Minnesota 68, Illinois 59 POSTGAME

MrOizo · Feb 5, 2017

txillini11 said:
So this coaching staff is in way over their heads... but how in the heck are you not able to develop players into anywhere near the basketball players they should be. DJW has what looks like an NBA body and athleticism (the only one on the team that looks athletic enough to play in the league) and just let him rot on the bench to the point where he wants to transfer??

Get a freaking clue.

Yes, absolutely. I want to see DJW and AJ for a couple of reasons. Not that I expect we will, but with some tick we might see AJ settle down a bit. He can shoot I'm sure. He just hasn't been able to get it going for some reason. Perhaps the game would slow down finally, but only if he gets time. DJW, with some playing time, might surprise, may get more engaged on and off the court, etc.

Without playing these guys, we have the team we currently have playing, which isn't going to get it done. I'd love to see some new dimensions to this team since we aren't playing well enough now with the senior-laden group.

MakesNoSense · Feb 5, 2017

LurkLongandProsper said:
That said, I still think with the pieces and tools we have on offense, we could've/should've made the tournament this year.

I never thought this at any point this year.

JoeJ · Feb 5, 2017

Illiini said:
I have tickets for the Rutgers game at Rutgers. I thought that was a safe one.

At one point I was planning on going,

later I was thinking of going :huh:, at this point it would be highly unlikely to make a four hour + drive each way.:tsk:

Perhaps the BTT next year in NYC with the new coach

Go Illini! :illinois:

PostersLastStand · Feb 5, 2017

fxstbi said:
I was slightly impressed Morgan actually played above the rim a bit tonight. I was beginning to wonder if anyone on the team could dunk on a put back. :tsk:

I was wondering the same, when is the last time some player dunked it or tried. They aren't a very aggressive team on either end. Our offensive scheme isn't right for this team and the lack of enthusiasm executing it shows.

JoeJ · Feb 5, 2017

OrangeKrus28 said:
The ladder is just a motivational gimmick at this point. I get what he's trying to do with the ladder but that's not going to help you win games. When you're constantly losing games, then you just look completely foolish continuing to use the ladder as a metaphor.

Perhaps we can label a staircase going down.

At this point an empty elevator shaft.

PostersLastStand · Feb 5, 2017

Good coaches take very good talent and win. Great coaches take marginal talent and win. Then there are the coaches who should have been high school driving education instructors.

JoeJ · Feb 5, 2017

kaptain80 said:

POTD! Perhaps post of the year. :thumb: At least I get a laugh here.

RickBB · Feb 5, 2017

fxstbi said:
I was slightly impressed Morgan actually played above the rim a bit tonight. I was beginning to wonder if anyone on the team could dunk on a put back. :tsk:

The 3 dunks he had are about a week's worth for us it seems. It frustrates me even more that he doesn't do it all the time though.

And for anyone who says that Malcolm has enough athleticism to play in the NBA, only needs to watch the multiple times he "kinda" dunks it on complete break aways. I thought he was going to miss that one last night. And I'm still surprised he doesn't get called for the push off on the dribble into a step back....he could get called for it 80% of the time. He's a great kid, fine example of a student athlete, but not the guy you build around if you are supposed to be a top 25 team. He's definitely pressing though...I hate to see it.

SescIllini · Feb 5, 2017

MrOizo said:
Kipper is absolutely NOT an SG!

and Melo Trimble is not a PG. SG and SF have become the same position in many offensive in college and pros. He isn't the perfect SG but he projects to be one and that is where I would develop him. The mismatches at this level in our favor are great to go with these type of players.

Second and Chalmers · Feb 5, 2017

SescIllini said:
and Melo Trimble is not a PG.

Balderdash

Calvin · Feb 5, 2017

Joestan1967 said:
Not fair to say kids showed no heart or effort. No the way I saw it. But poor offensive system, everyone still seems lost, and terrible substitutions takes away any momentum over time.

I agree. I think there are a lot of indicators that the players are fighting to right the ship, despite the fact that the coach is a dead man walking, and there's really nothing to play for at this point. Glad the players got to play in front of a full house.

helppitch · Feb 5, 2017

MrOizo said:
Yes, absolutely. I want to see DJW and AJ for a couple of reasons. Not that I expect we will, but with some tick we might see AJ settle down a bit. He can shoot I'm sure. He just hasn't been able to get it going for some reason. Perhaps the game would slow down finally, but only if he gets time. DJW, with some playing time, might surprise, may get more engaged on and off the court, etc.

Without playing these guys, we have the team we currently have playing, which isn't going to get it done. I'd love to see some new dimensions to this team since we aren't playing well enough now with the senior-laden group.

The seniors aren't getting it done, haven't, & won't. While I have questions about DJW, & AJ there is absolutely no reason that they shouldn't get minutes anymore. They also need some latitude to let them play through mistakes which they haven't been given.
I admire Tracy for all he has overcome, but other than Malcolm & Mav none of the seniors have gotten the job done.

TCTORNADO · Feb 5, 2017

Morgan with his 3rd career double/double last night. That tied Egwu, who also had 3.

Illiniguy13 · Feb 5, 2017

TCTORNADO said:
Morgan with his 3rd career double/double last night. That tied Egwu, who also had 3.

Speaking of Egwu, he pulled a Woodbury recently and poked a players eye out of its socket during a game

illini80 · Feb 5, 2017

RickBB said:
The 3 dunks he had are about a week's worth for us it seems. It frustrates me even more that he doesn't do it all the time though.

And for anyone who says that Malcolm has enough athleticism to play in the NBA, only needs to watch the multiple times he "kinda" dunks it on complete break aways. I thought he was going to miss that one last night. And I'm still surprised he doesn't get called for the push off on the dribble into a step back....he could get called for it 80% of the time. He's a great kid, fine example of a student athlete, but not the guy you build around if you are supposed to be a top 25 team. He's definitely pressing though...I hate to see it.

I agree. I've seen his "jump straight into the defender" called on the offensive player before too, but don't recall Malcolm ever being called for it. I do think he is getting the foul call less often later in the season and that has contributed to his struggles.

LurkLongandProsper · Feb 5, 2017

MakesNoSense said:
I never thought this at any point this year.

That's your opinion, but we have shooters at 2-4 (JCL, MH, Finke are all strong shooters, we just make them take a lot of really difficult shots, especially the first two), a highly efficient post, and some + offensive rebounders. That's far more than a lot of teams have. If we got anything productive out of our screening, you really have a toolbox that can allow you to show a variety of looks and make us hard to defend. But with our utter lack of movement and incompetence initiating offense off of the ball screen (fault of both the ball handlers and the screener), we get what we have seen. But there were pieces to be a functional offense. Not even top 100? Inexplicably bad coaching.

SescIllini · Feb 5, 2017

bbpeoria said:
Yes, coaching is a fraternity and the comment was very telling. It is obvious to all that Groce is a dead man walking. Pitino's comment loosely translated could be 'Groce is a nice guy and I know he will be fired and there for the grace of god go I'

Or like the case of Weber, a nice giy that the coaching fraternity enjoys kicking their !!! consistently.

DoctorofJazz · Feb 5, 2017

BlindLoyalty said:
At this point the only question is are we the worst team in the big ten this season.

Rutgers has the worst overall Big Ten record. However they at least have one road win in the Big Ten.

DoctorofJazz · Feb 5, 2017

OrangeKrus28 said:
The ladder is just a motivational gimmick at this point. I get what he's trying to do with the ladder but that's not going to help you win games. When you're constantly losing games, then you just look completely foolish continuing to use the ladder as a metaphor.

Jacob's Ladder is more like it....