UConn 71, Illinois 62 Postgame

Status
Not open for further replies.
#526      
illini510
That's as emotional from a sadness standpoint that I have ever seen Underwood. I gained additional appreciation for his vulnerability that he displayed after the game in the press conference and in the media interview afterwards. We all know he cares a lot but he was visibly upset with the loss to the point where you can even use the word devastated to describe his feelings. I think getting to this point and falling short will motivate him even more than he was before.

This is a good template for how to construct a team/roster in today's era
 
#528      
WeWillWhen
Not sure in which thread to put this, but it was really great to see so many Illini football coaches and players in Indy supporting the basketball team yesterday — Bielema, Stepp, Altmyer, Pat Bryant(!), Xav Scott, among the guys I personally said hello to, and I’m sure many others were there.
 
#529      
SescIllini
Chuck Nuggets said:
Ran some numbers on KB after he came back from the hand injury (12 games).

9.3 ppg
37-96 FG (38.5%)
11-36 3PT (30.5%)

KB averaged 14.3 ppg in the 18 games before the injury. His 3PT% stayed right on season average (30.7%), but his overall FG% dropped significantly compared to his overall FG% before the injury (47.4%). That's a 9% drop post-injury. Certainly KW's emergence had some effect on KB's numbers, especially the ppg. KB just wasn't getting as many shots up as he was earlier in the season.

Just for fun I compared KB's 3PT% at Arizona vs. Illinois.

AZ: 96-251 (38.2%)
IL: 70-257 (27.2%)

An 11% drop on essentially the same number of attempts. I'm not drawing any conclusions from that. Just found it interesting.
Click to expand...
I had a very minor hard surgery procedure, have been told and experienced that hands heel very slow. Kylan has youth and great therapy but lot to ask for him to be 100% that soon after a fracture bone in the hand.
 
#531      
Roundball Sage
"Basketball in your lifetime is going to be very short compared to what memories and how much love we have for each other." – Kylan Boswell

One of the very best things about this Illini program is how they seek to only bring in people of character.

What an intelligent and evolved statement above from Kylan Boswell. And there have been similar statements coming from lots of the Illini.

If and when you do lose a Game – even a Game as important as we just witnessed – it makes it a lot easier as a fan to accept the loss when you know the team you have affection for has souls like Boswell and the like playing for them.

And the ‘Character’-thing is in the end way more important than how many banners you hang or how much shiny hardware is in your trophy case.
 
#532      
OrangeBlue98
DB11Headband said:
Love this team. Love my university.

Start planning for Detroit in ‘27. Has a chance to be another special season.
Click to expand...
For Illinois, some decent, but not great, locales. First round locations in Minneapolis, Omaha, and Louisville. Regional final location in Kansas City.

Selfishly since I live in the Des Moines area, I'd LOVE either Minneapolis or Omaha for the first weekend and then KC for the second weekend. An Omaha/KC regional path would mean I could either commute to both locations or stay with a friend who lives in the KC area.
 
#533      
WhiteHorse
Has Jake Davis ever only shot one three or less in a game (playing over ten minutes)?
 
#536      
IlliniFanHere
Supremely disappointed......missed shots, free throws, just no zip here. All on display for the stage......UCON, beat us twice by double figures...II expected a lot more from this team, I can handle a close game loss, but this was a beat down
 
#542      
Se Il Illini
I think Hurley just fundamentally understands the Tyler offense and Tyler is going to need to keep growing to learn of to attack in situations like tonight.
Click to expand...
More imagination please.
 
#543      
Se Il Illini
Oldskoolkoach said:
Watching the two offenses made me wanna pull my hair and I dont care about offensive efficiency, our offense is not dynamic. We "move like frozen pond water," or "like old people do it, slow." Choose whichever analogy you like. However, Uconn set screen, ran flex cuts, passed with efficiency, spaced the floor, and had multiple options because everyone moves.
Click to expand...
Bingo. I said something similar to this in the game thread. There is definitely a difference in half court offensive philosophies. You cannot discount the wear and tear on the Illinois players having to fight through the multiple picks on each defensive possession for 40 minutes.
 
#544      
EmeraldCityIllini
Bingo. I said something similar to this in the game thread. There is definitely a difference in half court offensive philosophies. You cannot discount the wear and tear on the Illinois players having to fight through the multiple picks on each defensive possession for 40 minutes.
Click to expand...

I mean, idk about that.

UConn offensively down the stretch who looked like the “wear and tear” were getting to them. Took two solo ball devil magic prayers for them not to totally gag a 14 point lead.

Our problem is we just missed quite literally wide open layups lol.
 
#545      
AirTran
Se Il Illini said:
Bingo. I said something similar to this in the game thread. There is definitely a difference in half court offensive philosophies. You cannot discount the wear and tear on the Illinois players having to fight through the multiple picks on each defensive possession for 40 minutes.
Click to expand...
(1) We didn't play man the entire game
(2) UCONN only ran the staggered screen (Bruce Webber motion) offense for 4 players. Roughly 50% of the remainder of the plays were "Hi - Lo" and they even talked about it on the broadcast.
(3) Running that action in 2004 - 2005 far more often than UCONN ran it last night, didn't seem tire anyone out 20 years ago.
(4) If anything it takes equal the amount of energy to run a complete circle (running your defender) and through 2 screens as it does to defend it.
(5) Jake, Hummer and Mirk (nor for that matter Boz or Keaton) weren't by any means exhausted after the game.

Finally, you play with got you to the Final 4. Not to some "half court philosophy." That means that you play to your team's strength in our case being:

(1) A combination of straight MTM with doubles in the post and zone defensively.
(2) The spread offense, and our success in the tournament was in no way predicated or determined by shooting 3pt shots. In fact we averaged less than 25 3pt shots a game in the tournament, vs 32 in the regular season. We were 3-17 from three point range against Iowa and 9-23 from three point range against Houston. This "Offensive Philosophy" argument is coming from someone who is not an avid Illinois watcher.
(3) The offense and defense we ran in 2025 - 26 was based solely on the roster, rebounding and defense. Nothing else. Only last night we missed 8 tip ins or lay ups.

We were 13-30 from 2pt range against UCONN - we normally shoot 58% from 2 pt range. That and the FTs were the difference in the game. Nothing else.

(4) Our offense is predicated on match - ups (and creating match ups) and nothing else.
 
#547      
HuskyinKentucky
Looking back at the disappointing shot percentage, it does seem to be that the gameplan was to establish the three early. UConn was fully intent on packing the paint to stop Wagler, Stojakovic, and Boswell from just running it down their throats. The way to stop that was shoot them out of it. Force them to run you off the line which opens up lanes for cutters. As it was, we never established it, and if not for the absolutely outstanding interior defense, things probably get out of hand.

By the way, there is no sore winner quite like the UConn fan. They're going to get a rude awakening when Michigan absolutely steamrolls them.
Click to expand...
It wouldn't be a rude awakening at all my friend. We're massive underdogs , nobody is picking us and realistically we would beat Michigan 2/10 times so even our fan base isn't "expecting" a win. Now sore winner? I'd say at the very least , we're spoiled for sure. 6 championships and chance for a 7th since 1999 will do that. If we lose, we lose..... Just want to compete and go down swinging. The fact that we're now hated by Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Syracuse, San Diego State and now Illinois fans lets us know we're doing all right. We'll see you guys again next year in Chicago.
 
#548      
EmeraldCityIllini
(1) We didn't play man the entire game
(2) UCONN only ran the staggered screen (Bruce Webber motion) offense for 4 players. Roughly 50% of the remainder of the plays were "Hi - Lo" and they even talked about it on the broadcast.
(3) Running that action in 2004 - 2005 far more often than UCONN ran it last night, didn't seem tire anyone out 20 years ago.
(4) If anything it takes equal the amount of energy to run a complete circle (running your defender) and through 2 screens as it does to defend it.
(5) Jake, Hummer and Mirk (nor for that matter Boz or Keaton) weren't by any means exhausted after the game.

Finally, you play with got you to the Final 4. Not to some "half court philosophy." That means that you play to your team's strength in our case being:

(1) A combination of straight MTM with doubles in the post and zone defensively.
(2) The spread offense, and our success in the tournament was in no way predicated or determined by shooting 3pt shots. In fact we averaged less than 25 3pt shots a game in the tournament, vs 32 in the regular season. We were 3-17 from three point range against Iowa and 9-23 from three point range against Houston. This "Offensive Philosophy" argument is coming from someone who is not an avid Illinois watcher.
(3) The offense and defense we ran in 2025 - 26 was based solely on the roster, rebounding and defense. Nothing else. Only last night we missed 8 tip ins or lay ups.

We were 13-30 from 2pt range against UCONN - we normally shoot 58% from 2 pt range. That and the FTs were the difference in the game. Nothing else.

(4) Our offense is predicated on match - ups (and creating match ups) and nothing else.
Click to expand...

You gotta realize though. It’s an opportunity to take shots at brads coaching. Some fans can’t get enough
 
#549      
AirTran
Watching the highlights our defense vs. the curl pin down offense let us down. Far too many open 3s for UConn. Allowed Mullins and Ball to find range. In a game like this, 3s kill. You saw that in early second half of UM / AZ. UM hit 6/8 from 3. Game was essentially iced.

Game tape.
Click to expand...
How's that? UCONN was 12-33 from 3pt range.

The next time ANY TEAM loses because they gave up 12 three pointers (36 points) let me know.

Over an above that 3 of their makes weren't off the curl.

Where do some of you get your material?

We lost because we shot 13-30 from in close and missed 5 critical FTs.

Overall, UCONN was 22-62 from the floor - that is excellent defense.
 
#550      
spotter
Roundball Sage said:
Tears shows you care. It shows the game and the fans mean something to you. Tears are not a sign of weakness but of a temporary pain that demonstrates your love of the team, the game, your fans, and the way you dedicate yourself to the sport you love. They are not tears of sadness but of passion and drive. And that becomes added strength and dedication that you carry forward as you move on. He's a special young man with an outstanding future with very many smiles ahead.
Click to expand...
It was hard to watch because I was hurting for him.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back