Dont think its BS..Frazier has been here 5 years, Williams 5years, Kofi 3 years, Grandison 3 years and Plummer is a Senior. To much experience on the court to be disjointed at the end.
Arizona 83, Illinois 79 Postgame
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It think it's been discussed, but I thought we handled their length relatively well. Most guys on our team were giving up at least a few inches. Offensive rebounds were definitely a symptom of this, but I thought they held up decently defensively.
The team misses an Ayo type player. I think it was a mistake to run a set with Plummer being the first ball handler, especially with how Trent played that game.
I think it was one of the more legitimate concerns entering this year--who can fill Ayos late game shoes. We had a rediculous record with Ayo in close game situations. Understandable that comes back down to earth, but this team has failed twice now in those situations (Marquette and AZ). Coaches have to find a way to get that working. There will be more games like that in the near future.
If that game was at Arizona, I think Arizona easily wins by 15+. Crowd gave Illinois some huge momentum in that first half run. This team is in trouble without a point guard. Hopefully Curbello gets back at some point soon and plays under some control. I don't understand Hawkins. Thought he would be better this year. He provides almost nothing on offense and seems to have lots of silly fouls. Love Kofi. Great guy, great personality and great teammate but just not that skilled when facing guys he cannot just overpower.
It is hard to take seeing Coleman get called for reaching in when Kofi is getting slapped on the arms every time he touches the ball and very few called. Coleman none the less has got to quit whining when he gets a foul on him. Remember people Coleman played about 7 minutes a game last year or the equivalent of 1 full game. He has a very good ceiling if he just plays the game. We need him.
Its not about reaching in, its about being smart about it. Why reach in on Tubelis when is taking a 15 foot jumper? It's just not a smart play.
You reach when you know you likely can get away with it. Not when the official is looking right at you and the opposing player is going up for a shot.
It doesn't matter how many years they've been here. We're currently very short on capable ball-handling guards, and specifically we have no true PG right now. Almost every team is going to look disjointed when that is the situation. Da'Monte could stay here another three years and he still wouldn't haven't the ability to create for himself or others.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Agree with that 100 %
This is our biggest need right now. Belo has shown he can to an extent, but him out, Ayo gone, and Hutch out (BU admires his slashing abilities) makes us a 3-and-Kofi team, which admittedly is pretty darn good.
Cook
- Richmond, VA
What was BU screaming at RJ about? He didn't get the ball taken from him, he picked up his dribble, tossed a short pass to Grandison who Mathurin then tied up and took it with possession going to Az.
Affirmative.
Had a pretty up close seat at this contest and U of A was more than impressive. They had 3 NBA ready players and coaching that was top notch. (especially for a first year staff) I'm penciling them into my NCAA final four brackets barring injuries. I thought a physical game would favor Illinois..... Was I ever wrong.... They pummeled Kofi, and I've never seen someone get away with leading with his forearm head high like Tubelis did.
That being said we fought toe to toe with them. We were short handed and still were a couple mistakes away from a monster win. This Illini team is great and only going to get BETTER..... Hope to see the Kitties again in March!! INI!!
If Kofi played defense the way he is defended, he wouldn't play 5 minutes a game before fouling out.
GallopingGhost
- Denver, CO
I think he picked up his dribble and kind of caused that trap to happen. Also didn't try excessively hard to help Grandison out of it.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
The second part is what struck me when I was watching the game. No instinct to go to the ball to help. It was an intense game. Tough for a frosh to get tossed into that but he'll have to learn quickly.
Bigtex
- DFW
Besides curbelo we don’t have anyone who can beat there man off of the dribble and either score or create a shot for someone else
sacraig
- The desert
Better yet, tell me 25. I'll wait.
RJ has shown that ability here and there…Ignoring the obvious fact that he’s an inexperienced freshman and unlikely to see extended minutes
Um I think in this case the smaller the number the better.
sacraig
- The desert
It was a reference to how we aren't even in the top 25.
Interesting that Arizona moved up 3 spots in the AP poll to unranked Illinois. Since we are unranked, wouldn't think they would place much value on the win. Sarcasm setting on.
I know your comment was tongue in cheek, but there are plenty of people who are probably thinking this rather than the fact that Texas, KY and Villanova all lost and dropped below AZ or that earlier in week AZ trounced a previously undefeated Wyoming team (granted probably that big a factor except kept AZ undefeated).
I also think it is interesting how people interpret the polls. I have no idea what criteria each poll voter uses to make his or her ranking. I’m sure some try to determine in their mind who the top 25 teams are. Others, and I would put myself in this category if I had a vote, rely on current resume/results. After the good win against Iowa and the “good loss” against AZ, I was interested to see how high Scott Richey had Illinois in his poll. Turns out he takes similar approach that I would. Illinois not ranked. Villanova with its 3 losses barely ranked (24 vs 9th as in consensus poll). He also has two undefeated teams higher than in actual top 25 — Colorado St, 16 vs. 23, and San Francisco, 15 vs. NR. I think it is very likely that if Illinois played either of those two teams, the Illini would win. But I (and apparently Richey) don’t think that is what in season polls are necessarily about. I’m sure there are other pollsters as well as people on here that disagree.
That’s OK, they have Kenpom, the NET, etal.
Most of our turnovers have not been off of fastbreaks. Quite a few have been while running our half-court offense.
The AZ team is one heck of a team. I would put them up against any other team right now and the one's ranked ahead of them they would beat. Mathurin is a lottery pick. Kerr is an NBA type of player. They have plenty of bigs and I was impressed by AZ and yet we were right there with them. The 5 second call closed the door. It was a learning experience for Plummer and the team. The Orange and Blue will move on.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Gordo ranks area hoops: Underwood fumes after near-miss against Arizona
Illinois suffered an 83-79 loss Saturday to the No. 11 Arizona Wildcats, who endured quite the adventure getting to Champaign through the devastating storms in the region.
Illinois suffered an 83-79 loss Saturday to the No. 11 Arizona Wildcats, who endured quite the adventure getting to Champaign through the devastating storms in the region.
Illini coach Brad Underwood was furious after the loss. He praised the toughness of Trent Frazier and Da'Monte Williams, but he promised to take his other players to task in practice this week.
“We’re going to grind, guys,” Underwood promised reporters. “We’re going to grind. We’ve got to get better. We’ve got to have 5-on-5, smash-mouth, tough, consequence basketball. That’s the reality of it. There’s got to be consequences for turning the ball over. There’s got to be consequences for not executing, not catching the ball in your spot. We haven’t done that.”
The Illini have three easy games ahead, against St. Francis (Pa.) at home, against hapless Missouri in the Braggin’ Rights game at Enterprise Center and then at home against blood donor Florida A&M.
Mind you, Underwood’s fire roared after a four-point loss. Imagine how he would respond after losing by 37 points to an historical rival – as Missouri did with its epic fail against Kansas.
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Clownzo isn't on a hot seat, he sitting in a tub of boiling water up around his neck area........These St. Louis today reporters have given Clownzo a lot of rope for the last few seasons , but the rope and patience is about to send Clownzo to the ranks of the unemployed.....
With the poor attendance the question is not if he gets fired , but when .....odds are 50-50 he makes it to the end of the season.....
That's really to bad .......It really really is ..........................
Hey Michael , do the Nuggets need any help ??????????????????????......help out a brother , OK ???
Seems implausible
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