Illini Basketball 2023-2024

DeonThomas · Nov 25, 2023

A couple of observations after 6 games:

* 5 cupcake wins and a home loss (albeit a pretty good loss) to Marquette. Let's talk again at the end of December.
* 57% Free Throw percentage. Would likely set an all-time worst Illini record if this continues. Will also cost us 4-5 games this season.
* TSJ and Goode have shot exactly 1/2 of our 3 pt shots through six games:
- TSJ/Luke --- 35/78 for 45%
- All Others -- 14/78 for 18% (Guerrier 5%; ColeHawk 14%; DGL 18%..............they're collectively 5 for 41)

We're not an elite shooting team.

Guest · Nov 25, 2023

DeonThomas said:
A couple of observations after 6 games:

* 5 cupcake wins and a home loss (albeit a pretty good loss) to Marquette. Let's talk again at the end of December.
* 57% Free Throw percentage. Would likely set an all-time worst Illini record if this continues. Will also cost us 4-5 games this season.
* TSJ and Goode have shot exactly 1/2 of our 3 pt shots through six games:
- TSJ/Luke --- 35/78 for 45%
- All Others -- 14/78 for 18% (Guerrier 5%; ColeHawk 14%; DGL 18%..............they're collectively 5 for 41)

We're not an elite shooting team.

I would just like to add that perhaps Guerrier should be removed from the stats line for now as he has been hampered by a wrist injury and his 3-point shooting percentage is not indicative of his usual ability. Even BU has stated that he expects his three-point shooting to improve once that wrist is healed. When his wrist is healed then see. Although granted, his expected improvement may not make the overall team percentage jump but it should help (hopefully).

Joel Goodson · Nov 25, 2023

DeonThomas said:
A couple of observations after 6 games:

* 5 cupcake wins and a home loss (albeit a pretty good loss) to Marquette. Let's talk again at the end of December.
* 57% Free Throw percentage. Would likely set an all-time worst Illini record if this continues. Will also cost us 4-5 games this season.
* TSJ and Goode have shot exactly 1/2 of our 3 pt shots through six games:
- TSJ/Luke --- 35/78 for 45%
- All Others -- 14/78 for 18% (Guerrier 5%; ColeHawk 14%; DGL 18%..............they're collectively 5 for 41)

We're not an elite shooting team.

who said we were an "elite shooting team?"

DeonThomas · Nov 25, 2023

Joel Goodson said:
who said we were an "elite shooting team?"

Seems a safe bet that BU mentioned it 80-90 times preseason with the additions of Guerrier (35% last year from 3-pt), Domask (35% last year from 3-pt) and Harmon (34% last year from 3-pt).

I do expect their shooting to improve btw........

NarrowJ · Nov 25, 2023

DeonThomas said:
Seems a safe bet that BU mentioned it 80-90 times preseason with the additions of Guerrier (35% last year from 3-pt), Domask (35% last year from 3-pt) and Harmon (34% last year from 3-pt).

I do expect their shooting to improve btw........

Send me a link to one time he said we were an elite shooting team.

No need for 80-90 instances of him saying it, as you claim, just one. I'm making your homework easy by leaving out the other 89 times he said it. Just show me one.

Ga65 · Nov 25, 2023

DeonThomas said:
A couple of observations after 6 games:

* 5 cupcake wins and a home loss (albeit a pretty good loss) to Marquette. Let's talk again at the end of December.
* 57% Free Throw percentage. Would likely set an all-time worst Illini record if this continues. Will also cost us 4-5 games this season.
* TSJ and Goode have shot exactly 1/2 of our 3 pt shots through six games:
- TSJ/Luke --- 35/78 for 45%
- All Others -- 14/78 for 18% (Guerrier 5%; ColeHawk 14%; DGL 18%..............they're collectively 5 for 41)

We're not an elite shooting team.

Good part is the guys that can make them are taking them.

jacekpardol · Nov 25, 2023

NarrowJ said:
Send me a link to one time he said we were an elite shooting team.

No need for 80-90 instances of him saying it, as you claim, just one. I'm making your homework easy by leaving out the other 89 times he said it. Just show me one.

“Then, we set out to attempt to become a better shooting team. We didn’t shoot the basketball very well last year from the three. That’s one of the things that we’ve addressed.”

Daily Illini circa 11/23/23

Q&A | Brad Underwood reflects on rejuvenating program, talks ins, outs of 2023-24 - The Daily Illini

Illinois men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood sat down with The Daily Illini on Monday to discuss the past, present and future of the program. Since joining the Illini in 2017, Underwood has led the program to the 2021 Big Ten tournament title, the 2022 Big Ten title and three straight...

dailyillini.com

Joel Goodson · Nov 25, 2023

Ga65 said:
Good part is the guys that can make them are taking them.

yeah, not sure if I'd say that last season's squad couldn't make them, but a good (as in bad) chunk of 3s were ill advised. this season's team has a much better idea of what constitutes of good shot. boils down to decision making: our execution isn't great, but our decision making is much better (low bar and a lot of room for improvement)

NarrowJ · Nov 25, 2023

jacekpardol said:
“Then, we set out to attempt to become a better shooting team. We didn’t shoot the basketball very well last year from the three. That’s one of the things that we’ve addressed.”

Daily Illini circa 11/23/23

Q&A | Brad Underwood reflects on rejuvenating program, talks ins, outs of 2023-24 - The Daily Illini

Illinois men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood sat down with The Daily Illini on Monday to discuss the past, present and future of the program. Since joining the Illini in 2017, Underwood has led the program to the 2021 Big Ten tournament title, the 2022 Big Ten title and three straight...

dailyillini.com

Cool, where did he say we were an elite shooting team?

NCIllini10 · Nov 25, 2023

DeonThomas said:
A couple of observations after 6 games:

* 5 cupcake wins and a home loss (albeit a pretty good loss) to Marquette. Let's talk again at the end of December.
* 57% Free Throw percentage. Would likely set an all-time worst Illini record if this continues. Will also cost us 4-5 games this season.
* TSJ and Goode have shot exactly 1/2 of our 3 pt shots through six games:
- TSJ/Luke --- 35/78 for 45%
- All Others -- 14/78 for 18% (Guerrier 5%; ColeHawk 14%; DGL 18%..............they're collectively 5 for 41)

We're not an elite shooting team.

Reactions to your observations:

True
True
True

BUT, we do have some guys on the team who can and should be better at shooting, so I would amend your statement to We're not an elite shooting team, at this point. I think ColeHawk will shoot in the mid 30's %, Guerrier should be better when and if his wrists get better (He has historically been a much better 3 point shooter), Domask will shoot at higher percentage as well - (this is an outlier), DGL apparrently torches the nets in practice (remains to be seen if it will translate to games), Harmon is also historically a much better shooter than he has shown so far.

I am much more concerned about our free throw shooting! I don't understand why or how this has been as bad as it has been?!?! But, there is hope......Dain hit 2/2!

NCIllini10 · Nov 25, 2023

NarrowJ said:
Cool, where did he say we were an elite shooting team?

chrisRunner7 · Nov 25, 2023

Guest said:
I would just like to add that perhaps Guerrier should be removed from the stats line for now as he has been hampered by a wrist injury and his 3-point shooting percentage is not indicative of his usual ability. Even BU has stated that he expects his three-point shooting to improve once that wrist is healed. When his wrist is healed then see. Although granted, his expected improvement may not make the overall team percentage jump but it should help (hopefully).

I agree with you on that, but I think Guerrier should take a page from Ty and just stop shooting 3's at this point. He's 1 for 18. And when his wrist is actually healed, he can go back to shooting them...

NCIllini10 · Nov 25, 2023

chrisRunner7 said:
I agree with you on that, but I think Guerrier should take a page from Ty and just stop shooting 3's at this point. He's 1 for 18. And when his wrist is actually healed, he can go back to shooting them...

Agree that he should limit his takes. However, he needs to take wide open looks when he has them. Otherwise, teams will stop trying to close out on him! The threat of him taking and hitting the open 3 has led to several dunks because he was able to blow by the closing out defender.

ChiTown · Nov 25, 2023

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1728443912820273319

pvaughn8 · Nov 25, 2023

NarrowJ said:
Cool, where did he say we were an elite shooting team?

Show me a quote where he says we aren't an elite shooting team

NarrowJ · Nov 25, 2023

pvaughn8 said:
Show me a quote where he says we aren't an elite shooting team

Pick any Underwood quote ever. Doesn't have to be in the last year. Can be any quote ever. Anything the guy has ever said, anytime, ever. He said this morning to his wife "boy, this is a nice cup of coffee"

Yup, nothing in there about being an elite shooting team (or not being one, pick one and run with it, I don't care

)

pvaughn8 · Nov 25, 2023

NarrowJ said:
Pick any Underwood quote ever. Doesn't have to be in the last year. Can be any quote ever. Anything the guy has ever said, anytime, ever. He said this morning to his wife "boy, this is a nice cup of coffee"

Yup, nothing in there about being an elite shooting team (or not being one, pick one and run with it, I don't care )

What is your source for this coffee quote?

Tacomallini · Nov 25, 2023

NarrowJ said:
Cool, where did he say we were an elite shooting team?

jacekpardol said:
“ThEn, we set out to attempt to become a better shooting team. We didn’t shoot the basketbaLl very well last year from the three. That’s one of the thIngs thaT we’vE addressed.”

blackdog · Nov 25, 2023

chrisRunner7 said:
I agree with you on that, but I think Guerrier should take a page from Ty and just stop shooting 3's at this point. He's 1 for 18. And when his wrist is actually healed, he can go back to shooting them...

Last game he was definitely passing up some shots he would have taken the first couple games and looked like he was trying to get in the lane more.

BretMyBeachHouse · Nov 25, 2023

aaeismacgychel said:
As it's before the midway point of the season and he's played in under 9 games, it is possible, though it would need to be considered season ending. At least that's my understanding of the medical redshirt.

I believe he has to apply for the sixth year and get a waiver. Pretty much always happens. Might have changed but that used to be.

lstewart53x3 · Nov 26, 2023

I know some didn’t like us scheduling so many 300+ teams this year, but Im not mad it.

If you read the official documentation from the selection committee, a few things become clear:

- Your own NET rating is not used to seed you, instead it’s used to determine the quality of your wins and losses.

So beating a 300+ team by 15 instead of 30 and dropping a spot in NET doesn’t hurt your seed, as your own NET rating is not used.

- Quadrant 1 & 2 wins are looked at heavily. A Q1 win helps you more than a Q1 loss hurts you.

- The inverse is true of Q3 and Q4. Wins in these quadrants mean very little and losses hurt you very badly, especially Q4 losses.

Based on the above, a few things stand out about our schedule this year:

1: We have a lot of opportunity for Q1 and Q2 wins (20+ total games).

2: We have very little opportunity for Q3 and Q4 losses remaining.

3: We wisely scheduled Q4 games against 300+ opponents. Q4 games at home are NET ratings of 161 and above. A team ranked 161 is infinitely more difficult to beat than a team ranked 300+ and a win against each of those teams mean the same thing to committee: absolutely nothing, whereas a loss kills you.

4: If Indiana can play decent ball this year, we’ll have just one B1G game that will be Q3 that we absolutely need to win:

Home against Minnesota.

And no B1G Q4 games (as of now).

Every other B1G is currently on pace for a Q1 or Q2 game.

(Also, I’m cross referencing the schedule vs KenPom ratings at midnight, feel free to correct me if I miss any)

*Also, I am using KenPom for the ratings, the selection committee will be using NET, which has a slightly different algorithm, so final season ratings may vary.

EyeoftheIllini · Nov 26, 2023

Joel Goodson said:
yeah, not sure if I'd say that last season's squad couldn't make them

True, but I’d emphatically say they couldn’t make more than 31.5%.

Dan · Nov 27, 2023

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1729199040519086444

Fighter of the Nightman · Nov 27, 2023

Dan said:
https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1729199040519086444

I cannot go this year, so forgive me if this is just pointless off-topic posting, but ... am I reading this correctly that tickets are on sale on November 27th and the "last day to buy" is November 29th?!

I am sure that has to be some special deal to buy through the DIA? Because we bought ours two years ago in mid-December on the Enterprise Center's website.

ILLINIFAN2 · Nov 27, 2023

Taking the fam with me this year, it's been a few years since I last went. I see upper deck tix are $70, anyone remember what the lower section tix go for approximately?

Illini Basketball 2023-2024

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