Kentucky 84, Illinois 75 Postgame

[nyc_illini]

Haven't read the rest of this thread, but it sucks that our defense actually was solid this game, but our offense failed us. Especially when it's against a Kentucky team that isn't known for defense.

When you get knocked out, you always want the other team to earn it and it doesn't feel like we did. Felt like we beat ourselves.

The stretch in the second half when KY was on a 10/11 field goal % heater was really bad but after that our defense was indeed solid, I would even venture to say more than solid. KY actually was in a bit of scoring drought.

KJ's turnover where he basically dribbled the ball straight into a KY player after Tomi had grabbed the defensive rebound broke that drought. That and the atrocious no-call on KY's player fouling KJ's 3pt attempt and them getting the ball instead were really the back breaker. White also had two wide open 3s that he missed, one rimmed out and the other wasn't close.

In the final stretch, we really had some opportunities to make it an one-possession game, and perhaps even tie it up, despite how poorly we played early in the game. Alas, we couldn't make it happen, through our own doing and bad luck.

 

[From the cheap seats]

Really, really hard to overcome giving up 26 points off of turnovers...almost a third of Kentucky's points

 

[Heisenbobble]

The stretch in the second half when KY was on a 10/11 field goal % heater was really bad but after that our defense was indeed solid, I would even venture to say more than solid. KY actually was in a bit of scoring drought.

KJ's turnover where he basically dribbled the ball straight into a KY player after Tomi had grabbed the defensive rebound broke that drought. That and the atrocious no-call on KY's player fouling KJ's 3pt attempt and them getting the ball instead were really the back breaker. White also had two wide open 3s that he missed, one rimmed out and the other wasn't close.

In the final stretch, we really had some opportunities to make it an one-possession game, and perhaps even tie it up, despite how poorly we played early in the game. Alas, we couldn't make it happen, through our own doing and bad luck.

It's a 40-minute game. Can't just play decent defense for certain stretches then call it a solid showing at the end of the day.

 

[FormerIllini]

Who needs it?

Whoops…KJ!

 

[PepeSilvia]

It was interesting experiment but I think its clear that "old" teams do better in NCAA tourney.

1. I am hoping we keep our non NBA core - Tomas , Kylan, Morez, DGL, Jake, Ben, Carey, Jacksys (8)
2. We have 2 HS guards coming in Brandon Lee 6'3" and Keaton Wagler 6'6" . Rumoured to be involved with 6'6" Dame Sarr Italy He would be 19 year old freshman. FC Barcelona not playing much.
3. It would be incredible but maybe last game might induce KJ or Will to come back for another year
4. I would love to see more SR and Grad portal players - Alfonso, TSJ, Marcus and Quincy were great adds. Even Justin and Mathew M had their moments.

I agree though DGL and Carey are 100% gone. Id imagine Hum is as well.

Say you can bring back Boswell, White, Morez, and Tomi as a core to build around. Need to complement those guys with shooting and athleticism imo. Go get 4 guys to fill out your 8 man rotation(need a point guard and rim protecting big.), Davis can be the 9th, then anything the freshman provide us gravy.

Id rather target veteran upper classmen than Sarr all things being equal though Sarr looks like he would bring some athleticism on the wing which is very much needed so wouldn't be a bad take.

Then you have to address the coaching. Bring in a guy that can build an actual offense that isn't just trying at adapt bad NBA offenses then get a 2nd guy to fix your defense.

 

[Roundball Sage]

I don't care what the external expectations are. Internal to the university and fan base, we expect more.

You have hit the nail on the head. Illini Nation expects more – and has had those expectations for a long time. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Why? Because at the highest level of College Ball is where the program used to be a couple generations back – and consistently so. And that kind of high-expectation-DNA has stayed in our bloodstream as it should be.

You cannot be great without first having expectations to be great. You cannot achieve to a level greater than the one you believe you will achieve to and then get out on the floor and perform to. 'Settling' doesn't win championships.

In the case of the Illini – we fans have that highest level of desire for being a Top Blue Blood while the program has languished at some level below that. Thus, every year our expectations as fans end in another year of disappointment as well as our feeling powerless because as fans we can do nothing to improve the program by ourselves.

I have no love for the Dukes’ and Kentuckys’ and Kansas’ of the World. But with honestly I admire that they and others achieve the highest levels for their programs and with rare exceptions they always maintain that level.

We got so close 20 years ago. We haven’t gotten that close since and the program should have been at that high level a few times already since then. Like Blue Bloods do.

 

[WyattEarp]

I'm not saying NEVER use the corner. Like I said, you won't find a bigger proponent of spacing the floor than I am. Watching little kid's soccer or little kid's basketball where they are playing "herd ball" is not a fun experience. I get using as much of the floor as possible.

As I'll continue to say, how can you maximize the effectiveness of that corner guy outside of just having him stand out there? Fully understand you want to leave enough room for the starting pick and roll when you're running a ball-screen initiator for your offense, but when does that corner player become a more viable option for the offense? There were times where, even though the metrics clearly showed we were awfully efficient offensively in totality, that teams with good scouting could figure us out.

It just feels like Illinois could get the impact of spacing to the corner by implementing some more off-ball movement. While I obviously cannot stand Bruce Pearl, the offensive innovation at Auburn is pretty impressive. They seem to find ways to achieve the desired impact (space the floor both horizontally and vertically, including in the corners) while utilizing movement.

Big Flex: How Auburn operates the nation's No. 1 Offense

A deep dive on Auburn's offense, why the Flex offense continues to cook, and the early-season dominance of Johni Broome

briangeisinger.substack.com

This article provides some good examples of how to utilize pindown screens (or "down screens" as those of us who played many years ago would probably call them) to free someone to get to the corner.

“Pindown”

Term: Pindown

medium.com

I’ve probably said too much. I don’t wanna get the side-eye for Monday afternoon quarterbacking and being a know-it-all, in-grate…it’s JMO.

 

[OB positive]

Haven't read the rest of this thread, but it sucks that our defense actually was solid this game, but our offense failed us. Especially when it's against a Kentucky team that isn't known for defense.

When you get knocked out, you always want the other team to earn it and it doesn't feel like we did. Felt like we beat ourselves.

What are you talking about. Our defense was horrible for the most part. When we finally did get our offense going in the second half the reason we couldn't overtake them was our defense couldn't get any stops.

 

[Peteronthespot]

Underwood is not an elite bench coach. Never will be as he’s pretty old now. So unless he steps aside he will consistently get outcoached this time of year when coaching matters most and literally wins most games. You can overcome this with ridiculous talent like TSJ last year (still the U conn game exposed Brad), but otherwise just get used to the final 32 being our realistic ceiling. In the words of Dennis Green all of these teams that kick our butt are who we all thought they were. No surprises.

 

[chudaman]

I agree. The staff needs to take a look as to why this team and others in the past are not mentally prepared for a game, especally a game when going into it you know it's a big game with high cosequences. This game was yet another example of not being prepared mentally at the start of a game. I know we were young but this isn't the first year of looking this way to start a game. The staff has to be better at it. Can't stand the antics of their coach but UConn came out as the aggressor and ready to throw down.
Mike Tyson said, "Everyone has a plan until you get punched in the face". Although this may be true, many a fighter who has been punched in the face have come back to win a fight. The boxer knows he's going to get punched. Be ready, prepared and have a plan for when you get off the mat.

UConn shows the advantage of having ncaa tourney experience. The Illini were too lacking in that.

 

[PepeSilvia]

I'm not saying NEVER use the corner. Like I said, you won't find a bigger proponent of spacing the floor than I am. Watching little kid's soccer or little kid's basketball where they are playing "herd ball" is not a fun experience. I get using as much of the floor as possible.

As I'll continue to say, how can you maximize the effectiveness of that corner guy outside of just having him stand out there? Fully understand you want to leave enough room for the starting pick and roll when you're running a ball-screen initiator for your offense, but when does that corner player become a more viable option for the offense? There were times where, even though the metrics clearly showed we were awfully efficient offensively in totality, that teams with good scouting could figure us out.

It just feels like Illinois could get the impact of spacing to the corner by implementing some more off-ball movement. While I obviously cannot stand Bruce Pearl, the offensive innovation at Auburn is pretty impressive. They seem to find ways to achieve the desired impact (space the floor both horizontally and vertically, including in the corners) while utilizing movement.

Big Flex: How Auburn operates the nation's No. 1 Offense

A deep dive on Auburn's offense, why the Flex offense continues to cook, and the early-season dominance of Johni Broome

briangeisinger.substack.com

This article provides some good examples of how to utilize pindown screens (or "down screens" as those of us who played many years ago would probably call them) to free someone to get to the corner.

“Pindown”

Term: Pindown

medium.com

Would have to go back and watch again but Brad actually did break out the flex. I'm pretty sure it was the home game against OSU.

There is a lot more than simply installing the offenses though. You got to have players that are comfortable in them and are able to read and react to the defenses.

UConn runs the prettiest offense in college imo and you see it ton where all of their guys know how to adjust from their motions when the defense tries to take something away.

 

[WyattEarp]

What are you talking about. Our defense was horrible for the most part. When we finally did get our offense going in the second half the reason we couldn't overtake them was our defense couldn't get any stops.

At the very beginning of the game it looked good. It was fairly short-lived however.

 

[NarrowJ]

Underwood is not an elite bench coach. Never will be as he’s pretty old now. So unless he steps aside he will consistently get outcoached this time of year when coaching matters most and literally wins most games. You can overcome this with ridiculous talent like TSJ last year (still the U conn game exposed Brad), but otherwise just get used to the final 32 being our realistic ceiling. In the words of Dennis Green all of these teams that kick our butt are who we all thought they were. No surprises.

We went to the Elite 8 last year

As far as the TSJ comment goes, all of the good coaches still dancing have good players, its not rocket science to understand talent is #1A

If you think you can just go grab a few guys from the YMCA and Chris Beard will run them to the NC game, then idk what else I can say that will help

 

[71illini]

Frustrating, watching our guards just getting screened, having to chase, and always playing from behind. Kentucky wasn't being forced to take tough twos, they were being given open 3's.

Completely agree- has been an issue for years. Rewatch the Loyola game and watch how moser took advantage of this strategy. Over pressuring and assuming you can fight through screens every time doesn’t work at this level playing against elite guards. Drives me nuts.

 

[TheDukeUIUC]

We went to the Elite 8 last year

As far as the TSJ comment goes, all of the good coaches still dancing have good players, its not rocket science to understand talent is #1A

If you think you can just go grab a few guys from the YMCA and Chris Beard will run them to the NC game, then idk what else I can say that will help

I think the problem is that Chris Beard could definitely take a few guys from the YMCA and have them playing better defense than we have shown the last two years.

 

[Se Il Illini]

Would have to go back and watch again but Brad actually did break out the flex. I'm pretty sure it was the home game against OSU.

There is a lot more than simply installing the offenses though. You got to have players that are comfortable in them and are able to read and react to the defenses.

UConn runs the prettiest offense in college imo and you see it ton where all of their guys know how to adjust from their motions when the defense tries to take something away.

Your last sentence reflects that real coaching of an offense is going on. That just not happen by chance.

 

[NarrowJ]

I think the problem is that Chris Beard could definitely take a few guys from the YMCA and have them playing better defense than we have shown the last two years.

 

[OrangeKrush1981]

True. Thing is, we hire a head coach. And that head coach is charged with doing and hiring what is needed to win. Championships are the goal, according to our head coach. I expect he is furiously trying to figure out how to do better right this very instant. Some negative feedback for him is well-deserved -- he knows that -- and concentrates the mind: "I'll show those MFers who doubt me!" Good! Get your rear in gear, big man.

 

[Dalerazz]

Couldn't agree more.

 

[lstewart53x3]

Underwood is not an elite bench coach. Never will be as he’s pretty old now. So unless he steps aside he will consistently get outcoached this time of year when coaching matters most and literally wins most games. You can overcome this with ridiculous talent like TSJ last year (still the U conn game exposed Brad), but otherwise just get used to the final 32 being our realistic ceiling. In the words of Dennis Green all of these teams that kick our butt are who we all thought they were. No surprises.

Yep, R32 is the ceiling for a coach who made the E8 last year.

 

[jumpingjack]

Hey, our free throw defense was actually pretty solid yesterday. They only shot .600 from the line.

I thought the defensive gameplan was not good at all, but it is really hard to tell, given all of the live ball turnovers. Kentucky scored 26 points off turnovers (-18 differential). That was the game right there.

Exactly what killed us against Maryland.

 

[lstewart53x3]

Exactly what killed us against Maryland.

Yeah, the downfall of this team truly was youth. 9 of our 14 TOs against Kentucky were by our two star freshman.

Gotta get older.

 

[Illini 993]

UConn has been mentioned a couple times for the plays they run being impressive, and I agree. But, the offense that stood out to me so far was Drake, even though they lost the last game. Their passing was just precise, and they were especially impressive on leading passes to where the receiving player would be. Outside of Stirtz, their talent wasn't that great, but coaching maximized what they had.

 

[PepeSilvia]

Yep, R32 is the ceiling for a coach who made the E8 last year.

I mean he did point out the unless you have a gamechanging talent like TSJ. Honestly another one of those isnt walking through the door. Getting him for a 5th year in college was a unicorn.

I have my qualms with Brad but I also don't think it would be easy to find a better coach however I saw a graph of sweet 16 appearances since 2015 and it was a bit eye opening seeing Houston, Michigan, and Purdue with 6 and Arizona with 5. None of those schools are dominant programs or have a ton more basketball resources than we do.

Brad started shortly after that and has 1. He needs to start getting it done in March and getting to the Sweet 16. There is no reason that Illinois shouldn't be in the same range as Purdue and Michigan. I realize it took Painter a while to build the program and get to that point but instant turnarounds and being consistently great are achievable now with the portal.

 

[2X2L]

Turnovers.