Yep....very few disappointments with this team this year....but that's definitely one of them
Pregame: Illinois at Ohio State, Saturday, March 6th, 3:00pm CT, ESPN
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If Ayo is cleared to play, he will and should play. No way Ayo sits if cleared. Since the start, I said the earliest I thought he’d be back was UM but wouldn’t be surprised at all if he wasn’t back until BTT. Friend texted me day of UM game when being reported Ayo was participating af shoot around, and I said I still didn’t think he’d play. And to be honest. I’m not convinced he’ll play against OSU — though now I wouldn’t be surprised to see him play Sat. But if he is cleared, he will play.
OurMottoisOskeeWowWow
- Illinois
Let's just realize that this season has been out of the normal considering the current circumstances. That said I'm so glad to see how well our guys are doing this year. What I'm most disappointing is not being able to go to the games, but I realized there's nothing that can be done about that. So happy for this team though. They deserve it. Let's go get a win in Columbus on Saturday!
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
With only a few days to go, our BTT scenario is looking a lot clearer. People can play around with the bracket generator, but I think a lot of the remaining games have clear favorites. So, here are our scenarios as I can see it:
Beat OSU and UM Loses Twice: #1 seed vs. winner of (8) Rutgers and (9) Michigan State ... wow, personally I would find that brutal, haha. We'd then play the presumed winner of (4) Purdue and (5) Ohio State.
Beat OSU and UM Wins One/Both OR Lose to OSU: #2 Seed vs. winner of (7) Maryland and (10) Indiana ... this would be my preferred outcome (besides wanting a Big Ten title, of course), as we'd then presumably play (3) Iowa or (6) Wisconsin. Could always hope Wiscy knocks off Iowa, but I honestly wouldn't mind a big-time showdown with the Hawkeyes in Indy!
Those seem to be the only possible scenarios. If you play around with the other results (like having PSU beat Maryland), you can end up with Rutgers as the #7 seed instead of Maryland. Personally, I think our most attractive route is getting to play Indiana in the first game (and hopefully getting a comfortable win) and then getting a big game vs. Iowa to prepare us for the NCAAs and/or the BTT Final.
Beat OSU and UM Loses Twice: #1 seed vs. winner of (8) Rutgers and (9) Michigan State ... wow, personally I would find that brutal, haha. We'd then play the presumed winner of (4) Purdue and (5) Ohio State.
Beat OSU and UM Wins One/Both OR Lose to OSU: #2 Seed vs. winner of (7) Maryland and (10) Indiana ... this would be my preferred outcome (besides wanting a Big Ten title, of course), as we'd then presumably play (3) Iowa or (6) Wisconsin. Could always hope Wiscy knocks off Iowa, but I honestly wouldn't mind a big-time showdown with the Hawkeyes in Indy!
Those seem to be the only possible scenarios. If you play around with the other results (like having PSU beat Maryland), you can end up with Rutgers as the #7 seed instead of Maryland. Personally, I think our most attractive route is getting to play Indiana in the first game (and hopefully getting a comfortable win) and then getting a big game vs. Iowa to prepare us for the NCAAs and/or the BTT Final.
Deleted member 747903
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I actually prefer your first scenario. Rutgers is not the team we saw early in the year and I have a feeling the players want to see MSU again so they can take their lunch money.
I've asked myself (and so have a few buddies): 'How is Illinois so good without Ayo?' Obviously, there are a number of opinions, theories, and stats to analyze.
But here is one I haven't read yet (and probably because it is stupid): It seems we are better defensively.
I don't have any metrics to prove it. But the eye test and 2 wins may reveal it. For example, in my opinion, we lost the first OSU game largely because Ayo sagged off or lost Ahrens on at least two blatant occasions, a guy who shoots 95% of his attempts from 3. Ayo's length is a luxury because we are often undersized, and while I love his icy veins on offense, I just don't see the same consistent intensity on defense.
This being said, we need him on the floor. The real stars shine when the lights are the brightest. So hopefully he's healthy enough to play sooner than later. The Closer is ready to show why he came back. Let's finish the deal.
But here is one I haven't read yet (and probably because it is stupid): It seems we are better defensively.
I don't have any metrics to prove it. But the eye test and 2 wins may reveal it. For example, in my opinion, we lost the first OSU game largely because Ayo sagged off or lost Ahrens on at least two blatant occasions, a guy who shoots 95% of his attempts from 3. Ayo's length is a luxury because we are often undersized, and while I love his icy veins on offense, I just don't see the same consistent intensity on defense.
This being said, we need him on the floor. The real stars shine when the lights are the brightest. So hopefully he's healthy enough to play sooner than later. The Closer is ready to show why he came back. Let's finish the deal.
Deleted member 747671
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Haven't posted anything because I just had a complete loss of words. That Michigan game was the best performance I've ever seen out of an Illinois team (granted I don't go back that far, maybe like 2000ish). It was one of the few games this year that I caught the entire game start to finish with no interruptions, and man was it enjoyable.
Onto OSU. Just win this damn game, cement the 1 seed and LFG. I hope Michigan loses at least one of the MSU games, just to see Kevin Warren duck any tough questions about co-champions. I'd hang the banner if that was the case. Either way, this team has higher goals and I think the MSU game and the circumstances surrounding the Michigan game has fired this team up. They're a dangerous combination of motivated, highly-skilled, well-coached, tough, and legit angry. If they keep this up, I don't see them losing to a lower seed.
Onto OSU. Just win this damn game, cement the 1 seed and LFG. I hope Michigan loses at least one of the MSU games, just to see Kevin Warren duck any tough questions about co-champions. I'd hang the banner if that was the case. Either way, this team has higher goals and I think the MSU game and the circumstances surrounding the Michigan game has fired this team up. They're a dangerous combination of motivated, highly-skilled, well-coached, tough, and legit angry. If they keep this up, I don't see them losing to a lower seed.
I want Ayo back in Saturday but I wouldn't mind if he played rather limited minutes. Hopefully he can get back into his rhythm before elimination play.
I'm willing to entertain this thought. I never have noticed Ayo being a particularly intense defender. At very least, it's never come up that he's a good defender like we always say about Trent, Miller, Kofi, etc.
Deleted member 747671
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As an extremely casual observer (I don't think I've ever reviewed tape or even watched replays of games trying to dissect scheme), I would say that I never notice Ayo as being a bad defender either, if that makes any sense. He seems like a good help defender as he gets his share of blocks, steals, and rebounds. With Trent you really notice his defensive ability. I'd put Ayo in the same rung as Miller, maybe right behind Williams.
Edit: for the record, in no way shape or form do I think we are better without Ayo. If anything not having him may have made Michigan a little more relaxed, and we dialed up the defensive intensity on them and they never knew what hit them. Ayo plays hard, pushes and loves his teammates, and they seem to do the same with him. He's an unselfish, smart player. Every team in the nation would take him in a heartbeat. I hope he's back for the OSU game to get back into the swing of things before the tournaments, but he needs to be fully cleared medically.
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I yelled at the TV as the Ahren lapses occurred before Ahrens got the ball. In Nov-Jan there were lapses by everybody - whether sagging, getting beat in transition, tagging, ball screen .... some more than others - or only play well for 25 of 40 min. The team trajectory week by week progression has been better on ball, ball screen, connectivity, fewer individual lapses, closer to 40 min, more intensity, Trent locking down, .... Each week has been better than week before. I think the team and Ayo have been much better at tagging players posting for 3 in transition. OH-MD to WI and MI illustrate trajectory. Will be even better in 3 weeks. Team still needs to do it all every play all 40. Battle to Seattle was perfect. Stay in Indy (for a month) is not a good sound bite.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
The question should be why a mind thinks such random thoughts when the above thoughts really do cover the question.....
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The most important stat imo for Curbelo....he only had 2 turnovers vs Michigan. I swear if he can continue to take care of the ball we are unbeatable.
I gotta admit, I used to cringe every time he would dribble into the lane because he turned over the ball so much. The Michigan game changed my mind.. Curbelo without the turnovers is magic.
Found this from earlier this season: The four losses illustrate some of Illinois’s inconsistencies, but to be fair, three of them have come by three points, and the other one was to Baylor. I’m not as sold on Illinois as the Iowa-Michigan-Wisconsin trio, but Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn are a lot for any opponent to handle. Dosunmu still leaves a little bit to be desired as a lead playmaker, but he’s frequently stepped up his game when it counts—it’s just that there are too many times when he’s their only source of perimeter offense.
Record against those 3 mentioned: 4-0.
Record against those 3 mentioned: 4-0.
IlliniwekKDR
- Colorado Springs, CO
He will be in the NBA next year, so he'll never have to play defense again.
I want to win Saturday but every decision about Ayo playing needs to be focused on the tournament
TheFameProtector
- Champaign
From my eyes, Ayo's main issue is that he doesn't always get in a good stance. His offensive load is a good explanation of the why: it takes a lot of energy to stay in a good defensive stance and he uses a bunch of that energy running our offense. Trent and Miller do a great job getting low and moving laterally with the drive, and being in that stance helps one's 'springiness' in making close outs or getting deflections/steals. Ayo is certainly capable of reaching that level on defense, but he knows he has to manage his energy for the whole 40. If he was playing Trent-like D all game, I doubt he'd have enough legs left to be the closer we all know him to be.
altenberger22
- South Carolina
HATE is a little strong, but I was not a huge supporter through the first ten games. I was taught to value each possession of the basketball. In HS, we often had to walk around all day with a basketball in our hands (or at our side).
Guess it's time to re-write that coaching handbook I keep in my back pocket. I'm converted -- now a believer. AC has been superb of late!!
altenberger22
- South Carolina
I pretty much agree. And an Iowa loss in the BTT would not really hurt (1) the resume or (2) our bid for a #1 seed.
Retro62
- North Bethesda, Maryland
In regards to our defense with and without Ayo, part of it could the level of intensity rising when the team knew they didn’t have their star player. If we maintain that level with Ayo...I fear no one.
To add to that, I loved seeing the killer instinct we showed, we kept attacking regardless of how much of a lead we had.
To add to that, I loved seeing the killer instinct we showed, we kept attacking regardless of how much of a lead we had.
I get what you're saying but....I actually think every decision about Ayo's health and return to game action needs to be focused on him and his future beyond the next few weeks.
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