I remember not so long ago a lot of people here thought MSU are going to be real good because of their dynamic duo Guards/PG and the beloved are going to suck because of lack of true PG….so fast forward to about 10 games in,the beloved is thriving while MSU floundering at 4-5.(0-2) league play.
Illini Basketball 2023-2024
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foby
- Bonnaroo Land
Hawkins is best when playing within the offense, not being the offense. When he's 3/10 from 3, it generally means we are forcing threes and/or aren't getting to the basket. Unless he's on a heater, he should be limiting his shot selection. His presence makes our offense better even if he's not the guy putting the ball in the basket.
The computer must be broken for these statistical Performance Ratings, because they don’t square with the pertinacious message board folklore of CoHawk being a terrible shooting, matador defense playing, turnover machine…
Hawkins is a great defender, and we will 100% miss all he does on that side of the ball.
InDaAZ
- Eugene, Oregon
Your post is more balanced than many others. But…
I’ve never seen CH take on a mentality of “being the offense.” I’ve never heard Underwood say he expects CH to ‘be the offense.’
I find it interesting that the guy who goes 3/10 on threes gets the most criticism for shot selection in a game where one guy goes 0/5 and another goes 1/6. But I get it - harping on Hawkins is in vogue.
Barnes’ strategy was to give up the three-point line in favor of limiting cuts and drives. He was basically baiting Illinois to let it fly, which they certainly did to the tune of 36 tries. It was a gamble that would have failed if just two or three of those misses had fallen, in which case we’d all be toasting to a top-20 road win.
As a team, though, I’m all in favor of advocating for better shot selection.
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MSU is now projected to finish 18-13 (11-9) on torvik. They have one more Q1 opportunity against Baylor, but then won't find many Q1 opportunities in conference. If they lose to Baylor and finish the non con with zero good wins, I would guess they need to get to 20 wins to feel good about making the tourney. That means going 13-5 (already 0-2) in the B1G. I don't see that happening, MSU isn't making the tourney this year.
Buy Richard a drink and smile at him?
Some people are able to look beyond one game and instead look at overall performance.
It's simple. Hawkins isn't a very good three point shooter. Shannon and Domask are. One game doesn't change that.
Prediction. MSU limps into Izzo’s 26th consecutive NCAA tourney which breaks his own record. He breaks another record (which he also holds) by winning his 17th NCAA tournament game as the lower seed. He then retires after making his 16th trip to the sweet 16.
I think CH is a victim of unrealistic expectations. It doesn't help that he followed so close to an all-time great , AA, and unicorn. CH size, length, and versatility made a number of people think he has an NBA ceiling, and unfortunately they compare to that ceiling, rather than see how valuable a college player he is day-to-day. If you're in that camp and reading this, you're going to miss him when he's gone. He's a difference maker, but not a stat-stuffer. Great team player, extremely versatile, can make FTs, and his defense is outstanding. Offensively, he often tries to facilitate, and I think that's a good thing given the roster.
He brings a lot to the table and is awesome on defense. Just want him to be solid to good on offense and not try and be great. Also go inside and use his height to his advantage vs always being on perimeter.
There was a stretch in last year's second penn State game where I think he realized... Wait a second in 3 inches taller and more athletic than everyone on their team... Went to the hook in the lane over and over. But then he drifted back out to the perimeter and we lost the momentum.
He's still a great college player and I hope he gets in the league. I'm happy he came back and he will win us games
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
For those interested, here are the TV ratings for Saturday's packed day of college hoops games (in thousands):
1,456 for #20 Illinois at #17 Tennessee (11:00 am on CBS)
1,201 for Missouri at #2 Kansas (4:00 pm on ESPN)
1,058 for Alabama vs. #4 Purdue (12:00 pm on FOX)
898 for UCLA at Villanova (6:00 pm on FOX)
681 for #23 Wisconsin at #1 Arizona (2:00 pm on ESPN)
681 for Syracuse at Georgetown (10:30 am on FOX)
650 for Notre Dame at #8 Marquette (8:00 pm on FOX)
485 for Penn at #16 Kentucky (11:00 am on ESPN2)
438 for #7 Gonzaga at Washington (10:00 pm on ESPN2)
416 for Arkansas at Oklahoma (3:00 pm on ESPN2)
412 for Indiana vs. Auburn (1:00 pm on ESPN2)
302 for Cincinnati at Xavier (5:30 pm on FS1)
244 for Ohio State at Penn State (5:00 pm on BTN)
239 for UNC-Charlotte at #22 Duke (1:15 pm on The CW)
189 for Rutgers at Seton Hall (7:30 pm on FS1)
145 for Valparaiso at Virginia Tech (11:00 am on The CW)
129 for TCU vs. #24 Clemson (3:00 pm on FS1)
121 for Louisville at DePaul (1:30 pm on FS1)
114 for UC Irvine at San Diego State (9:30 pm on FS1)
So yeah ... would have been nice to win, but that is some great exposure for the Illini. Granted CBS is king, but it is pretty cool to draw 21% higher than Kansas/Mizzou and 38% higher than Purdue/Alabama in the same window.
1,456 for #20 Illinois at #17 Tennessee (11:00 am on CBS)
1,201 for Missouri at #2 Kansas (4:00 pm on ESPN)
1,058 for Alabama vs. #4 Purdue (12:00 pm on FOX)
898 for UCLA at Villanova (6:00 pm on FOX)
681 for #23 Wisconsin at #1 Arizona (2:00 pm on ESPN)
681 for Syracuse at Georgetown (10:30 am on FOX)
650 for Notre Dame at #8 Marquette (8:00 pm on FOX)
485 for Penn at #16 Kentucky (11:00 am on ESPN2)
438 for #7 Gonzaga at Washington (10:00 pm on ESPN2)
416 for Arkansas at Oklahoma (3:00 pm on ESPN2)
412 for Indiana vs. Auburn (1:00 pm on ESPN2)
302 for Cincinnati at Xavier (5:30 pm on FS1)
244 for Ohio State at Penn State (5:00 pm on BTN)
239 for UNC-Charlotte at #22 Duke (1:15 pm on The CW)
189 for Rutgers at Seton Hall (7:30 pm on FS1)
145 for Valparaiso at Virginia Tech (11:00 am on The CW)
129 for TCU vs. #24 Clemson (3:00 pm on FS1)
121 for Louisville at DePaul (1:30 pm on FS1)
114 for UC Irvine at San Diego State (9:30 pm on FS1)
So yeah ... would have been nice to win, but that is some great exposure for the Illini. Granted CBS is king, but it is pretty cool to draw 21% higher than Kansas/Mizzou and 38% higher than Purdue/Alabama in the same window.
The computer must be broken for these statistical Performance Ratings, because they don’t square with the pertinacious message board folklore of CoHawk being a terrible shooting, matador defense playing, turnover machine…
Ya no puedo mas..... (lol, I can't)
I heard a doctor on TV say that to have inner peace we should always finish things we start and we all could use more calm in our lives. I looked through my house to find things I'd started and hadn't finished. So I finished off a bottle of Merlot, a bottle of Chardonnay, a bodle of Wile Turnkey, a butle of wum, tha mainder of Valiumun srciptuns, an a box a chocletz. Yu haf no idr how feckin fablus I feel rite now. Sned this to all who need inner pees. An telum u luvum. And two hve a Marry Crispmouse.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
travesty that Lou isn't in the HoF
Nice piece on Domask from Jim Mattson
https://www.25newsnow.com/2023/12/13/marcus-domask-making-an-impact-illini-after-transfer-siu/
https://www.25newsnow.com/2023/12/13/marcus-domask-making-an-impact-illini-after-transfer-siu/
This just might be post of the year! Well Done!
I ask myself the same question. But if there is 10 seconds left and we need one shot to win, I want the ball in Ayo’s hands.
I saw that and was full expecting the qualifier "if you exclude uconn" but I didn't see it.
Based on the amount of times that Ayo came through in exactly that situation, at this point I would agree. HOWEVER, TSJ has not been in those situations so far this year, so we really don't have comparable data sets. I will say that TSJ has been money at the end of close games where we are ahead, as well as at the end of the half hitting dagger 3's thus far. Both seem to have ice water in their veins and killer instincts.
I had a great mid-court seat for this one -very memorable. He and TSJ both had their share of forced drives, but Ayo's determination and ability to finish was extra-special.
Yeah! That one was ridiculous!
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