Illinois 78, Nebraska 69 Postgame

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#578      
AEX
RockfordIllini said:
Trotter said this team is like a boa constrictor (well actually he said cobra before Jeremy corrected him) and that’s what today felt like.

Survived a nuclear shooting half and stayed in the game. No crazy shooting. No magic. Just methodically ran our stuff and built a 10 point lead.

That is a d*mn impressive win. Maybe even more so than Purdue because it feels more sustainable/repeatable.
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Your point about sustainability / repeatability is spot on. Had the same feeling last week about how we’ve been playing. Thrilled we beat Purdue, of course, but can we pack up that game and bring it back out when needed? Seemed unlikely. But I could easily see us doing what we did last night over and over again. Great pick and role game, unselfish passing, hitting free throws, getting tons of boards, good defense,
not fouling too much, Keaton and one other guy shooting well and making good decisions, one or two more guys being serviceable or the right match up that game. Rinse and repeat.
 
#581      
fulton steamer
Earlier the season I kept reading how Tomi regressed. But the guy had been ill and had some nagging injuries to work through. I don't think people realize how much more difficult it is for a guy 7foot plus and close to 260 lbs to get back into fighting shape. It can be a long process. Anyway, he's looking great now is one of the keys to this run. I-L-L!
 
#582      
Combo
fulton steamer said:
Earlier the season I kept reading how Tomi regressed. But the guy had been ill and had some nagging injuries to work through. I don't think people realize how much more difficult it is for a guy 7foot plus and close to 260 lbs to get back into fighting shape. It can be a long process. Anyway, he's looking great now is one of the keys to this run. I-L-L!
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Yes, you could tell a month or two ago that he wasn't 100%. He seems to be rounding into form at the right time.
 
#585      
illinifan1987
number1IlliniFan said:
For any of you under the age of 30, cherish every moment of this season. While I believe Underwood will continue to produce, teams like this one are rare. I sat in the student section for every game in 88-89 and was at every home game in 04-05. Those seasons are still near and dear to my heart and every other Illini fan who experienced them. This season is lining up to be our best season yet. There are no guarantees there will be another like it for another 20 years. Carpe Diem & Go Illini!
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The Office Lie GIF

The main difference between those two Final Fours and now is NIL. We've always been a top 10-15 school, but that didn't cut it against the Blue Bloods. Now schools like ours have chances like this (see IU football). It truly is the best thing to ever happen to the NCAA, and I'm all for it (y)
 
#587      
Bbuck21
TheodoreRex said:
Listen, I respect Hoiberg and think he's a heck of a coach.. but it's awfully rich in his postgame that he complained about the officials and us holding them and grabbing them in their cutting actions lol.
The entire game was extremely physical-including how they played Keaton.. Does he really want the game to become a ref show? Listen, we were extremely physical, so were you, refs mostly let it happen. Move along Fred.
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I was surprised by those Hoiberg’s comments.
 
#588      
Fly Illini Fly!
aaeismacgychel said:
When Z is on the court, he completely wrecks opponents gameplans inside the arc. Nebraska tried testing him early but realized they wanted absolutely none of that Dikembe action. Nebraska's offensive efficiency when challenging Z tonight was something on the order of 3pts on over 10 attempts.

This season, when Z has been on the court, opponents average under 58pts per 40minutes! He is Top 10 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency when on court! Those are astounding numbers that will improve even more after today's game.

I was high on him preseason and he has blown away all expectations. He's been absolutely phenomenal for us and credit to the coaches for utilizing him in a much better way than Cal did and mixing in zone where he absolutely flourishes. Kid has been a great one.
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https://twitter.com/x/status/2018076354734911898
 
#591      
Fly Illini Fly!
jamarvelous31 said:
Ben needs to kick Domask in the shin next time he sees him.

Marcus's season (and Brads hyperbole) has set runreasonable expectations amongst Illini fans for a guy that has become a really solid role player on a successful team (me included).
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Feel like all people would like to see is more consistent shot making. His teammate Jake Davis would be a perfect example.

I think we can all agree he’s been very good in terms of not making mental errors, defense, rebounding, etc. If only a few shots went down, he’d be looked at so differently.

To his credit, he really seemed to turn a corner in the three games prior to Nebraska.
 
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#592      
Chuck Nuggets
I don't know if this was already shared. Regardless, I thought these Huskers fellas were a pretty good listen. Level-headed and reasonable.

 
#594      
illinifan1987
So...I was thinking if Bill Murray would show up at a game. After a quick search, this is what Google told me...
"Bill Murray, a notable Illinois Fighting Illini fan, was famously in attendance to support his team during their 2005 NCAA tournament run, including the Elite Eight comeback against Arizona on March 26, 2005, and the National Championship game against North Carolina on April 4, 2025.
While he was spotted at the 2024 NCAA tournament (specifically the Elite Eight in Boston), he was cheering for the UConn Huskies, where his son Luke was an assistant coach"
Let's just hope he's wearing Orange/Navy Blue if he does...
 
#595      
Fly Illini Fly!
Fly Illini Fly! said:
Feel like all people would like to see is more consistent shot making. His teammate Jake Davis would be a perfect example.

I think we can all agree he’s been very good in terms of not making mental errors, defense, rebounding, etc. If only a few shots went down, he’d be looked at so differently.

To his credit, he really seemed to turn a corner in the three games prior to Nebraska.
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As an extension of this post, here’s Jake Davis’s game log from January onward:

IMG_0142.jpeg


Compared to Ben:

IMG_0143.jpeg


I think both guys have been very solid in their role… but that 3pt shot is a ton more consistent for Davis.
 
#599      
so illini
Thank you … Then what’s the likelihood of him sticking around next year or the years afterwards?
 
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