UCLA 95, Illinois 94 OT Postgame

[BackThatPassUp]

Honestly credit to dent and Cronin the final play. It’s an epidemic of players and coaches settling for outside shots (as dent did in regulation) when the clock winds down.

Everyone can say how easy it is to just stop the ball, but when the team is in the bonus, and the guard is quick, it’s not some easy thing to do.

There isn't any credit for Cronin for the play. Hed been whining all night and turned the game into a free throw contest so everyone was scared to have any contact and draw a foul.

We've gotta get better about drawing below screens when on defense to get the screener to drop down and either be moving for an offensive foul or accidently screen there own guy.

 

[Chillinini]

This must be just such a depressing mindset.

Naaah, just a realist.

 

[steveinspringfield]

No it's not. His guys failed and his guys fully understand that.

Keep telling yourself that, if it makes you feel better. A top coach makes adjustments. Brad didn't. A top coach calls a better defensive play with 4.9 seconds. I could call a better play than that.

 

[azillini1]

What are we hoping for now… a 4 seed?

I am not expecting a win versus Scum

 

[Zorak]

We'll be a really dangerous 3 seed though...

Where's that Brad fart noise GIF

 

[jumpingjack]

Whatever you do, you have to make them gather the ball on the inbound, not catch it downhill.

 

[Snoopy]

Oh well, back to Bracketology thread to cherry pick the statistical models to prove we are a 1 seed and guaranteed a final four appearance.

 

[Champaign88]

This must be just such a depressing mindset.

The adjustments and coaching have been an issue for years when we get into games against elite 8 type of competition and coaching.

 

[foby]

They were tougher than us and wanted it more.

Our last 3 losses all in OT and by a total of 6 points.

We need to get better and tougher for this last stretch.

 

[C_Mac]

Who taught them them that matador defense. WTF was that.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Hideous. Team needs to check themselves mentally and tune out the hype they’re buying into. Ugly loss.

You simply do not put up these rebounding numbers in a BIG game if you’re mentally unprepared:

 

[illiniguy24]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2025417170134450343

 

[zentrails]

This is not about OT or the final play guys.

We were burying this team and then started thinking about scUM.

It's not a trap game if you don't fall into the trap.

not really they were getting wide open looks but missed 11 in a row, that's why we got the big lead

 

[ChiTown]

Don’t understand how earlier in the game we were moving the ball and scoring at will looking like the globetrotters , and then ended the game looking like a bad JV team.

 

[Zorak]

Take this @#$& out on Michigan. No excuse for this one, phantom foul on the layup or not.

Maybe the worst part of this is that game barely matters now.

 

[ejam21]

Yeah but didnt they pass it in and start
Up before the time out was granted?

Clock stops on made basket in last minute.

 

[LuckyIllini]

Why wouldnt BU put someone on trying to inbound the ball??????

 

[EmeraldCityIllini]

That’s what scares me. We all know how good we can be (as good as anyone), and our floor is so much higher than last year … but how many games better than that can we string together in a tough March Madness slate? Tonight very much had an early Second Round exit vibe.

Who knows? Maybe this is another turning point, and we go on a tear. But that was concerning. Not because UCLA is bad or that there was something SO wrong with our play, but it was about the worst display of doing what it takes to hold on to a late lead you can have … and that’s not what Final Four teams let happen.

Would people feel better if we lost all these Big Ten games by 20?

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Let’s just enjoy being kind of good, maybe if we adjust expectations to making the second round is good, the sweet sixteen is a great season, we’ll be happier fans.

For a #4 seed level team, making the Sweet Sixteen is a “job well done,” and anything beyond is great. For a #3 seed, it’s more like Sweet Sixteen is the par, Elite Eight is great.

We are at least a #3 seed, and if this team loses in the Second Round, let’s not delude ourselves into thinking it isn’t a bad choke.

 

[HailtotheChief]

We learned nothing from Tennessee last year

Its crazy too mote similarities than the last drive. Careless mistakes in that one too.

 

[Illiniaaron]

As exciting as most of the season has been, they look like they are quite capable of getting knocked out in the round of 32.

 

[Doogie94]

II really wish we could have challenged the phantom foul on their drive with 30 seconds left. Hopefully next year they will allow a broader range of challenges in the last 2 mins or overtime.

 

[blife]

First 10 minutes were great. Then we somehow forgot every possession matters and the last 35 minutes earned us an L.

 

[DICKnaggie]

We went two months without a loss.

Never said we didn't.

 

[illiniguy24]

Omg, 13-42 from three? Disgusting. That will be our down fall time and time again