What a great win for our program! While it is tough to see Giorgi struggle as much as he is, it was incredible to watch Ayo come back and play as hard as he did! Dre was a warrior, AG's energy was off the chart (again) and DMW's ability to frustrate the crap out of Stevens was amazing.
With respect to the all access programming, while I probably wouldn't want to watch it in that format every game, here are my likes and dislikes:
Likes
- It was really interesting to watch the demeanor between the two teams, especially in the 2nd half when the game was in the balance. There was no question that the energy and supportive nature in our huddle was better than PSU's.
- It was fascinating to see the approach of BU and his staff versus PC and his staff. I felt that the Illini huddle was always in control.
- Chambers does have a little Izzo in him (that didn't sound right) regarding the officiating.
- I think we all got a better feel for BU's in-game coaching abilities and his rapport with his team. Any doubters should feel a bit more at ease.
- I really liked the halftime and end of game access to the locker room. To hear the adjustments, motivational efforts and then the celebration was really cool!
Dislikes
- I didn't need the "sound-o-meter" ... completely worthless!
- Sound quality could have been a bit clearer but from comments of those that were in the building, I'm sure that was a challenge.
- The split screens of the coaches were not necessary all of the time.
This win should not be underestimated. To beat the #9 team who is on an 8 game win streak at their place and holding them to 56 points (26 points below their average) is impressive. It not only puts us well within the field of 64 but I think it also sets us up really well mentally to do what we need to do over the remaining 5 games of the season. It also drives home the mentality that we feast on "roadkill" which is optimal for tournament play. Solid teams like Rutgers do not enjoy this luxury. If you think back to our collective comments at the beginning of the season, a fair amount of us were conceding that we would be ecstatic with an NCAA bid but would be content with at least getting to the NIT. What a fantastic ride this season has been and I can't wait to see how it all plays out!