Great game. This team is playing like they can beat anyone right now. Still have a few more to go before we can claim any kind of success for the season but it sure feels good in the moment.
Illinois 73, Nebraska 57 POSTGAME
Deleted member 4960
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I don't know if anyone else has noticed. But our defense of resurgence I believe is due to not allowing opposing point guards to Drive as much as they were. You have to believe it's TJL's ability to play quicker defense. I didn't think he would make that much of a difference but I think our current results tell the story.
Deleted member 29907
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Agree - plus we're picking up past the three point line and hedging and recovering from the high picks MUCH better. Instead of Mav sinking 6 feet back off of the pick - they are pushing the dribbler away from the rim, not switching and then the big guy recovers back.. Kudos to the coaches for finally getting that fixed.
TJL is giving alot of guys pressure.
I think at the end he will be seen as one of the best, ever, to wear the orange and blue.
Well I think by the end of his career he will be the greatest point guard ever to play the game of basketball in the whole wide world!!!
He will take basketball to the stars!
Hill is now our 3rd most important player. It's almost as if the team knew all year who should be getting minutes and now that they're getting minutes, the usuals are playing harder and with a sense of resurgence.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
According to KenPom, Hill is the 3rd most important player in the B1G. Behind only Swanigan and Happ. That is up from 5th just a week ago. He won't catch those guys, but he has moved up. Just goes to show you that when the team plays well, individuals can shine too. Doesn't work as well the other way. You could ask one Michael Jordan about that, before winning ring #1.
Deleted member 4960
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Whoever said TJL will be our best pg ever never watched Bruce Douglas, Kiwane Garris or Frank Williams, along with Deron Williams.
Mav is one bad dude on the court when he wants to be.
mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
Would you say he's.....blue collar?
The Dave
- CA
I see what you did there
.What I'd say is that he's a guy that has worked his a$$ off over 4 years and turned in to a pretty decent B10 player. Word on the street is that he is also a high basketball IQ guy and almost like another coach.
He might have a long-term coaching career in his future.
ILL in IA
- Iowa City
Now I look back and think that first season on campus should have been redshirted. To bad that year we needed every body possible and redshirt wasn't an option.
ILLINI IN NE
- Omaha,Ne.
Agree 100%. He was the classic redshirt candidate. How sweet would it be having him back next year.
I was at the game yesterday and he really carried us the first half.
I got a high five from him after the game. Higher for me than him.
No, you take Hill out and this offense sputters. His help defense and general leadership can't be understated. TJL has changed the team, but Malcolm Hill is still the engine that makes us go. I know he's the old guy on the squad and it's easy to forget him, but he hasn't put up under 10 points in a game since WVU and is averaging 17/6/3 on 44/35/79. He's remarkably consistent, plays hard, and is a model Illini. Going into senior night, we should not be forgetting what he's put into this program.
Agreed. Hill is still the best player on the team. He can frustrate me at times because of my own high expectations of him but he is still clearly the best player. It is easy to look at others who have come on recently and are important to our recent success and overlook Hill because he is so consistent. I like the potential of the young guys as much as the next person but Hill is still the leader and the best.
Maverick Morgan was the Star of the First Half. He played insanely well at both ends of the court. When Kipper got in the game, he started making play after play at both ends as well. These two are the best players in this particular game, and those young guards are up and coming stars. Black's out of bounds play was great because we did it to them instead of us getting pushed around.
Agreed. Harper is the best player at Illinois in my time as a fan.
Deleted member 4960
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After I hit submit realized that I left Derek Harper off.
If you had to knock MH for anything, it would be his ability to create his own shot in clutch situations or end of game situations. He is fantastic at creating his own shot when he can back people down and hit the turn around fade, but that isn't typically a shot you can get off when everyone knows you're going for the last shot in the final seconds.
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Right on