I agree totally -we were ready to go after that dunk-pathetic-can you retro that call ?I know there are bigger fish to fry in this thread, but I just need to say one more time that the technical was absolutely insane. It's a referee having zero understanding of the level of athleticism, explosiveness, and force it takes to play the game they're officiating. That's a huge problem.
A Dickens quote seems apropos for a time like this.Good season. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I can’t be hurt until next fall. Go Illini
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.I could really see us being back in the top 25 next year and the year after that. Another year of development for RJ, Goode, Hawkins, and maybe Podz gets time. Also I think Ty Rodgers is going to contribute instantly.
I expect a huge jump from RJ as in he might be in the draft in 1-2 years. Hawkins has that potential too. Something about RJ gives me the impression he has that “Kobe” mindset though. I see this being his team next year.
Curbelo likely wont have another concussion and have to deal with missed practices and games. If he can get a jumper his game will open up a ton. Im optimistic.
We’re also going to play a style of basketball that is much more enjoyable to watch in the near future.
Where do you see this? We had open shots? We couldn’t make them…For the second year in a row in the second round, the opposing coaching staff smoked our coaching staff like it was April 20th.
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.Im saying that if you are in game 33 and hesitating to take those shots then what has the coach been doing for the last 6 months. Kofi just didn't show up Thursday night in a the worlds largest blanket on our door step. After last offseason those shots are DAY ONE practice shots that basically a teams full of guards should be shooing in their sleep .
Did you see a team out there that looked as if they believed the coach had confidence in them offensively ? I watched nearly every tournament game and no matter the school I saw guys letting it fly with full confidence hit or miss. We shot the ball like a team whose every move gets questioned so they are looking over their shoulder for approval when those shots should be built into the offense not into whether the coach approves or not.
Game is a lot easier when you can shoot like Colin.Curbelo needs to watch Colin Gillespie tape.
In command of the game at all times and plays within himself.
Thanks for the insight TC.Curbelo with not a good exchange with staff at halftime was the cause of lack of 2nd half playing time.
Agreed on Cohawk.Everyone needs to keep one thing in perspective. While Curbelo and Hawkins were non factors in the game today we don't even get here without those two in the first round. If we had lost that one everyones last look at Curbelo for the year would have been positive but now its all about the negative.
Game is a lot easier when you can shoot like Colin.
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.Good post thanks
It wouldn't have been played because they wouldn't have been a 5 seed...Can't imagine how that game would've gone if they had Sasser and the other 10 ppg scorer I'm blanking on.
Jake's passing into Kofi was also missed. He's one of, if not THE best interor passers on the team.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.
Being an Illini fan reminds me of one of my favorite lines from a Springsteen song: "...you end up like a dog that's been beat too much, 'til you spend half your life just coverin' up"
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.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.
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?It is odd, how much trouble we have inbounding the ball.
I don't mean to be irritating here, but during the Weber years (not just 2004-2006), our team scored a remarkable number of points on out of bounds plays, especially baseline out of bounds plays. Often, the buckets were point blank too. Are defenses better designed to stop that these days? I really don't know.
BU mentioned just how important plus he seem to hit very timely shotsJake's passing into Kofi was also missed. He's one of, if not THE best interor passers on the team.
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).Agreed on Cohawk.
Belo in Game 1: 1-7, 4 assts. 6 TO's
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.You clearly didn’t read all the posts about how they were over rated and hadn’t beaten anyone. /s
They have now. We play this game ten times, we lose 8 times imo. Just a poor matchup for us at least they way we’ve played lately.