us and a bright future ahead of us. While we have had great times in the past 5 years, we have usually either not had a multi-year track record of winning OR uncertainty going forward. I finally now feel like I did in the mid-2000s, just feeling like we are in the MIDDLE of a mini-golden age.
Just booked our Airbnb to come down for the MSU game and watch TSJ be honored in front of an electric atmosphere. I-L-L!
To watch this squad - without our best player! - just systematically dominate a PSU team that is NOT a doormat (they beat Purdue and have a good record) gave me the warm and fuzzy feeling I had back in the day as a seventh grader in 2005, when my confidence in Illini basketball was sky-high. It was far from the most important game of the last 5 years and I am certainly still aware of the fact that any team can knock off another one on a given day in the Big Ten, but damn ... I think last night was the "straw that broke the camel's back" in finally helping me to shed my excessive nerves as a fan that I developed during the dark years of 2010 to 2019. Again, anything can happen ... but I TRUST this team to come out every game and play hard and win games they should in a way that I honestly haven't for multiple teams of the past 5 years that did things like hang Big Ten banners, earn #1 seeds and advance to the Elite Eight.
I frickin' love this squad, and I think the sky is the limit. Perception seems to usually change gradually and then "flip" very quickly after a long build-up. After 2021, you could have argued our success was because of Ayo. After 2022, you could have argued we were set to regress without Kofi. 2023 did a lot of damage to our efforts to regain program prestige, and even after last year, you could have proclaimed that Illinois couldn't keep it going after losing pretty much its whole Elite Eight team, plus an historically good All American. And yet here we are ... a win on Saturday from possibly being back in the Big Ten. While we have been "back" for a while now, I have this strange feeling that JUST LATELY, Illini basketball has TRULY returned to that stable status among the upper echelon of programs, with multiple years of recent success behind us and a bright future ahead of us. While we have had great times in the past 5 years, we have usually either not had a multi-year track record of winning OR uncertainty going forward. I finally now feel like I did in the mid-2000s, just feeling like we are in the MIDDLE of a mini-golden age.
Just booked our Airbnb to come down for the MSU game and watch TSJ be honored in front of an electric atmosphere. I-L-L!
He had 4 fouls in 20 minutes, that's 1 foul every 5 minutes. Play 25 minutes score 25 points, collect 15 rebounds foul out, Perfect!
You're supposed to add, "Too soon?" But, well played.He was definitely the better shooter.
I always give him a "There we go Hummer Truck" whenever he plays well. Not sure why that one stuck for me.I prefer Lord Humrichous if we're giving nicknames.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Completely with you. Just because he sold the contact doesn't mean there was no contact. That's one of the misconceptions about officiating (which I know you know given your experience). You can call the foul, but tell the fouled party "hey, you don't need to sell it - I'll call it". Happens a lot in the soccer games I officiate. Sometimes my message resonates and players stop play-acting, sometimes they don't.I'm not really too bothered by a flop when the contact is legit. Boswell lowered his shoulder into him.
ILLINI IN NE
- Omaha,Ne.
I was definitely concerned when KB picked up that foul less than a minute into the game and we were already thin at guard. Bailey did embellish the contact and that is what probably what took him out of the game, he was 0 for everything in the minutes he played in the first half and DNP the second half.I'm not really too bothered by a flop when the contact is legit. Boswell lowered his shoulder into him.
I mean I think that's a pretty obvious no call imo, Boswell just bumped him with his shoulder not like he lowered it and ran through him.
Though I also err on the side of letting guys play through body contact. I vastly prefer more physical games and less whistles.
He probably just doesn’t want all the smokes last night/s.
I'm going to go a step further with this and I'm not sure he was injured at all. He continued to play for 15 more minutes in the first half and looked absolutely fine, physically. He was just 0 for 6 from the field for zero points and also 3 turnovers. It seemed to me, not like an (a) Epps quit-because-I-cant-stop-Boo-Buie and also not like a (b) Sears they-are-shutting-me-down-let-my-teammates-cook, but rather, he probably could have kept playing (he did - for 15 more 1st half minutes) but used an injury as an excuse to sit because Boswell just basically had that dude in handcuffs.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
That's completely fair - I'm a big proponent of calling a game fairly tightly at the start of the game and then allowing the game to "breathe" and flow more after the players recognize that the officials will call fouls (we give far too little credit to players and coaches for their ability to adapt to how a game is called). That kind of call is one where a no-call is OK, but can also set the tone for an overly physical game that resembles rugby or wrestling more instead of basketball.
Put another way, if we are playing Auburn in an Elite Eight game I want that one called early - even if it's against Illinois. If the game on the floor is basketball, Illinois can beat Auburn. If it's somewhere between a wrestling match and a rock fight, big advantage Auburn. Fortunately, the general idea is NCAA tournament games are called more tightly than what we often see in conference play.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
EDIT: Back in the TOP ten, not the Big Ten ... where we obviously already are.
I thought the same thing!
At one point the announcers said the PSU coach had to bench Ace to get him to cool down and play under control. The injury reports came later. Could also be both...
While I agree it is a distinct possibly Ty transfers, he is 6’6”
Watched the game on replay. Not much to add but just a couple of points:
1. As much of a beat down as that was, we easily could have hung 110+ on them if we make a few more layups and a couple more widen open 3’s go down.
2. I think Will is very close to breaking out. I think he’s still a little sped up and pressing a bit offensively, but he rebounded and had good assist numbers tonight. So he’s finding other ways to contribute. He must have had 3-4 spin out tonight. I think a breakout is coming like Ben had 3-4 games ago. And then hopefully he relaxes and stops pressing.
If we can get KJ back healthy and get anything resembling November Will Riley, I’m not sure we will lose another game. Really exciting times
1. As much of a beat down as that was, we easily could have hung 110+ on them if we make a few more layups and a couple more widen open 3’s go down.
2. I think Will is very close to breaking out. I think he’s still a little sped up and pressing a bit offensively, but he rebounded and had good assist numbers tonight. So he’s finding other ways to contribute. He must have had 3-4 spin out tonight. I think a breakout is coming like Ben had 3-4 games ago. And then hopefully he relaxes and stops pressing.
If we can get KJ back healthy and get anything resembling November Will Riley, I’m not sure we will lose another game. Really exciting times
LOL at our beginning of the year "couldn't stop a high school team" defense to our defense now.
Of course nobody can be sure other than them. But he said he was injured, his team said he was injured, and it was reported he had back tightness/stiffness after that play. Kind of have to go with that instead of just assuming he is lying to everybody to save his ego.
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