Govoner Vaugn Fan
- New Orleans
Alabama 100, Illinois 87 Postgame
- Status
Well, we know its not OK...
But this is the kind of measuring-stick game you want to play early in the season so you know where you stand in terms of your own squad and where they fit in the bigger ball picture. There is much to be learned from a game like this.
The Illini want to always be looked at as a Top 20 kind of program for now and forever... so you've got to play the best teams and earn your place in that high range of roundball leaders. Better to play great teams and elevate to that level than to play pushovers and not know where your team really fits.
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
And I go back even a little further. The plaid sports coat is my all-time favorite on the NCAA basketball sidellines!!!
Knight / Sanderson / Oats
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
Can't disagree and great use of the gif. Just hope that we can separate the fans giving legitimate criticism (with perhaps a twinge of bitterness from the beating last night) from the crazies. That split on this well-moderated site I feel is about 98% / 2%.Many posters after Ole Miss exhibition game and last night's game:
Because for every critical poster on here there seems to be a counterpart who will criticize them for it (not you specifically @Illini2010-11 ). Debate is healthy.
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Which is why they shouldn't have been fouling in the last minute. Keep the score in double digits. If they hadn't given Alabama those four points, it would have been 96-87, a one digit difference of nine. I just didn't see what they hoped to accomplish. At that point a win was impossible. Optics indeed.
Yeah...you're not wrong and I was a little conflicted on how to exactly word it. He did do some nice things down low, but there were so many times, particularly on pick & roll, where he was totally lost or just not physically able to do anything. Bama exploited that big-time which is why I felt he was a bigger issue than BH. Having said that, give credit where credit is due...Bama is crazy athletic and quick and they ran some pretty awesome offensive sets. I always thought Oats was just more of a recruiting guy, but their offense is a thing of beauty.
What is that in
the canadian/metric to dog conversion is trickyWhat is that inyears???
Didn’t get to see the game, but a tough non conference schedule is beneficial in basketball. Then the obvious question after a loss is are they just not very good or will they be able to improve and get better. Opinions here seem mixed at the moment. I don’t have one yet, but giving up 100 to anyone concerns me a tad
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They havent been YouTubing reliably for quite a while now but you can still listen online on ESPN 93.5.
ESPN 93.5
Hear from Stevie Jay, Diane Ducey, Lon Tay and Derek Piper throughout your day, as they get you caught up on the latest in sports and politics! From 7a-9a, it's the Stevie Jay Morning show! Then it's 20-year veteran Mike Greenberg from 9a-11a, followed by Bart and Hahn from 11-1p. Then, it's...
player.listenlive.co
skyIdub
"I can't tell you. Secret."
Because Kasparas, or KJ...or hell...even Kasparas Jakucionis....was too hard to type??
Couldn't agree more. Even his closeouts on shooters was horrendous. Imo he played the worse defense on the team last night. Just plain bad!
I told my wife that nobody is going to want to play against this team by the end of the year.
The perimeter defense is what I saw lacking at the EIU game. It dosen't upset me either. They will be fun to watch.
Exactly. It what I expected, and in away, kind of wanted.
This. I don't view it as a moral vistory either. That is a team growth loss.
I'm certain the timezone is a factor as well
Who?
Govoner Vaugn Fan
- New Orleans
I think the agony of Wednesdays defeat to Alabama had its roots in the past off-season when we first watched nearly the whole team depart for various reasons, only to see them replaced by even higher ranked players. We saw regular announcements of new players from Eastern Europe who were coveted by the NBA , of the #1 player out of Canada, or transfers from high D1 teams who appeared to be ready to start at ILL. We all (or nearly all) , wondering how in the world would Brad find minutes for all this talent.
At the same time, many on this board cautioned that while we would certainly be good this year, 25-26 would be the year to expect a final four, if not that elusive National Championship.
Then came the glowing practice reports of 3s falling like rain, rebounding like the players had glue on their hands, and impenetrable defense due the players tremendous heights and wingspans that allowed players to scratch their ankles while standing up straight.
We entered the season piling up the points on a few low to mid majors and began to think THIS MIGHT BE THE YEAR, no need to wait for 25-26.
Well, after last night's comedown we can still expect a very good year this year, but we saw it's more than talent. It takes experience , like we saw with Alabama. They have similar talent but a lot of experience playing together. We lost by a dozen to a top 10 team. No shame in that. But the real advantage we have over them is that can bring nearly the whole team back next year. They cannot. Now we just have to figure out how to keep all this talent in place. And enjoy this season as we watch this team grow.
At the same time, many on this board cautioned that while we would certainly be good this year, 25-26 would be the year to expect a final four, if not that elusive National Championship.
Then came the glowing practice reports of 3s falling like rain, rebounding like the players had glue on their hands, and impenetrable defense due the players tremendous heights and wingspans that allowed players to scratch their ankles while standing up straight.
We entered the season piling up the points on a few low to mid majors and began to think THIS MIGHT BE THE YEAR, no need to wait for 25-26.
Well, after last night's comedown we can still expect a very good year this year, but we saw it's more than talent. It takes experience , like we saw with Alabama. They have similar talent but a lot of experience playing together. We lost by a dozen to a top 10 team. No shame in that. But the real advantage we have over them is that can bring nearly the whole team back next year. They cannot. Now we just have to figure out how to keep all this talent in place. And enjoy this season as we watch this team grow.
Abbreviations confuse me
I agree on Riley. Unfortunately the defense is porous and we don't have a reliable go to player yet...Riley shows flashes of that.
So question for the board....
Which player so far, seems to make the rest of the team better?
Four things stood out in this game that need improvement to win against top teams.
1. The ability to defend the pick and roll. Illini failed miserably, especially KJ. Bama was virtually successful anytime they wanted in getting a 2 on 1 going downhill...and their guards finished about 69% of the time with crazy difficult layups or lobs for dunks. This has to become paramount for every perimeter defender.
2. Free Throws...addressed by BU...critical to success against good teams.
3. Turnovers...must be kept in single digits to defeat a good team.
4. Rebounding. Box out!! Guards must hustle all out for those long rebounds
All these things, except maybe #1, are well within the ability for all players to improve. Handling the pick and roll takes focus, footwork, and want to. We may not have the foot speed or size to be consistent with this, but it was consistently successful for Bama and that has to be reduced big time.
Finally, I am not sure Riley needs to be a starter, but he is a huge cog in the wheel and as important as TI and Hummer if the offense is to be successful. He needs more minutes, and with him in with the other two, it takes some offensive pressure off KJ and can allow him to be more effective as a scorer.
And kudos to all who contributed to the 87 pts. scored. Love that they were all aggressive in trying to score, especially KB for a change. The Illini were not so much short in that department as they were ineffective on the other end.
1. The ability to defend the pick and roll. Illini failed miserably, especially KJ. Bama was virtually successful anytime they wanted in getting a 2 on 1 going downhill...and their guards finished about 69% of the time with crazy difficult layups or lobs for dunks. This has to become paramount for every perimeter defender.
2. Free Throws...addressed by BU...critical to success against good teams.
3. Turnovers...must be kept in single digits to defeat a good team.
4. Rebounding. Box out!! Guards must hustle all out for those long rebounds
All these things, except maybe #1, are well within the ability for all players to improve. Handling the pick and roll takes focus, footwork, and want to. We may not have the foot speed or size to be consistent with this, but it was consistently successful for Bama and that has to be reduced big time.
Finally, I am not sure Riley needs to be a starter, but he is a huge cog in the wheel and as important as TI and Hummer if the offense is to be successful. He needs more minutes, and with him in with the other two, it takes some offensive pressure off KJ and can allow him to be more effective as a scorer.
And kudos to all who contributed to the 87 pts. scored. Love that they were all aggressive in trying to score, especially KB for a change. The Illini were not so much short in that department as they were ineffective on the other end.
- Status