Michigan State 79, Illinois 65 Postgame

[Fly Illini Fly!]

If you are indeed accurate with this, it just really throws a wrench into all of this and is extremely disheartening. The roster turnover is already such a hurdle, but it's just not overcomeable if Brad's ego is so much in the precedence that you have to bench a guy for the rest of the year to not cope with what was (I hope) just some back and forth fire.

The team is suffering from lack of depth, and has enough of a hurdle already with guys not being whole with injuries and illnesses.

Really discouraging.

It just symbolizes a broken squad more than anything (if indeed the reason for tre's benching).

 

[illiniguy24]

Yep. Because now the players I’m sure are playing scared and timid. Tre will leave, DGL will leave, likely a few others. 2 going pro. Bad vibes man.

It’s extra pathetic when hardly any of us are focused on the fact we don’t score for the last 8 1/2 minutes last night.

 

[Big Jack]

Now that the emotional responses are done.

Last night was lost from coaching rotational mistakes. All on Brad. Utter garbage.

Tre got into it with him one practice and his ego can't let it go. Most coaches would see it as fire and have a 1-1 conversation where they appreciate criticism and to simply not do it in front of others. No idea on DGL/Jake.

MSU was fresh in the final 10 and we weren't. Keeping up with the best transition team in the BIG10 on a 7 man rotation is horrible game plan.

Go back and watch the span. Jacking 3s is a sign of exhaustion because it's the easiest shot to get. You don't need to cut or bang with anyone. Ben, tomi, KJ and Will were all missing short. And everyone is coming off sickness and injury. Their conditioning isn't going to be where it should.

How our coaching staff doesn't see this in game blows my mind.

 

[Oldskoolkoach]

I'm pretty sure 99.99% of us on this board have never had a conversation with Brad. However, 99.99% of us can see that he is the definition of stubborn. I have little doubt that he would play 2 on 5 if you told him "you can't win 2 V 5."

If Tre/DGL did something, they aren't getting back on the court in their old role. Not with money, April going off, a new car, nothing. They seem to have quite the bond/body language on the sideline. Unfortunately, MoJo is starting to have it a bit too...

He'd rather lose every game than admit he was wrong.

"A grower of young men, my pasty white derriere." - recent BU quote

 

[chief]

Why would Brd have an ego.......if he does, then he is overpaid cause we have not even been back tot he Final Four under his tenure and he has had some really good players.

 

[moonpies]

The warning sign should ave been when we got absolutely destroyed by Loyola

Just remember. We never led that game and was only tied once..........at 2-2

 

[Big Jack]

On the player side, we have some who are not good “team” guys, and some with really low basketball IQ. That problem is compounded by the fact that hustle, toughness and teamwork are not rewarded by the staff.

On the coaching side, we have nepotism, stubbornness, and an apparent inability to adjust in game. Brad has for a long time proven himself to be a bad manager of people, both players and assistant coaches.

A lot of what we are seeing was covered up by some transcendent talents who came through the program, most notably Ayo and TJ. In addition to the two first rounders, who are already at times adopting the NBA “I’ll get mine” mentality, I expect MJ, DGL, TW and TR to transfer. Is it a coincidence that these are four of our toughest guys?

Brad took us from the dumpster to good, but I don’t think he has it to take us from good to great.

Given his obvious lack of in game management that we now see clearer. He needs to surround himself with 2 assistant coaches who can truly game plan and see that the execution is completed. If he is unwilling to do this then I for one will not be back to State Farm Center until he is gone. He brought me back full time but I do not like the product on the floor and am not giving one red cent to the program to assist him. Time for Josh to have the serious face to face and let him know this is not acceptable. I will be more than happy to root for any players wearing the uniform but I will do it from my chair.

 

[USAFILLINI]

understand these are college players, but if every season brings repeated issues with a recruit you’ve brought in, it might be time to reconsider how you're evaluating character. Or, at the very least, take a hard look in the mirror.

BU can’t seem to figure out how to call a timeout and run plays that avoid settling for contested three-pointers? During some of those scramble moments, we looked more like an AAU team than a college squad. This year, the team has struggled with basketball IQ, and that responsibility falls on BU. You’ve got two players on your roster who are potential draft picks, yet this is the level of play you’re getting from the team?

I'll say it again, even though some might not agree: BH is not a major minutes guy. If he continues to play over 25 minutes a game down the stretch, we’ll keep losing games like this.

At this point, the best outcome for everyone might be if BU were hired by another school.

 

[RML]

Feel bad for KJ, having to sit there in the post game as Brad blames the loss on the players.

 

[gibb52]

Izzo and his staff absolutely clowned Underwood. Made some D adjustments, started running some different sets on O. We had no answer for either. 64-34 after our initial 31-15 burst. I hate our offensive stuff and have said so many times. Just no creativity. This is all on Brad. He is not a high level X and O guy. So why let your son and his buddy run your stuff? Get some damn coaches in here to help you with things you don't do well.

 

[abchew2]

After sleeping on it, what really makes this loss seem so bad was that this was the perfect opportunity. Full roster available, amped up crowd at home, honoring an all time great Illini and the team couldn’t use that to get an emotional win. Just a real disappointment when this was rightfully being built up as a major turning point. Turns out it only confirmed all the fears we have had throughout the season that we were able to find excuses to explain away. Not anymore, team can have great moments but stringing them together seems just slightly out of reach.

 

[goillini316]

Now that the emotional responses are done.

Last night was lost from coaching rotational mistakes. All on Brad. Utter garbage.

Tre got into it with him one practice and his ego can't let it go. Most coaches would see it as fire and have a 1-1 conversation where they appreciate criticism and to simply not do it in front of others. No idea on DGL/Jake.

MSU was fresh in the final 10 and we weren't. Keeping up with the best transition team in the BIG10 on a 7 man rotation is horrible game plan.

Go back and watch the span. Jacking 3s is a sign of exhaustion because it's the easiest shot to get. You don't need to cut or bang with anyone. Ben, tomi, KJ and Will were all missing short. And everyone is coming off sickness and injury. Their conditioning isn't going to be where it should.

How our coaching staff doesn't see this in game blows my mind.

What could Tre have said so horrible that can't be overcome? Brad's ego is so big that he's willing to throw a season away? That's a hell of a way to " impact a young man's life"..... fart noises

 

[pruman91]

Recurring theme of the 2025 portion of season: Taking and missing a bunch of 3's. Got MSU in foul trouble early in 2nd half, but instead of attacking the rim, take a bunch of low percentage 3s. Either players aren't listening, or coaches are stubborn. Very winnable game that the Illini shot themselves out of.

Also, I despise whiny Izzo.

we were in the bonus with 12:55 to go and never used it to our advantage.......lot's of plain stupidity has been on display on the court and on the sidelines by the Illini this season..

Final Four team ???????.................not this year...............
Elite 8 ????????? ..............................not this year.................
Sweet 16 ????????????...................not this year...................
2nd Weekend ?????????...............not this year..................
Make the NCAA Tourney ???.....maybe............

to have this much talent and perform the way we have is mind boggling to say the least , and cause for major changes in the staff and players before next season is upon us.........

I am more disappointed in this season's results than I was in any of the darkest Groce years..............I'm now wondering where our next victory is coming from..............I really really am ........................

 

[jacekpardol]

What could Tre have said so horrible that can't be overcome? Brad's ego is so big that he's willing to throw a season away? That's a hell of a way to " impact a young man's life"..... fart noises

He did the same thing in the Meyer season.

I think making the elite 8 gave Underwood a bigger ego than he already had.

 

[rbse]

I think Underwood owns this misery, I don't get his coaching at all. If the offense is not executing, call timeout, if they are getting worn down, put some fresh legs in there, this game just boggled my mind. Watched an opportunity squandered

 

[JJHUI79]

We need to have TSJ back and celebrate him again. Can’t do that to the man and leave it like that.

YES

 

[FromTheLogo]

Reporter: "Ben was 0 for 6 from three and Tomi 0 for 4, does it ever get to the point in the huddle where you say hey guys just take some easy ones to try to get going?"

BU: "how many of Ben's went in and out? if Ben doesn't shoot those, i won't play him....tonight they just didn't go in. he might make the next 10"

Brad, let me make this crystal clear. no one on this team, not even your boy Ben, is going to ever make 10 threes in a row over the course of a season. Stop with this whole narrative that if you keep shooting them, some nights you'll get lucky and be hot because much more often than not this season, this team has not made them and are worst in the league at making them. This is not an "elite" shooting team no matter what you say-the numbers don't lie. Continuing to do something and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.

Yes, yes, yes. It's amazing how much a team who relies on analytics closes their eyes to ones that are killing this team.

 

[and 69 others]

We are averaging 30.27 three point shots per game. That is the 5th most in the country behind North Florida, UTRGV, Akron, and Cal Poly. Our success rate on those shots is 31.1%, which puts us at 319th in the country out of 355 teams.

For reference, the disappointing 2022-23 season? We averaged 24.7 attempts per game (48th in the country) and a 30.8% rate (329th).

 

[coryfor3]

Exactly. And the final years of Bruce Weber were brutal. You cloud hear a pin drop inside State Farm during of those games.

Underwood has two years of not making the tournament before you fire him.

Underwood got so much out of Trent and Damonte. Those were not elite players. I think people forget that.

Yes- Underwood brought Illinois back to relevancy. And I’m not advocating firing. But let’s be real- his teams consistently disappoint and underperform. Players leave the program at a rate that seems higher than other programs even after good seasons and even considering the huge number of guys in the portal every year. Early tourney exits, embarrassing tourney losses…team collapses..something is wrong in the program somewhere. I’m not sure what or why but I don’t think he’s going to be the guy that gets us over the hump and to a top 5 or 10 team consistently.

 

[FromTheLogo]

Again, this is Coach driven. Brad said in the postgame: "If he doesn't shoot them, I can't play him." So what do you think he's gunna do?

 

[FromTheLogo]

Ahhh... ESPN just posted an article in the upside-down jersey. Geez.

 

[Captain 14]

Yes, yes, yes. It's amazing how much a team who relies on analytics closes their eyes to ones that are killing this team.

It's the definition of insanity

 

[and 69 others]

BU: "how many of Ben's went in and out? if Ben doesn't shoot those, i won't play him....tonight they just didn't go in. he might make the next 10"

Are you freaking cartooning me? This is Beckman speak: “Yeah, we lost. But if Ben’s 6 three pointers went in, we would have won, 83-79, so put that in your smipe and poke it.”

 

[whatahack]

Thank God for USA hockey or last night would have been disastrous

Gotta love the Tkachuk brothers

 

[doowink]

I’m decently drunk and quite angry, but can someone correct me on this if I’m wrong?

MSU had 9 fouls with 12 minutes left. They ended the game with 9 fouls. If that’s the case, I’ve lost faith in this staff.

You are correct...in fact I told my wife at the under 12 minute TO..."we'll either win or lose this game at the Free Throw line"......I wasn't drunk....but pretty close