Kentucky 84, Illinois 75 Postgame
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Being at the game, I think the better team won and it was a surprise that they got it down to 6 late in the going. I just think when the team turns the ball over as much as they did, shoots poorly from 3(which seemed to be a common theme this season), and doesn't play lock down defense which allows the best 3 pt shooter in America(Koby Brea) to get good look after good look, that's a recipe for disaster.
Kentucky did a great job taking the crowd out of the game. This was not Friday night where the crowd was electric and into it. Kentucky started fast quickly in both halves and really took the air out of the arena. Kind of a shame
Kentucky did a great job taking the crowd out of the game. This was not Friday night where the crowd was electric and into it. Kentucky started fast quickly in both halves and really took the air out of the arena. Kind of a shame
I'm not really sure what your point is. TSJ and Ayo stayed in college 4 and 3 years respectively, and left here with Greek god-like bodies. WR, while extremely talented, is a stick and still needs to mature to be in the same locker room as them. While the NBA lusts after potential, they don't wait too long on it...
I think given the adversity they dealt with, I'd be more inclined to give a B-/B. This feels better than the 2022-2023 team though for sure. That team was a hot mess. This team just had pieces missing throughout January/February and it impacted the ability to practice at full strength and implement changes until very late in the season.
Overall though, I expected ups and downs with a totally new roster and a young roster at that. I think making the Second Round was the floor for the team. Anything less would've been a failure. Anything more would've been successful. We'll call this a slightly above average season that could've been special had they hit their ceiling. Not a Final 4 team though.
Jereme Richmond's uncle's line. Stay another year, work on the weaknesses, body, NIL and...a degree from U of I.
Noted. BTW, I like the opportunity to 5-way switch on screens (rather than use drop coverage), when you have Boswells on the court and five more Boswells revving their motors on the bench. Oh, and the OG Boswell directing the other Boswells and burning sage on the bench. Yes, this sounds perfect!
I'm not sure if I can convince you, but I can say that I sat 6 rows off of the floor for all six games(three sessions). We have a skilled roster, no doubt, but from a pure physical maturity standpoint..... Kentucky, Iowa State and Ole Miss made our group look like kids.
We had 18 and 19 year olds playing against grown a$$ men. You can't tell this stuff on TV, but up close, this was a physical mismatch. Being young doesn't just reference experience and mental makeup. It's the body changes that four years of weight room work with professional trainers provide.
From close up, the only one who looked "the part" was Boswell. The guy is just older and more physically mature and his play shows it. He thrives with contact.
Will and Tomi need to live with Fletch this spring/summer/fall. We know Tomi will be back, but whatever Will's future plans are, whether it's here or elsewhere, he's got a LOT of work to do.
Were we as skilled as Kentucky? Absolutely. Were we physically competent enough to move them off of what they were trying to do? Absolutely not.
To be fair, 67 teams are going to get their !!!es kicked to end the season. It's a beautiful, but harsh tournament. Of the six fan bases that showed up, only two left with a smile. All 8 first and second round sites went through the same exercise.
Only one team's fans aren't going to be pi$$ed after their last game.
How old is Hamer? Where’s he from?
The dude needs to come back. It’s not like he won’t get at least $2 mil to do so.
Zorak
- Naperville
Conveniently leaving out Bos and Tre, who are huge success stories.
Mono, team wide puking for weeks, an injured forearm and a broken wrist. Not sure what he could do about that?
Well said
Live by the three. Die by the three, turnovers and bad defense.
Sounds about right with this year's group.
Sounds about right with this year's group.
I mean Dalton Knect was an elite shooter at both. Some guys translate, some guys don't.
Expectations matter. Just a few years ago we were happy to get invited, even with an early exit as it was confirmation the program was headed up.
This year, very different vibe coming of the elite 8 last year.
A middle school coach can defend the screen and roll better than we did this season. Inexcusable
I left them out because they're successes, but in total that's a 40% success rate. Last year we had three real transfers and two walk-on transfers. All three real transfers hit. The year before, three transfers, all three hit.
Captain 14
- The Last Best Place
Perhaps he meant best NCAA draw ever, relative to our seeding. Who gets to play that close to home as a 6?
Ok...Duke...and who else?
Right so making the tournament plus one win versus a non-12+ seed has to be B- for me.
Certainly not a great season, but all things considered it was still a good season. Not every year can be great.
Certainly not a great season, but all things considered it was still a good season. Not every year can be great.
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