Wisconsin 91, Illinois 88 OT Postgame

[Oracle21]

Keaton looks completely checked out, not sure what happened to him.

To be fair to him, he has to be thinking “if I just stay healthy these next however many games I’m gonna be a multi-millionaire”. That’s just human nature. If my child was in that position, I’d say same thing “just settle down, and dont do anything crazy. If you feel any calf tightness come out of the game bc that is a precursor to Achilles tears”.

For most of the guys on the team, this is as good as it gets so yes go balls to the wall. But for Wagler, the guy is going to go from unheard of HS prospect to lotto pick in a year. That’s his life changing that fast. So I think it’s understandable if he’s checked out a bit whatever that means.

 

[Goillinikobd]

Feels more and more like wait til next year.

And like the pre WS Cubs, next year never comes.

 

[Goillinikobd]

I miss the fiery Brad from the first several years. Now, he just sits there and looks perplexed about what is going on.

Somewhere in between might be appropriate, a little bit of this and a little bit of that. It has to come from him. I just can’t visualize Junior chewing out anyone.

 

[Keisersose]

The only thing this tells me is that we can’t win close games

 

[Goillinikobd]

I've never said BU's tenure has been unacceptable. I've never called for his firing. I agree that would be very risky and would rather not have to take that chance.

However, all in on offense has gotten us a team that is extremely susceptible to poor shooting nights and defeats as a result. It has gotten us a team that lacks athleticism and the ability to get stops when we desperately need them. It has lead to the team losing all confidence in itself at a crucial time in the season.

IMO, he needs to get back to a more balanced team that can not only score but can impose their will on teams. He had that in 23-24. Then, he had a couple of tough - nosed assistants fly the coop for still unexplained reasons and started building an "NBA type" team without a hint of athleticism anywhere on the roster.

The season is not yet over, but it seems like that has not lead to the success we all are hoping for. But I guess I'm a terrible fan for asking for some philosophical changes to be made. And, yes, it is late in his tenure to be having these questions. But it is a different world in college athletics. Still, he is paid to figure these things out.

Time for Junior and his influence to leave the nest along with one more fledging. Make room for the return of some “tough - nosed” assistants”
As far as the roster is concerned, my long career as a business executive has taught me that hiring talented employees isn’t the end game, they need to be managed, directed, and motivated to succeed at a high level.

 

[LouHenson]

Most programs would love to have BU as their BB coach.

That said, I don't think that he will ever get to a Final Four (unlike Coach Weber).

However, he will get the team into the tournament every year (unlike Coach Weber).

Great post, I could never have said it that well.

 

[illiniguy24]

Bingo … And just because a coach isn’t top 10 wherever he’s at now …

With our resources could he elevate us with his coaching and roster construction ? That’s the question we need to be asking …

Because I don’t think anyone’s arguing what Brad has done is good … It’s been good … But it hasn’t been great … It just simply hasn’t …

And I don’t want our program to just be good … We can be ELITE … Enough with the settling to be good because oh my gosh we improved from the Groce era BS …

And I’m not saying we have to win a natty every year but with our resources you better be making the second weekend consistently … Is every other year too much to ask ???

We’re staring at 1/9 right now … For what we spend … Not good enough …

And for crying out loud … Get a guy on this gosh dang staff who can DRAW UP AN F’ING PLAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the depressing part. Brad brought us out of the depths of darkness. If he could just get us to a few more second weekends we would be thrilled as a fan base.

Elite 8 year aside, which I do think we were final four bound if not in UConn’s bracket…

It’s the same song and dance. Peak early, fade late, shoot too many threes, play no defense. Scheme gets figured out and we make no adjustments.

I won’t fault Brad for whatever the f**k has happened to Tomi, because he is killing us game after game for a while now. I just wish Brad had the balls to switch it up or tell him to get in paint or sit on the bench.

We’re going to need a favorable draw to make the sweet 16. This team will have the yips if we get up 10-15 no matter who it’s against at this point. We’ve blown 5 double digit leads this year I believe….great teams don’t do that….

Let’s see where we land on Sunday, fingers crossed

 

[blackdog]

Haven't read the whole thread so this number may be somewhere in here but:

Illinois when giving up 82 or less: 24-1

Illinois when giving up 83+: 0-7*

*includes halftime leads, double digit leads, multiple overtime games

 

[LouHenson]

Bingo … And just because a coach isn’t top 10 wherever he’s at now …

With our resources could he elevate us with his coaching and roster construction ? That’s the question we need to be asking …

Because I don’t think anyone’s arguing what Brad has done is good … It’s been good … But it hasn’t been great … It just simply hasn’t …

And I don’t want our program to just be good … We can be ELITE … Enough with the settling to be good because oh my gosh we improved from the Groce era BS …

And I’m not saying we have to win a natty every year but with our resources you better be making the second weekend consistently … Is every other year too much to ask ???

We’re staring at 1/9 right now … For what we spend … Not good enough …

And for crying out loud … Get a guy on this gosh dang staff who can DRAW UP AN F’ING PLAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Indy, I am so where you are on this. We get those who say “well we can go back to the Groce years” yada yada on and on.

Here is were I see it. I have been a fan since Harv Schmidt. Brad did not nor ever will have built Illinois basketball. So all he is done is get us back to what 80% of where Lou had us? Lou Henson did that and he was sort of similar to Brad in that he did not win the big one and he for sure struggled in the tournament.

Now I could just say, but yes he did get the final four with our greatest team ever (and that is not even debatable to those who only knew the 05 team). That would not be my point. Even Lou had to go at some point (even though he face Deon’s atrocity and the crap the NCAA did to him - Brad has had none of that). We went after Kruger who was a tremendous coach. Then Self who should have been our Dean Smith.

In my opinion it has gone down in coach quality ever since then. Brad is leaps and bounds better than Weber or Groce, but he is not the coach that will take what Lou did for us to the next level.

Slam away, it is what I feel as a 60+ year fan. If we want to win it all we just have to wait until he does a “Lou” and retires. Thing is Brad is not Lou and he won’t do what is right for the school. I am afraid we are stuck until the time he decides he wants to leave?

 

[The Maestro of Mayhem]

Blackwell and Boyd with 69 of their points. We just don’t have players that can stop athletic guards… a problem most of the season

if the opposing team has any kind of offense there is no defensive player on this team to guard them.

 

[HensonHall71]

The mantra were better with Jake in the lineup- ja doesn’t hold true anymore- need to start Andrej and bring Jake off the bench and start attacking the rim more

We’re not making threes and teams are simply leaving T and Z to shoot them so “spreading the floor” isn’t a thing anymore

Tyler and Brad need to figure it out before the tournament and not just expect us to start making threes at a high clip. Z should not be allowed to shoot them

 

[Chase321]

Haven't read the whole thread so this number may be somewhere in here but:

Illinois when giving up 82 or less: 24-1

Illinois when giving up 83+: 0-7*

*includes halftime leads, double digit leads, multiple overtime games

That doesn’t really seem to apply or make sense given OT. They gave up less than that in regulation yesterday.

 

[Pikeillinifan]

Many issues that everyone has gone through, but the most disappointing thing for me is how Wagler has been getting absolutely abused physically ever since the MSU game, and he gets virtually zero calls. The kid gets fouled 20+ times a game, and these aren't touch fouls. It's had a huge impact on our offense and his scoring/playmaking ability.

 

[rbse]

this team just lacks the mental toughness it takes to win tough games. The talent is there, but it's the little things that are hard to notice when they happen, but the ball always seems to end up with the guy that is a little tougher, a little more aggressive and a little madder. Underwood needs to develop a little of that toughness too, on the officials. Have him watch some Izzo film

 

[ThePortalMadeMeDoIt]

Bingo … And just because a coach isn’t top 10 wherever he’s at now …

With our resources could he elevate us with his coaching and roster construction ? That’s the question we need to be asking …

Because I don’t think anyone’s arguing what Brad has done is good … It’s been good … But it hasn’t been great … It just simply hasn’t …

And I don’t want our program to just be good … We can be ELITE … Enough with the settling to be good because oh my gosh we improved from the Groce era BS …

And I’m not saying we have to win a natty every year but with our resources you better be making the second weekend consistently … Is every other year too much to ask ???

We’re staring at 1/9 right now … For what we spend … Not good enough …

And for crying out loud … Get a guy on this gosh dang staff who can DRAW UP AN F’ING PLAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clearly the budget is not elite. Maybe if they would stop spending money on a mid football program and went all in on hoops that would help. Hopefully getting Crocker on staff will help get some athletes on this team.

 

[ILL-Intentions]

Say what you want about the offense, that’s not been the issue besides poor shooting.

This is defense, effort, rebounding, having dawgs.

I’m tired of the slow, “skilled”, shooters at basically every position with positional size. I can see a low seed full of shorter, faster, athletic guys putting the beans to this team.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

You score 88 you should win.

No? Point totals mean nothing. We scored 1.171 points per possession -- that's not very efficient by our standards. We average 1.255 on the season. Our record against good teams is not great when we score below 1.2.

Compare to he first Wisconsin game, final score 92-90... 1.216 points per possession.

 

[AssemblyHallForever]

When you get outscored by 16(!!!) points at the line, you're not going to win. Period.

Because they drove the ball and drew fouls while we were chucking threes with a 15 point lead. We went away from what was working to get that lead. Thats on Brad.

 

[AssemblyHallForever]

Say what you want about the offense, that’s not been the issue besides poor shooting.

This is defense, effort, rebounding, having dawgs.

I’m tired of the slow, “skilled”, shooters at basically every position with positional size. I can see a low seed full of shorter, faster, athletic guys putting the beans to this team.

McNeese State qualifies as one that will surprise as they are quick and play hard on D. Utah State is another. As a 3 seed, we could see our old buddy John Groce as they could grab a 14 seed if they win their conference today.

 

[AssemblyHallForever]

I miss the fiery Brad from the first several years. Now, he just sits there and looks perplexed about what is going on.

I wonder if he is not happy here. 9 years and only one solid run in the tourney. Sometimes the luster rubs off and he is frustrated by things. If I did the math right, we are 6-4 in his time here in the tourney.

 

[bleedorange and blue]

Let's drop the fighting part for our basketball team, let's just call them the illini

 

[AirTran]

Indy, I am so where you are on this. We get those who say “well we can go back to the Groce years” yada yada on and on.

Here is were I see it. I have been a fan since Harv Schmidt. Brad did not nor ever will have built Illinois basketball. So all he is done is get us back to what 80% of where Lou had us? Lou Henson did that and he was sort of similar to Brad in that he did not win the big one and he for sure struggled in the tournament.

Now I could just say, but yes he did get the final four with our greatest team ever (and that is not even debatable to those who only knew the 05 team). That would not be my point. Even Lou had to go at some point (even though he face Deon’s atrocity and the crap the NCAA did to him - Brad has had none of that). We went after Kruger who was a tremendous coach. Then Self who should have been our Dean Smith.

In my opinion it has gone down in coach quality ever since then. Brad is leaps and bounds better than Weber or Groce, but he is not the coach that will take what Lou did for us to the next level.

Slam away, it is what I feel as a 60+ year fan. If we want to win it all we just have to wait until he does a “Lou” and retires. Thing is Brad is not Lou and he won’t do what is right for the school. I am afraid we are stuck until the time he decides he wants to leave?

Agree 100%

 

[AirTran]

It's just not appealing as a fan of 39 years to say, "we don't have a chance to actually win the championship, but we'll be good anyway!" I think we should be past that at this point.

I have been watching Illini basketball since 1966. Two questions: (1) How many teams have a legit chance to win an NCAA tourney each year? (statistically speaking there are no more than 6), (2) When was the last time our program was this consistently competitive with the same coach?

 

[Big Jack]

I wonder if he is not happy here. 9 years and only one solid run in the tourney. Sometimes the luster rubs off and he is frustrated by things. If I did the math right, we are 6-4 in his time here in the tourney.

Not on you but your comment is pretty funny when you step back and look at it. If Brad is not happy here then get out. If he is not happy look in the mirror. You recruited the staff and players. We gave you ample amounts of money to do it your way. So the buck stops at Brad, us crazy fans and boosters can not play the game. As I said yesterday his lack of sticking up for his players with the foul issues is a disgrace. Throw a damm fit get fined but man up Brad

 

[Illini-Rule]

The heat is about to get turned up if its a dud next week

Ok, I asked what this means earlier. Let me rephrase that. Who is turning up heat? Whitman? You or other fans? Donors? Are you on the inside with information? Are you a big donor? Or are you speculating? I'm not being smart !!!, I truly want to know.