mattcoldagelli
- Script Illinois Enthusiast
I mean, agree, but it isn't like we no-showed on the national stage. The impression is "wow, Illinois and Bama played a really good game"
Alabama 90, Illinois 86 Postgame
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If we're really a top 3 seed caliber team, we still have a whole season to prove it. If we aren't, we won't.
I do think this ties into what he was saying. Of course you can't lose this game and then continue to just lose and lose and lose some more.
He started his next sentence with "Gotta be better..." so I think he is just saying this game is okay if you lose in a vacuum, but otherwise take care of business throughout your schedule.
When we start saying its "not okay to lose vs a top 15 team" then people are going to start discussions about this game being a "must-win" which it really wasn't. We weren't going to go undefeated, so which game would've been better to lose? If we get through the non-conference with 2 losses to top 5-15 teams, and then have an equally successful conference season, then we most certainly won't be looking at a 4 seed (struggle to get a 3 as you said).
After re-watching the game, the Illini also missed a few good looks at the rim. I realize that Alabama's big men probably were more athletic than most team's big men and their quickness and quick hands were a factor. Despite what most would term kind of a so-so performance by Mirkovic (4-13 FG), he still had 10 and 10. It's one reason I think the floor for this Illini team is considerably higher than some previous teams. For practical purposes, they played without Tomi being a factor and with Petrovic showing only a glimpse of what he brings to the table...and still had a chance to take the game in the final 4 minutes.
I'll go with most of this, but MP starting at the point. He looked every bit the true point guard. You can't fake 5 assists in only approx. 10 minutes. And I watched him exlusively when Bama had the ball. He knows what he's doing--moving his feet properly, keeping his man in front, and fighting strong thru screens. He's a grown man, mature and strong, enabling him to do that. His trey in his one and only shot attempted means you have to guard him strong on the perimeter. IMO, this guy will make every other player better.
Yep, I'm still very high on this team. But we have to prove we can win this type of game and last night there were just too many mental errors, and despite injuries and working guys back in, we win without them. Have to get those things cleaned up and especially define rolls and get our confidence in the right place, or we will not beat teams like Uconn/Tenn/Mizzou.
And a 4 seed has one the tournament 1 time in the last 10 years. So, to me, a top three seed is really imperative.
And a 4 seed has one the tournament 1 time in the last 10 years. So, to me, a top three seed is really imperative.
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I'm curious. I wasn't following closely but it seems like the folks estimating attendance here were pessimistic a couple weeks ago. Did sales ramp up late? Did the DIA put on a big push?
As others have said, I'm impressed with our fans showing up strong for a midweek game with an 800 advertised start.
Couldn’t we just run set plays to get players open for shots instead of basically resorting to players trying to create a shot for themselves. I have distant memories of Cory Bradford and Dee and Luther running through all sorts of screens to get open shots. Stuff like that.
Alabama AVERAGED 90ppg each of the past two seasons. In that brutal SEC - which it was last year - they averaged 90ppg for the year. They went to St Johns and put up 103. We didn't get enough stops at the end, but you knew coming in Illinois would have to match some points.
What you have to realize with missing FTs is that you're GIVING AWAY points. One of our better players/shooters going up and missing two is no different - actually worse - than giving up a layup on the other end. When they score it's at least earned - missing foul shots is just shooting yourself in the foot.
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Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Attendance is public, and we had nearly 18,000 at the UC on a weeknight ... damn impressive! It sucks we lost, but I cannot emphasize enough how important I think it is to be playing at that venue in front of a full house. Sure, you had thousands of Illini alumni taking advantage of seeing the team close to home, but there were also so many kids there and tons of folks with just Bulls gear on that I presume might not closely follow college basketball now but could in the future. Both of those groups are "learning" that Illinois is the de facto team to root for if you live in this state, and that is an invaluable thing for our brand and thus our program's ceiling.
The wildest thing is the misses were by our best free throw shooters... Mirk was at 90% on the season, Wagler was at 85%, Stoj shot 82% at Cal on 165 attempts... Boswell missed the 1 at the end but was 6-7 for the game... Big Z did miss 2 and he's not a great foul shooter though at 72% career-wise
This is where I'm at. We played a C+ game (at best) and caught Bama on a night where they shot 36% from 3, got a huge contribution from a role player & a star performance from their All-American. We were right with them till the buzzer
Yep, works for Izzo just about every season, I suspect it'll work for us this season
Squirrels without vision sometimes stumble upon food..
76% for the season at the line
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I really do think the sky is the limit with this group. How far we are able to go will depend on defense and toughness ... in other words, not beating ourselves. While last night was a bit of a regression in that regard, we are still SO much further ahead of last year in this aspect, and I think it is reasonable to expect continued improvement! Putting aside the data and analytics for a second, the "DNA" of this team is just so superior to last year from what I have seen in just about every aspect, and I am super excited. I'm hoping the 'Bama loss really helps us look in the mirror and see where there is room for improvement, and I am really eager to see how we look in our next big test. I said in another thread that I think UConn will be a really big challenge, but I am sort of highlighting the Tennessee game in Nashville as a really good measuring stick for where we are as far as a quest for a top seed.
One thing that isn’t being talked about enough is Petrovic’s on ball defense.. a lot of us expected him to really struggle there. He actually contained the dribble drive and stayed in front (and also have to take into account the guys he was guarding: they’re as good of penetrators as he will see). Really encouraging.
Yes. There were some missed communication stuff though
It was loud. The fans were definitely pulling the team along in the 2nd half, not the other way around.
couple missed box outs as well. Heck of a game to be introduced to the physicality of college basketball.
I sure would like to see that occasionally, we get in some serious droughts and it would be nice to have a few of these in our back pocket.
Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
Head Coach Nate Oats Postgame Comments
"That's a good team we just played. They're going to be competing for a national championship in my opinion. They're going to be in the mix. They're talented, they've got depth, they're hard to keep off the glass. I thought our guys fought and we still got outrebounded, but we fought a lot harder than we did against Purdue. We were down the whole first half and we were fighting to be within one at the half with how much we were being outrebounded. I thought we were fortunate and came out in the second half a lot better by taking the lead and making a run to hold them off down the stretch."
https://rolltide.com/news/2025/11/1...ts-no-8-8-illinois-90-86-in-the-united-center
People really focusing on the wrong negative. Our 3 pt defense was brutal. Frankly, I thought they missed more wide open looks than contested ones.
In reality, we played well, they played well. Neither team delivered its best punch. Feels more like a missed opportunity than a disappointment.
In reality, we played well, they played well. Neither team delivered its best punch. Feels more like a missed opportunity than a disappointment.
Mirk had 10 & 7 in the first half
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