Game Thread: Illinois vs Maryland

[freddbird]

Have had 3 stinker moments just in the last year. All against really good teams, so I don't want to take anything away from that, but these have been some real fan feel lows.
* UConn
* Duke
* Now

 

[illiniguy24]

Be real man. This team doesn’t have the heart to make a run. We were clearly fortunate to play some struggling Big Ten teams when we did recently

 

[HailtotheChief]

This.....this team is talented but they fold against physical teams. People can get mad but we are soft. We are scared of their bigs. Double clutching, faking and afraid to shoot it when taking to the rim. This is why Riley didn't score the first time....too physical.
Morez is even second guessing going up against them in the paint.....they still dominated us with Reese and Queen sitting in foul trouble.

That and Will. Kj and Rez are young and it's obvious Maryland is between their ears.

 

[AEX]

Well, there goes the momentum we built over the last two weeks.

 

[altgeld88]

This hasn't been a very fun season.

A few "fool's gold" highlights for sure, but man, on the whole, this just isn't enjoyable.

Talented but too inexperienced

 

[bleedorange and blue]

Came out scared,,that is all on the coach

 

[Ramrod2010]

Bet the house on illini 2nd half. Maryland will be able to rest starters at the 10 minute mark

To that end should our starters stay out there and risk injury?

 

[Captain 14]

Special Olympics kids hit more 3's in five minutes here at halftime

 

[maxatlof]

!!!!ing Boswell

 

[chief]

I love all of our players because I am biased, so I have a hard time saying anything bad about our players, so I won't...but .....

 

[IlliniSon]

Can we at least salvage our honor and not play like a bunch of clowns?? Please please please

 

[AndyKaufmanstutor]

Anybody else go to the liquor cabinet during halftime?

 

[FloridaMan]

I don't know if he could get it across the half court line in an NBA game. And I'm not kidding. He has zero.....zero chance of seeing the floor in an NBA game in the next two years. I love his potential, but he isn't strong enough fundamentally in any aspect of the game to be a lottery pick. I know little about the NBA, but let's be real here.

 

[racinghoss]

I know Brad is more level headed than I, but I would not let Hamer come out after halftime, and tell him to hitchhike back to CU. You're fired. Good Lord, our D is non existent.

 

[21ChampaignSt]

Anybody else go to the liquor cabinet during halftime?

You waited til halftime?

 

[Illini John]

Maryland is looking to hit 110 points....

No they're not. They heard last night that the record is 112 points and they are looking to top that tonight. And they may.

 

[Jimbo]

I mean listen, we aren't playing well, but there's no team in the country beating Maryland today. A college team can't shoot 57% from three with 0 turnovers and 9 offensive rebounds against a high school team. I'd love us to have played better but even if we did, we're probably still down over double digits.

Just no chance in this one other than fouling them out

We are without intensity. That’s why maryland is playing so well/

 

[Iamgroot]

Is it football season yet asking for a friend

 

[Iamgroot]

You waited til halftime?

Lol for sure I put the beer down within the first 10 minutes and grabbed the rum

 

[HailtotheChief]

2 on Reese, and I guarantee you our offensive gameplan won’t change at all.

2 on queen too...they both had 1 in the first couple minutes! Just dumb to not even try and post tomi once. Rez is not a back to the basket player and we did him and he lost the ball

 

[chrisRunner7]

I don't care if Ivisic has three fouls, just play him until he fouls out and make some of this second half watchable. Start Morez too, he's playing OK.

 

[BTM33]

I have no idea how good KJ is, but everyone says he's a high 1st round pick. It's got to be on potential, because he certainly hasn't earned "high draft pick" to me.

Yes, he's had some great moments. To me, he's not playing nearly at all close to "high draft pick" level. But, I am sure we'll get criticized. I just comment on what I see.

He has a real athleticism problem.

When's the last time he went up for a contested layup and tried to finish over or around someone?

He ALWAYS kicks it out...because he can't jump with the better athletes and he doesn't trust himself to make a layup off the bounce through contact.

 

[grantlab]

Probably our worst half of the season. Not only are we playing poor, but they are getting almost every 50/50 and bounce. 32 has been pitiful. Show some effort second half and rest up for next week.

The fact that we have to say “probably” shows how rough of a year it’s been.

 

[Scoregasm]

We look like a junior high team. The team and staff should be embarrassed.

 

[aaeismacgychel]

Plain and simple, we go as far as the matchups take us in the NCAA tourney. We struggle mightily against physical guards and interior strength and athleticism. First team we face with big physical guards we go home. Only chance we have is getting matched up against smaller guards who struggle with our size and who we can beat on the boards