Kentucky 84, Illinois 75 Postgame

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#101      
CleverHandle1
In the end, they played to their preseason position. Having typed that, we've listened throughout the season how great this team could be, and how the injuries/illnesses were a main reason why they didn't reach their true potential.

Based on that, what a disappointing season. In the end, an overrated team, if you will. Most objective outsiders knew this probably was the end of Illinois's season. I got caught up with all the hype about this team. I shall temper expectations for next year--no matter who they bring back or sign.

Losing to RU/Neb/NU and USC at home was a true sign Illinois was not Elite.
 
#105      
mysterio2525
Oracle21 said:
1-9 vs Top 15 net teams this year. Simply not at the level we wanted.

I hope Morez/Boswell/Tomi all return next year. Good luck KJ/Riley with the draft. It’d be great to get both these guys back but doubt it happens.

Portal opens Monday.
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How did we when win one?
 
#107      
BoiseBaller
TampaToo said:
So did Brad overachieve, Underachieve, or achieve just right? Asking for some friends.
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Underachieved based on talent.

Overall, this season was meh. Had some blowouts both ways, played poorly when the lights were the brightest.

Real work starts now. If Brad wants to be a "CEO" coach, he needs to get some assistants that can scheme and make in game adjustments. Keep a solid core of 4 or 5 guys, get a Sarr and some tougher older transfers.
 
#108      
OrangeKrush1981
Why were we down at that point? Why leave it in the refs' hands?

Or rather: NEVER leave it in the refs' hand if you plan on winning 6 games in a row, and hence a national championship.
 
#110      
uofi7477
Can Brad still use injuries and illness as excuses?
 
#111      
BashCtIllini
This was a massively flawed team. We based the offense around shooting the 3, problem being, we weren't good at shooting the 3. When we were on, we'd whip anyone. When off, anyone could beat us. We had a lot of individual talent, but no PG to lead the team. Really, we won mostly because we had great size and could dominate the boards. Yet that size didn't lead to great defense.

I think if we can return our core of Boswell, Ivisic, Morez, and White massively upgrade the staff. We need 2 new coaches minimum. If Alexander can get a head job, great we get 3. We need a legit PG. We need a legit sniper from 3. That is about it. If we can land a do everything guy all the better. But this season was frustrating due to coaching imo. You could see the individual talent, but we just played stupidly A LOT.
 
#114      
spillini
chief said:
Best NCAA draw ever, and I have been an Illini fan for 40 years....never had a home court advantage. Just a sad game. Brad telling the team to do something for the fans, how about coaching something for the fans. That defensive scheme was atrocious, no excuses, absolutely terrible for someone making the kind of $$ BU makes.
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For all the adapting BU does, I genuinely don’t understand how he hasn’t adapted the skills to scheme up some stuff without assistants. Is it just a philosophy to just let players play?
 
#115      
whiteturbo
I have said from day 1 KJ reminds me of a poor man's Luka. Neither play defense. They go for the "sports center" play instead of the fundamental play. He will probably do great at the professional level. Unfortunately for him occasionally college teams play defense (and Kentucky truly isn't one of them). Sad
 
#117      
80'sIllini
On the coaching staff that KJ didn't improve at all this year- if anything he regressed. Maybe injuries played a role, and ilnness, with this team but I still feel that despite those circumstances- we underacheived considering we supposedly have 2 NBA first rounders- although I really have to question KJ being good enough to warrant that and his lack of improvement would make me wary as an NBA GM. Seems like a good kid and he showed flashes of being worthy of first round status but equally killed us with this horrific turnovers, often sketchy defense.
Would sure be nice to see an offense next year that actually involved splayer and ball movement in the half court with screens occuring off the ball sometimes instead of only the high ball screen.
 
#118      
aaeismacgychel
Just an infuriating game. That game was easily winnable and we looked about as ill prepared to come out and play as one can. Just awful games from a bunch of players and the coaching staff. Kylan and Tomi were incredible. Sad they have to go home, they both deserved better. Shame our talented freshmen played like freshmen. It happens. How slow and unprepared we came out both halves shouldn't. Just a wasted opportunity
 
#119      
blife
Maybe we were just too young to stay mentally focused consistently. 1 true freshman can be brought along by 4 experienced teammates, but not a whole team of youngsters. We looked lost, timid, and did not understand the magnitude of the moment on way too many occasions this year.
 
#120      
cs04
kevinb1 said:
We finished right where we were predicted to in the preseason. Not in the top 25 and got the top 6 seed. Oh and Kwa was only interim anyway. Who did you want them to hire right before the season started?
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my gripe here is that Brad put himself in a position where he had promote Kwa instead of having the coaching staff set sooner. I don't know any of the details about TA's departure, but he absolutely should not have been in a position where he was left scrambling to fill that slot.
 
#122      
foby
illinifan1987 said:
At least we won a tourney game! I'll gladly take this over what we dealt with in the 2010's. Time to make some coaching changes and reload with upperclassmen next year (minus Morez, Tomi, and Kylan). Tennessee will get their revenge next Friday.
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It's really hard to beat a really good team 3 times. Just ask the Flyin' Illini. Too soon?
 
#123      
krushalot2005
Nepotism kills…aren’t Tyler and Hamer friends or something? This team was way too talented for that, underachieved and disappointing season. I knew there would be growing pains but not reversion.
 
#125      
Fighter of the Nightman
Alright, my promised emotional hot takes … emphasis that these will be both emotional and hot takes, lol.

1. I bet he’s a nice kid, he’s obviously extremely talented, he clearly even gives great physical effort at times and I understand this is unfair … but I don’t remember a player in my lifetime who seems so unbothered by underperforming as KJ. And it pi$$es me off, and I’m ready for it to be done. When you’re getting embarrassed and a fire needs to be lit, sometimes it’s simply a bad look to be trotting around like it’s all good, bro

2. On that note, in a scenario where our NBA prospect freshmen got feedback where they needed another year … give me Will 11 times out of 10. Both drove me crazy at times, but I can envision a sophomore Will that goes down as one of my favorite Illini ever. I imagine a sophomore KJ as a slightly better shooter who still makes half-!!! turnovers and plays like it’s a scrimmage.

3. I’m starting to worry that Brad needs players with special attitudes to get through to his guys and make the full team tough. Ayo was special in this regard. So was Trent. So was TSJ. Even Kylan, who seems like the only one who was actually angry today, still trots about and is casual far too often. So who is going to step up next year and not let the casual BS fly? Who will be brought in to be a leader if no one is capable? This team is playing next weekend if it had strong and consistent player leadership like those past guys, pure and simple.

4. We saw what a lack of continuity does this year. Will we be so stupid as to let a single key returning piece get away for a supposed upgrade in raw talent??

5. Last and least seriously … I’m honestly starting to get so mad about the uniforms. I refuse to believe there’s some numb skull somewhere who gives two thoughts to what uniform we should wear each game and keeps deciding it should be the 1LL1NO1S defaults.
 
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