Houston 68, Illinois 53 Postgame
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I agree totally -we were ready to go after that dunk-pathetic-can you retro that call ?
I hope Curbelo stays (if that's really a thing) because I think Chester could do wonders with him for next year.
InDaAZ
- Eugene, Oregon
A Dickens quote seems apropos for a time like this.
Props to you.
Yes I could see us being way more up tempo next year, running and gunning. Would love to see our offensive efficiency up next year.
Where do you see this? We had open shots? We couldn’t make them…
ginabackes00
CrazedUIFan
Confidence in shooting comes from the players. Underwood has given them the green light to shoot open shots or shots within the offensive flow. I've never heard him say differently. He even pointed it out at halftime. He said they had the shots they wanted, they just needed to keep shooting them. They had the looks. They kept shooting. They struggled to hit them.
Homecoming 2019
- Chicago
Game is a lot easier when you can shoot like Colin.
Thanks for the insight TC.
Looking ahead to next year, I have to think there's a very good chance Kofi returns. Going into the tournament, he was projected at #52 in the draft, and he did nothing in the two games to change the minds of the NBA scouts. He's improved both his free throw shooting and his passing out of the post over last season, but neither has progressed to the point where NBA teams will spend a high draft pick on him. He also never got to display much of an outside game, which along with passing and free throws was one of the areas where the scouts said he needed to improve.
Of course, Kofi could take the risk and enter the draft and try to impress the GMs in the off season, but he'd be risking what is believed to be a very nice NIL deal. Is that worth the gamble? Without knowing the actual numbers, it's hard to say. The G-League or overseas are also viable options, but again, it's just a matter of whether those are better financial opportunities than returning to college. The NIL paydays have changed the game.
As a fan, I want Kofi back. As a rational human, he has to do what's best for his finances and his future. I hope that's returning to Illinois and right now, that's probably the best option. But it'll likely be a few months before we know for sure.
Of course, Kofi could take the risk and enter the draft and try to impress the GMs in the off season, but he'd be risking what is believed to be a very nice NIL deal. Is that worth the gamble? Without knowing the actual numbers, it's hard to say. The G-League or overseas are also viable options, but again, it's just a matter of whether those are better financial opportunities than returning to college. The NIL paydays have changed the game.
As a fan, I want Kofi back. As a rational human, he has to do what's best for his finances and his future. I hope that's returning to Illinois and right now, that's probably the best option. But it'll likely be a few months before we know for sure.
Agreed on Cohawk.
Belo in Game 1: 1-7, 4 assts. 6 TO's
Trust me, I want this guy to do well. You can make a mixtape of his eye-popping plays and be convinced he's a lottery pick. However...you can make a mix tape and be convinced he shouldn't be playing college basketball. I felt so good after he was out a while and played lights out off the bench against Purdue at home. Then I really don't know. We saw sparks but not the consistency we need from him.
Didn't play well the 1st half today and benched. Who knows if he wasn't running the plays BU was calling or if he got into it with him at half? If that is the case, what do you expect a coach to do?
All that said, I hope he has a great year next year. For us.
Aside from the shooting he also is in control at all times. Never sped up.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Thank you. I neglected to mention that the loss of Jake during the PSU game was huge. That's 10 ppg and 2-3 assists pg, behind only Trent and DMW. IMO he was an unsung X factor for us all year. With him healthy the last four games we'd have been a better team by a margin that could have taken us another game or two.
It wouldn't have been played because they wouldn't have been a 5 seed...
Jake's passing into Kofi was also missed. He's one of, if not THE best interor passers on the team.
As the regular season came to a close, instead of peaking we were fading fast. We could never reverse that negative trend, and Houston exploited all our weaknesses. Without injuries plaguing the Illini all season, we may have been able to develop better continuity and flow, but this team was badly disjointed when it counted most. Houston did not have a significant talent advantage, but they played better than the Illini and deserved to win.
Today’s box score
For all five Illini starters EXCEPTING Kofi:
FG Pct. - 22% on 23 shots
3-Pt Pct. - 22% on 18 shots
Total: - 22% on 41 shots
Today, for Goode and Melendez:
FG Pct. - 50% on 12 shots
3-Pt. Pct. - 40% on 5 shots
Total: - 47% on 17 shots
You can’t beat five guys on the local blacktop court with 4 of 5 starters shooting 22%.
The Illini lived and died all season with the Three. But that was because...
This was a team that you always had the sense that the pieces just didn’t fit together. They couldn’t figure out what kind of team they were. It’s not a coaching problem but one of skill sets. These guys all have skills but also have gaps in their games and the pieces that were there just didn’t come together as they need to.
Kofi dominates inside but lacks the mid-range game.
Plummer has the Three when he’s on but lacks in other areas.
Trent this year was up and down. Not the same Trent we saw in the beginning.
Curbelo is... Curbelo. Makes the highlight reel play or can’t hit from outside and turnover prone.
Hawkins is still unsure of himself. Pulled up on too many Threes today when he had the chance. Did emerge with confidence on D.
Damonte gave everything he had in his skill set with the dawg-D his best.
The Kids? Needed more floor time. They are the future.
Here’s where the Coaches now step up. They pour over the game video and look at the skill sets of the guys coming back and find and fit new pieces in that fill out a good picture.
The (other) Blue Bloods all have an identity. They have an on-floor brand and style. This is where the Illini need to build up for now and tomorrow.
And the Coaches need to teach the guys how to be more confident on the floor. Too much hesitation and nerves showing.
And... shoot better than 22% from the floor whomever is out there.
The foundation has been laid down for the last five years. Time now to finish the skyscraper.
For all five Illini starters EXCEPTING Kofi:
FG Pct. - 22% on 23 shots
3-Pt Pct. - 22% on 18 shots
Total: - 22% on 41 shots
Today, for Goode and Melendez:
FG Pct. - 50% on 12 shots
3-Pt. Pct. - 40% on 5 shots
Total: - 47% on 17 shots
You can’t beat five guys on the local blacktop court with 4 of 5 starters shooting 22%.
The Illini lived and died all season with the Three. But that was because...
This was a team that you always had the sense that the pieces just didn’t fit together. They couldn’t figure out what kind of team they were. It’s not a coaching problem but one of skill sets. These guys all have skills but also have gaps in their games and the pieces that were there just didn’t come together as they need to.
Kofi dominates inside but lacks the mid-range game.
Plummer has the Three when he’s on but lacks in other areas.
Trent this year was up and down. Not the same Trent we saw in the beginning.
Curbelo is... Curbelo. Makes the highlight reel play or can’t hit from outside and turnover prone.
Hawkins is still unsure of himself. Pulled up on too many Threes today when he had the chance. Did emerge with confidence on D.
Damonte gave everything he had in his skill set with the dawg-D his best.
The Kids? Needed more floor time. They are the future.
Here’s where the Coaches now step up. They pour over the game video and look at the skill sets of the guys coming back and find and fit new pieces in that fill out a good picture.
The (other) Blue Bloods all have an identity. They have an on-floor brand and style. This is where the Illini need to build up for now and tomorrow.
And the Coaches need to teach the guys how to be more confident on the floor. Too much hesitation and nerves showing.
And... shoot better than 22% from the floor whomever is out there.
The foundation has been laid down for the last five years. Time now to finish the skyscraper.
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
Yes and after Brad talks about how valuable he is and that he has to have him on the floor what happens. The basketball gods decide we should end the season without him and by the way lets take the eye away from your best gaurd. This team has dealt with enough bad luck for a decade. Amazing that Brad and them still got a Big10 conference title and a #4 seed.
Also, after watching Trent dribble at the top of the key and four other Illini just standing around waiting for something to happen most of the game, I think Weber's motion offense could have produced more points today. Maybe Chester should teach Brad the Keady/Weber motion offense?
BU mentioned just how important plus he seem to hit very timely shots
Thanks to all the players and coaches
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
Yet he had by far the highest +/- on the team in game 1. Doesn't always tell the whole story, but we put up more points than the other team with him on the floor. Same goes for most of the games we played down the stretch. Belo is a flawed player but people underestimate his impact based on certain box score stats, just as they do DMW (though I'll admit DMW's unwillingness to shoot the ball became infuriating these last few weeks).
I don't think it's so much that Houston is a "poor matchup" for us: I think they are a really good team and will be tough for ANYONE to beat.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
A much healthier team this season probably wins 3-4 more games, gets a 2 or 3 seed, therefore a better draw in the tourney and advances to at least the Sweet 16 if not the Elite 8 or further. But they had no luck at all, and all things considered it wasn't the worst season by a longshot.
- Status