Just another little post-game tidbit: 27 games and we still haven't lost by double digits. 1 of 2 teams out of 362 that can make that claim. Speaks to the ceiling this team has. Even just moderate improvements to the defense and we start living up to all these talking-head-post-game touts of us being a legit Final Four team that we seem to hear after every game in which we don't actually crap the bed.
Illinois 95, Iowa 85 Postgame
That didn't ever seem to work for me. If I was getting close to the coach he usually told me move down and make room for the guys he planned on using.
madillini4
Ozamataz Buckshank
- Millywaukee
blackdog
- Champaign
I told my friend that I wasn't upset about his offensive production because this team doesn't really need him for that. What they need is for him to be the best defender on the court all the time.
Also the I was so impressed with Amani. Both in the first half and the second the defense looked so much more coordinated with him in the game. He's not perfect but the example of being a willing communicator makes a HUGE difference.
Harmon has some serious hops, that put back dunk attempt had some serious lift on it.
What is the hit the road jack split screen thing? Do the students do something until the fouled out guy sits down?
If we play like we did the first 30 minutes in Iowa City, we will get blown out of the gym. Fortunately, a win is a win and Brad was forced to go deeper down the bench and may have learned something.
Including today, we have 10 guys that have shown they can make a difference on a given night. One or two players do not have to carry the load each and every night. We have good players if we move the ball. It is ok if we win by 20 and Shannon only scores 12 points and others get the chance to step up. That would be a beautiful thing when our two or three top players don’t have to push it and can get theirs in the flow of the game. Hopefully Brad will continue to try to develop this depth so our finishers are fresh to close out games and are ready for tourney time. We should have been doing this the last two months. Izzo always takes his lumps early so he team is coming together at the right time..
Including today, we have 10 guys that have shown they can make a difference on a given night. One or two players do not have to carry the load each and every night. We have good players if we move the ball. It is ok if we win by 20 and Shannon only scores 12 points and others get the chance to step up. That would be a beautiful thing when our two or three top players don’t have to push it and can get theirs in the flow of the game. Hopefully Brad will continue to try to develop this depth so our finishers are fresh to close out games and are ready for tourney time. We should have been doing this the last two months. Izzo always takes his lumps early so he team is coming together at the right time..
It’s not like Iowa is going to suddenly start playing defense. You got them shooting over 80 percent?
If anyone had told us that Marcus and TSJ had a combined 20 pts. for the game and we won by double digits, we all would have called them a freakin' liar. Yet here we are . . . .
It must have been disheartening to Iowa to see the second string come and play as hard as the first string…then have the first string come in refreshed and ready. Iowa was looking rather bushed by the fourth quarter.
I was at the game today. Moretti provided the spark that we needed. CH really took control of the game. Shannon played really good D in the second half. A few bonehead plays, the one to end the 1st half where Iowa took the Hail Mary pass and scored where we could’ve just tipped the ball away and Domask’s heave at the end of the game instead of maybe calling a timeout. However, those plays didn’t cost us. The crowd was pretty loud and into it. Great atmosphere.
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biglug58
- Chicago, IL
And Moretti more points than Domask!If anyone had told us that Marcus and TSJ had a combined 20 pts. for the game and we won by double digits, we all would have called them a freakin' liar. Yet here we are . . . .
DICKnaggie
- Champaign
And he, Rez and Ty and going to be so formidable. Talk about DOGS!
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Bahaha, touché. And I mean pretty much, her consoling was very half-!!!.
I’m really excited for the Minnesota game now. I really thought the second half we played a lot better defense.
Nico really gives us a wrinkle. I think we are fine with domask and Ty playing point. But having an actual point guard that can get wherever he wants would have been huge at the end vs penn state. I hope we keep bringing him along.
Amani has come a long ways considering how much time he’s had to miss due to his back. You don’t have to squint too hard to see a kid that’s gonna make a huge leap.
Coleman really is the toughest player to guard in the big ten. Who else, besides maybe Minnesota with Dawson Garcia, has a big that can do everything he does. I really think he learned something after the PSU game. Only so many shots left for him.
We just scored 95 points with TSJ and Domask not really being factors on offense. That’s insane depth. If we can just play d like we did the second half, this is a team that is dangerous.
Nico really gives us a wrinkle. I think we are fine with domask and Ty playing point. But having an actual point guard that can get wherever he wants would have been huge at the end vs penn state. I hope we keep bringing him along.
Amani has come a long ways considering how much time he’s had to miss due to his back. You don’t have to squint too hard to see a kid that’s gonna make a huge leap.
Coleman really is the toughest player to guard in the big ten. Who else, besides maybe Minnesota with Dawson Garcia, has a big that can do everything he does. I really think he learned something after the PSU game. Only so many shots left for him.
We just scored 95 points with TSJ and Domask not really being factors on offense. That’s insane depth. If we can just play d like we did the second half, this is a team that is dangerous.
This is probably the best offensive team in my lifetime and we are still talking about developing a true point guard? I see the reasoning if we were still in the days of Lou Do, but time has moved on. Better to find an on the ball defender and let the offense do whatever the hell they are doing to be the number one offense in the conference.
I was even more impressed when BU said that Amani is the top trash talker on the team
blackdog
- Champaign
Exactly. This team has a higher adjusted offensive rating than the 2005 Illini. I don't think we are appreciating just how good this team is on that end. Obviously that still isn't enough to go far in March but it makes no sense for anyone to say what we are doing offensively isn't working. These guys get buckets and they are damn good at it.
Can't tell you how much fun it is watching a random college basketball game Saturday night and seeing an Illini win over Iowa come up on the scroll at the bottom, with the 12 on the left next to the orange Illini name and the 20 wins with the record on the right. I know we all want more, but we also would have all killed for this from about 2013 to 2020. Probably more like 2008 to 2020. I'm going to enjoy the heck out of it.
I was thinking this also. 38 minutes at the speed and intensity that Illinois plays has to reduce their ability to play defense and execute the offense no matter how much in shape they are. The days of walking the ball up the court are gone. It is a total all out sprint in both directions.
Dee_4_Three_83
- Mahomet, IL
I know that was a bad play, but did anyone notice the clock getting stuck? That shouldn't have counted IMO.
Good move, Coach got their attention, every game for the rest of the year requires maximum effort! Good job TEAM!
Keep their heads screwed on straight, we have the potential, can we keep everyone UP for every game? Time will tell. Good luck team, we have the fans.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
