Baylor 95, Illinois 91 (Exhibition) Postgame

#152      
Fly Illini Fly!
JKR said:
Given up 191 points in the first two games.
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The concern is points in the paint and rebounding.

Cincinnati: 42 points in the paint / 12 OREB
Baylor: 40 points in the paint / 22 OREB

Illinois allowed 40 or more points in the paint just 3 times all of last season.

But the honest truth is we’re nowhere close to the same rebounding team without Mirkovic (exhibition or not).
 
#153      
jjv0004
This team will struggle on defense all year. Lack of quickness is not going to get better.
 
#154      
Fly Illini Fly!
jjv0004 said:
This team will struggle on defense all year. Lack of quickness is not going to get better.
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We have more quickness than the team last year who finished 20th in defensive efficiency.

….

The formula is to protect the rim.

Last year’s shot distribution on defense:
  • % of shots allowed in the paint: 43.3% (20th; lowest to highest)
  • % of shots allowed in the mid range: 13.3% (319th; lowest to highest)
  • % of shots allowed from 3: 43.4% (310th; lowest to highest)

It’s the exact recipe this year. The problem is we’re too small at the 4 right now.
 
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#155      
I-L-L 1318
jjv0004 said:
This team will struggle on defense all year. Lack of quickness is not going to get better.
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I think some of the defensive woes (shots at the rim or drive & kick 3s) were due to us picking them up full court and then allowing a blow by. I think it was a point of emphasis to stick with it even if we were getting fried off it with it being exhibition. Assume we will play a little more zone in season especially w/ Mirk.
 
#156      
HensonHall71
Fly Illini Fly! said:
The concern is points in the paint and rebounding.

Cincinnati: 42 points in the paint / 12 OREB
Baylor: 40 points in the paint / 22 OREB

Illinois allowed 40 or more points in the paint just 3 times all of last season.

But the honest truth is we’re nowhere close to the same rebounding team without Mirkovic (exhibition or not).
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Completely agree- quick guards going off on us is nothing new , but we can allow that AND points and the rim and not get the rebound when they do miss

I would have thought Cam Crocker would have been cooking something up over the summer on defense but it’s not apparent what our philosophy or approach is at all. Maybe the 12 man rotation and all the different lineups is making that impossible and they likely didn’t want to show too much schematically in exhibitions but he’s going to have to get creative and at least take something away- just laying back in a zone would be better than what we are doing right now
 
#157      
Fly Illini Fly!
HensonHall71 said:
Completely agree- quick guards going off on us is nothing new , but we can allow that AND points and the rim and not get the rebound when they do miss
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As much as folks want to crap on the defense, Illinois was 11th among power conference teams in FG% allowed on the first shot of possession.

Pair that with 28th in DREB%, 19th in DREB% on missed FGs, and 1st in FT rate allowed … it resulted in a top 20 defense. (I do think we could’ve been even better if our defensive rebounding was top 5 or top 10)

Rebounding, not fouling, and protecting the rim are our 3 non negotiables.
 
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#158      
hangdog
HensonHall71 said:
Completely agree- quick guards going off on us is nothing new , but we can allow that AND points and the rim and not get the rebound when they do miss

I would have thought Cam Crocker would have been cooking something up over the summer on defense but it’s not apparent what our philosophy or approach is at all. Maybe the 12 man rotation and all the different lineups is making that impossible and they likely didn’t want to show too much schematically in exhibitions but he’s going to have to get creative and at least take something away- just laying back in a zone would be better than what we are doing right now
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Exhibitions are the test pilot stage of the season. We aren't yet even trying to see how best to use the craft (that's for non-conferance games). We are trying to see what causes the craft to fail so we can compensate for and address those weaknesses.
 
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