Correct, that switch was to address DIFFERENT issues that team had. IL does NOT have the same issues that his OSU team did. Not to mention IL does not have a Jawun Evans that is now in the NBA.
Michigan State 87, Illinois 74 POSTGAME
- Status
Correct, that switch was to address DIFFERENT issues that team had. IL does NOT have the same issues that his OSU team did. Not to mention IL does not have a Jawun Evans that is now in the NBA.
mattcoldagelli
- Script Illinois Enthusiast
Like, if you're watching that game tonight, and your immediate takeaway is anything other than "wow, there are levels of athleticism, and we are on a decidedly different one than they are"....I honestly don't know what to tell you.
Michigan State spent a good chunk of the game literally jumping over us and we've got people saying "Boy, maybe we should've slowed this thing down and gotten more half-court looks in this one."
Michigan State spent a good chunk of the game literally jumping over us and we've got people saying "Boy, maybe we should've slowed this thing down and gotten more half-court looks in this one."
Deleted member 547530
D
Guest
Yes you are that crazy
You're not wrong, but it's not all about winning right now. BU is trying to establish a culture and is teaching a young team. We're picking up the bumps and bruises right now but it should make us stronger in the long run. The goal is 2-3 years from now if a guy commits to UI, he knows exactly what he is coming here to do. Pressure the ball, force turnovers, play fast, push the ball, throw oops, and play with intensity.
Groce won a good amount of games his first year. But after 5 years we still didn't know what his teams were trying to accomplish on the court. He never established an identity.
Ultimately, BU's first year means nothing. You should've learned that lesson from Groce. It's all about where we are in 2-3 years. And I think in 2-3 years these freshmen will be upperclassmen and have this system perfected. And just as importantly they will be great leaders to underclassmen beneath them that know exactly what it means to play Illini basketball.
Illiini
- In the land of the Nittany Lion
Twenty-five turnovers ain't too bad against Sparty. It's one thing their size couldn't defeat. Before the intentional foul routine at the very end, we had closed to within ten points. I wonder whether we could have continued that pace, but we were gaining on the #6 team in the nation.
Deleted member 11241
D
Guest
Exactly!! Next year these guys will have a full year under their belts and will be able to teach the incoming freshmen the system. Then after a couple years you have a team full of experienced players that are showing each incoming class what it takes and you have your culture established. Just got to recruit to the system and it will pay dividends
Agreed. It's mind-boggling...
Underwood has said that both SFA & OSU teams were always ready to play when the lights came on. That has not been the case at IL this year or in recent years. In addition to then future NBA player Evans at OSU, he said there was a Phil Forte that put up 600 shots a day...or some crazy number...& that guy knew he was not going to the NBA. OSU had offense & their offense hung with Michigan in the NCAA tournament last year. They had a winning culture long before Underwood arrived that we have not had.
Underwood was 89-14 at SFA & turned around a previous losing record at OSU to 20-13. I respect all of the effort our guys give & appreciate all of their hard work. But we just do not have the height, athleticism nor experience the upper echelon teams such as MSU do. I mean if we had all or any of that, Groce would still be here.
So with all due respect, pack line defense would not be the magic next step.
Tacomallini
- Washington State
:clappy:
Deleted member 4960
D
Guest
I don't understand this at all. Last night was really the only game we lost where we actually got beat. Wisconsin was effort. Every other loss is from stupid mistakes and lack of execution.
sbillini
- st petersburg, fl
I'm not sure where your expectations were going into this game, but I'm impressed with where your optimism was. This team over-achieved in this game. The size and athleticism mismatch was just too much to overcome.
They played as well as could be hoped - particularly considering LB's foul problems. The key is sustaining it game in and game out and closing games, both of which are controllable. It wont' get us in the tourney, but it'll set us up well for the future.
Good effort tonight was nice to see after the disaster on Friday at Wisconsin, but tonight also unfortunately showed how far away we are from competing with the top of the conference. Our lack of size allowed Michigan State to do whatever it wanted offensively when it didn't turn the ball over. With it looking like no immediate help in the size department next year it is looking more and more like a potential 3 or 4 year rebuild. Hard to believe how low the program has fallen. Looks like programs future may largely be based on Underwood's ability to get a couple quality bigs in the 19 class which probably means next year is another year out of the tourney unless we hit a home run with a 5th year transfer which isn't likely. Hard to stay patient for 3 or 4 years and believe in the rebuild but not a lot of other choices right now
I was thinking the same thing.
Except we add a 5* and 1 or two bigs...... I think that is much different
illiniCA
- DC Area
What did you not like about last night scheme
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
pruman91
- interviewing new NL's daily....I really really am
http://www.stltoday.com/sports/coll...cle_01f36937-51ad-516e-b78f-a50ecbe4ed40.html
“I liked the team I coached tonight a lot,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “The name the Fighting Illini, that was us tonight. Compared to what I watched Friday night, this was a little different. We’ve got to grow, we’ve got to understand that’s the way the game’s played. Michigan State is who they are. That’s what they do every night.”
I just realized its only been 30 days since the Braggin rights game....seems like a lifetime ago
“I liked the team I coached tonight a lot,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “The name the Fighting Illini, that was us tonight. Compared to what I watched Friday night, this was a little different. We’ve got to grow, we’ve got to understand that’s the way the game’s played. Michigan State is who they are. That’s what they do every night.”
I just realized its only been 30 days since the Braggin rights game....seems like a lifetime ago
The 5 * is signed, so that's a given, and I don't think adding 1 or 2 bigs is that big of a stretch.
whenitrains
When it Rains
MSU was bigger, faster, stronger... If Illini wins another game this year, Underwood should get "Coach of the Year" votes.
Yeah, you pack our defense in a zone or try to keep up with man to man & MSU shoots over the top all night long of a shorter less athletic team. The margin of loss would have been at least double.
Maybe true, but those aren't the only options. There are numerous variations to defenses.
Playing a zone or packline D against a team with as much talent as MSU would work better you think?
Instead of 25 TO's they would have had maybe 7, which would have given them 18 more chances to score.
When you play a superior team you have to shorten the game, not lengthen it. The fewer possessions, the better your chances. Basketball 101.
illiniCA
- DC Area
The defensive scheme was great last night. The biggest issue is that we are not able to score of the turnovers.
- Status