Game Thread: Illinois vs Penn

[Fly Illini Fly!]

Mirkovic wants another 20 & 20.

17 & 10 in the 1H.

 

[madcrazeeballa]

Feel free to check the math:

0.81 points per shot from 3
1.05 points per shot from 2

Also, thank god for Mirk.

 

[TheodoreRex]

The coaching strategy is really simple- attack the hoop or post entry pass EVERY play, no excuses... Only shoot WIDE open 3's off post kicks or skip passes. Shoot a contested 3 or a 3 off 1 pass, butt meets bench. Mirk was exceptional- gameplan and rest of the team not so much. I thought we played pretty poor as a whole.

 

[BoiseBaller]

Brad better F****** figure things out or else we will get bounced tonight or the next game. Make the changes at the half….

We may win tonight, but this team isn't beating VCU.

 

[SummerofGeorge]

I made a joke earlier that we have such an inside advantage but would likely shoot 40 threes against these guys...

Joke is on you

 

[CleverHandle1]

Unfortunately shooting 3s is our identity. Lets face it, while missing threes against a weak team like Penn probably won't hurt us, against tougher competition, if we don't make threes we're toast..We need the practice..

Yes, they are "practicing" on how to miss three-pointers!!!! LOL!

 

[FloridaMan]

Attention to detail has not been our strong point the last two seasons to say the least. This is a 20 point lead if we played a smart half.

 

[Cook]

Start Andrej over Jake to start second half. We want to pound the paint not jack threes this game.

Of course there's 0% chance BU will do that. Jake will start guaranteed

 

[skyIdub]

Tomi playing more minutes than Z right now is as inexcusable as last years Ben playing more minutes than Morez.

 

[PROCK]

2 7 footers towering over our opponents and 0 post game. Just stupidity at all levels.

 

[ImGonnaBeILL]

More AS; less Jake

Mirk 17-10
20 minutes of Ivisic 1-5

 

[HailtotheChief]

I hate giving up that last 3. I told my wife i hope they use up the shot clock n shoot with 4 seconds so its at least we are up 11. Nope.

Whos ball to start the half?

 

[NarrowJ]

Rebounds 28-14

Mirk 17 & 10

Ben with a couple 3s and put cold water on Power on a possession

Other than that, pretty poor

This won't beat VCU

 

[CleverHandle1]

Tomi playing more minutes than Z right now is as inexcusable as last years Ben playing more minutes than Morez.

Agreed. But, he needs to stop shooting three-pointers. Stay inside!

 

[Mr. Roberts]

#44 should NOT be shooting any three-pointers from here on in. He's been horrible today with that shot.

Get him inside!!!! And now allowing Penn to hit a big three before the half was huge. They get the ball to start the 2nd half--watch they'll hit a three to cut it to seven points, when it should be a 13 point game right now. But, #44 was too slow and allowed their best player on the damn floor to hit a wide-open three.

I'm sorry, but it's the little things that can hurt a team.

Reads like a comment I wrote against Wisconsin, and it ended up an OT game because of those little things.

 

[PopChampaign]

If we didn’t have the offensive rebounds and second-chance points, we could be in trouble right now. We have to keep that up, but more importantly, we need to get stops. this can’t turn into a shootout. That won’t work against a better team next round

 

[phats22]

Seriously. Just pound this inside. We are so much bigger

6/22 27% from 3 = 18 pts, 10/19 53% from 2 = 20 pts.....

 

[rdk573]

Tomi and Z combine for 1 point

Most likely, after this year both are gone..

 

[Champaign88]

Charles Barkley with the astute analysis. We are in trouble only up 10 because of 14 offensive rebounds.

 

[TheFlyingIllini1317]

#44 should NOT be shooting any three-pointers from here on in. He's been horrible today with that shot.

Get him inside!!!! And now allowing Penn to hit a big three before the half was huge. They get the ball to start the 2nd half--watch they'll hit a three to cut it to seven points, when it should be a 13 point game right now. But, #44 was too slow and allowed their best player on the damn floor to hit a wide-open three.

I'm sorry, but it's the little things that can hurt a team.

Did the same thing vs UCLA but it was a foul for 3

 

[PopChampaign]

2 7 footers towering over our opponents and 0 post game. Just stupidity at all levels.

Z has no post moves unless he’s open and Tomi checked out mentally a long time ago

 

[Illinisnake]

End the fletch program.

 

[ThisYearForSure]

Sometimes it’s so frustrating to be the tallest team in the country and only want to shoot 3s. Need to start listening to Lyonel Baratheon (looking at you Ivisic brothers)

 

[CleverHandle1]

I am encouraged that Wagler is getting good looks, but he's not hitting his shots. That Purdue game really spoiled me--he hit everything that game.

He's driving to the hole fairly well, but he's really not finishing. He needs to be stronger.

 

[Sim]

If it wasn’t for Mirk we would be down at halftime.