Illinois 76, Rutgers 58 Postgame

#176      

Loyalillini10

Urbana, IL
#2 and #3 are going to be an enormous issues, especially late in games. We had a run vs Marquette where we got up 5 or 6, then couldn't handle the ball and ended up down 7. Up 17 or 18 today in the first half, the lead was almost completely because of the same issues.

I love Ty, but let's face it....he's part of the opponents game plan with regards to weaknesses to exploit.
What you need to face is that Ty is doing a really good job. It is crazy to me that Illinois goes into the RAC, effing taking Rutgers' lunch money while kicking them out of their own gym and so many "fans" harp on a few plays that happened in the game in order to keep this "we don't have a PG" narrative going. Ty had a good game. He made a couple (the third TO I didn't think was on him) TOs and so many here are like, "see, we are weak at PG. Ty isn't a PG. He need the untested freshmen to come in and save us at PG." He didn't even have the most TOs in the game. Ty could have 15 pts, 8 rbs, 5 asst and 3 TOs and all anyone would talk about is the TOs he had and how weak we are at PG.

Newflash: the Rutgers run in the first half wasn't initiated by our PG play.

Good grief (Charlie Brown), our fanbase is so mentally broken, we cannot enjoy a blowout Big Ten road win together. It is almost laughable.
 
#178      
What you need to face is that Ty is doing a really good job. It is crazy to me that Illinois goes into the RAC, effing taking Rutgers' lunch money while kicking them out of their own gym and so many "fans" harp on a few plays that happened in the game in order to keep this "we don't have a PG" narrative going. Ty had a good game. He made a couple (the third TO I didn't think was on him) TOs and so many here are like, "see, we are weak at PG. Ty isn't a PG. He need the untested freshmen to come in and save us at PG." He didn't even have the most TOs in the game. Ty could have 15 pts, 8 rbs, 5 asst and 3 TOs and all anyone would talk about is the TOs he had and how weak we are at PG.

Newflash: the Rutgers run in the first half wasn't initiated by our PG play.

Good grief (Charlie Brown), our fanbase is so mentally broken, we cannot enjoy a blowout Big Ten road win together. It is almost laughable.

Yeah, they hit three 3s right in a row, the first of which was a banked in prayer of a shot and then one of the others was actually a busted play iirc.
 
#179      
Illinois now leads the country in rebounds per game at 49.29

Very impressive. Was just looking at Illinois team page. Some high highs and low lows:
Also #1 in eFG defense BUT some awful stats on forcing turnovers and free throws.
Great opener --really controlled the game.
 
#180      
100%, but that doesn't mean there aren't concerns. If we get solid(not even great) guard play, we're a second weekend NCAA team, without a doubt. These next two games will speak volumes about where we're at. We're not going to see two teams with much better athletes than the ones we're about to face.
It is not Ty's fault that no point guard was brought in.So why don't we quit bad mouthingthe kid and not blame him for any failures this team might have. Let the topic rest.
 
#181      
he's nearly the best PG in the B1G as far as taking care of the ball, which is what you want with a PG.
Well, actually no. You want a guy who makes the offense run better for everyone. This isn't a criticism of Ty at all. I just think a bunch of people who are trying to defend him are using stats (which have some value) and totally overlook the more subtle parts of being a great point guard.

This is our team. This game solidifies the fact that we can be a good team with Ty at the point. But I don't doubt some of the angst is because of what people see that this team could be with a better facilitator.
 
#182      
Just got done watching the game. Really enjoy Harmon’s game.
I agree and I really like that we don't seem to have many, if any, egos. Totally different team that last year. We have a lot of players that have had big time success in their careers and they know how to just play the roll. They are unselfish, they cut, they pass, they move the ball. I absolutely love it. Domask, Harmon, and Guerrier were tremendous adds! Shannon is a beast. Goode can stroke it and does the little things. Rodgers is a stud on the boards and strong defender. Dain is very good down low. Like I've said before Coleman is the wildcard. When we get the good Coleman that works hard and isn't lackadaisical we can be REALLY REALLY good. Like Elite Eight good or better. Plus we're due for a good draw in the tournament ;).
 
#184      
#2 and #3 are going to be an enormous issues, especially late in games. We had a run vs Marquette where we got up 5 or 6, then couldn't handle the ball and ended up down 7. Up 17 or 18 today in the first half, the lead was almost completely because of the same issues.

I love Ty, but let's face it....he's part of the opponents game plan with regards to weaknesses to exploit.
I don't disagree that we don't have a TRUE PG, but we have a bunch of experienced players that are unselfish and we play really hard on D and can really rebound. Don't count a team like that out. I'd love to have a TRUE PG as much as anyone, but this team can make a Final Four run.
 
#185      
Having an experienced roster will pay off for games like today. Rutgers had that run at end of first half and beginning of second half (lead cut to 6), the team bent a little but did not break. Instead they cranked up the defense and offense. Snuffed out the Rutgers run and ran them out of the gym.
 
#186      
I agree and I really like that we don't seem to have many, if any, egos. Totally different team that last year. We have a lot of players that have had big time success in their careers and they know how to just play the roll. They are unselfish, they cut, they pass, they move the ball. I absolutely love it. Domask, Harmon, and Guerrier were tremendous adds! Shannon is a beast. Goode can stroke it and does the little things. Rodgers is a stud on the boards and strong defender. Dain is very good down low. Like I've said before Coleman is the wildcard. When we get the good Coleman that works hard and isn't lackadaisical we can be REALLY REALLY good. Like Elite Eight good or better. Plus we're due for a good draw in the tournament ;).
This is my favorite post in a long time, mainly because you spelled 8 different names correctly lol most people can’t make a post without spelling one guys’ name correctly
 
#188      
Well, actually no. You want a guy who makes the offense run better for everyone. This isn't a criticism of Ty at all. I just think a bunch of people who are trying to defend him are using stats (which have some value) and totally overlook the more subtle parts of being a great point guard.

This is our team. This game solidifies the fact that we can be a good team with Ty at the point. But I don't doubt some of the angst is because of what people see that this team could be with a better facilitator.

I have kind of thought the opposite: that he's actually great at the more subtle parts and its the more glaring thing which is shooting the basketball that causes the angst. He had a nice run down the baseline and kick out to Harmon for a 3 today and has shown flashes of playmaking like that in previous games. I think it's still a work in progress, and I certainly admit the potential seems better to me than what most other people see (or it seems).
 
#189      

Noblesville Illini

Nappanee, IN
Rutgers is athletic and they run that press really well. They kept switching it up from 1-2-2 to 2-1-2 etcetera. More turnovers should be expected when you're up against something like that, but we also beat it more than a few times with easy buckets and the energy they used running it had them totally gassed by the 8 minute mark in 2nd half.

I'm actually more on the side of we were successful enough against it that I'm not sure other teams watch that and think it'd be a great idea to press us. We have an absolute lightning bolt at SG, length at every position which helps us move the ball up the floor with passes that smaller players wouldn't get away with making or catching, and bigs who can sprint down the floor.
We beat it when Domask was at point, they took Ty’s lunch money.
 
#190      
It's not going in the box score, but Dain played solid and important defense that first half when both he and Hawk had two fouls. Managed to not gain his third foul in the process while holding Cliff to 0 points in the half. No chance he could have done that last season. That's the maturity we want and need out of him.
Besides the fouls. I was super impressed by Dain this game. If he can rebound and run the floor like that. His minutes will go up IMO.
 
#192      
It is not Ty's fault that no point guard was brought in.So why don't we quit bad mouthingthe kid and not blame him for any failures this team might have. Let the topic rest.
I don't see anyone "bad mouthing" Ty? That said, he was one of three primary ball handlers on the team(Ty, TSJ, MD) and they had a combined 11 turnovers today, many being live ball turnovers in the backcourt that led to run outs.

18 of Rutgers 58 points were a direct result of turnovers. That's a major concern and like it or not, it's going to be a reoccurring topic. Ty gets highlighted a bit because he doesn't bring as much to the table(offensively) as those other guys do(TSJ with 23/10 and MD with 15/7).

Like with ANY good basketball team, they'll go as far as your guards will take you. Ask Purdue what can happen without them.

That said, elite defensive effort all around. When the other team can't score, they can't press.
 
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#193      
We beat it when Domask was at point, they took Ty’s lunch money.

They both had 3 TOs. Remember both of them coughing it up couple of times, as tends to happen when being pressed like that. But they both did quite well tonight overall, imo. Rutgers is athletic and runs that press very well, they kept switching it too.
 
#194      
What you need to face is that Ty is doing a really good job. It is crazy to me that Illinois goes into the RAC, effing taking Rutgers' lunch money while kicking them out of their own gym and so many "fans" harp on a few plays that happened in the game in order to keep this "we don't have a PG" narrative going. Ty had a good game. He made a couple (the third TO I didn't think was on him) TOs and so many here are like, "see, we are weak at PG. Ty isn't a PG. He need the untested freshmen to come in and save us at PG." He didn't even have the most TOs in the game. Ty could have 15 pts, 8 rbs, 5 asst and 3 TOs and all anyone would talk about is the TOs he had and how weak we are at PG.

Newflash: the Rutgers run in the first half wasn't initiated by our PG play.

Good grief (Charlie Brown), our fanbase is so mentally broken, we cannot enjoy a blowout Big Ten road win together. It is almost laughable.
We seek perfection and will settle for nothing less. :)
 
#195      
Well, actually no. You want a guy who makes the offense run better for everyone. This isn't a criticism of Ty at all. I just think a bunch of people who are trying to defend him are using stats (which have some value) and totally overlook the more subtle parts of being a great point guard.

This is our team. This game solidifies the fact that we can be a good team with Ty at the point. But I don't doubt some of the angst is because of what people see that this team could be with a better facilitator.
I would say their angst makes sense if they wished Ty were a better facilitator. Because if we had this "true PG" they're clamoring for, we'd most likely be losing a lot of the other things Ty brings.

There are tradeoffs, and thus far, as NarrowJ has pointed out in this thread and others, Ty is doing fine by the numbers.
 
#196      
I think that those grousing about a lack of a point guard have been brainwashed into thinking it necessary. Magic was far from a PG but he was a tremendous facilitator in ways a PG could not emulate. This team has players that can and do perform a myriad of tasks with a myriad of skills. I love it...and I think BU prefers this kind of skill mix. The fact is, this team can be more effective against the press than the naysayers imagine and even use it to an advantage against almost every team. Further, look at TSjr. as a point guard because this year he is performing as an elite one....without walking the ball up the court which is a task Zach Edey could perform if not pressured.

Bottom line is that the Illini are very fortunate to have a player with the skill set and desire to win that Ty possesses. DGL is not facilitator yet and may never be anything but a score first guard. Morretti looks like a pass first guy but is yet to develop the quickness and handle to be an asset against B1G quick defenders and/or guard elite and skilled guards...skills that are absolutely necessary to be a plus player in the B1G....ya gotta play well at both ends.

I like this team and there are no other players to be added. It is a really deep and talented group committed to team play and winning a title. They are getting better but need to show more value in possession. Tonight, at least, they showed excellent shot selection at the FT line!!! The sun is shining. Go Illini.
 
#199      
"Nothing Comes Easy"

Yeah, tell that to any guy who has ever met my mom...
Mood What GIF by NBC
 
#200      
If we had a great legit pg we would have still had double digit turnovers today. That’s what Rutgers’s press does to you. Yes it would be nice to have a legit pg, but Ty is doing a very credible job not hurting us and really contributing defensively and offensively in the paint scoring and rebounding. Which you probably wouldn’t have had from Dennis. Overall I’m extremely happy where the team is at the moment. Beat FAU,Tenn or even just 1 I’ll still be very happy and this team will be set up well for March.