One for two - we did get the positional size.
Pregame: Illinois at Minnesota, Saturday, February 8th, 5:00pm CT, BTN
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Absolutely! I texted a buddy something that reads so close to your post it's a little creepy earlier today.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
I am not sure that the math works out here. The Illini are going to have at least a 40% chance of beating Michigan State at home. The Illini absolutely need to go at least 2-1 over the next three games to feel pretty good. If the Illini go 1-2 over the next three games, then the Illini are going to be in some trouble, but <10% is a bit dramatic if the Illini go 1-1 over next two games. The only way the Illini have <10% chance of making tourney is if Illini go 0-3 over next three games. Even then, analytics would probably give them a better chance than 10%, though I would probably agree that the season would be slipping away.
All for having some old heads, but I could do without a roster full of them. Think someone said in postgame (DB11headband maybe?) keep 5-6 from current squad and move forward. Hopefully a mix of young and older guys. Getting older is great but you get all old guys you’re relying on portal every year…which from the vocal majority seems like would be unsupported.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
As if we needed any more motivation, a loss would drop us to just 7-7 in Big Ten play. The last time we were .500 in Big Ten play after that many games was way back in February 2019 (Ayo's freshman season), when we were 10-15 overall and 6-8 in the Big Ten. Even our disappointing 2023 squad got on a hot streak to get back to 8-5 in Big Ten play, and they never dropped back to .500 or below.
Don't lose.
Don't lose.
Don’t like this message. It’s like telling Zook he needs new coordinators when the head coach is the end decision maker. It starts with the coach.
Underwood wants the team shooting a high volume of 3s. Till that changes, it doesn’t matter who the assistants are.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Holy COW that is bad. Because I don't like to make my eyes bleed, I have never taken the time to look at each of our players' three-point percentages in a list ... but I guess today I am really just trying to be miserable, lol. Through yesterday in Big Ten play only...
33.3% for Jakucionis on 63 attempts
31.6% for Humrichous on 79 attempts
31.3% for Davis on 32 attempts
27.7% for Ivisic on 47 attempts
24.4% for Riley on 45 attempts
24.4% for Gibbs-Lawhorn on 45 attempts
24.0% for Boswell on 50 attempts
16.7% for White on 24 attempts
16.7% for Booth on 6 attempts
I love the guy, but I'm honestly surprised Morez hasn't chucked up a three yet given this team's style, lol.
And in case you are REALLY trying to depress yourself, here is our team last year in Big Ten play...
44.8% for Guerrier on 58 attempts
40.5% for Hawkins on 84 attempts
37.3% for Goode on 75 attempts
36.1% for Domask on 61 attempts
32.4% for Shannon on 102 attempts
31.1% for Harmon on 45 attempts
22.2% for Gibbs-Lawhorn on 9 attempts
So to put this in perspective, we had four players on last year's team that shot it better than anyone on this year's team, lol ... and all four started. So 80% of our players on the floor shot it better than our BEST shooter this year, and the only one who didn't was Terence Frickin' Shannon who practically willed us to so many victories.
Another absolutely wild stat? 65% of the way through Big Ten play, Humrichous has already taken more threes than Goode did all of last season, and he's shooting a hair better than Justin Harmon. I love (and miss) Justin, but let that sink in. Ben is also on track to take over 120 threes in Big Ten play; Shannon led the team last year with barely over 100, and the next closest guy only had 84. We can't keep letting everyone take shots they never make!
Also, of note Shannon's numbers are dragged down by his worst stretch being after the long layoff with the false allegations.Holy COW that is bad. Because I don't like to make my eyes bleed, I have never taken the time to look at each of our players' three-point percentages in a list ... but I guess today I am really just trying to be miserable, lol. Through yesterday in Big Ten play only...
33.3% for Jakucionis on 63 attempts
31.6% for Humrichous on 79 attempts
31.3% for Davis on 32 attempts
27.7% for Ivisic on 47 attempts
24.4% for Riley on 45 attempts
24.4% for Gibbs-Lawhorn on 45 attempts
24.0% for Boswell on 50 attempts
16.7% for White on 24 attempts
16.7% for Booth on 6 attempts
I love the guy, but I'm honestly surprised Morez hasn't chucked up a three yet given this team's style, lol.
And in case you are REALLY trying to depress yourself, here is our team last year in Big Ten play...
44.8% for Guerrier on 58 attempts
40.5% for Hawkins on 84 attempts
37.3% for Goode on 75 attempts
36.1% for Domask on 61 attempts
32.4% for Shannon on 102 attempts
31.1% for Harmon on 45 attempts
22.2% for Gibbs-Lawhorn on 9 attempts
So to put this in perspective, we had four players on last year's team that shot it better than anyone on this year's team, lol ... and all four started. So 80% of our players on the floor shot it better than our BEST shooter this year, and the only one who didn't was Terence Frickin' Shannon who practically willed us to so many victories.
Another absolutely wild stat? 65% of the way through Big Ten play, Humrichous has already taken more threes than Goode did all of last season, and he's shooting a hair better than Justin Harmon. I love (and miss) Justin, but let that sink in. Ben is also on track to take over 120 threes in Big Ten play; Shannon led the team last year with barely over 100, and the next closest guy only had 84. We can't keep letting everyone take shots they never make!
He actually shot the ball well last year.
Not seeing this brought up anywhere, but it's probably the question of the season. What's the deal with Ivisic? Is he playing Saturday?
I thought the coaching staff was all about analytics?Holy COW that is bad. Because I don't like to make my eyes bleed, I have never taken the time to look at each of our players' three-point percentages in a list ... but I guess today I am really just trying to be miserable, lol. Through yesterday in Big Ten play only...
33.3% for Jakucionis on 63 attempts
31.6% for Humrichous on 79 attempts
31.3% for Davis on 32 attempts
27.7% for Ivisic on 47 attempts
24.4% for Riley on 45 attempts
24.4% for Gibbs-Lawhorn on 45 attempts
24.0% for Boswell on 50 attempts
16.7% for White on 24 attempts
16.7% for Booth on 6 attempts
I love the guy, but I'm honestly surprised Morez hasn't chucked up a three yet given this team's style, lol.
And in case you are REALLY trying to depress yourself, here is our team last year in Big Ten play...
44.8% for Guerrier on 58 attempts
40.5% for Hawkins on 84 attempts
37.3% for Goode on 75 attempts
36.1% for Domask on 61 attempts
32.4% for Shannon on 102 attempts
31.1% for Harmon on 45 attempts
22.2% for Gibbs-Lawhorn on 9 attempts
So to put this in perspective, we had four players on last year's team that shot it better than anyone on this year's team, lol ... and all four started. So 80% of our players on the floor shot it better than our BEST shooter this year, and the only one who didn't was Terence Frickin' Shannon who practically willed us to so many victories.
Another absolutely wild stat? 65% of the way through Big Ten play, Humrichous has already taken more threes than Goode did all of last season, and he's shooting a hair better than Justin Harmon. I love (and miss) Justin, but let that sink in. Ben is also on track to take over 120 threes in Big Ten play; Shannon led the team last year with barely over 100, and the next closest guy only had 84. We can't keep letting everyone take shots they never make!
They are. They just don't update them during the season.
That's my thinking as well. A U of I education at work (yes, I know, you were forced against your will to attend various other institutions of higher learning. And have survived to tell of it. *wink*)
Rando thought:
* Why is it when I say KJ's last name, I sing it to "Rock Me Amadeus"?
* Why is it when I say KJ's last name, I sing it to "Rock Me Amadeus"?
A 40% chance is usually a spread between 2.0 and 3.5. If they go 1-1 you think they’ll be only a 3.5 point dog (or less) to MSU?
Hopefully they win both and we don’t have to worry about it. But 40% to beat msu also means they have to win against iowa and win a BTT game (or get an upset in one of those other games) and get in with 19 wins. Maybe 10% is a little low, but that is how selection Sunday works. <19 wins and you are very very unlikely to get in even with a very difficult schedule (and if they keep losing their net will keep going down even if their kenpom stays high).
At the end of the season we could probably write a book called" The Year that Wasn't." Entering the year with superb talent (or so we thought) worldwide and at least two uber talented freshmen, we had high hopes. But this team took a nosedive and never recovered. It's been a terribly frustrating and discouraging season. There should be plenty of lessons learned.
So what your really saying here is that DGL is getting betterHoly COW that is bad. Because I don't like to make my eyes bleed, I have never taken the time to look at each of our players' three-point percentages in a list ... but I guess today I am really just trying to be miserable, lol. Through yesterday in Big Ten play only...
33.3% for Jakucionis on 63 attempts
31.6% for Humrichous on 79 attempts
31.3% for Davis on 32 attempts
27.7% for Ivisic on 47 attempts
24.4% for Riley on 45 attempts
24.4% for Gibbs-Lawhorn on 45 attempts
24.0% for Boswell on 50 attempts
16.7% for White on 24 attempts
16.7% for Booth on 6 attempts
I love the guy, but I'm honestly surprised Morez hasn't chucked up a three yet given this team's style, lol.
And in case you are REALLY trying to depress yourself, here is our team last year in Big Ten play...
44.8% for Guerrier on 58 attempts
40.5% for Hawkins on 84 attempts
37.3% for Goode on 75 attempts
36.1% for Domask on 61 attempts
32.4% for Shannon on 102 attempts
31.1% for Harmon on 45 attempts
22.2% for Gibbs-Lawhorn on 9 attempts
So to put this in perspective, we had four players on last year's team that shot it better than anyone on this year's team, lol ... and all four started. So 80% of our players on the floor shot it better than our BEST shooter this year, and the only one who didn't was Terence Frickin' Shannon who practically willed us to so many victories.
Another absolutely wild stat? 65% of the way through Big Ten play, Humrichous has already taken more threes than Goode did all of last season, and he's shooting a hair better than Justin Harmon. I love (and miss) Justin, but let that sink in. Ben is also on track to take over 120 threes in Big Ten play; Shannon led the team last year with barely over 100, and the next closest guy only had 84. We can't keep letting everyone take shots they never make!
I think Brad should implement a new drill in his practices. Have the team toss the basketball into a dumpster from 20 feet away to start out just to give them some confidence. Maybe they can manage to make a decent percentage of those shots.
Not to be cliché, but this one's feeling like a must win game. The excuses have run their course, e.g. sickness, injuries, shooting slump. However, the wild card no one has mentioned is that maybe KJ is homesick and having a tough time away from family and friends. He's a young man, with a large NIL payout which comes with high expectations and pressure. Couple that with him being taken out of his comfort zone and that may be weighing on him. Should this be the case, going forward, the Illini should consider bringing over a close friend of any foreign recruit in a "buddy system," deal to keep them grounded and to ensure a friendly, trusted face is there for them.
If we lose to the Gophers does that mean there will be 6 more weeks of winter?
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Our last loss to Rutgers already signaled that winter has come for our team. We'll need a lot more wins than just the Gopher game to find our spring again.
To put all the if's, analytics, comparisons to past years means absolutely nothing. There is something going on with this squad. How many times have we seen them come out with halfhearted effort in the first half and get buried? How many times have we seen them only play about 15 minutes with all-out effort? How many times have we seen them chuck 3's that clang off the rim and make No effort to get ball inside or drive to the basket? How many times have we seen poor fundamentals like passing and ball handling?
We have seen what this team can do when they are focused. We have seen them not only shoot 3's but make them, we have seen them get out and run against teams, we have seen them play good defense at times. When we see that effort good things happen.
We have seen what happens when all the aforementioned bad things happen. Shoulders slump; heads hang down, everything starts to fall apart.
Somehow Brad needs to retake charge of this team and set Tyler at the other end of the coaching bench and tell him to just observe the rest of the year. Brad is the head coach here; There are just 7 games left in the regular season. Refocus this team like it is a new season, bring new energy, tell them just to go out and play like it is their last game of their career. Be the Head coach that you were hired to be. Be in the huddle at timeouts, take the white board and set up plays, make in game adjustments. Lead this team, tell Boswell to lead this team as the older upperclassman. I believe the talent is there, let it all hang out. You have nothing to lose here. You have put yourself behind the 8 ball, now go break them and put them in the pocket.
We have seen what this team can do when they are focused. We have seen them not only shoot 3's but make them, we have seen them get out and run against teams, we have seen them play good defense at times. When we see that effort good things happen.
We have seen what happens when all the aforementioned bad things happen. Shoulders slump; heads hang down, everything starts to fall apart.
Somehow Brad needs to retake charge of this team and set Tyler at the other end of the coaching bench and tell him to just observe the rest of the year. Brad is the head coach here; There are just 7 games left in the regular season. Refocus this team like it is a new season, bring new energy, tell them just to go out and play like it is their last game of their career. Be the Head coach that you were hired to be. Be in the huddle at timeouts, take the white board and set up plays, make in game adjustments. Lead this team, tell Boswell to lead this team as the older upperclassman. I believe the talent is there, let it all hang out. You have nothing to lose here. You have put yourself behind the 8 ball, now go break them and put them in the pocket.
6 more weeks of bad basketball?
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