Why do you feel that way? Mirk held his own vs Boozer in the World Hoop Summit. Mirk is just as big or bigger than Rez, as intense, and more skilled. Rez will be a challenge to keep off the glass but he is a poor shooter. Rez will struggle to match up with Mirk too without fouling.
Illini Basketball 2025-2026
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sacraig
- The desert
A great illustration of how boring the scheduling was under Weber and Groce (and, of course, how poorly we performed in many of the good ones).
Morez is an elite rebounder that brings a lot of toughness. His motor was such that he broke free for easy looks inside, and he had a number of times where defenders didn't even challenge him because he brought so much strength close to the bucket. Why give him a +1? Guy brings the thunder.
That said, not a shooter, and the eye test makes me think he won't be one anytime soon. Good for him for getting a college payday because he can make bank at UM behind Yaxel where it looks like his role will be no different. If he never gets an NBA look, he can still probably make a normal person's career's worth in college.
Look again
As Purdue is ranked first just wondered about possible matchups.
Smith 6’. - Kylan 6’2”
K-Renn 6’9”. - David. 6’9”
Loyer 6’5”. -Andre. 6’7”
Cliff. 6’11”. -Tomi. 7’2”
Mayer 6’4”. - Keaton 6’6”
Jacobsen 7’4”. -Big Z 7’2”
Cox 6’3”. -Mahailo 6’2”
Harris 6’3”. -Jake 6’6”
Murphy 6’7”. -Ben 6’9”
Obviously making guesses at starters for both teams but the only matchup that worries me is against K-Renn. We were really impressed by David but this is a really good player for a frosh to guard. On the other hand David is a difficult matchup for opposing teams. Rest of the matchups look pretty good to me on paper. Like our individual talent vs PU.
Smith 6’. - Kylan 6’2”
K-Renn 6’9”. - David. 6’9”
Loyer 6’5”. -Andre. 6’7”
Cliff. 6’11”. -Tomi. 7’2”
Mayer 6’4”. - Keaton 6’6”
Jacobsen 7’4”. -Big Z 7’2”
Cox 6’3”. -Mahailo 6’2”
Harris 6’3”. -Jake 6’6”
Murphy 6’7”. -Ben 6’9”
Obviously making guesses at starters for both teams but the only matchup that worries me is against K-Renn. We were really impressed by David but this is a really good player for a frosh to guard. On the other hand David is a difficult matchup for opposing teams. Rest of the matchups look pretty good to me on paper. Like our individual talent vs PU.
The beginning of the beginning.
Glad to see Lee, Wagler, and Mirk play a bit above expectations. But the question that comes to mind is that there are three injured guys sitting on the bench that have proven they can play at a very high level with confidence and experience....so where can the frosh find minutes when those guys can play? And, how will those older, talented, experienced players fit together and find the chemistry that will open the door to the elite ceiling this team obviously possesses? Those are difficult equations to solve. Not sure who will be available next weekend in the Fla. scrimmage, I still feel that match-up will prove of extreme value to both teams but especially the Illini. We know what Tomi can do, but what can he do with the rest of the talent/weapons this team has? The biggest unknown factor for me is Petrovic and how he will fit in to making this team better...if he ever suits up.
Lots of pieces to use and fit together. Is one basketball enough? Is team success the most important focus for all of them? We have had some pretty deep and talented teams lately that have not met expectations. This team may be the deepest Illini team ever. Lots of preseason hype that Ty will be ready to play be 2026....but can he add anything? I sure don't know the answers to these questions. But I will be looking to see how BU tries to solve them and keep everyone motivated. Seems like and impossible task.
Lots of pieces to use and fit together. Is one basketball enough? Is team success the most important focus for all of them? We have had some pretty deep and talented teams lately that have not met expectations. This team may be the deepest Illini team ever. Lots of preseason hype that Ty will be ready to play be 2026....but can he add anything? I sure don't know the answers to these questions. But I will be looking to see how BU tries to solve them and keep everyone motivated. Seems like and impossible task.
Brad needs to run out 9 guys game in and game out. Wear teams down with rotations. We should not have anyone averaging over 32 minutes a game. Keep everything balanced.
A little crib note of your post….Rez is one dimensional and a rebounding specialist great at what he does ,while Mirk is multi dimensional do it all Swiss Army knife kinda player who vastly improves our team .If I have to pick am rolling with Mirk all day.
Well, I am certainly not a basketball coach, so what do I know? But it just seems logical to me to have KW spell both MP and KB. Maybe even start occasionally. All three should get significant minutes. KW might spell AS, too, as I think I read somewhere that BU wants to play KW at multiple positions. I think he can get a lot of minutes doing those things. I think DM and BH will split the time at the 4. But Z is also expected to play the 4 some, and I have seen somewhere that DM might play the 5 at times, too. I am not so sure about where BL will fit, but I imagine he will see a decent amount of time filling in for the guards. But honestly, when it comes down to league play or tournaments or close games, I don’t think he will play all that much.
Does truly feel like we could have 7 all big ten level players on this team.
A sneaky key to us unlocking another level: Big Z. Obviously he probably gets somewhere between 6th and 8th most minutes, but if he can push for extended 4 minutes (a long shot I know) that means a number of exciting things, namely his defense has improved. So far, this feels unlikely I thought his defense was very suspect against a mediocre ISU squad missing some key players.
The depth of this team gives us such an insanely high floor and ceiling. Ty giving us a boost in the second half would be fantastic. I can normally find a number of concerns, and while they do exist (first among them defense), I just find it difficult to believe this team doesn’t have the capability of reaching a final four without any imagination stretching or some massive leaps out of half the team.
A sneaky key to us unlocking another level: Big Z. Obviously he probably gets somewhere between 6th and 8th most minutes, but if he can push for extended 4 minutes (a long shot I know) that means a number of exciting things, namely his defense has improved. So far, this feels unlikely I thought his defense was very suspect against a mediocre ISU squad missing some key players.
The depth of this team gives us such an insanely high floor and ceiling. Ty giving us a boost in the second half would be fantastic. I can normally find a number of concerns, and while they do exist (first among them defense), I just find it difficult to believe this team doesn’t have the capability of reaching a final four without any imagination stretching or some massive leaps out of half the team.
Anyone have any clue when the illinois v long island game time will be determined? Thanks!
Sorry, I don’t, but I thought I read somewhere that it depends on the Illinois-Wisconsin football game, the starting time of which has also not been determined. But maybe that was something else. I would think that the Wisconsin game would be during the day, so why they couldn’t just schedule it for the evening, I don’t know.
He didn’t have gauty numbers, but Wagler's the best non-big shooter on this team. That shot is pure.
Kyoan can play as much as he can stand it.
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
I know why we are seeing zero from those two, but it'll always be wild.
You're off base when competing basketball to football when scheduling.
In football, you can schedule not to lose, then fly through the conference and be ok.
In basketball, one of the best ways to get left out or severely under seeded is to play cupcakes in the non conference. If you do that, you had better play about .900 in conference. Wins against Purdue, Michigan and UCLA would pretty much me mandatory.
Teams never get penalized for playing a difficult schedule(assuming you don't lose them all), but you do get penalized for coasting.
The NET and the other 200 metrics that are used ALL take SOS into consideration and who you beat and where you beat them.
Was is Syracuse that got left out one year, while being an AP rated top 25 team because of the scheduling?
It's two totally different dynamics
Don’t think either of his 3’s touched the rim.
Makes me believe Nebraska could be sneaky good this year. Currently 51 and 44 on KenPom and Torvik.
Ryllini
- Lombard
And Fred Hoiberg is a good college coach. IMO
Orangetool
Give me back my Afta, heh heh
Dan
Admin
Colgate game (Fri, Nov 14) now an 8:00pm CT tipoff
fightingillini.com
Start Times Adjusted for Illinois Volleyball, Men's Basketball on Nov. 14 - University of Illinois Athletics
The Illini volleyball team will start at 6 p.m. before the men's basketball squad gets underway at 8 p.m.
fightingillini.com
I agree and I actually posted this before seeing Mirk in action the other night, and we're on the same page now.
Lets see Mirk vs teams in live games, lights on, cameras everywhere, playing his defined role in the regular season where mistakes matter(especially on the road). He's going to see and intensity of the likes he's never seen before.
If he thought a meaningless scrimmage vs ISU was loud.....oh boy is he in for 30+ treats this year.
Not a fan of what Rez pulled here, but that dude is a bad @$$ and he's been through the wars.
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