Illini Basketball 2023-2024

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#76      

Ga65

G
Ga65
Illiniguy13 said:
Ya know, to be nitpicky, the Oakland game was stinky. However…it doesn’t even feel like the same team anymore. That game was only 5 weeks ago, too! The ascension has been awesome. Man, if this team even just marginally improves over the next 2 months, it’s going to be a special tournament.
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Where do expect the improvement to come? From a players standpoint TJ and QG are great right now. Could see some improvement in Hawks offense. Expect Ty to continue to improve at point. Marcus consistently making shots should be expected but not at level of FAU game. Luke goody now and Amani will progress with experience. Do not expect to see many new sets on offense but defensive cohesion should/can improve with teammate familiarity.
Undoubtedly we will see some bad game losses but the only game where I don’t see us with an advantage is Purdue. Need a good game plan for that one. Cold shooting night against a good team may result in some losses but can afford a player going cold, just not three.
 
#77      

DJM

D
DJM
I know BU's sideline demeanor has been mentioned before my question is the impact or effect on this team. Was it a conscious effort in general maybe acknowledging the Huggins/Martin approach only would work on a select and at very specific instances as opposed to the majority of the time?
Decide based upon the Team/players you have during a season?
Is this the new BU?
I believe it's a permanent change after some off season reflection on his part. No basis for this since I've not heard him asked about it or him comment on it.
Has anyone?
 
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#78      

RabidDawgClassic

RabidDawgClassic
RabidDawgClassic
DJM said:
I know BU's sideline demeanor has been mentioned before my question is the impact or effect on this team. Was it a conscious effort in general maybe acknowledging the Huggins/Martin approach only would work on a select and at very specific instances as opposed to the majority of the time?
Decide based upon the Team/players you have during a season?
Is this the new BU?
I believe it's a permanent change after some off season reflection on his part. No basis for this since I've not heard him asked about it or him comment on it.
Has anyone?
Click to expand...

I think it may just be that there are fewer knuckleheads (his word, not mine) that are pi$$ing him off.
 
#79      

illini0440

illini0440
illini0440
DJM said:
I know BU's sideline demeanor has been mentioned before my question is the impact or effect on this team. Was it a conscious effort in general maybe acknowledging the Huggins/Martin approach only would work on a select and at very specific instances as opposed to the majority of the time?
Decide based upon the Team/players you have during a season?
Is this the new BU?
I believe it's a permanent change after some off season reflection on his part. No basis for this since I've not heard him asked about it or him comment on it.
Has anyone?
Click to expand...
He was calmer when Ayo and Trent were here. When things are run how you want them to be run and guys play hard there isn’t as much frustration and it’s a lot easier to stay calm. He’s still fiery and gets in guys it’s just a lot less frequent because we’re playing the way he wants to play. You should still see him in practice though.
 
#80      

drsmitty74

drsmitty74
Rochester
drsmitty74
DJM said:
I know BU's sideline demeanor has been mentioned before my question is the impact or effect on this team. Was it a conscious effort in general maybe acknowledging the Huggins/Martin approach only would work on a select and at very specific instances as opposed to the majority of the time?
Decide based upon the Team/players you have during a season?
Is this the new BU?
I believe it's a permanent change after some off season reflection on his part. No basis for this since I've not heard him asked about it or him comment on it.
Has anyone?
Click to expand...
When the culture is where he wants it, and has leaders doing their job on the court, then he doesn't need to go all Huggy/Marty on anyone. It's more a of a sit back and watch the game plan be executed, and chew rear when a rear needs chewed.

Replied before reading 0440's comment. I agree with him 100%
 
#81      

Illinifrank67

Illinifrank67
Illinifrank67
DJM said:
I know BU's sideline demeanor has been mentioned before my question is the impact or effect on this team. Was it a conscious effort in general maybe acknowledging the Huggins/Martin approach only would work on a select and at very specific instances as opposed to the majority of the time?
Decide based upon the Team/players you have during a season?
Is this the new BU?
I believe it's a permanent change after some off season reflection on his part. No basis for this since I've not heard him asked about it or him comment on it.
Has anyone?
Click to expand...
I suspect this group frustrates him far less than past teams.
 
#82      

john1952

john1952
john1952
SkyysNotFalling said:
Is it crazy to think that road games at Purdue & MSU are really the only games I don’t think we can/should win? OSU & Wisconsin are both good but quite frankly, they ain’t us. If we can pick off MSU or Purdue on the road, a B1G title is ours to lose with Purdue already dropping one to Northwestern….

The likelihood of us going something like 19-1 or 18-2 in conference probably isn’t going to happen… but we should be favored in, 17, 18 of our remaining games?
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Agreed, pretty unlikely anyone is going 19-1 or 18-2

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#83      

LoveIlliniHoops

L
LoveIlliniHoops
How’s everyone feeling about the top ten highest paid coach now? We had a good number of posters ready to move on from BU and his lack of a Sweet Sixteen appearance. This is what you expect from a well paid coach. Win games, make a statement in the Big Ten, make the NCAA tournament and take your chances in a single elimination tournament. Obviously we need some better luck in our draws and arrive healthier to make that run to the second weekend.

Brad has assembled a much better team than most of us saw in the off season. We have to trust BU and his amazing assistant coaching squad, and support him with his game adjustments and schemes.

I’ve seen enough, in these seven plus years, to see we have a coach that deserves our full support.
 
#84      

alaskaillini

A
alaskaillini
LoveIlliniHoops said:
How’s everyone feeling about the top ten highest paid coach now? We had a good number of posters ready to move on from BU and his lack of a Sweet Sixteen appearance. This is what you expect from a well paid coach. Win games, make a statement in the Big Ten, make the NCAA tournament and take your chances in a single elimination tournament. Obviously we need some better luck in our draws and arrive healthier to make that run to the second weekend.

Brad has assembled a much better team than most of us saw in the off season. We have to trust BU and his amazing assistant coaching squad, and support him with his game adjustments and schemes.

I’ve seen enough, in these seven plus years, to see we have a coach that deserves our full support.
Click to expand...
Agree that arriving healthier is a key factor. I think BU has pushed his guys and got a lot from them during the regular season, which I think can contribute to issues like we had year before last when Frazier was sick and had a hurt shoulder and Grandison was also out against Houston. The B1G is a meatgrinder top to bottom that other P5 teams don't have to face, then we play the latest possible conference tourney before the NCAAs. It would seem to take a remarkably deep, talented, and resilient team to win the B1G, the conf. tourney and make a Final Four. Not sure it would be in BU's nature to keep a little extra gas in the tank during the regular season.
 
#86      

Battle89

Battle89
Battle89
DJM said:
I know BU's sideline demeanor has been mentioned before my question is the impact or effect on this team. Was it a conscious effort in general maybe acknowledging the Huggins/Martin approach only would work on a select and at very specific instances as opposed to the majority of the time?
Decide based upon the Team/players you have during a season?
Is this the new BU?
I believe it's a permanent change after some off season reflection on his part. No basis for this since I've not heard him asked about it or him comment on it.
Has anyone?
Click to expand...
In my opinion his demeanor has not changed, what has changed is the inputs into it causing extreme anger last year and more contented satisfaction this year.

If half the stories about last year are true then I’m surprised reactions were not even worse.

Brad is Brad, just like many of us he has good days and bad days. This year is much better!
 
#87      

jamarvelous31

jamarvelous31
jamarvelous31
LoveIlliniHoops said:
How’s everyone feeling about the top ten highest paid coach now? We had a good number of posters ready to move on from BU and his lack of a Sweet Sixteen appearance. This is what you expect from a well paid coach. Win games, make a statement in the Big Ten, make the NCAA tournament and take your chances in a single elimination tournament. Obviously we need some better luck in our draws and arrive healthier to make that run to the second weekend.

Brad has assembled a much better team than most of us saw in the off season. We have to trust BU and his amazing assistant coaching squad, and support him with his game adjustments and schemes.

I’ve seen enough, in these seven plus years, to see we have a coach that deserves our full support.
Click to expand...
You're oversimplifying. Most fans don't care how much he makes. People (myself one of them) said Brad grabbing & screaming in a teenager's face was bad, him looking at other jobs every offseason was bad and that a lot of the basketball last year was...bad.

What has changed with any of those statements? This team is night & day different than last year's, Brad is calmer because of it, and the team is absolutely worth the watch. Hopefully he earns a massive raise and we're cutting down multiple nets at the end of the year.
 
#88      

illini0440

illini0440
illini0440
jamarvelous31 said:
You're oversimplifying. Most fans don't care how much he makes. People (myself one of them) said Brad grabbing & screaming in a teenager's face was bad, him looking at other jobs every offseason was bad and that a lot of the basketball last year was...bad.

What has changed with any of those statements? This team is night & day different than last year's, Brad is calmer because of it, and the team is absolutely worth the watch. Hopefully he earns a massive raise and we're cutting down multiple nets at the end of the year.
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What happens when Brad screams at a player this year? Is it okay cause we’re winning more?
 
#90      

Old Farm Illini

O
Old Farm Illini
illini0440 said:
What happens when Brad screams at a player this year? Is it okay cause we’re winning more?
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I’m torn on this. Ultimately the players know what they sign up for or at least they should. If a player can’t handle that type of coaching, then there was likely a misstep in the recruitment process. That being said, hindsight is 20/20 and you never know how an adolescent is going to respond to the pressures of a high major program. Either way, it’s just not the best look to the casual fan when he’s going off that much on them. Winning trumps almost everything though.
 
#91      

Yes33

Y
Yes33
alaskaillini said:
Agree that arriving healthier is a key factor. I think BU has pushed his guys and got a lot from them during the regular season, which I think can contribute to issues like we had year before last when Frazier was sick and had a hurt shoulder and Grandison was also out against Houston. The B1G is a meatgrinder top to bottom that other P5 teams don't have to face, then we play the latest possible conference tourney before the NCAAs. It would seem to take a remarkably deep, talented, and resilient team to win the B1G, the conf. tourney and make a Final Four. Not sure it would be in BU's nature to keep a little extra gas in the tank during the regular season.
Click to expand...

I’ve been a pretty big Brad critic lately, however, if we can maintain last games ball movement, defensive intensity, and teamwork I will give Brad all of the credit. If we get back to hero ball and ole defense, that will fall on him also.

Mizzou may have been the best team effort of Brad’s tenure. It’s only one game, can he maintain that is the question.
 
#92      

NarrowJ

NarrowJ
NarrowJ
jamarvelous31 said:
I didn't just say scream, Epps & the NW game was losing control. I don't know what is confusing about "bad", do you think it was good?
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I had coaches grabbing me and screaming in my face in 5th grade. Intense motivation is just a part of sports. Where were all of the articles about Brad "losing control"? It was a complete and total non-issue to everyone except a couple of people on Twitter (or here) where his own players jumped in with Tweets of their own to defend him.
 
#96      

Kenny67

Kenny67
Kenny67
Yes33 said:
I’ve been a pretty big Brad critic lately, however, if we can maintain last games ball movement, defensive intensity, and teamwork I will give Brad all of the credit. If we get back to hero ball and ole defense, that will fall on him also.

Mizzou may have been the best team effort of Brad’s tenure. It’s only one game, can he maintain that is the question.
Click to expand...
Bro Yes ...

And the Illini trounced FAU on national TV in MSG ... and this game was nothing?
 
#100      

chiefini

chiefini
Rockford, Illinois
chiefini
Battle89 said:
In my opinion his demeanor has not changed, what has changed is the inputs into it causing extreme anger last year and more contented satisfaction this year.

If half the stories about last year are true then I’m surprised reactions were not even worse.

Brad is Brad, just like many of us he has good days and bad days. This year is much better!
Click to expand...
When my husband and I were leaving the radio show last October, we walked out with the guest, Coach Underwood. We chatted for a few minutes, and I mentioned that he looked like he was enjoying himself more this season than last. He told the two of us that last year was the worst season he had suffered through in his coaching career due to parents, players’ coaches/influencers, and players’ personalities… Just sayin’.
 
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