Another travesty of yesterday's game is that DJ only logged 6 minutes of playing time. When you are getting beat by 20 in the second half, put the freshman in and let them get as much playing time as possible. It saddens me that DJ had to waist a year of eligibility for this crap fest of a season and for 6 minutes a game.
Indiana 103, Illinois 69 POSTGAME
This is not an NIT team. It would actually take great effort to avoid a losing record, let alone make the NIT.
Just making the tournament should not be enough for Groce next year, although making the tournament next year will not be as easy as some believed. Groce also needs an excellent 2017 recruiting class, not just a good one. We need talent, and talent who can step in an contribute right away, especially with Hill, Nunn, Abrams, Thorne, Mav, and Tate all departing. Unless there is a rapid infusion of talent, we are possibly looking at another mediocre team in 2017-18.
My other main issue with the game was the terrible gameplan (or maybe it was a lack of execution of the gameplan). Against the best offensive rated team in the Big Ten we weren't running our offense (whatever that even means under Groce) and instead we were jacking up 1 on 1 rec league shots early in the shot clock. When you play a team like Indiana you want to slow down the game, fully work the shot clock, swing the ball, set good screens, and make Indiana work. We did none of those things.
Depends. We'll have TJL as a soph, JCL/AJ/DJ/Finke as juniors and Leron as a senior. Nichols will be a soph or junior or something, not sure which. That's a decent team that can be pushed over the hump with a great 17 class that includes Williams and Tilmon and some other pieces. But ultimately, if we keep Groce and even if we land those top recruits, we're looking at no postseason this year, a bubbly team next year and a bubbly team the year after that. Going to be a long time before we start fielding teams that can compete for Big Ten titles without getting lucky somehow.
URH Snyder 490
Orange Crush '89
- Northern Illinois
Bob Kravitz @bkravitz 17h17 hours ago
With under 7 minutes left, Illinois' John Groce screamed at players, "I've been doing this 20 years and have never seen this. No pride!''
With under 7 minutes left, Illinois' John Groce screamed at players, "I've been doing this 20 years and have never seen this. No pride!''
Chilliniwek
- Chicagoland
I've said this before, but I'll say it again. This may be part of the problem. Groce always seems to be yelling at his players. Maybe they've just tuned him out.
Also, for those who are gluttons for punishment, a one-hour condensed version of this debacle is about to air on the B1G Network.
Sleepy Floyd
Kicking it with Fat Lever
- Champaign
I don't think he has the reputation of anything he is probably to lax with his players.
Disagree with this. If they are tuning him out, it is because he is too positive and maybe they've realized this and want to be coached "harder" (Jimmy Butler-style.)
With MT unavailable next year, we will most likely be a bubble team with a major weakness in the middle and at the 1 again. TJL will not come in and be an all-frosh wunderkind. If he can give us 15 mpg I'd be happy, and if TA can even play after sitting out for 2 full years it's hard to imagine he'll be close to 100 percent, and even when healthy and strong TA was a mediocre PG. We'll need all-B1G type play from MH and KN, MF and MM to improve significantly as defenders and rebounders, a healthy and improved LB and JCL to make the sophomore leap. If fully healthy, we should compete for a bid, but it won't be easy.
I feel your pain and may not be far behind..
Lol, that reminds me of "DEMETRIIIII! DEMETRIII!"
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Yep. If you're having to yell at a kid that much, you probably recruited the wrong kid.
ILL in IA
- Iowa City
See Ya! I hate posts like this. We all know when this team goes on a good run you will be back. So lets not pretend like you cared that much to start with.
What about last years NIT? That was pretty similar.
Tevo
- Wilmette, IL
Agree. If we continue this way, it won't matter if the new AD or interim AD fires Groce or not. There's no WAY he can get an extension after a year like this, so at best, it's status quo, which in recruiting circles is the same as him being fired. Why would any of our top targets choose Illinois after, let's say, a 13-18 overall record, and 4-16 record in the Big Ten? They'd all know he's going to be on the hotseat and would have better than even odds to get fired before they even arrive.
If we continue to look like we've looked for the past 6 games, the damage will be done, whether or not he gets fired. We need to win 3 of the next 4, I think, to even keep the train on the rails.
Tevo
- Wilmette, IL
Worse than that, I'm getting pity comments from the Purdue, Iowa and Northwestern fans at work! I WILL NOT HAVE NORTHWESTERN FANS FEELING BAD FOR ME!! Seriously.
I'm pretty sure you watch those N.I.T games so it couldn't have been that worthless for you to take the time and tune in.
I'm not defending this by any means, but things just happen sometimes and is an accumulation and result of everything bad for one game. I coached two-year JC basketball for ten years and had some really good teams inside the conference we played in. I remember having a great team with great kids and sometimes they just didn't show up. One game in particular we were down by 23 at halftime to a good but manageable team and yelled at the kids that the opposing team wasn't 46 points better than us and it was an embarrassment to the program and pride.
We ended up losing by 48 that night and went on to win conference and advance quite far in postseason play. That night the players met and came to practice the next day a different team. Again, I HIGHLY DOUBT it's the same situation, but things happen and was after a few poor outings in a row. I think the team can turn it around to be competitive going forward and put this behind them. But I've seen a team just fold one night and since poor play is contagious, the spiral couldn't be stopped that night.
We ended up losing by 48 that night and went on to win conference and advance quite far in postseason play. That night the players met and came to practice the next day a different team. Again, I HIGHLY DOUBT it's the same situation, but things happen and was after a few poor outings in a row. I think the team can turn it around to be competitive going forward and put this behind them. But I've seen a team just fold one night and since poor play is contagious, the spiral couldn't be stopped that night.
Sometimes you just play badly, the other team gains confidence & plays free & loose. Your team gets discouraged. Bad games happen, ask the Cavaliers when they faced Golden State this week. Then once, or twice a year things seem to click perfectly. That's basketball.
I personally don't like what I'm seeing, particularly defensively, but hopefully we can turn things around. Let's let the season play out, a losing record, is unacceptable.
I personally don't like what I'm seeing, particularly defensively, but hopefully we can turn things around. Let's let the season play out, a losing record, is unacceptable.
Not sure the Terri-Bulls are an upgrade. Tee up the dumpster fire gifs.....
Foggy Notion
- San Francisco
Yeah, and they play the Warriors tonight.
Is there a link posted for postgame press conference?