Goillinikobd
- Southeastern US
I’m with you 100% hoping, but I know we will never see the Magic/Bird version of the NBA, but I am hopeful we see the Flying Illini part 2 some day
Arkansas 73, Illinois 63 Postgame
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Was Trent Frazier an amazing defender right out of the gate? Or was he known more for his offense?
Even a guy like Sencire Harris who has amazing natural tools, instincts, and tenacity has to be molded into a defender in this league. Most Freshman need to be seriously coached up on Defense. It’s a generally a work in progress.
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Those last two hurt me deeply
Agreed. Epps is a good player, but may have an attitude problem.
I may be a bit old school, but I expect job #1 in college athletics is to make solid men/women that will positively contribute to society. Winning and making $$ for the university come next.
Unless Epps has a change of heart, or BU finds a way to reach him and gain buy-in, he may be better off elsewhere.
I think after seeing the video of him and BU at Indiana and that ship has sailed.
I think Shannon can become a solid bench contributor in the league. Shannon needs to:
1) Improve his defense. (Frazier is pretty good at this)
2) Improve his 3 pt shot.
3) Become a better facilitator within a team - know when to take his shots, and when to pass it w/less dribbling.
If getting to the next level is Shannon's goal, where is a better place? Transferring again probably isn't an option.
So glad to see Sencire returning. He’s a great energy guy in the mold of Krupalija and
Johnson . I’m hoping we’ll remember him as fondly as Trent . I know that’s a tall order.
That's a very reasonable conclusion. I want to be on record that I like Underwood a lot and feel it would be asinine to fire him right now like some people seem to want. My issue is the ever changing narratives. No one was saying these things about Epps for the last 18 months. Now all of a sudden, its he can't do this, can't do that, etc.
That might all be true but that begs the question (which answers itself) who brought him here? At some point don't people in charge have some responsibility for what goes on with this team? Skyy by all accounts is a huge locker room cancer "me guy". Who brought him here? Mayer? Same question?
Guys won't run your system? Who's accountable for that? No one liked when Weber blamed kids for stuff.
In BU's defense he says all the right things publicly. I lean toward this year being an aberration. However, if there is another mass exodus of players and another roster put together with portal guys and the same results happen next year then we can't keep blaming everyone but the people in charge of the roster.
Again, I really like Underwood and he has achieved more IMO then he's given credit for but if the goal of the program is to be a serious powerhouse that consistently gets deep into March then by that standard the results are not there and they need to be soon or it might be time to consider he's not gonna be that guy for us, that's all. Doesn't mean he's not a good coach and a great person. I know I'm rooting for him!
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?
I think Illinois had a good year considering we lost almost 90% of our scoring from last year. Many frustrating times, but some great moments as well. We have made the tournament under Brad's direction the last 4 years (I count 2020, we were around 5 seed). I don't blame you for forgetting the Groce years but reflect upon that and it will give you some perspective.
Basketball is about chemistry and that is something that is hard to predict. If it was just about the number of stars, Kentucky should have won the NC 7 of the last 10 years. YOU never know how it is going to work out.
Been there, done that and taught it. Hard to understand when there is a system that will improve shooting that college coaches don't know it or don't teach it.
Nailed it, without it even being the quote! Well done!
the national
- the Front Range
Kent st’s lead guard would drive to the hoop. Other times he would stop and pop. He would also penetrate and kick out. Shannon plays a good bully ball but those other pieces are there for him if he develops in the off-season. He’s very talented and could really elevate his game.
Self and Oats are getting 5 stars and McD players. Bu has to take second tier guys and forge them into winners to compete. You can't compare the jobs that each has to do.
I absolutely love that kid.
Bill Self has never been worse than a 4 seed at Kansas the last 20 years. He should be undefeated in the first weekend if the higher ranked team won.
Izzo has been seeded far worse than most of the successful tourney coaches but has gotten a lot out of his guys when the lights were bright. Have to respect that.
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We also only lost 1 Q2 game and no Q3 or Q4 games - I am guessing that has not happened very many times in the last 20 years.
Sencire Harris and Ty Rodgers' development were by far my favorite parts of this season. Just watching Sencire run around wreaking havoc brought a smile to my face. I didn't think there was any question if he'd be back, but all the same, I'm really happy to see it. And mark my words- one offseason in the weightroom with Fletch and he'll have the body to finish those layups at the rim and draw the foul. He's going to be a special player for us as a lock down defender and a leader in a couple season and I will love every second of it. A locker room led by Ty and Sencire in a couple years will bring us much joy.
Sorry if it’s been said already. It’s the weekend and I’m not reading everything because… well… beer on a Friday night. Welcome your next “Trent Frazier”. I LOVE this kind of stuff!
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Can we take a vote to initialize our coach’s name to BU?
UW makes my brain hurt…
I'm BU and I approve this message.....................I really really do.............................
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
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.
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.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Was there development of those guys?
I ask for two different reasons, on Harris he seemed to come ready-made as a chaos agent, but didn't really add a ton to his game beyond that. And I guess Rodgers went from being totally lost on the floor to having some presence on it, but he was still a pretty wild and untethered presence out there.
I think the big development period comes this offseason for both guys.
The teams in the tournaments who pull the big upsets seem to play in harmony, like well oiled machines.
Who is AC? Anthony Carter is all i can think of. Or Andre Curbello?
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