Game Thread: Illinois vs Maryland

[CleverHandle1]

Cut it down to a one possession game now. Again, though, where is the defense. Maryland has missed a few layups.

 

[LouHenson]

I really with BU would have played Booth more earlier for exactly this reason

 

[azillini1]

Ben and KJ are a combined 1 for 8 from the floor. If they can just get going in the 2nd half, we can win this

 

[The Galloping Ghost]

Reese doing the "too small" sign when we don't have our 7-footer able to play makes me so freaking annoyed. I hate the Terps so damn much. Please, find a way to beat these guys.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Bad news: really sluggish first half, particularly on D... Queen and Reece getting whatever they want, and we of course will continue never trapping the post.

Good news: We are crazy fortunate to be down just 3 right now.

 

[DICKnaggie]

Has BH even scored? Haven't heard his name called once...

He just disappears for games.

 

[ChiTown]

The good news is that JK is a second half kind of guy.

 

[hoopsfan47]

Has BH even scored? Haven't heard his name called once...

Ben has two boards, and asst., and 2 fouls in 14 min.

 

[IllinistrandedinHouston]

MJ bumped the wall in the tunnel, got his third foul.

 

[Crossbow]

I just had Flu A, it’s awful. Tommy go home

Agree

 

[FromTheLogo]

Julian Reese is easily the player I dislike the most in the B1G

 

[biglug58]

Booth’s shot actually looks pretty good and Raftery likes him

 

[CleverHandle1]

Has BH even scored? Haven't heard his name called once...

Didn't they just make their run without BH? In the end, we need him, but if he ain't doing anything, then he needs to sit.

 

[SuperMetroid]

Gotta find a way to get one of their bigs in foul trouble somehow

 

[DeeIL89]

With no Tomi, Reese and Queen are feasting in the paint and we are only down by 3. Got to figure out how to stop the bleeding from Reese and Queen. Have to get more rebounds somehow. We got stops on defense early but then Maryland was getting everything they wanted in the lane.

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

Don't know how they're going to stop the layup fest. We aren't going to win this game on the defensive side. We have to get hot from deep. I think that's our only avenue.

 

[FloridaMan]

Not really worried about a B10 title at this point. I think that ship sailed with the USC and NW losses. But, man we gotta find a way to gut this out and steal it in the second half or we are going to see a pretty large drop in our seed ceiling. May not be quite as important this year with all the parity, but really would hate for us to drop below a 5.

 

[derrick6]

Like someone said, stop blaming refs and make some shots.

 

[hiberto]

Reese doing the "too small" sign when we don't have our 7-footer able to play makes me so freaking annoyed. I hate the Terps so damn much. Please, find a way to beat these guys..

yep still have a bad taste in my mouth from the stunt Willard pulled last year catching the ball when TSJ was going after it before it went out of bounds

 

[chief]

Down only 3 is fools gold...must make adjustments at half!

 

[CleverHandle1]

Ben and KJ are a combined 1 for 8 from the floor. If they can just get going in the 2nd half, we can win this

Can we say this is inexcusable? We are supposed "Elite." This is just awful for these type of starters having this kind of game.

 

[Fly Illini Fly!]

have no problem with Booth's threes - hasn't played a ton but more than capable... wide open shots have been oh so close

 

[logjam]

BEET JUICE at halftime....YES!

 

[skyIdub]

Booth looks like Patrick Swayze in Ghost harassing him with the ball.

 

[IlliniWC]

I’m ok with that, we definitely struggled with Maryland’s dribble drive & inside game and only down 3 due in part to boneheaded decision-making by Maryland & bad free throw shooting, hope we see some more adjustments to seal off those drives.

Need to establish the 3 ball too, we had good looks for the most part, they just haven’t been falling.