Illinois 65, Houston 55 Postgame

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#477      
Rebounding Dog
ChiefGritty said:
There is a nugget of truth there, but it's not that Houston just had back luck in not hitting shots (it was no more of an off night for them than us), it's that they settled for a lot of low-percentage looks, especially in the middle part of the game.

Both teams were constantly in the position of having their initial actions stymied by the opposing defense, and we just did a much, much better job of being patient and creative in those situations. That was the difference in the game.
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Houston relies on turnovers as extra possessions to add points. They don't run teams out of the gym with lights out shooting. I felt the magic number was to keep TO's 10 or under...which we did!
 
#479      
SummerofGeorge
Second place is 1st loser said:
Sorry, but this was, BY FAR, the best defensive effort all year. That was an absolutely outstanding team we just beat.

Playing physical has not treated us well this year.
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No sorry needed. I agree with you but when we have had to step up and be physical the last 2 games we have done so. A new facet of game has emerged.
 
#480      
FreshlySqueezed
the juiceman cometh said:
A lot of people knee-jerk hate on analytics but this game was such a great example of using analytics to craft a winning game plan. Our goal was to make them settle for lower percentage looks inside the 3 point arc and we succeeded.

Our goal on offense was not to settle for those looks even when it meant having to reset multiple times in one possession. And to a degree that surprised me, we eventually ended up with good looks most of the time, even when they didn't go in.

It was a great sign when Cenac kept taking those mid-range baseline twos. Even if he's typically a better shooter than that, you keep letting him have those. If you're getting layups and good looks at 3 and they're shooting mid-range jumpers, you're going to win 9/10.
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Just one thing to add. While our defense generally does try to force opponents into those bad shots, we didn't need to do much convincing last night.

Houston is 364th out of 365 in average 2-point shot distance. Those mid-range/bad shot attempts are quite literally what Houston wants to take. And then they usually rebound a lot of their misses.

We are long enough to cause some additional disruption on those shots to make them fall at a below-their average rate AND we rebound so well that they couldn't get nearly as many offensive rebounds as they normally do.

A lot of people thought Houston was a bad matchup for us but we clearly saw that we were actually a terrible matchup for them in many ways too.

As another example... they typically force a ton of turnovers. We don't turn it over. They had zero fast break points last night.
 
#481      
OnlyOrange
ChiefGritty said:
It sure felt like it in the moment, but given where it happened it would seem Sampson would have had a perfect viewing angle and he didn't blow his stack? 🤷‍♂️

(Loved when he told Tugler "what did you expect?" when he got called for shoving Z on that screen late in the game)
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He really is not a whiner on the sidelines - I respect that about Sampson. Several times they panned to him and he was talking to his players about the fouls, not in the refs faces.
 
#482      
Fly Illini Fly!
There’s two fouls here, the second just laughable:

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#483      
SummerofGeorge
ChiefGritty said:
There is a nugget of truth there, but it's not that Houston just had back luck in not hitting shots (it was no more of an off night for them than us), it's that they settled for a lot of low-percentage looks, especially in the middle part of the game.

Both teams were constantly in the position of having their initial actions stymied by the opposing defense, and we just did a much, much better job of being patient and creative in those situations. That was the difference in the game.
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I hate the old “if they would have made a few more shots” excuse. Same can always be said for the opposing team too. Add in our missed free throws while we are at it.
 
#485      
number1IlliniFan
Piotyr said:
Illinois went on a 17-0 run that spanned 6:46. That's the longest run allowed by Houston in any game over the past eight seasons. The Cougars' scoring drought of 6:46 was the second longest by any team in this NCAA tournament. Siena had a drought of 6:47 in the second half against Duke in the first round.
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Question: Did that all happen while Kylan was on the bench? Anyone know what his +/- was for last night?
 
#489      
WyattEarp
SummerofGeorge said:
I hate the old “if they would have made a few more shots” excuse. Same can always be said for the opposing team too. Add in our missed free throws while we are at it.
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Yeah it’s usually what people say when they don’t know what else to say. It’s also the kind of thing some random grandma (who knows nothing about basketball) says to her grandkids. It’s such a generic and basic statement that there’s always gonna be a sliver of truth there…but OMG how lame.

Sometimes it has more validity than other times. But if you can watch a game like last night and that’s your only takeaway…I question your knowledge of basketball, frankly. Or possibly your intellectual honesty?

Did you see the looks on the faces of the other people in the room. They all knew he was full of crap.
 
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#491      
ChiefGritty
WyattEarp said:
Yeah it’s usually what people say when they don’t know what else to say. It’s also the kind of thing some random grandma (who knows nothing about basketball) says to her grandkids. It’s such a generic and basic statement that there’s always gonna be a sliver of truth there…but OMG how lame.

Some times it has more validity than other times. But if you can watch a game like last night and that’s your only takeaway…I question your knowledge of basketball, frankly. Or possibly intellectual dishonesty.

Did you see the looks on the faces of the other people in the room. They all knew he was full of crap.
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There are definitely basketball games where just sheer differential in shots going in tells the whole story. That's the big problem with today's NBA, so many games are just runaway 3 point heaters that aren't close or interesting.

But we couldn't hit the broad side of a barn for most of last night either. That game was won on the glass and with our greater poise in the latter part of the shot clock.
 
#492      
WyattEarp
ChiefGritty said:
There are definitely basketball games where just sheer differential in shots going in tells the whole story. That's the big problem with today's NBA, so many games are just runaway 3 point heaters that aren't close or interesting.

But we couldn't hit the broad side of a barn for most of last night either. That game was won on the glass and with our greater poise in the latter part of the shot clock.
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Yes, of course. This is not one of those times.
 
#493      
Illini2010-11
ChiefGritty said:
There is a nugget of truth there, but it's not that Houston just had back luck in not hitting shots (it was no more of an off night for them than us), it's that they settled for a lot of low-percentage looks, especially in the middle part of the game.

Both teams were constantly in the position of having their initial actions stymied by the opposing defense, and we just did a much, much better job of being patient and creative in those situations. That was the difference in the game.
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I said that in the middle of the first half in the game thread -- If Houston keeps taking the mid-to long-range two point jump shots, Illini win. The truth is that the length of the Illini were able to make it difficult for Houston to get into the lane, leaving the mid range jumpers or three point shots available. Houston was simply missing those looks, and it became quicksand for them. None of the long shots fell until it was way too late.

It is a combination of factors, Houston really is not a great shooting team, but Illinois also forced them into an even worse shooting night. Their general defensive pressure also did not have the impact on the Illini that it did on other teams. Illinois was content taking the shot clock down (it played right into the offensive efficiency of the Illini), and I suspect that the game play actually wore on Houston more than us (possibly opening up the offensive rebound lanes). Their press came way too late for it to make a substantive difference.

Illinois won by 10 points, but it really felt like a 20 point beatdown. The Illini simply dominated the second half after allowing Houston back into the game in the late parts of the first half.
 
#494      
the juiceman cometh
I just want to know for sure that we get a 2nd year of Mirk. Also, he needs to have some "Mirk'ed 'em" apparel made up.
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Honestly my main thing is I don't want to see him in another college basketball team's uniform. That would make me sad.

Sad Arrested Development GIF
 
#496      
ChiefGritty
Illini2010-11 said:
I said that in the middle of the first half in the game thread -- If Houston keeps taking the mid-to long-range two point jump shots, Illini win.
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And it's who takes them to some extent too.

Chris Cenac, brother, it is not your night, stop spamming those baseline 18 footers, give the ball to the guy who is going to be in the NBA next year.
 
#499      
Altuve27
The poise all night was really impressive. I thought Kingston’s three to end the first half would be a big momentum swing. Illinois didn’t allow it to be. They just kept playing.

The defense the entire tournament has been sensational. We bring that focus and are assignment sound Saturday I like our chances.

In my best “Patches O’Houllihan”: “Can SOMEBODY make a damn free throw?????”
 
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