Arkansas 73, Illinois 63 Postgame

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#576      

Navy_illini

N
Navy_illini
robjilla said:
In an interview after one of his high school games at Thornton, he mentioned that his goal is to get to the NBA. He will need to greatly improve his shooting (lets start with simple free throw shooting) to be able to accomplish that goal.
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If he wants the NBA then BU needs Ayo to talk to him about how much work he had to put in to get where he is

It is amazing looking at Ayo as a freshman to when he left. Fletch knows what he is doing. Ayo game also developed a decent shot. Ty has a farther way to go on a shot but it can happen

I can see Ty in the NBA but it won’t be easy

Question for the insiders which players are our gym rats?
 
#577      

forbesfrosh

F
forbesfrosh
BBIQ said:
I agree with you but this is all in the context of an insider saying he's gone. So was Epps told when he was brought in he was a work in progress defensively? I guess I need to make clear that I didn't expect him to be great as a freshman, that wouldn't be fair to him like you're saying. But if he's unhappy enough to leave then the question is why? What did he expect that he's not getting? Or is it a character problem? If he truly thru a shoulder at BU and refused to play like people have claimed that's a character issue is it not? My post has nothing to do with my expectations for Epps. I like him and think he's got a ton of potential.

Stated differently, all this talk about why he's leaving seems like it might be about playing time and defense is the reason for the lack of playing time. So who had unrealistic expectations? Staff or Epps? Who's job is it to set expectations?
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I would really hate to see Epps leave because he played very well for most of the season and saved the team by stepping in as PG after Clark struggled and then bailed. For most of the season, he was clearly the best of the four freshmen, shooting well and able to beat his man off the dribble and drive in for layups. He was a highly recruited SG and big scorer in high school and was brought in to give the Illini the improved shooting, especially from beyond the arc, that they so clearly needed.
But after Clark left, he was the logical choice to move to PG, a tough task for someone who was not a true PG, much less a freshman put into that demanding position, arguably the most important on a college team. Despite that, Epps handled the change pretty well, continuing to shoot well and committing few turnovers -- until he fell into a miserable shooting slump that left him increasingly frustrated and adversely affected his defensive effort. And then he was concussed late in the season.
Yes, he struggled defensively, as many freshmen do, but the coaches didn't bring him in for his defense. They knew that was a shortcoming but likely expected that he would gradually improve under their tutelage, if not so much this year than during his sophomore year. Until his shooting woes struck, he seemed to try hard on defense, but the expectation all along was that his shooting skill would more than offset his defensive issues.
I don't know why he may leave. It surely wasn't lack of playing time. Did he feel the coaches didn't fully appreciate his effort to help the team by assuming a demanding role that he was never truly comfortable in? Did he believe he was unfairly criticized for the team's offensive struggles? Is he a more sensitive kid who became more upset at being screamed at? Or is there something in his personal life that caused him undue stress and unhappiness?
I do know that if he transfers, we could well regret it more than any other transfer in recent years.
 
#578      

john1952

J
john1952
Ga65 said:
Think we were all too excited by getting two transfers that were role players on their previous teams and expecting great things. Combine that with five frosh (counting Dain) and returning players of total 28 mins per game. We had length and athleticism but lacked in shooting and ball handling skills.
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Amen
The teams who are advancing in the tournament seems to have two or threee people who frequently hit the bottom of the net.
 
#579      

Illinicpa14

I
Chicago
Illinicpa14
Ga65 said:
Think we were all too excited by getting two transfers that were role players on their previous teams and expecting great things. Combine that with five frosh (counting Dain) and returning players of total 28 mins per game. We had length and athleticism but lacked in shooting and ball handling skills.
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I do find it funny that when Houston knocked us out all the talk was we had guys who can shoot/score (Plummer, Trent), but that we were too small and needed length and athleticism to perform in March…then we got exactly that and now we are saying that we are missing knock down shooters and creators. Not directed to you just the general consensus of the board.
 
#580      

RealWorld52

R
RealWorld52
Illinicpa14 said:
I do find it funny that when Houston knocked us out all the talk was we had guys who can shoot/score (Plummer, Trent), but that we were too small and needed length and athleticism to perform in March…then we got exactly that and now we are saying that we are missing knock down shooters and creators. Not directed to you just the general consensus of the board.
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Sadly the only similarity in all Underwood era NCAA games is the team didn't seem to bring more energy than the other team. it is really weird.
 
#581      

jumpingjack

J
jumpingjack
altgeld88 said:
Thursday evening marked the end of my 40th basketball season of Illini fandom. The first one ended in OT, heartbreak and injustice in Rupp Arena in March '84.

Thursday evening was odd. After every single tournament loss, from the age of 18 all the way to 56 last year, I've felt gutted. It would take me several days to get over the loss, and occasionally I couldn't watch any of the remainder of the tournament. As we left the bar after the loss to the Hogs, however, my Illini brother and I were already talking about enjoying the rest of the tourney games. I got up yesterday morning and felt fine. Actually, no: I felt pretty good. Relieved like many here have expressed. Looking forward to seeing who will return and what the staff puts together for next year.

That says it all about this season, I guess. Don't want to focus on the negative so I'll do the opposite, since there's so much that is positive:

So pleased and happy for RJ that he fought through his slump and emerged at the end confident, swarming on D, and beginning to feel his shot. He's my guy. Ty is electric when he's on the court; am convinced he'll be a legend by the time he leaves if he sticks with us. Sencire is TF Jr. if he keeps at it and bulks up. I'm confident Luke can be our dagger from the perimeter next season. We really missed him this year. I hope Dain stays and works hard in the off-season. He can be a force for us in the post and open up the perimeter. I hope Jayden will become coachable; if not, I appreciate what he brought the team, particularly after Skyy bailed on them. And CoHawk... really hope he returns. He can be our leader. TSJ, too. If he comes back, that will be such a bonus. Without him this season we would likely have been a bottom-tier BT team. We have components of a team that can be special.

And BU... don't want to hear any carping about him. He resuscitated a near-corpse six years ago. I have no concerns about his ability to learn this year's lessons, adapt as he's done in the past, and put a winner on the floor again next season. A much more stable winner with a cohesive team culture. He's a smart, savvy, and insightful.

I'm thankful for yet another season when I looked forward to every game, even after it should have been clear to an old man like me that the ceiling had been reached in January! Also thankful for the community here and Dan's facilitation and stewardship of it. This Board and the people who frequent it make my life better, richer, and enable me to marinate daily in that Illini bond for which I'm so thankful. Nowhere else in life can I find a place that makes me laugh out loud and, in the same page, makes my heart swell with gratitude and a sense of affiliation. And I've only met one of you in person. Wild. Love it. This interwebs thing is spiffing.

Am already looking forward to the opening tip next November and the entertainment that I'm sure the spring/summer portal movements will bring.

:illinois::alma-mater::ah:
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🧡💙🧡💙🧡💙 I would like to cosign all of this
 
#583      

Illinirog70

Illinirog70
Illinirog70
Hi Can someone please repost Underwood’s “discussion” with Epps? Or identify the post #?
 
#584      

WhiteHorseWings

WhiteHorseWings
WhiteHorseWings
Cook said:
If it were me and I chose to bench them all, I'd certainly reverse and control the narrative.

E.g. statement: "This had to be done. I am a high character coach who won't compromise my values and what I stand for just for the sake of winning in the short term. I know we're going to lose games, that stinks for our fans, and I apologize to them while I get this fixed. Our fans, who are so passionate and loyal, deserve better a team to be proud of. I promise this is a necessary decision that I could not avoid; and is 100% the right thing to do for the long term betterment of our program. It's everything we're about and how I'll continue to build and advance teams I coach. I won't accept anything less than everyone involved in my program exhibiting exactly what I expect as an 'every day guy.' So I'm going to very deliberately take this hit now along with everything that comes with it (criticism, losing) to build for our future."

I could see that route getting some praise for being courageous.
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Please run this by the PR firm for just a quick once over and I’ll sign off on it going out. Thanks-
 
#585      

alaskaillini

A
alaskaillini
ChiefGritty said:
Incidentally Self is 16-0 in the first round since losing to Bradley in 2006. Izzo of course lost a 2-15 game since then.

Not to in any way denigrate Izzo's excellent record as a coach, but I cannot relate to anyone who would think Izzo is either a better coach or a less obnoxious person than Bill Self at this point. You just let Bruce Weber break your brain in the aughts if you're still clinging to either of those notions.
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Sorry but where did I say Izzo was not obnoxious or a better coach that Bill Self. However, in the tournament Bill Self has lost in the first weekend 7 times in the last 19 years despite being favored to win. My point was just that Izzo has taken teams with poor seeds and gotten a lot out of them in the tournament. He has taken two 5 seeds and a 7 seed to the Final Four - Bill Self has never been seeded that low at Kansas.
 
#586      

CoalCity

C
St Paul, MN
CoalCity
alaskaillini said:
I generally wish the best for those players that move on from the Illini, or at least I did in the pre-portal era. But after this childish BS of taking a break from basketball and the team midseason, then collecting all your NIL, then officially leaving the team when you have received it all, then trying to make yourself the focus when your former team loses in the NCAA, I wouldn't feel too bad about it if some Louisville hooker gives him Herpes Simplex 10 and his pro career highlight is playing for the Azov Aces in eastern Ukraine.
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Beautiful
 
#587      

pruman91

pruman91
Paducah, Ky
pruman91
Illini in Italy said:
It was essentially a rebuild this year, still a 20 win season (4th in a row, mind you), and you feel bad about the direction of the program.

Awkward Kenan Thompson GIF by Saturday Night Live
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Hit the button bro
 
#588      

altgeld88

altgeld88
Arlington, Virginia
altgeld88
alaskaillini said:
I generally wish the best for those players that move on from the Illini, or at least I did in the pre-portal era. But after this childish BS of taking a break from basketball and the team midseason, then collecting all your NIL, then officially leaving the team when you have received it all, then trying to make yourself the focus when your former team loses in the NCAA, I wouldn't feel too bad about it if some Louisville hooker gives him Herpes Simplex 10 and his pro career highlight is playing for the Azov Aces in eastern Ukraine.
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That, my friend, is combat-quality poetry. 💯

Many of us were compassionate when he bowed out in January. I'm disappointed to see that he was unworthy.
 
#591      

fuggles

F
fuggles
alaskaillini said:
Sorry but where did I say Izzo was not obnoxious or a better coach that Bill Self. However, in the tournament Bill Self has lost in the first weekend 7 times in the last 19 years despite being favored to win. My point was just that Izzo has taken teams with poor seeds and gotten a lot out of them in the tournament. He has taken two 5 seeds and a 7 seed to the Final Four - Bill Self has never been seeded that low at Kansas.
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I agree. Izzo is remarkable as an NCAAT coach. But I would never want him to coach my team.
 
#592      

ElGran

E
ElGran
Illinicpa14 said:
I do find it funny that when Houston knocked us out all the talk was we had guys who can shoot/score (Plummer, Trent), but that we were too small and needed length and athleticism to perform in March…then we got exactly that and now we are saying that we are missing knock down shooters and creators. Not directed to you just the general consensus of the board.
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And that talk was BS. Last year's team, if everyone was healthy, was a really good team. We had a dominant C and experienced talented guards. The only problem was we were far from healthy at tournament time. Trent couldn't see with an eye infection (which was quite problematic for a shooting guard). J Grand hurt his shoulder and could hardly shoot. And of course, Curbelo was never the same after the concussion early in the season.
 
#594      

WyattEarp

WyattEarp
WyattEarp
Sedino said:
What I’m praying for is that we don’t recognize next years offense. It was so anemic and filled with hero ball this year, and we ran like a max 4 set plays and almost all of them led to Matt Mayer taking 3s. At least that’s how it felt, correct me if I’m wrong.
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That’s right! that was sadly the result; quite often. Not good. It killed us…especially against Arkansas when we needed it most.

Mayer ended up having (on the season) right about a 40% combined FG percentage against tournament teams. Btw.

Much closer to the 40% combined FG percentage Podz had before you decided to omit and cherry pick certain teams to bolster your increasingly weak argument….not the 36.5 % you kept citing as your definitive proof.

Another thing, the presumption that Arkansas would have adjusted their perimeter defense to not allow Podz to get off a decent shot or two?….You mean like they did against Goode? (Who hit 2-threes.)

If you can’t even admit there’s a distinct POSSIBILITY that the kid MIGHT of knocked down some shots for us in the midst of March Madness…WOW! That IS “hater-ade.”

AND I sure dunno what Podz leaving after a year has to do with anything? We’re supposed to hate him..for that? I guess we’d better fire up the outrage machine then…because there already have been plenty of departures and obviously there’s gonna be a lot more ‘em of in this era. Duh.

Whoever it was…Don’t you dare put Podz in the same category as Miller and Skyy.
Podz just left…he didn’t shake us down like those two.

Yes, I know the whole thing is a stupid hypothetical and dumb… I’m just really tired of this spin…and I don’t like when people piss down my back and tell me it’s raining.

And I know most of you don’t like it either…or you wouldn’t be so irked by what Skyy did; in particular.
 
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