Just got around to watching the game this morning. Why in the hell did we not stick with the zone? It frustrated Queen and Reese. If they beat us on 3s then so be it, but that would be a hell of a lot better than seeing the two big guys feast all night. Bad loss and we’re not going to hear the end of it, but still a lot of season left and this team has the talent to do special things in March.
Maryland 91, Illinois 70 Postgame
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The first point just no. NBA teams aren’t drooling over a of that can’t handle the rock. If anything he’s just soft with the basketball and tries to make things happen that aren’t there.
I don’t think will is lost. I think he’s tall but small. Needs Fletch time. But he’s gotta want to develop that. And we all know how 18 yos are.
Tomi isn’t a banger. Could he be? Maybe, but right now he’s a finesse big. And him disappearing I would expect is a direct correlation to our desire to spread the floor and shoot 3s. Someone alluded to it earlier that KB and KJ get tunnel vision. I would say the same for Tre at times. They have gone away from spreading the wealth and have taken on a get mine mentality.
Ben I think you nailed though. He goes on a heater and he’s great, but vast majority of the time he’s getting pushed around and is a liability defensively.
On another note. Someone else mentioned something about coaches turning over rosters year over year. I don’t believe it is the coaches on this. I wholeheartedly believe like many of you NIL is to blame. Guys aren’t in it for pride any longer. They are looking to get paid. If there was an endless supply of funds we wouldn’t have the turnover, but it isn’t that way and never will be. It will be an interesting case study to see how someone like Belichek handles things. I know it’s football, but he’s taking things and turning it into a pro sports team, per his own admission. Will be curious to see the success or failure of it
Ehhhh. I never felt ‘22-‘23 team had loads of talent. Enough to be better than they were, but no where near a really good team except maybe on paper. Did they have 3 B1G wins each by more than 30 points?
Big Jack
- Decatur
Maybe the entire season.. count how many 1rst year players we have, how many last night were still sick. I can go on but apparently you and others only look at the negative side of this situation and the team. So I will leave it there. Be a true fan and look at the entire situation not just your feelings.
Big Jack
- Decatur
Great Post but you are talking to the wall here some people are hell bent on only being negative today.
Is that necessarily a bad thing, though, the outward part, I mean? He was starting to get the Bo Pelini treatment for awhile there.
After wallowing all night and morning, time to put the orange-tinted glasses back on...
Our upcoming schedule absolutely has run potential, and our toughest tests in those stretches are at home. Finishing out the season at 22-9 is absolutely attainable and depending on how we do in the B1G tourney, that could land us somewhere between a 3-5 seed. If we beat Duke, probably on the better end of that. The game last night doesn't change the fact that this roster probably has the most Championship potential based on talent out of any team in the B1G.
Our upcoming schedule absolutely has run potential, and our toughest tests in those stretches are at home. Finishing out the season at 22-9 is absolutely attainable and depending on how we do in the B1G tourney, that could land us somewhere between a 3-5 seed. If we beat Duke, probably on the better end of that. The game last night doesn't change the fact that this roster probably has the most Championship potential based on talent out of any team in the B1G.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
As I've said before, the Brad Underwood of the first few years was borderline nuts. I'm glad he has toned that part down. I don't think that being just this side of bonkers is good for anyone (see Hurley, Dan).
I hope he hasn't lost the fire that makes him a big part of who he is, but given what college basketball has become I can understand if he (and others) are feeling that way. The idea that any coach would feel like he has to essentially turn the entire team over in a single year is not a good situation to be in. Professional teams don't even have to deal with that.
l had the flu. No idea if it's the same strain going thru the team but when I had it, chills, bad headaches, low grade fever, body aches that kept you up all night and tired as all hell. Even as I began to get better, I had zero energy. Lasted about 4 days and then a couple to start feeling halfway normal. The worst part: it came back. Same as before.
And I had my flu shot.
And I had my flu shot.
I've said this before, but my problem with Morez's fouls is that they are soft. 80% of his fouls are body contact where he holds his hands up afterwards trying to claim he was "straight up". Even if the majority of the time he his, he's still going to get whistled for those fouls. If they're going to call them anyway, make it a hard foul and avoid the And-1.
Morez is a beast. He should be striking Lucas Johnson level fear (frustration) into the hearts and minds of his opponents. Right now he's just a big guy to bounce off of, hit a layup, and shoot free throw.
Meh. Just a couple weeks ago, our insiders were saying Brad was built for the NIL/portal era. "He thrives!" "He loves building rosters year to year." "He came through the JUCO ranks. This is what he does."
Excuses, excuses! !!!!ing win these games you're supposed to win. Quit with the damn excuses. "The refs hate us!" "We're so darn sick!" "NIL has killed our team chemistry!" C'mon now. Enough.
Excuses, excuses! !!!!ing win these games you're supposed to win. Quit with the damn excuses. "The refs hate us!" "We're so darn sick!" "NIL has killed our team chemistry!" C'mon now. Enough.
I agree with you on Ben being too small to defend the paint well. The other problem in my opinion is that he is to slow of foot to defend most forwards or guards that come his way.
Yep... I also hope Brad hasn't checked out. Watching the game last night I kept waiting for him to let out all of his frustration on one of the refs after one of their "questionable" calls...maybe get strategically T'd up to get his point across, breathe some life into his team, and get the crowd going. But all I saw was a guy who seemed disinterested and resigned to the fact that we were gonna lose. I honestly felt like I was more pissed off that Brad was.
You would think that someone, who is projected as a lottery pick, would be more careful with the ball. KJ is going to see men who are just as big, quick and strong as he is at the next level.
Totally agree.
Promise you guys, this team will be totally fine. The bumps suck right now but it will be worth it come March. Winning streak starts Sunday
We know we are a young team with high volatility. We played a stretch of 4 or 5 games where we looked unstoppable. But had a few externally driven things to disrupt that momentum and have never really stabilized.
KB, Tre White are a big part of that instability during this stretch.
We were dealt a huge blow the last two games.
Coaching didn’t adapt. Just like we NEVER adapted with Ayo, Kofi, and, partially with TSJ (Domask was a godsend). Those guys were dominant to win yet we didn’t have answers in games that limited our one star player.
Last night was an example with KJ being limited.
Where do we go from here? More of the same?
KB, Tre White are a big part of that instability during this stretch.
We were dealt a huge blow the last two games.
Coaching didn’t adapt. Just like we NEVER adapted with Ayo, Kofi, and, partially with TSJ (Domask was a godsend). Those guys were dominant to win yet we didn’t have answers in games that limited our one star player.
Last night was an example with KJ being limited.
Where do we go from here? More of the same?
Totally agree. I said this elsewhere. He is going to see men every night, who are just as tall, quick and stronger than he is.
I would not put the responsibility on just 2 players. This was a team loss.
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