I post this only as data - Rick Barnes has been to the Sweet-16 8 times in his 36 years as a HC. (1 Final Four and 2 other Elite Eights)
Illini Basketball 2023-2024
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I post this only as data - Rick Barnes has been to the Sweet-16 8 times in his 36 years as a HC. (1 Final Four and 2 other Elite Eights)
Die dove si fratello?
I think Mayer was a problem at times, but he seemed to mean well. Overall, we were a better team with him than without him.
I had the impression there might have been excessive parental involvement with several players.
Self has also flamed out early on several occasions, same with the other two. I know Self has lost a first round game or two as a top 4 seed. It happens. You give BU 45 +/- chances like Coach K (with a team full of top 10 recruits) and BU probably also gets there a bunch of times. BU has had 3 chances in a sudden death tourney and only 1 was an upset. The thing the coaches you list all have in common is that they have had a ton of chances - and I am guessing the majority of those chances were with a top 4 seeded teams where they were favored to make the second weekend (IIRC I think Self has had a top 4 seed in like 18 or 19 of the last 20 tourneys). Yes, it is nice to make the second weekend, but it is a little early to tag BU with the "can't win in March" moniker. He is 3-3 at Illinois BTW, which means he hasn't totally screwed the pooch. Not sure what our fan base would look like if BU had Painters last three tourney appearances - losing to bottom of the bracket teams all three years. That is what "can't win in March" looks like.
Going to the tourney every year, a top 4 seed and a second weekend every couple of years, and a final four every 5 years, is what our fans seem to expect, but it is also the definition of a blue blood, one which most blue bloods can't even meet. Kansas is about the only one that comes close, and may even meet it. Kentucky doesn't. I don't think Duke does. UNC doesn't. No UCLA, Villanova, UConn or Indiana or other blue blood wannabees are remotely close. Just keep getting to the tourney and let the chips fall where they may. Look at the tourney this year for example - a lot of early exits for good teams. The great thing about the tourney is that any team can win on any given day - the bad thing is that often it is not your team.
And those guys have High School all Americans aplenty and we have none. People set expectations on crazy dreamed up potentials. Last yr Brad made something out of nothing with a good recruiting and transfer class in the pre-season. Unfortunately with personality issues it went south and we finished the yr underperforming. 2 yrs ago Trent was playing hurt and couldn’t get it done in the post season. Same thing with Ayo 3 seasons ago. If you don’t think that broken nose didn’t affect him then I don’t know what to tell you. Brad has had some bad luck in the post season that has kept him from moving on. Most prognosticators have this team contending in the Big Ten again even with missing on RayJ. Again with a pretty healthy roster rebuild. I think we will contend towards the top. Will Be more competitive and have more cohesiveness this yr. If we get a serviceable pg thru Williams or another option I think we will be great. Hopefully then Brad can put this ridiculous talk about firing him behind us.
He was goofy but a good dude, just not the alpha we thought. Some teams need a Rodman character, some implode. Team chemistry is nuts.
Does undefeated in the B1G qualify as taking the over?
I clearly didn't understand the question, but that's ok.
I clearly didn't understand the question, but that's ok.
We got pretty much exactly what we should have expected from Mayer. His stats were almost identical to his stats his Sr year at Baylor:
40.9% vs 40.7% FG, 32.4% vs 33.0% 3pt, 70.0% vs 74.1% FT, 5.0 vs 5.3 rpg, 1.0 vs 1.1 apg, scored more points because he got a few more minutes and took more shots. He was very slightly better at Illinois, but he was basically the same guy.
Not sure exactly what people were expecting. He was the #4 scorer at Baylor. He wasn't the guy with the ball in his hand or the go to scorer. He was a nice piece to a guard loaded team. For us, he was a nice piece on a team that really didn't have an offensive identity.
Bigtex
- DFW
At one time Barnes was the most Underachieving ncaa coach. Slightly ahead of Henson.
Illini in Indiana
- Indiana
NIL and the transfer portal makes things interesting, and rewards these young men for their hard work and talents. I do miss seeing a kid develop over 4 years though (Trent Frazier).
With that say our Illini are in good shape again under BU. Heck we can have these 5 (IMO best) -Shannon, Hawkins, Rodgers, Dainja, & Goode on the floor, and have the spark Harris ready to step in. These are all high character kids.
The Transfer Portal (TP) kids are all question marks in my mind. Jumping schools for $$ is understandable, but it has to make it tough to make a team cohesive,
With that say our Illini are in good shape again under BU. Heck we can have these 5 (IMO best) -Shannon, Hawkins, Rodgers, Dainja, & Goode on the floor, and have the spark Harris ready to step in. These are all high character kids.
The Transfer Portal (TP) kids are all question marks in my mind. Jumping schools for $$ is understandable, but it has to make it tough to make a team cohesive,
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
Is this like the return of the Illinois classic or whatever we used to call it?
Homecoming 2019
- Chicago
Trotter really speaking my language here, appreciate the link.
Bigtex
- DFW
I like many have not said one negative word about Williams. My concern (could say our) is he going to be healthy and eligible.
When Williams first announced most of the commentary was that he would be a backup PG but the commentary changed to starting PG once it looked like no other better PG options
I’ve got the same concerns re: health and eligibility, but if those problems blow over, I have no real issue with him as our starting PG.
Would give us some absolutely monstrous defensive lineups — can you imagine trying to score on this?
6-4 JWill
6-6 TJ
6-6 Ty
6-8 Guerrier
6-10 Coleman
Also, his playmaking slots in nicely next to our more score-first guys.
Other than the FT shooting, he would be a good fit. That’s if he’s healthy, which seems a big if right now.
Joel Goodson
- ties will be resolved
I would like an all Illinois tournament one year with Illinois, Northwestern, Bradley, DePaul etc
sacraig
- The desert
Whitmans Sampler
- Eastern Iowa
Haven’t seen this posted yet. We love a confident Luke Goode. Looking forward to a full season with the sniper.
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
Minutes Per Game Allocation (Paraphrasing Isaac Trotter's Prognostication):
32 - TSJ (one of our two NBA level talents)
32 - ColeHawk (the second of our two NBA level talents)
50 - Goode/Harmon/Domask (shooters)
50 - Dainja/Guerrier/Rodgers (Rim protection and in-the-paint guys)
36 - Williams/Harris (PG)
---
200
One big consideration is avoiding situations where too many of our weak shooters (Williams, Harris, Rodgers, and to some extent Hawkins) are on the court together for extended periods of time.
32 - TSJ (one of our two NBA level talents)
32 - ColeHawk (the second of our two NBA level talents)
50 - Goode/Harmon/Domask (shooters)
50 - Dainja/Guerrier/Rodgers (Rim protection and in-the-paint guys)
36 - Williams/Harris (PG)
---
200
One big consideration is avoiding situations where too many of our weak shooters (Williams, Harris, Rodgers, and to some extent Hawkins) are on the court together for extended periods of time.
i would love to see Goode develop a big ten all-around game with his size.
Develop a post game, mid range game along with the high percentage
3 pointer. might need to be 220-230 lb.? asking too much? is what im
describing an NBA player?
Develop a post game, mid range game along with the high percentage
3 pointer. might need to be 220-230 lb.? asking too much? is what im
describing an NBA player?
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