Illini Basketball 2024-2025

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#176      
illini0440
Boricua Illini said:
The situation with Kasparas Jakučionis’ non-shooting forearm injury raises some interesting questions, both from a health and strategic standpoint. Here’s what we know so far:
  • The injury likely occurred during Sunday’s game against Washington, with inflammation and discomfort flaring up again during or shortly after individual workouts before last night’s game.
  • Despite being in uniform and participating in warmups (dribbling and shooting), Kasparas didn’t have a brace or bandage on, which suggests the injury isn’t severe or structural.
  • Coach Brad Underwood stated they kept him out to prioritize his long-term health and currently don’t have a timeline for his return.
So, what’s really going on? Here’s some speculation:
  1. The Injury Itself
    It’s possible Kasparas is dealing with something minor, like a soft tissue strain, tendon irritation, or even a mild contusion. If that’s the case, the discomfort might simply need rest and some light therapy to resolve. Given Illinois’ world-class trainers and recovery facilities, it’s hard to imagine this being more than a short-term setback—especially since Kasparas was moving well during warmups.
  2. Brad Underwood’s Strategic Play?
    Here’s where things get interesting. We can’t overlook Brad Underwood’s history of using player absences as opportunities for others to develop. Think back to last season when Marcus Domask gained confidence and rhythm while Terrence Shannon Jr. was out. This could be another chess move by Underwood to build depth.
    By giving other players extended minutes in Kasparas’ absence, Underwood might be creating chances for the team to grow and experiment with new rotations. Early in the season is the perfect time for this kind of adjustment. It’s a long season, and giving bench guys confidence now could pay off big when the schedule gets tougher.
  3. A Preventative Measure
    Even if the injury is mild, keeping Kasparas out ensures it doesn’t turn into something worse. Forearm injuries can be tricky—especially with repetitive activities like dribbling and passing. The staff might be taking a “better safe than sorry” approach, which is smart with such a long season ahead.
Whether this is purely about Kasparas’ health or Brad Underwood playing the long game, the move makes sense. Kasparas staying fresh while other players get valuable experience feels like a win-win. With Illinois’ elite recovery resources and Brad’s strategic mind, it’s hard to imagine this situation being anything other than temporary.
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Lol. No.
 
#178      
mysterio2525
robjilla said:
I hope he stays period. He is going to start next year. I like the lineups with Morez and Big T anyways. It allows big T to pick & pop on the perimeter. It also has Morez rolling to the basket and in range of that power dribble towards the basket with the strong finish. James Brown who?
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If big t and morez stay next year....

Get Up Funk GIF
 
#181      
soupy17
#182      
RollChief
Boricua Illini said:
The situation with Kasparas Jakučionis’ non-shooting forearm injury raises some interesting questions, both from a health and strategic standpoint. Here’s what we know so far:
  • The injury likely occurred during Sunday’s game against Washington, with inflammation and discomfort flaring up again during or shortly after individual workouts before last night’s game.
  • Despite being in uniform and participating in warmups (dribbling and shooting), Kasparas didn’t have a brace or bandage on, which suggests the injury isn’t severe or structural.
  • Coach Brad Underwood stated they kept him out to prioritize his long-term health and currently don’t have a timeline for his return.
So, what’s really going on? Here’s some speculation:
  1. The Injury Itself
    It’s possible Kasparas is dealing with something minor, like a soft tissue strain, tendon irritation, or even a mild contusion. If that’s the case, the discomfort might simply need rest and some light therapy to resolve. Given Illinois’ world-class trainers and recovery facilities, it’s hard to imagine this being more than a short-term setback—especially since Kasparas was moving well during warmups.
  2. Brad Underwood’s Strategic Play?
    Here’s where things get interesting. We can’t overlook Brad Underwood’s history of using player absences as opportunities for others to develop. Think back to last season when Marcus Domask gained confidence and rhythm while Terrence Shannon Jr. was out. This could be another chess move by Underwood to build depth.
    By giving other players extended minutes in Kasparas’ absence, Underwood might be creating chances for the team to grow and experiment with new rotations. Early in the season is the perfect time for this kind of adjustment. It’s a long season, and giving bench guys confidence now could pay off big when the schedule gets tougher.
  3. A Preventative Measure
    Even if the injury is mild, keeping Kasparas out ensures it doesn’t turn into something worse. Forearm injuries can be tricky—especially with repetitive activities like dribbling and passing. The staff might be taking a “better safe than sorry” approach, which is smart with such a long season ahead.
Whether this is purely about Kasparas’ health or Brad Underwood playing the long game, the move makes sense. Kasparas staying fresh while other players get valuable experience feels like a win-win. With Illinois’ elite recovery resources and Brad’s strategic mind, it’s hard to imagine this situation being anything other than temporary.
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Big respect for the "Jakučionis" accent mark, I rarely even spell his name correctly....
 
#184      
PasadenaIllini
Mobi said:
Don't feel like Michigan's defense is better than ours.
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They've got a better record against top competition at this point and a better overall record overall. I hate UM, but you have to give them the edge over us until we prove we're better.
 
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#186      
FreshlySqueezed
PasadenaIllini said:
They've got a better record against top competition at this point and a better overall record overall. I hate UM, but you have to give them the edge over us until we prove we're better.
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Illinois is 4-3 in Q1 games and 2-0 in Q2 games. Illinois' best win is @Oregon (NET = 19) and the worst loss is @Northwestern (NET = 53).

Michigan is 2-2 in Q1 games and 3-1 in Q2 games. Michigan's best win is @Wisconsin (NET = 24) and their worst loss is to Wake Forest (NET = 82).

Michigan lost to Arkansas on a neutral floor and we beat them by double digits on a neutral floor.

There isn't a whole heck of a lot of data to support Michigan being better than Illinois at this point. Evan Miya was lower on Illinois' talent level than other advanced metric sites.

Illinois
NET = 6, KenPom = 7, Torvik = 5, Miya = 11

Michigan
NET = 11, KenPom = 11, Torvik = 9, Miya = 10

EDIT: (Both teams are 12-3, so not a better overall record either, if that actually matters)
 
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#191      
CoalCity
Boricua Illini said:
The situation with Kasparas Jakučionis’ non-shooting forearm injury raises some interesting questions, both from a health and strategic standpoint. Here’s what we know so far:
  • The injury likely occurred during Sunday’s game against Washington, with inflammation and discomfort flaring up again during or shortly after individual workouts before last night’s game.
  • Despite being in uniform and participating in warmups (dribbling and shooting), Kasparas didn’t have a brace or bandage on, which suggests the injury isn’t severe or structural.
  • Coach Brad Underwood stated they kept him out to prioritize his long-term health and currently don’t have a timeline for his return.
So, what’s really going on? Here’s some speculation:
  1. The Injury Itself
    It’s possible Kasparas is dealing with something minor, like a soft tissue strain, tendon irritation, or even a mild contusion. If that’s the case, the discomfort might simply need rest and some light therapy to resolve. Given Illinois’ world-class trainers and recovery facilities, it’s hard to imagine this being more than a short-term setback—especially since Kasparas was moving well during warmups.
  2. Brad Underwood’s Strategic Play?
    Here’s where things get interesting. We can’t overlook Brad Underwood’s history of using player absences as opportunities for others to develop. Think back to last season when Marcus Domask gained confidence and rhythm while Terrence Shannon Jr. was out. This could be another chess move by Underwood to build depth.
    By giving other players extended minutes in Kasparas’ absence, Underwood might be creating chances for the team to grow and experiment with new rotations. Early in the season is the perfect time for this kind of adjustment. It’s a long season, and giving bench guys confidence now could pay off big when the schedule gets tougher.
  3. A Preventative Measure
    Even if the injury is mild, keeping Kasparas out ensures it doesn’t turn into something worse. Forearm injuries can be tricky—especially with repetitive activities like dribbling and passing. The staff might be taking a “better safe than sorry” approach, which is smart with such a long season ahead.
Whether this is purely about Kasparas’ health or Brad Underwood playing the long game, the move makes sense. Kasparas staying fresh while other players get valuable experience feels like a win-win. With Illinois’ elite recovery resources and Brad’s strategic mind, it’s hard to imagine this situation being anything other than temporary.
Click to expand...
I would like to sample some of your recreational pharmaceuticals, this seems like a pretty wild trip you're on
 
#192      
Mobi
PasadenaIllini said:
They've got a better record against top competition at this point and a better overall record overall. I hate UM, but you have to give them the edge over us until we prove we're better.
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That's a 2D plot of offense rating versus defense rating. Based on KenPom, our defense rating is better than Michigan's, not worse. That's all I was trying to say.
 
#193      
Fan Since '70
FreshlySqueezed said:
Illinois is 4-3 in Q1 games and 2-0 in Q2 games. Illinois' best win is @Oregon (NET = 19) and the worst loss is @Northwestern (NET = 53).

Michigan is 2-2 in Q1 games and 3-1 in Q2 games. Michigan's best win is @Wisconsin (NET = 24) and their worst loss is to Wake Forest (NET = 82).

Michigan lost to Arkansas on a neutral floor and we beat them by double digits on a neutral floor.

There isn't a whole heck of a lot of data to support Michigan being better than Illinois at this point. Evan Miya was lower on Illinois' talent level than other advanced metric sites.

Illinois
NET = 6, KenPom = 7, Torvik = 5, Miya = 11

Michigan
NET = 11, KenPom = 11, Torvik = 9, Miya = 10

EDIT: (Both teams are 12-3, so not a better overall record either, if that actually matters)
Click to expand...
I agree Illinois is the better all around team with more potent weapons. Where Michigan concerns me the most is defensively contending with their dynamic duo 7 footers Goldin and Wolf without Ivisic, Humrichous or Johnson fouling out. Don't think Humrichous can guard Wolf. Perhaps Ivisic and Goldin cancel each other out? Should be a great game and our deep and potent guards and wings could tip the balance.
 
#195      
Mobi
Fan Since '70 said:
I agree Illinois is the better all around team with more potent weapons. Where Michigan concerns me the most is defensively contending with their dynamic duo 7 footers Goldin and Wolf without Ivisic, Humrichous or Johnson fouling out. Don't think Humrichous can guard Wolf. Perhaps Ivisic and Goldin cancel each other out? Should be a great game and our deep and potent guards and wings could tip the balance.
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No many players can guard wolf. I think you want to limit his ability to connect the team. I think our strength is after the best two players, we are much better than Michigan.
 
#199      
Kilgore Trout
Epsilon said:
Ty Rogers was mentioned by the announcers (or maybe Andy Katz?) during the PSU game as looking to transition to a PG next year and what he’s been up to this year. Here is a blurb from Andy Katz about that…

www.si.com

Report: Ty Rodgers Expected to Return to Illinois Basketball in New Role

Big Ten Network sideline reporter Andy Katz offered new details about Rodgers' intentions in 2025-26
www.si.com www.si.com
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I would sure love to see him decide to come back... insiders, any change from him probably leaving?
 
#200      
Epsilon
Kilgore Trout said:
I would sure love to see him decide to come back... insiders, any change from him probably leaving?
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We know he can defend, drive to the basket, and is a great passer. If he picks up a serviceable 3 pointer and can see the court half as good as KJ then he’d be a force to be reckoned with.
 
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