Lots of friends asked me what I would disappointed with or be happy with for this tournament. This was literally the only outcome I said would leave a bitter taste on this season. Fans and the team deserved better. Sucks to be remembered in this way.
Loyola Chicago 71, Illinois 58 Postgame
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I never thought we’d get dominated in the paint, but it happened. Krutwig played as well as or better than any big in the B10 we’ve seen. Ayo wasn’t Ayo today. Just a real disappointing end to an otherwise great season.
Deleted member 29907
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Agree - the few times we ran the weave we actually did fairly well. Why we continued to run the high screen without a plan B was criminal.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
About the worst ending to the season imaginable, no? Just so many uncharacteristic mistakes, a lack of energy, absolutely NO ONE playing with the swagger we have seen down the stretch ... pretty sickening result. We all should thank the basketball gods everyday that Ayo chose to come here, but who knows? ... if Kofi could come back, we might just have as good of a team next year. We saw today what happens when your team EVER goes into "Wait for another guy to step up" mode. If we can beat Michigan that badly on their home floor without Ayo, we are clearly good enough to be a Final Four threat next year, PROVIDED Kofi stays. I really don't want anyone to take that as a knock on Ayo (one of my all-time favorite Illini), I'm just looking on the bright side going forward. Hopefully, this bitter loss makes Kofi want to come back, along with Trent and Da'Monte.
Other than that, I am at a loss for words ... I knew it was possible we'd go down early - especially to a team like Loyola - but I honestly never considered that we could lay a total dud. Not after the way we had been playing. Oh well, life goes on.
Other than that, I am at a loss for words ... I knew it was possible we'd go down early - especially to a team like Loyola - but I honestly never considered that we could lay a total dud. Not after the way we had been playing. Oh well, life goes on.
pruman91
- interviewing new NL's daily....I really really am
How many are real or fake fans
Saw a lot of usernames for the first time this season
I'm gonna take so time just reading here, so TC keep us informed on recruiting
OK ?
What an awesome year we've had and so grateful for Ayo and Kofi and the entire team and the sacrifices they've made all season.
Now they can go home finally to see their families and friends. We have so much to be grateful for and what an exciting run to the dance..
I don't care what anybody else tries to say but this team was definitely the BEST team in the Big 10 this year.
GReat game plan for Moser and his Loyola team.
We have a great team coming in next year.
Now they can go home finally to see their families and friends. We have so much to be grateful for and what an exciting run to the dance..
I don't care what anybody else tries to say but this team was definitely the BEST team in the Big 10 this year.
GReat game plan for Moser and his Loyola team.
We have a great team coming in next year.
skyIdub
"I can't tell you. Secret."
We didn't execute. They did. We beat ourselves. That is literally the end of that game's diagnosis.
Coaches can draw up whatever you want to think in a game like this. We literally handed them the game. 10 steals, 15 turnovers...gmab...that's not on the coaches at all. Curbelo doing his freshman things into an elite defense. Ayo making terrible decisions with the double team. Kofi was completely lost in the first half.
Take all that and execute even our most very average performance and we win by double digits.
Don't hurt yourself trying to overthink this.
The only team that could beat Illinois this year was.......Illinois.
Coaches can draw up whatever you want to think in a game like this. We literally handed them the game. 10 steals, 15 turnovers...gmab...that's not on the coaches at all. Curbelo doing his freshman things into an elite defense. Ayo making terrible decisions with the double team. Kofi was completely lost in the first half.
Take all that and execute even our most very average performance and we win by double digits.
Don't hurt yourself trying to overthink this.
The only team that could beat Illinois this year was.......Illinois.
Underwood could have done some things better, no doubt but this falls on Ayo and Trent's shoulders. Ayo picked the worst time to have a crap performance on both sides. His man was blowing by him for easy lay ups all game. Loyola's defense swarmed him all game and it got to him, physically and mentally.
Today Ayo definitely should have bombed the nuns!A quick recap of Ayo's tough game!
Disclaimer: I love Ayo! But all we have now is laughter.
So disappointed in Underwood and staff not being able to adjust at all.
Agree 100% If you run your offense through your center, he has to be able to "get the ball out to the open shooter." Of course, we only shot 28.6 from 3 today.
We seems really out of sync. today, on both ends of the floor.
Probably opposing fans hoping to find us being salty and troll. They will not get that lol
You are criticizing a guy who might need surgery on his face, but even if he doesn't it must have hurt like heck every time he took any kind of contact at all.
SuperMetroid
- Evanston
Yeah, this is a massive disappointment no matter how you slice it. A 1 seed with 2 All-Americans should not be going home after one game.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
The voice of reason.
It really seems that Underwood has difficulty playing against teams that slow the tempo down. Maryland comes to mind. Illinois really could have used that Michigan game plan today.
Since you asked nicely, here's a name for you, Bayron Matos in New Mexico's transfer portal.
Hats off to Loyola for a great game plan. And not to beat a dead horse but, lack of adjustments killed us today.
On offense why didn’t we try running the horned set with Trent and Jake that was so effective? Have Ayo on the baseline and cut.
On defense they ran that same curl screen action and our guys just got lost in the muck. Kofi was left on an island to either pick up an unguarded layup or stick to Krutwig.
I know we don’t like to switch on screens but I don’t think it’s a secret what Loyola runs. We had time to prepare. Why not practice switching just for a plan B? Just in case your plan A doesn’t work.
Loyola is a really good team and deserved to win. But frustrated that we never countered.
On offense why didn’t we try running the horned set with Trent and Jake that was so effective? Have Ayo on the baseline and cut.
On defense they ran that same curl screen action and our guys just got lost in the muck. Kofi was left on an island to either pick up an unguarded layup or stick to Krutwig.
I know we don’t like to switch on screens but I don’t think it’s a secret what Loyola runs. We had time to prepare. Why not practice switching just for a plan B? Just in case your plan A doesn’t work.
Loyola is a really good team and deserved to win. But frustrated that we never countered.
Wouldn’t trade that BTT championship as it was the crowning achievement of our season. But I’m curious what the opening NCAA weekend record is of teams that play Friday, Saturday, Sunday. It sure looked like the best two teams were OSU and us last weekend.
Shocking that so many people are complaining about Kofi's 21/9 game and 80%FTs
This is what I found most frustrating. For three point shots this team relied on Frazier. Ayo and the other players right now are not all that good at 3's, and whe Frazier has an off night, which he does from time to time, we have nothing left from the perimeter. I do not understand how we cannot have better three point shooters when we see so many good three point shooters on mid majors and even the small conference schools in the tournament. Illinoi's best team was a team that had three threats from long range - the 2005 team. I would give up some athleticiism for shooting and a little bit of basketball IQ.
GallopingGhost
- Denver, CO
This game leaves the most bitter taste in my mouth. But this won’t be the last you hear from the Illini.
Calling it now, 4 or better seed in the 2021-2022 tourney
Calling it now, 4 or better seed in the 2021-2022 tourney
This was a combination of us not showing up and Loyola being drastically underrated.
Loyola was a top-10 NET/KenPom team, and MVC teams almost always overperform in this tournament.
It should’ve been a Sweet 16 matchup, not 2nd Round.
Great season, one bad game at the end.
Loyola was a top-10 NET/KenPom team, and MVC teams almost always overperform in this tournament.
It should’ve been a Sweet 16 matchup, not 2nd Round.
Great season, one bad game at the end.
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