Loyola Chicago 71, Illinois 58 Postgame
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Go Nats 88 Illini
Fairfax, VA
Great guys, terrific team. So much fun until today. Loyola earned it for sure. Frustrating as h..., but even more so for the guys. Thanks for some amazingly fun times. Let's just get back at it, and be in it every year -- and then finish.
Great season. Put us back in the conversation of national relevancy. This hurts, thanks for all the good memories!
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
We had a great season
Most wins in B1G
B1G BTT CHAMPS
Made the dance first time in 6-7 years
Won a tourney game
Lost a game today
Long time to wait for another game
I'll spend some of my time perusing the game threads and putting fake fans on ignore
And as someone earlier posted I hope no illini fans stop to the gutter like ohio st fans did
To all my illini fanatic bros. It's been fun this year right up to the bitter end
Most wins in B1G
B1G BTT CHAMPS
Made the dance first time in 6-7 years
Won a tourney game
Lost a game today
Long time to wait for another game
I'll spend some of my time perusing the game threads and putting fake fans on ignore
And as someone earlier posted I hope no illini fans stop to the gutter like ohio st fans did
To all my illini fanatic bros. It's been fun this year right up to the bitter end
Kofi got his points, but they took Ayo completely out of the game. This team doesn’t have a consistent third scorer that can reliably put up 15 a night and we’re starting two guys averaging under 10 a game. We need more guys that can be consistent scorers next year. Too many games we were left wondering which Miller and Trent would show up. We got 10 out of Miller but only 2 from Trent. We have to shoot better from 3 next year. I think we desperately need a scoring option at the 4, because it’s not Grandison.
Hats off to Curbelo and Miller who played like they wanted to win and tried to make something happen. Everyone else came out playing entitled like we were going to win this game and it showed. We vastly underperformed this season in the tournament. We seemed to be void of the passion and defensive intensity that helped propel our success. In hindsight, I am happy about the season we had, but, as for today, I am sorely disappointed. ILL.
Crushed with today’s performance. A memorable season nonetheless.
Completely agree we should definitely have a diff defense in our back pocket. Hopefully we add in that wrinkle this offseason
Yes, let Krutwig get the ball with ease, let him have perfect vision of the court/play but not far enough off to prevent the back door passes. Smh. The opposite to how they played Ayo.
Unpopular opinion but we just don't have a good enough pnr guard. Ayo not the ball handler / passer needed and Curbelo as a freshman not a good enough shooter.
Who's more talented than Ayo, Frazier, and Damonte coming in next year?
Cook
- Richmond, VA
Yep. We did not adjust to how they guarded our ball screen offense, yet just kept right on doing the same. How many times was our guy with the ball taking on 2, 3, 4 defenders? We could have started running clear outs for Ayo or Belo, put all 4 out of the way and on one side of the floor and force them to guard one on one perhaps. Put Giorgi and Kofi in at the same time and see what they against some high low sets
On D, quit just sagging off Krutwig or their other Center and freaking guard them, especially after they pick up their dribble 15 feet from the basket. Our fighting through screens wasn't working and we gave both mid-range jumpers and back doors. Go zone if you have to for crying out loud.
I mean damn, what was our game plan to enforce our will?
Where was our coaching acumen?
There is shame. I love these guys but this is awful
Deleted member 11228
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Don't agree with this at all. Many college teams have guys averaging less than 10 ppg but they also have a balance after the first two guys. This is not the reason we lost this game. We have more than enough guys to score.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Likewise, pruman. Next season is just around the corner, brother. Can't wait. ILL- !
I think one thing we have seen consistently from Brad Underwood is a lack of adjustments. In this case, it was not adjusting when Loyola starting double-teaming Ayo. Previously, it was letting one play beat the Illini or nearly so (like Washington in the Big Ten Title game and that kid from Ohio University earier this year. Also, he de-emphasized the three point shot compared to many current coaches. Groce liked the three point shot but did not do any coaching otherwise and did not have the shooter to make it work. Don't tell me that there are not three point shooters available to Illinois when we see all these teams from mid-major conferences and even from minor conferences with several good three-point shooters. Having several good three point shooters can create a shock and awe that demoralized the other team. We never had that all year. Ayo was good on the drive, primarily, and Loyola took it away, we did not make much else, not with Frazier having a terrible day like he was.
Defensively, the key was the lack of pressure on Krutwig. Without ball pressure, he could orchestrate the offense. Like a no pressure on a QB, you only can cover for so long.
Offensively, the high ball screen didn't work EVER. Sad to say, would have liked to see the dreaded weave even.
Sad for Ayo. Not a way to go out. He really has struggled for several games. Wonder if the hardcore training las off season prepping for the draft and then a grueling season caught up with him?
The sting is there, but the FUTURE IS BRIGHT.
Offensively, the high ball screen didn't work EVER. Sad to say, would have liked to see the dreaded weave even.
Sad for Ayo. Not a way to go out. He really has struggled for several games. Wonder if the hardcore training las off season prepping for the draft and then a grueling season caught up with him?
The sting is there, but the FUTURE IS BRIGHT.
Wrong take IMO. Coaches are responsible for setting the environment for winning... planning, motivating, scheming and initiating adjustments when you recognize you need to change. Coach BU failed these players today, IMO.
It was a good year, but should have been a great, historic year....we had players to do it and underperformed (and "undercoached") when it came to crunch time.
Personal preferenc, but I like the idea of having taller skilled 4s with the incoming fresh
Deleted member 11228
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I probably would have double teamed him just to get the ball out of his hands or force him into a turnover. We tried to play him straight up and that played right into their hands.
Nailed it.
Retro62
- North Bethesda, Maryland
Moser has a special player at C...it allows him to run his system perfectly because Krutwig knows when to pass and does it effectively. If Kofi were to return, that is an aspect of his game that he could greatly improve. It’s not a mystery why they felt comfortable with two or three guys collapsing on him.
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