Illini Basketball 2023-2024

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#151      
21ChampaignSt
BretMyBeachHouse said:
I love the optimism, but I think we're going to find out how special Shannon is and how is extraordinary ability and drive is what makes this odd amalgamation of talent work.
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I think we still have enough good pieces to be competitive most nights. I don't expect it to be pretty though.

I can't remember, does the committee take player absences into account (injuries, suspensions, etc.) when they seed and select teams?

A top 3 seed in non-con + a bubble team in conference would seem to average out to like a 9 seed.
 
#152      
illiniguy24
21ChampaignSt said:
I think we still have enough good pieces to be competitive most nights. I don't expect it to be pretty though.

I can't remember, does the committee take player absences into account (injuries, suspensions, etc.) when they seed and select teams?

A top 3 seed in non-con + a bubble team in conference would seem to average out to like a 9 seed.
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There is enough of the season left for the committee to form their own opinion on the current roster. But I think the CFP committee and their FSU decision opened the door for the basketball committee to do whatever the hell they feel like
 
#153      
BWA
The reality is that without TSJ, we are likely a middle tier B10 team and will likely be a bubble team by the end of conference play.
 
#154      
Tacomallini
From the Illini Inquirer podcast with Isaac Trotter, released yesterday morning before all the TSJ news broke. "...so far this year it's kinda nice to finish Braggin' Rights and not have to do a huge schematic adjustment, right, you don't have to change everything about what you do..."
What a difference a day makes. 😭
 
#155      
illini0440
Tacomallini said:
From the Illini Inquirer podcast with Isaac Trotter, released yesterday morning before all the TSJ news broke. "...so far this year it's kinda nice to finish Braggin' Rights and not have to do a huge schematic adjustment, right, you don't have to change everything about what you do..."
What a difference a day makes. 😭
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They won’t change stuff schematically. They didn’t run much stuff for TJ….he just gets his naturally. The stuff they run is for Marcus, Quincy and Coleman. I’d assume they will now run more actions for Luke to get good looks.
 
#156      
21ChampaignSt
illini0440 said:
They won’t change stuff schematically. They didn’t run much stuff for TJ….he just gets his naturally. The stuff they run is for Marcus, Quincy and Coleman. I’d assume they will now run more actions for Luke to get good looks.
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You know more than me. But I would assume we'd have to make some kind of adjustment to get more shots at the rim, no? Like you said, TSJ could go get his. How are we going to manufacture those high percentage shots now? I would think we will slow it down a little bit and incorporate more traditional post entries.
 
#157      
illini0440
21ChampaignSt said:
You know more than me. But I would assume we'd have to make some kind of adjustment to get more shots at the rim, no? Like you said, TSJ could go get his. How are we going to manufacture those high percentage shots now? I would think we will slow it down a little bit and incorporate more traditional post entries.
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You’ll see more Marcus booty ball, Quincy getting to the rim more. Think you’ll see more post touches with Dain and even Coleman.
 
#158      
Chad Fleck
I'd like to see Coleman drive the ball and shoot/float more shots. My impression from his past is that he's quite good at that. I'm not sure why he doesnt do it more.
 
#159      
RockfordIllini
So, just to recap the last few years:

2020 - team is rolling and looks to be a tough out, tournament cancelled due to Covid.

2021- team is rolling. Izzo sends in a goon to break Ayo’s nose. We earn a one seed but Ayo isn’t the same after coming back and we get upset by a criminally underseeded Loyola team.

2022- We look to have an unstoppable PnR combination with Kofi and Belo (easy to forget Belo was on several preseason AA lists), but a concussion in the first game sidelines Belo for most of the year and he disintegrates as a player and a person. We get “upset” by a criminally underseeded (and let’s face it, better) Houston team.

2023 -A couple of amazing non con wins, but devolves into a complete s*** show with Skyy leaving mid year, Underwood and Epps getting sideways, and the “monster incident.”

2024- team is rolling. Our AA who is pretty much unstoppable is charged with rape and suspended.

Been a rough few years luck-wise.
 
#160      
BWBW
RockfordIllini said:
So, just to recap the last few years:

2020 - team is rolling and looks to be a tough out, tournament cancelled due to Covid.

2021- team is rolling. Izzo sends in a goon to break Ayo’s nose. We earn a one seed but Ayo isn’t the same after coming back and we get upset by a criminally underseeded Loyola team.

2022- We look to have an unstoppable PnR combination with Kofi and Belo (easy to forget Belo was on several preseason AA lists), but a concussion in the first game sidelines Belo for most of the year and he disintegrates as a player and a person. We get “upset” by a criminally underseeded (and let’s face it, better) Houston team.

2023 -A couple of amazing non con wins, but devolves into a complete s*** show with Skyy leaving mid year, Underwood and Epps getting sideways, and the “monster incident.”

2024- team is rolling. Our AA who is pretty much unstoppable is charged with rape and suspended.

Been a rough few years luck-wise.
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I would like this post except I don't like this.
 
#161      
IlliniShelt
It's gut check time going forward for our guys. We should have no shortage of leadership based on the vets we have on this team. We'll see if they can come together through some adversity and uncertainty or if they come apart. If we have guys who can come together then we can still have a successful season, but if we have the leadership and fortitude of last year's team then we will have last year's results.
 
#162      
Doc I
Is there any news on Moretti coming back?
 
#163      
GrayGhost77
RockfordIllini said:
So, just to recap the last few years:

2020 - team is rolling and looks to be a tough out, tournament cancelled due to Covid.

2021- team is rolling. Izzo sends in a goon to break Ayo’s nose. We earn a one seed but Ayo isn’t the same after coming back and we get upset by a criminally underseeded Loyola team.

2022- We look to have an unstoppable PnR combination with Kofi and Belo (easy to forget Belo was on several preseason AA lists), but a concussion in the first game sidelines Belo for most of the year and he disintegrates as a player and a person. We get “upset” by a criminally underseeded (and let’s face it, better) Houston team.

2023 -A couple of amazing non con wins, but devolves into a complete s*** show with Skyy leaving mid year, Underwood and Epps getting sideways, and the “monster incident.”

2024- team is rolling. Our AA who is pretty much unstoppable is charged with rape and suspended.

Been a rough few decades luck-wise.
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FIFY
 
#164      
LvilleILL
A couple of things. Still not sure if Shannon will be back at any point, time will tell...moving on from that for now.

#1-This team can still be really good. Not saying final 4, but there is still enough there to get to a sweet 16
#2-They key to unlocking the potential of this team is to get one of Nico or DGL going. This is huge
#3-I would not be shocked to see Sencire back soon

Everyone, including myself, is really frustrated. Remind yourself that this team still can be really good and has a ton of talent. Will roll with these guys all day long.

Let's get on a role and shock the world. Shannon's situation will take care of itself. If he ends up coming back great. If not, I really do believe we can still be good
 
#165      
drsmitty74
LvilleILL said:
A couple of things. Still not sure if Shannon will be back at any point, time will tell...moving on from that for now.

#1-This team can still be really good. Not saying final 4, but there is still enough there to get to a sweet 16
#2-They key to unlocking the potential of this team is to get one of Nico or DGL going. This is huge
#3-I would not be shocked to see Sencire back soon

Everyone, including myself, is really frustrated. Remind yourself that this team still can be really good and has a ton of talent. Will roll with these guys all day long.

Let's get on a role and shock the world. Shannon's situation will take care of itself. If he ends up coming back great. If not, I really do believe we can still be good
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Honestly, there is no other way to look at it. Perfectly said.
 
#166      
Second place is 1st loser
Moving on from the TSJ situation. Have to treat it like an injury and keep forging ahead. Also have to look at it as though he'd be gone in three months anyway. Let's see who steps up. Golden opportunity for some guys.
 
#167      
Onions
LvilleILL said:
A couple of things. Still not sure if Shannon will be back at any point, time will tell...moving on from that for now.

#1-This team can still be really good. Not saying final 4, but there is still enough there to get to a sweet 16
#2-They key to unlocking the potential of this team is to get one of Nico or DGL going. This is huge
#3-I would not be shocked to see Sencire back soon

Everyone, including myself, is really frustrated. Remind yourself that this team still can be really good and has a ton of talent. Will roll with these guys all day long.

Let's get on a role and shock the world. Shannon's situation will take care of itself. If he ends up coming back great. If not, I really do believe we can still be good
Click to expand...
Good, yes. Great, no.
 
#168      
CoachHooleyHoo
LvilleILL said:
A couple of things. Still not sure if Shannon will be back at any point, time will tell...moving on from that for now.

#1-This team can still be really good. Not saying final 4, but there is still enough there to get to a sweet 16
#2-They key to unlocking the potential of this team is to get one of Nico or DGL going. This is huge
#3-I would not be shocked to see Sencire back soon

Everyone, including myself, is really frustrated. Remind yourself that this team still can be really good and has a ton of talent. Will roll with these guys all day long.

Let's get on a role and shock the world. Shannon's situation will take care of itself. If he ends up coming back great. If not, I really do believe we can still be good
Click to expand...
I love the optimism & agree that's the way you have to look at it. Having said that, I'm just afraid this team is going to go through stretches where they really struggle to score. And you lose, in my opinion, one of the top 3 defenders in college basketball. So it's not realistic to expect the D to be as suffocating as it has been. Can they get to the Sweet 16? Sure, but that would be an absolutely "Coach of the Year" type job to get that done.
 
#169      
illini510
RockfordIllini said:
So, just to recap the last few years:

2020 - team is rolling and looks to be a tough out, tournament cancelled due to Covid.

2021- team is rolling. Izzo sends in a goon to break Ayo’s nose. We earn a one seed but Ayo isn’t the same after coming back and we get upset by a criminally underseeded Loyola team.

2022- We look to have an unstoppable PnR combination with Kofi and Belo (easy to forget Belo was on several preseason AA lists), but a concussion in the first game sidelines Belo for most of the year and he disintegrates as a player and a person. We get “upset” by a criminally underseeded (and let’s face it, better) Houston team.

2023 -A couple of amazing non con wins, but devolves into a complete s*** show with Skyy leaving mid year, Underwood and Epps getting sideways, and the “monster incident.”

2024- team is rolling. Our AA who is pretty much unstoppable is charged with rape and suspended.

Been a rough few years luck-wise.
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It was even more rough during the Groce years. Let's face it, as hard as the last few years have been regarding not seeing these squads reach their full potential, it's still light years ahead of the Groce era excluding the BP3/DJ Richardson/Griffey season. It could be worse and has been worse around these parts. But, there's a guy facing a very serious charge so nobody has it as hard as he has it in the current moment(whether innocent or guilty)
 
#170      
abchew2
This team is strong enough at multiple positions to get the double bye for the B1G. Outside of Purdue I am still not all that scared of the other teams. Probably just makes us more on par with Wisconsin than a cut above which is still a quality team. Still lots of basketball left to cement the identity for this team post Shannon.
 
#172      
RockfordIllini
illini510 said:
It was even more rough during the Groce years. Let's face it, as hard as the last few years have been regarding not seeing these squads reach their full potential, it's still light years ahead of the Groce era excluding the BP3/DJ Richardson/Griffey season. It could be worse and has been worse around these parts. But, there's a guy facing a very serious charge so nobody has it as hard as he has it in the current moment(whether innocent or guilty)
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I feel like Groce years were mainly plagued by not good basketball though, with a few off the court/character issues sprinkled in.

These past 5 ish years have had good to great teams and have just had a lot do WTF, one in a million bad luck type issues.

The issue with TJ may turn out to be one or the other, but boy does it feel like we are snakebit.
 
#173      
illini510
RockfordIllini said:
I feel like Groce years were mainly plagued by not good basketball though, with a few off the court/character issues sprinkled in.

These past 5 ish years have had good to great teams and have just had a lot do WTF, one in a million bad luck type issues.

The issue with TJ may turn out to be one or the other, but boy does it feel like we are snakebit.
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I mean this TSJ situation is right there with the Jamar Smith incident during the Weber era and the Kendrick Nunn incident during the Groce era. So, we've seen this before with this program.

I think we can go all the way back to the Weber era. Getting a bad draw out west vs Washington in a 2nd round game despite being the higher seed, the injury to Chester Frazier that resulted in the 1st rd loss to Western Kentucky, the 2nd round loss to Miami with the bad call from the ref in Groce's first season. There's a lot of snakebitten moments as an Illini fan in the last 15-18 yrs or so. We just remember the most recent years but there's been a lot of tough moments for our fanbase.
 
#175      
Champaign Toast
Dainja and Hansberry get open near the basket on rolls and slips, sometimes through narrow passing windows, and I suppose it takes a special passer to get them the ball there. I'm reminded of Curbelo getting the ball to Kofi, Stockton to Malone (the best!), Jeremy Lin to Tyson Chandler... I hope to see more of those two bigs on the court with Moretti as facilitator.
 
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