Loyola Chicago 71, Illinois 58 Postgame

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#301      

Illini_Jack

Illini_Jack
Illini_Jack
3 things:

1) Where were the in-game adjustments?
2) Where was the sense of urgency?
3) Where was the killer instinct?

I love this team but these 3 things were the most shocking to me. We clearly got outcoached in this game, but the most surprising thing was where were the adjustments Brad? I feel like were just floating throughout the game. Ayo did nothing to exploit the double teams, no changes were made when Kofi was getting triple teamed. And besides Adam Miller, where were the players? I get they are trying, I get they work hard but it came off like we just kind of laid down. Where was that killer instinct coming out in the second half?

I'm not trying to hate. Again, I love these guys, but today's game was just so shocking to me.

We had a great season and the future seems bright but such a headscratcher today. I-L-L
 
#302      

BRucks

BRucks
BRucks
nycillini said:
Because they didn't care for rebounding and just got everyone back on D. Multiple times the announcers pointed out how quickly they got back and set
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True, but they had more offensive rebounds than we did (7-5) and also more fast break points (6-2).
 
#303      

Illini_Jack

Illini_Jack
Illini_Jack
Illini_Jack said:
3 things:

1) Where were the in-game adjustments?
2) Where was the sense of urgency?
3) Where was the killer instinct?

I love this team but these 3 things were the most shocking to me. We clearly got outcoached in this game, but the most surprising thing was where were the adjustments Brad? I feel like were just floating throughout the game. Ayo did nothing to exploit the double teams, no changes were made when Kofi was getting triple teamed. And besides Adam Miller, where were the players? I get they are trying, I get they work hard but it came off like we just kind of laid down. Where was that killer instinct coming out in the second half?

I'm not trying to hate. Again, I love these guys, but today's game was just so shocking to me.

We had a great season and the future seems bright but such a headscratcher today. I-L-L
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On top of this, I just want to thank Ayo, Trent, Damonte and Adam for choosing their home state school. You guys made us proud and represent yourselves well. For those leaving next year, I wish you all the best in your careers. I-L-L!
 
#304      

ILFaninFL

ILFaninFL
Nature Coast in Florida
ILFaninFL
Illini_Jack said:
On top of this, I just want to thank Ayo, Trent, Damonte and Adam for choosing their home state school. You guys made us proud and represent yourselves well. For those leaving next year, I wish you all the best in your careers. I-L-L!
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Well said.
 
#306      

LouHenson

LouHenson
LouHenson
Illini_Jack said:
3 things:

1) Where were the in-game adjustments?
2) Where was the sense of urgency?
3) Where was the killer instinct?

I love this team but these 3 things were the most shocking to me. We clearly got outcoached in this game, but the most surprising thing was where were the adjustments Brad? I feel like were just floating throughout the game. Ayo did nothing to exploit the double teams, no changes were made when Kofi was getting triple teamed. And besides Adam Miller, where were the players? I get they are trying, I get they work hard but it came off like we just kind of laid down. Where was that killer instinct coming out in the second half?

I'm not trying to hate. Again, I love these guys, but today's game was just so shocking to me.

We had a great season and the future seems bright but such a headscratcher today. I-L-L
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I hat e saying it but I see it the same way. This is the best team BU could of hoped for to build us back. He did not do it, time will tell but this could sting for a number of years. What more could we have asked for? We were out everythinged. We will see another Ayo at Illinois (Miller and Curbello could be that now), we may never see another Kofi, and we wasted him :(
 
#308      

TheChief4Life

TheChief4Life
TheChief4Life
Illinifan533 said:
I can't help but wonder, if the team was able to get their first taste of tourney experience LAST year, are they able to overcome the early deficit? All game it seemed they had no idea how to handle the pressure.
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But they had their first taste of the experience... two days ago. Remember?
 
#309      

the juiceman cometh

T
the juiceman cometh
Illinifan533 said:
I can't help but wonder, if the team was able to get their first taste of tourney experience LAST year, are they able to overcome the early deficit? All game it seemed they had no idea how to handle the pressure.
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I've gone back and forth on this too. Maybe if they get a taste last year, with lower expectations/pressure, it plays out better. But if that happens, do Ayo and Kofi still come back? That's the problem with these kind of what/if scenarios...
 
#310      

Dbell1981

D
Decatur, IL
Dbell1981
Illini_Jack said:
On top of this, I just want to thank Ayo, Trent, Damonte and Adam for choosing their home state school. You guys made us proud and represent yourselves well. For those leaving next year, I wish you all the best in your careers. I-L-L!
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Trent is from Florida but yeah
 
#311      

tyrannosaurus scorus

T
tyrannosaurus scorus
Illinifan533 said:
I can't help but wonder, if the team was able to get their first taste of tourney experience LAST year, are they able to overcome the early deficit? All game it seemed they had no idea how to handle the pressure.
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I really didn't think Illinois could recover after falling behind early. We played into their hands and had no answer. We needed to start hot, and we most certainly did not. Start strong, control the tempo, then win the game. Loyola controlled the entirety of the game.
 
#312      

SuperMetroid

SuperMetroid
Evanston
SuperMetroid
Illinifan533 said:
I can't help but wonder, if the team was able to get their first taste of tourney experience LAST year, are they able to overcome the early deficit? All game it seemed they had no idea how to handle the pressure.
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I think this is a pretty good point. I was hoping the BIG tournament would be a good substitute but based on how OSU and Purdue also crapped the bed it seems to have done the opposite.
 
#313      

hooraybeer

hooraybeer
Pittsburgh, PA
hooraybeer
unfortunately i think this sting is going to be more of a long burn.
 
#314      

illini_frog

I
illini_frog
I'm still struggling to get to this point. It's one thing if we lost to a better team, but we didn't show up, got out-efforted, and it's tough to be positive about this yet. 04-05 I was disappointed in the situation, this year I'm disappointed at the team.
 
#315      

illiniu

I
illiniu
tyrannosaurus scorus said:
We need to stop making excuses (as comforting as it may be). Loyola beat us, flat out beat us
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No excuses, you are correct. Remember Chattanooga, Dayton, Peay? Just plain got beat. It happens (like Indiana vs. Richmond way back or so many other teams, even almighty Kansas).

GO ILLINI!
 
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#316      

Keisersose

Keisersose
Keisersose
Loyola beat us. Good for them

BUT

You know our guys had to have walked out of the locker room, saw Larry Scirotto standing there, and thought “You HAVE to be kidding me...”.

I know we have to overcome that, but still...
 
#317      

Mitch Hennessey

Mitch Hennessey
Mitch Hennessey
Hey guys, sorry to see the game end with the result it did today. I was looking forward to playing you again in the Final 4 (I'm a Baylor fan, for those who understandably don't remember me from back in December).

Just wanted to hop on and congratulate you on a really outstanding season. Even if it ended in a way that takes a little bit of the shine off of the journey, you got to hang a banner - which lasts forever - and you put the nation on notice that Illinois basketball is a force to be reckoned with again.

Last thing, I read most of the game thread and postgame commiseration thread here and I want to note for the record that your fanbase is a class act. The way you all have handled this and the great perspective you've had in the face of extreme disappointment is admirable. I can only hope our fans would be so gracious in defeat (although I'd be willing to wait until next year to find out).

Cheers, and I hope to see you all down the road!
 
#318      

Miles Leonard

M
Miles Leonard
It's as simple as Loyola just plain whipped us on both ends of the court. That's it. Both teams had to deal with shoddy officiating and the early start time.

No excuses guys. Loyola bought it today and it was just not our day. That's why they are moving on and we are going home.
 
#319      

Dbell1981

D
Decatur, IL
Dbell1981
Mitch Hennessey said:
Hey guys, sorry to see the game end with the result it did today. I was looking forward to playing you again in the Final 4 (I'm a Baylor fan, for those who understandably don't remember me from back in December).

Just wanted to hop on and congratulate you on a really outstanding season. Even if it ended in a way that takes a little bit of the shine off of the journey, you got to hang a banner - which lasts forever - and you put the nation on notice that Illinois basketball is a force to be reckoned with again.

Last thing, I read most of the game thread and postgame commiseration thread here and I want to note for the record that your fanbase is a class act. The way you all have handled this and the great perspective you've had in the face of extreme disappointment is admirable. I can only hope our fans would be so gracious in defeat (although I'd be willing to wait until next year to find out).

Cheers, and I hope to see you all down the road!
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Awesome post. Good luck on your tourney run
 
#320      

MiloMinderbender

MiloMinderbender
MiloMinderbender
Probably beating a dead horse here, and I know the UIC United Center debacle still stings, but I think it would be good for Illinois to schedule in state schools not named Chicago State more regularly. Would be good experience playing games with high intangible factors like you often see in the NCAA Tournament.

Wisconsin plays Marquette every year, and UW-Green Bay and UW-Milwaukee in alternating years. They regularly make and get to at least the second weekend in the tournament (despite sometimes losing to those teams in the regular season when they shouldn't).
 
#321      

Miles Leonard

M
Miles Leonard
Illinifan533 said:
I can't help but wonder, if the team was able to get their first taste of tourney experience LAST year, are they able to overcome the early deficit? All game it seemed they had no idea how to handle the pressure.
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That's a valid point but would Kofi and Ayo have stayed afterwards, especially if we had made a run?

We had talent but were inexperienced on a stage like this, and it showed. You can cite the BTT run yes, but that just isn't the same as a do or die winner-take-all game that the Madness is in my book.
 
#324      

SescIllini

SescIllini
SescIllini
I thought the Illini played tight for both games. This reminded me of the olympic teams that couldn't win the gold. The Euros would take away the fast breaks and drives. The refs wouldn't whistle bail out fouls. Turned USA into a 3 point team, which the Eoros were better at
 
#325      

CurbeloYourEnthusiasm

CurbeloYourEnthusiasm
CurbeloYourEnthusiasm
By point differential, this is one of the worst NCAA losses we've ever had. Since 1980, worst losses:

1993-94. L Vanderbilt (85-68). Down by 11 at halftime.
1996-97. L Chattanooga (75-63). Lead by 1 at halftime.
1999-00. L Florida (93-76). Down by 6 at halftime.
2002-03. L Notre Dame (68-60). Down by 13 at halftime.
2010-11. L Kansas (73-59). Down by 4 at halftime.
2020-21. L Loyola (71-58). Down 9 at halftime.

Vandy, Notre Dame, Florida, Loyola were the games we really never were in at any point of the game.
 
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