Illinois 81, Texas Tech 77 Postgame
- Status
I don't really care about the difference in foul count. TT played booty ball almost the entire game. Not many fouls are going to happen when you run an offensive set like that. Fouls tend to happen in transition or on drives from a set. They basically got set, threw the ball into Toppin and that led to him scoring every possession (almost). Marcus Domask rarely got a foul call playing booty ball.
I think Mirk was affected by the increased speed of the players in this game, and to me, he needs to improve his footwork to be able to handle that better.
LouHenson
- Naples Florida
This is a tremendous take on the call. I have officiated for 25 years in HS, this play happens all the time. The crew on this game will hear about this call in review. We want the “fouling” team to do it in a way that does not cause injury. If the rules per intentional foul are to be enforced as the call was last night, we will need to rewrite the rule as that would not allow “foul to stop the clock”. Simply a terrible call?
Thought that TT was the ideal team for Ty to be utilized. TT is scrappy and Ty's defense ad rebounding would of bee great for this game.
Random thoughts beyond the fact that this team is pretty good:
1. Stojakovic is right-handed? It was hard to tell. He did almost all his damage from the left side last night. Pretty impressive.
2. Big Z is starter level for a high D1 team good. Think the consistency issues have been dealt with by staff. I would not expect to see he and Big T on the same team next year if both were to return, as he deserves to start somewhere. As others have stated, he probably projects as a better NBA prospect if he can show consistency.
3. Our staff knows how to coach driving to the basket. At this time last year, Boswell was shooting about 25% at the rim if that. He is now a monster. Developing TSJ to be able to drive through two or three defenders with impunity was not a fluke. Wagler, Stojakovic, Boswell, Mirk can all take it to the rack, and I suspect that Petrovic will as well. Heck, even Big Z made a drive to the hole last night. With so many threats to drive the paint, we are going to get a lot of good looks from 3. And if we are not making those, we can just continue to drive the paint like the second half last night. This team, in about every iteration of the 8 or 9 guy rotation, is going to be very tough to defend. If last night is any indication, this may be the best, deepest offensive talent Illinois has ever had. Hope I am noty getting ahead of myself in saying that.
4. I know people like that we didn't foul much last night, but after Toppin made 3 or 4 in a row, someone should have hacked him hard enough that he would remember that he was not in the pregame layup line. I think it would be worth the risk of a 3 point play or two to put at least a little fear in him. That said, he is a heck of a post player.
5. Mirk is a big boy and was working his butt off last night to defend. It seemed to take its toll, as he looked like he wore down in the second half. There was a three he took that hardly even made it to the rim. Mirk has been a revelation but, I think once he gets a full year of Fletch to fully transform his body, he is really going to be special. Hope we get a year 2 to find out.
6. Speaking of Fletch changing player's bodies. I had expected to see more of Ben guarding Toppin last night. That only happened once or twice. I was surprised that a lot of the time he was guarding a 2 or 3. Sometimes he was defending at the point of attack. He was very active and his foot speed looked greatly improved. Now if he could just learn a Coleman or Mirk head fake and take it to the rack once in a while.
7. Wagler doesn't look like he is doing much. That is, other than seeming to be in the right place at the right time to make the right play. He is just quietly impressive. Like Mirk, I think with another year with Fletch would serve him well. Would really like to see him back for another year.
8. If anyone saw the interview with Field of 68 last night with Boswell and Stojakovic, Andrej was awesome the way he handed Goodman.
Goodman: what can we expect from Petrovic when he comes back?
Andrej: I don't want to comment because I don't want to put a ceiling on anybody.
Goodman: Well then, can you give me a player comp for him?
Andrej: You will see. He is most like Mihailo Petrovic.
Goodman got nothing, lol.
9. We withstood a run. Players and coaches made adjustments. Kept their cool. And made a bunch of plays down the stretch. Bodes very well for the B1G and March.
1. Stojakovic is right-handed? It was hard to tell. He did almost all his damage from the left side last night. Pretty impressive.
2. Big Z is starter level for a high D1 team good. Think the consistency issues have been dealt with by staff. I would not expect to see he and Big T on the same team next year if both were to return, as he deserves to start somewhere. As others have stated, he probably projects as a better NBA prospect if he can show consistency.
3. Our staff knows how to coach driving to the basket. At this time last year, Boswell was shooting about 25% at the rim if that. He is now a monster. Developing TSJ to be able to drive through two or three defenders with impunity was not a fluke. Wagler, Stojakovic, Boswell, Mirk can all take it to the rack, and I suspect that Petrovic will as well. Heck, even Big Z made a drive to the hole last night. With so many threats to drive the paint, we are going to get a lot of good looks from 3. And if we are not making those, we can just continue to drive the paint like the second half last night. This team, in about every iteration of the 8 or 9 guy rotation, is going to be very tough to defend. If last night is any indication, this may be the best, deepest offensive talent Illinois has ever had. Hope I am noty getting ahead of myself in saying that.
4. I know people like that we didn't foul much last night, but after Toppin made 3 or 4 in a row, someone should have hacked him hard enough that he would remember that he was not in the pregame layup line. I think it would be worth the risk of a 3 point play or two to put at least a little fear in him. That said, he is a heck of a post player.
5. Mirk is a big boy and was working his butt off last night to defend. It seemed to take its toll, as he looked like he wore down in the second half. There was a three he took that hardly even made it to the rim. Mirk has been a revelation but, I think once he gets a full year of Fletch to fully transform his body, he is really going to be special. Hope we get a year 2 to find out.
6. Speaking of Fletch changing player's bodies. I had expected to see more of Ben guarding Toppin last night. That only happened once or twice. I was surprised that a lot of the time he was guarding a 2 or 3. Sometimes he was defending at the point of attack. He was very active and his foot speed looked greatly improved. Now if he could just learn a Coleman or Mirk head fake and take it to the rack once in a while.
7. Wagler doesn't look like he is doing much. That is, other than seeming to be in the right place at the right time to make the right play. He is just quietly impressive. Like Mirk, I think with another year with Fletch would serve him well. Would really like to see him back for another year.
8. If anyone saw the interview with Field of 68 last night with Boswell and Stojakovic, Andrej was awesome the way he handed Goodman.
Goodman: what can we expect from Petrovic when he comes back?
Andrej: I don't want to comment because I don't want to put a ceiling on anybody.
Goodman: Well then, can you give me a player comp for him?
Andrej: You will see. He is most like Mihailo Petrovic.
Goodman got nothing, lol.
9. We withstood a run. Players and coaches made adjustments. Kept their cool. And made a bunch of plays down the stretch. Bodes very well for the B1G and March.
There's no such thing as a sprinkle of Tomislav Ivisic.
Last year Hamer would checked himself into the game to show how its done
Yeah, but Seth Davis was on the board the other day and said that Stojakovic was "not playable" vs Texas Tech, so he needed to get back on right side of things.
It's over, pack it up. We cant score again
All this is true but I'll bet we get jobbed somewhere down the road. It all balances out in the end. Take the win.
They literally called a flagrant on a take foul IN THIS GAME.
The reason Toppin didn't shoot FTs was that Ivisic was told not to, it resulted in a bunch of easy layups, but Ivisic stayed out of foul trouble.
That's why later they used Boz to front him and prevent the ball going in to Toppin, or quickly doubling to get him to get rid of the ball.
ginabackes00
CrazedUIFan
A team full of high basketball IQ has to be fun to coach.
If you'd like to get hammered drunk on Orange Kool-Aid...this is the one.
Bingo.
This story keeps changing. It was out for the season, then he'd be back for the start of Big Ten play(early January), now mid January is the BEST CASE scenario?
If that's truly the case, redshirt and save the eligibility. This team's identity and chemistry will be established at thar point. Brad will have his combinations thought out, he'll have the minutes set in his mind and by February, they SHOULD be hitting their stride. All roles will be established. You don't just dump a guy in and upset that, when he can start fresh next year.
Probably at Michigan St.
They've been owning us for awhile, no? At least we've won some the last couple of years...
When you can do what either of them does so well, you really don't need to do what the other one does. But their game around the paint is more similar than you think.
Circling back after watching again...
Its cliché, but I do believe when everyone is healthy...this is the most skilled/talented group as a whole that Brad has ever had.
1. Only 5 assists bothers me... but watching it again, alot of it was what the defense was giving us and our guys were just better (outside of Toppin, who is a beast,) at taking it 1 on 1. I also think that the assists will go way up when Tomi gets back...his passing and offensive IQ will go a long way. But I still want to see that ball pop around more next game. Make the extra pass and get easy buckets.
2. First step and getting down hill. Andrej is way quicker then I thought, much better athlete and much better down hill. At 6'7 he's a force to get to the rim. Wagler is also a much quicker athlete then he's given credit for. He plays with great pace and almost looks slow...but man when he decides he's going to make a move and get by you...he gets to his spots...and being 6'6 only helps. The hype is real.
3. Mihailo continues to be the most mysterious player to me. The team seems super tight lipped on him...how good he is...what he brings. Field of 68 tried to get Kylan and Andrej to give a scouting report on him and they literally would not even give a player comp.
I dont know what he is yet... but they certainly won't talk about him. Get him healthy and I cant wait to watch him. If he is good...maaaaan, a lightning quick lead guard...who is old...and experienced. If he's good, this team is cooking with major gas.
This isn't even brining up Lee, who could give huge defensive upside.
The talent here is immense. Get everyone healthy and get everyone playing in sync.
Its cliché, but I do believe when everyone is healthy...this is the most skilled/talented group as a whole that Brad has ever had.
1. Only 5 assists bothers me... but watching it again, alot of it was what the defense was giving us and our guys were just better (outside of Toppin, who is a beast,) at taking it 1 on 1. I also think that the assists will go way up when Tomi gets back...his passing and offensive IQ will go a long way. But I still want to see that ball pop around more next game. Make the extra pass and get easy buckets.
2. First step and getting down hill. Andrej is way quicker then I thought, much better athlete and much better down hill. At 6'7 he's a force to get to the rim. Wagler is also a much quicker athlete then he's given credit for. He plays with great pace and almost looks slow...but man when he decides he's going to make a move and get by you...he gets to his spots...and being 6'6 only helps. The hype is real.
3. Mihailo continues to be the most mysterious player to me. The team seems super tight lipped on him...how good he is...what he brings. Field of 68 tried to get Kylan and Andrej to give a scouting report on him and they literally would not even give a player comp.
I dont know what he is yet... but they certainly won't talk about him. Get him healthy and I cant wait to watch him. If he is good...maaaaan, a lightning quick lead guard...who is old...and experienced. If he's good, this team is cooking with major gas.
This isn't even brining up Lee, who could give huge defensive upside.
The talent here is immense. Get everyone healthy and get everyone playing in sync.
Is there one play in the game where you could look and say it should've been foul call on Illinois and wasn't? As far I remember we were just content to give up uncontested layups.
In my opinion we should've fouled more (other than Boswell).
You saw what happened when we tried to foul more -- we got T'd up. Good thing we didn't start fouling earlier, or we would have had multiple guys ejected lol.
I'll admit that I haven't read all 18 pages of comments at this time, but I didn't see this mentioned in the first 6 pages. When the flagrant was called, I immediately thought it was a brilliant play by Tech. When you're down by 5 pts with only 12 seconds left, what's your best chance at getting to overtime? Getting 2 free throws and getting the ball back. Tech knew we only had 4 fouls and were likely to foul them to disrupt their rhythm. Why not attempt a flop when Illinois fouls and see if the refs fall for it. They did, and Tech had a decent chance to tie the game. Fortunately for us, our defense prevailed. I'd never thought of that strategy until I saw it play out.
- Status