No you are right, he doesn't have an outside shot yet.
I meant zone killer by getting him the ball at the free throw line, where he can use his PG skills to find the open guy, or get to the rim in 1 or 2 dribbles.
Pregame: Illinois vs Syracuse, Tuesday, November 29th, 6:30pm CT, ESPN
- Status
No you are right, he doesn't have an outside shot yet.
I meant zone killer by getting him the ball at the free throw line, where he can use his PG skills to find the open guy, or get to the rim in 1 or 2 dribbles.
Bigtex
- DFW
Until Rodgers is a threat to score he will be challenged to get minutes against the zone.
The best way to beat the zone is not to let them get in it - if we push the pace, press/put pressure on their ball handlers, create some turnovers and make it a full court game we will win going away. How much we dictate the pace will be a large factor in the game. We're a better team with better players right now, so we should win if we play well and get into our transition game.
I think Hawk will be the best one to put in the middle of the zone (followed by Mayer). Tall threats to score with the ability to turn and pass to weak side block. Put me in the camp that doesn't think this game will be particularly close.
I hope so. From the time this game got scheduled I’ve hated this matchup. Even based on the preseason KenPom it was a slap in the face, as I think we were in the 30s vs 80s for Cuse. So nothing to gain and has the possibility to be a bad loss at home. And for a team that is still learning/gelling, a zone can be like a knuckleball or southpaw fighter. Can just throw you off your rhythm.
I hope we win and win big, but will be happy to just get a W and move onto 2 really tough games against Maryland and Texas.
Yep, he's a very good passer and we probably don't want him launching a bunch of 3's in this game
A bunch of rebounds instead would be nice.
You could likely put the four big guys on a dart board and throw a dart to pick a good choice for the middle guy against a zone.. They are all strong perimeter shooters and passers, With that said, a rotation could work just fine. The most important aspect is the passing must be focused, shots executed without rush, and hitting the boards hard on both ends.
And I might add, defend like banshees...if they don't score they can't win.
I agree with this. I don't think their zone can stop our guys from penetrating anyway. Too many weapons.
GallopingGhost
- Denver, CO
I want to say we run away with this one and win by 20 pts, but who knows, the zone could do some weird things to our flow.
They also have some pretty stellar guards Girard and Mintz. However they are very hot and cold players. So we’ll just have to make sure they stay……
Icy
They also have some pretty stellar guards Girard and Mintz. However they are very hot and cold players. So we’ll just have to make sure they stay……
Icy
Goillinikobd
- Southeastern US
It’s so nice to see our basketball coach so comfortable in his role and confident in his team, but damn sure not content.
Basically the only thing Syracuse is doing right this year on D is protecting the paint, but I think we can still have some success because I agree that we've got a lot of guys who can score efficiently there. I think that the key is to be patient -- not slow, but just focused on making the extra pass on the perimeter to find the right shooter in the right shot and to avoid giving them a chance to jump the lane when we reverse the ball. If we do that, and if we don't just have one of those nights where we shoot 15% from three because it happens from time to time, we should take this one going away.
Homecoming 2019
- Chicago
100% agree with this, though I could see him and Mayer swapping in and out running from baseline 3 pt to elbow, swap, then back to 3 pt baseline.
I do think Hawk could distribute better from there but doesn't shoot the short range jumpers as well as Mayer or Shannon. I think Brad has a few options here, which is nice to have.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Here I am at home trying to keep the loyalty brethren and sisterhood apprised of some of the overlooked aspects of our wonderful HCBU"s
pressers hoping to bring more attention to the Fighting Illini every day guy culture......
Just listened to BU's presser , which was excellent as usual........One thing that has always piqued my curiosity was how many times BU
said "" UH "" during one of his informative talks with the media............................
So today I did a hard count on his use of "" UH "" and found out , IMHO , BU is elite when using the 2 letter word........
This presser I counted 210 times with use of that trigger word and if you didn't follow closely he would slip one or two past you in a heartbeat......
I give the margin of error at 10-15 and I am impressed with the , not only usage , but the inflection to start a well thought out answer to a reporters question with margins of 7-10 seconds with no usage of that small word........
So uh , in conclusion , uh , I can't wait for the , uh , bozoheimers to cum in and take their , uh , a$$ whoopin , uh , like the little b**ches that , uh , they are ......
JMHO ...............................................uh.................................................................
disclaimer : this report in no way attempts to make fun of HCBU in any way or critisize his choice of words at any given presser......It's my way of keeping the Illini Nation and all college BB fans up to date on all the analytics involved in college BB today.......I have no idea where HCBU ranks in the kenpom or torvik "" UH "" levels but I will get that info to everyone ASAP.................................
This post has been brought to you by Coke Zero Sugar, over and over again....................................
They are pretty long and athletic. Not bad defensively.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
In 1994, after working abroad for three years, I spent a summer on trains around Europe before moving to Chicago. By the time I got to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland in mid-July it was hot as Hades, and the humidity was stifling. No a/c anywhere, the hangover of the Soviet collapse omnipresent, grown men having fistfights in the street in broad daylight over trivialities, palpable desperation and resignation everywhere I went (except Prague, which was a complete party), roach-infested dirty hostels. Just a rough, unpleasant environment in so many places and ways.
I finally got out of there and headed north to Sweden to end my trip. Took a daytime train from Krakow through balls-hot Silesia in southern Poland. I still remember rolling through the steel mill town of Katowice, where the complexion of everyone I saw was literally gray from decades of unmitigated Soviet steel mill pollution and many probably died before they turned 60. (Years later I had a colleague who worked in the Peace Corps in Katowice and confirmed just how horrible a place it was.) Ended up in Wroclaw, where I stood nearly alone on a platform awaiting my night train. On the neighboring platform, which was packed, a train pulled up and a wave of humanity tried to board it, climbing in through windows, people pushing, shoving and fighting for seats. It was anarchy, a bad dream.
I fell asleep not long after the overnight train departed for Dresden and the Baltic coast. I'd been relentlessly sweating, staying in hovels, and surrounded by social misery for the better part of two weeks. At one point the Polish transit police shook me down for $20 in cash and threatened to jail me. In the Czech Republic a very, very strong drunk tried to assault the two mothers and their three young daughters I happened to be sharing a train carriage with and I (not anywhere near the strapping lad I am today at 56) had to fend him off for an hour.
I wondered why the he!! I'd ever left Switzerland and Austria and veered into Eastern Europe to begin with.
In the morning I woke up as the train rolled onto a ferry headed for Trelleborg on the Swedish coast. It was much cooler but overcast. By the time I'd had sufficient coffee and a good meal, I was on a train headed north for Gothenberg and the clouds had dissipated. When I got there, I dumped my bags in the local hostel. It was clean, spacious, and every conceivable surface was covered with smooth blond wood. The clerk at check-in was friendly and offered advice about the city. They had a sauna out back.
I showered. I ate Nutella, and had some sort of scone with lingonberry jam. The coffee, freshly-brewed, was dark and strong. I walked outside and there was not a cloud in the sky. The humidity was low. It was perhaps 75 degrees. I took a tram to the end of the line at a seaside suburb. I sat on the rocks by the harbor. Everyone looked healthy, radiant and happy. All the women were beautiful. I felt as if I had entered nirvana.
When I watch a presser that BU or BB give these days, I'm mindful of how long Illini fans have inhabited Eastern Europe c. 1994. And that we are now in Sweden, basking in the late July sun. Cleanliness, good food and drink, beautiful women (and men) everywhere, a cold beer in hand. And dark, relentless winter nowhere on the horizon.
ChazzReinhold
Mom! The Meatloaf!
Elite focus Pru. I would've lost count at #27.
RockyMtnIllini81
- Golden, Colorado
No one seems interested in addressing it. Apparently, slapping an opposing player and starting a brawl is AOK with the ACC and Syracuse.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
I thoroughly enjoy your retelling of your experiences while on this planet and you have a talent , my friend , of weaving your life experiences into a coherent and thought provoking manner with your subject matter always being positive and reaching a point of interest that everyone can understand ......
please keep sharing these points of light of your life bro , and I will keep reading everyone of them .......Priceless ..................they really really are..................
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