I was just musing on our prospects for next year, and the questions at PG. It occurred to me that last year's team always liked to play from behind. Many of our wins, including the best of them, the team came from 10 or more down to pull it out. While it seems to me that TSJ and Coleman were at least partially responsible for this, I am hoping that the new personnel will make sure this trend does not continue. Whomever is the PG needs to play like their hair is on fire from the opening tip.
Illini Basketball 2023-2024
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Actually, if a talented team, and this Illini team has talent, trying to develop the chemistry to maximize that talent and compete with the very best, there is NO downside to playing FAU in MSG IMHO. Sure, if you are a lower level B1G team it may be disastrous and end your season. But with a team filled with older competitors, some with legit NBA futures, IMHO you have to play teams of the ilk you will face on the path to a NC. Competitors KNOW that to be the best you have to beat the best...and they welcome and seek that level of challenge.
You cannot schedule championships...you need to earn them and in playing the best you learn how to do just that. As far as I am concerned, scheduling easy wins is for giving the frosh some floor time and finding out what they can do early in the season. But this season is not about that, and FAU, in spite of "optics", is a FF team returning most all its players. I would be disappointed only if the Illini had the opportunity to play FAU and dodged it!!
sacraig
- The desert
You've just sort of illustrated my point. The exact line of reasoning led to them being underseeded last year and those sentiments don't just disappear. Sure the national folks and computer models will get it after FAU proved themselves last year and had minimal turnover, but the general public won't.
The game will likely be good in the computer models and with most national pundits, but I'm not convinced the court of public opinion will mirror those.
That’s 6 teams from the tournament field last season on non conference so far. Brad isn’t messing around with a veteran team.
9-2 would be a success no matter how you cut it up.
I assume this year’s FAU team will get similar treatment to Houston last year.
Houston was an underseeded 5 in 2022, when we played them in the round of 32. Despite the advanced metrics suggesting they should have been a 1or 2.
Last year they were a #1 seed, with a very similar record.
They showed who they were in the previous tournament, and everyone who follows basketball recognized.
FAU is in a very similar situation.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Hope that rumor is true!…
Hmmm…the powers that be, might be forced into having to actually do something this time around. That’s what got him canned at Cincy, if memory serves. This will be interesting…considering the other incident is so fresh.
I'm an optimist, until proven otherwise. This team just looks a lot stronger. Even if Williams can't play and Reeves doesn't transfer in we are much stronger. This team is more cohesive. This team is more experienced. You've got two guys who now know what it takes at the next level. They will both be better. It can't be underestimated what a healthy Luke Goode will mean. And, those first year guys from last year know what to expect now. Plus, they will be so much stronger this year. And, point guard is at least as good as last year. Put all that together and Illinois is much more likely to be a top three BIG team than sixth or seventh as many "experts" have them now.
This may have already been posted in here since it’s from a couple of months ago, but this film thread of DGL has me excited. Lots of skills here that are translatable to NCAA level. Love the shot creation, length and shiftiness. I do wonder about the reliance of tough floaters against larger athletes, but maybe he’s really good at ‘em.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
no Fleck vibes here, lol:
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
he's not wrong here:
Flight33: “Firing Brad will put us back in the Groce era”
Also Flight33: “I’m an optimist”
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
InDaAZ
- Eugene, Oregon
Angles, schmangles… this is visual proof that, in reality, DGL is 4’ 11.”
(Or maybe Goode has grown to 7’ 4”…)
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Yep. I agree play tough teams early.
same approach last year,....we all thought Texas win was defining for us. seemed like that game and Las Vegas over Ucla was the peak of our season... They were exciting wins,but I would rather see success in March rather than November
Chad Fleck
- Eureka, IL
“Why can’t we have both?”
I would point out that this was before BU changed the offensive scheme to a far more structured one. I have wondered if this may have been the case of exchanging a high ceiling/low floor offense for a lower ceiling/higher floor version.
Man, that pic encapsulates what it must've felt like for Hunter Dickinson to go up against KofiAngles, schmangles… this is visual proof that, in reality, DGL is 4’ 11.”
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(Or maybe Goode has grown to 7’ 4”…)
In regards to the PG situation: First, I have to state here that I don't follow recruitment very assiduously so I don't know much about the perceived talent, ability and whatever of the new members of the team but what about Niccolo Moretti? And by that I mean, wouldn't the fact that he joined the Illini last January and hence was practicing with them since then give him some advantage? Some big time experience?Seems as if in the past in the situation where a player joins the team in midseason (which admittedly probably doesn't happen often) and works out with the team it has been helpful. Has anyone any insight on Moretti's progress by joining the Illini last January? If he might be a serviceable PG? Basically, I am not arguing anything here, just what do the more enlightened (meaning everyone but me) here on IL think about this?
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