FACTS: With 8:29 left in the game Ben Hummer scored to make it 65-64 Illinois
Then Illinois missed their last 19 shots from the floor, and their 1 free throw.
Illinois did not score in the last 8:29 of the game. Now THAT'S elite! In the meantime Michigan State scored but 15 points to win 79-65. Decent defensive effort by the Illini down the stretch.
A couple of observations:
The smothering double team effort by Michigan State on KJ outside the three point line stopping most of KJ's attempted drives to the basket was a killer. KJ spent huge amounts of energy dribbling into and out of the double teams and was gassed by the end of the game as witnessed by his last four feeble missed three pointers.
Michigan State's offense is a thing of beauty giving every player chances to drive uncontested to the rim. It seems that Illinois runs one high post play for the whole game and good teams like Michigan State will always figure it out and will shut it down in the second half. I don't know who the offensive coordinator is for Michigan State, but we should offer him the highest salary of any OC in the country plus a beach house.
Ben Hummer continues to play good defense but gets eaten alive by skilled F/C opponents 2 to 6 inches taller than him. Can't fault him for that.
Where is Waldo, er Tre White?
Who had Tomislav Ivisic with 4 points in 30 minutes and Action Jaxon Kohler with 23 points in 30 minutes.
BTW, we were 7 for 33 three pointers, a lousy 21.2%, and missed our last 11 in crunch time.
Did I mention we scored 24 points in the second half.
Final Four quality team? Hmm.
Then Illinois missed their last 19 shots from the floor, and their 1 free throw.
Illinois did not score in the last 8:29 of the game. Now THAT'S elite! In the meantime Michigan State scored but 15 points to win 79-65. Decent defensive effort by the Illini down the stretch.
A couple of observations:
The smothering double team effort by Michigan State on KJ outside the three point line stopping most of KJ's attempted drives to the basket was a killer. KJ spent huge amounts of energy dribbling into and out of the double teams and was gassed by the end of the game as witnessed by his last four feeble missed three pointers.
Michigan State's offense is a thing of beauty giving every player chances to drive uncontested to the rim. It seems that Illinois runs one high post play for the whole game and good teams like Michigan State will always figure it out and will shut it down in the second half. I don't know who the offensive coordinator is for Michigan State, but we should offer him the highest salary of any OC in the country plus a beach house.
Ben Hummer continues to play good defense but gets eaten alive by skilled F/C opponents 2 to 6 inches taller than him. Can't fault him for that.
Where is Waldo, er Tre White?
Who had Tomislav Ivisic with 4 points in 30 minutes and Action Jaxon Kohler with 23 points in 30 minutes.
BTW, we were 7 for 33 three pointers, a lousy 21.2%, and missed our last 11 in crunch time.
Did I mention we scored 24 points in the second half.
Final Four quality team? Hmm.
