Deleted member 649710
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Coach needs to do something to get this team to come out of the gates with their hair on fire. The team has the talent to win now. I am tired of moral victories, and they should be also.
Minnesota 77, Illinois 67 POSTGAME
Hopefully Underwood starts to see this. Slow starts with the same starting rotation over and over again DOES matter. If you noticed, 3 freshman started the second half, HOPEFULLY a sign of things to come.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
I am totally impressed with Williams. Missed his senior year with injury and playing above his grade level immediately. This is a really good ball player.
Just because you thought he would be an all B1G Freshman stud doesn't make him a disappointment after 3 whole B1G games... He might possibly be our least experienced freshman (that plays meaningful minutes). He was all set to go to Miznoz to play baseball. Didn't quite turn out that way and won Illinois Mr. Basketball. Unreal expectations by others are not his concern. If you can call him a disappointment after his career is over, I'll give you a bow. Good things are going to happen here over the next couple of seasons.
chief78
- Florida
Sure would like to see Trent and DaMonte start Saturday. I'm ok with Alstork and Finke starting alongside Leron, too. Until we get a good big, it's Finke and Ebo, with Ebo taking a nice step forward tonight. The Illini cannot keep spotting teams a large lead in the first half and expect to win on the road, especially in the B1G.
I think this is pretty true.
Alstork, in our non-conference schedule, has been pretty deferential and been a great team player in giving assists and hockey assists. This meant he wasn't taking shots that ordinarily he would have created for himself at Wright State. So he's off of his usual game and is a little bit off-kilter scoring-wise on offense because of it.
If he starts to intelligently create shots again and does a better job at catching and shooting, I think we'll see more offense from him. But now he's awfully quick to pass up shots and when he does try to create offense by himself, he frequently locks up and makes bad choices.
Incredible defender, though. Two silly sequential fouls tonight notwithstanding.
Agree, has picked up the pace much better than Smith, but MS is showing signs, his defense lacking. Monte and Trent doing good. Need upperclassmen to step up
ivwilsoniv
- Aurora, IL
This is also my starting 5:
Frazier
Alstork
Williams
Black
Finke
It's sad that I'm wishing we still had Maverick Morgan.
Coach is struggling to say something meaningful on radio!!!!
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Margin basically totally gone. @Mich now a must-win.
Team seems to play better with their backs against the wall. Well, we're there now. Season now hinges on not disappearing for 10 minute stretches.
Team seems to play better with their backs against the wall. Well, we're there now. Season now hinges on not disappearing for 10 minute stretches.
Deleted member 653277
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Guest
Underwood has spoken about how much he likes firepower off the bench. But it cannot come at the cost of double digit 1st half deficits. The defensive intensity brought by Alstork and Lucas could be just as effective in a reserve role. At some point you have to put these guys in the best situation for them to succeed. And it wouldn't hurt if Finke could hit a shot sometimes.
Love Alstork's effort on the defensive end; he bothers ball handlers. I cannot believe he still hasn't grasped this offense yet.
Finke - I honestly do not feel he is a better player than when he joined this program. What position can he guard? Look at his offensive numbers vs. high major competition this year. Dude is 6-21 with 10 TOTAL rebounds in the B1G.
'Monte - gets his hands on so many basketballs. We haven't seen that since... Brandon? Chet Frazier? His stroke looks so pretty at the stripe. Somewhere in there is an all B1G player. He just needs to find it.
Kip - Think he's got some of those Bull Durham lady issues. Too talented for his head to be not in it.
We all knew Jordan was going to regress to something. 41% should about do it. Rough timing for a major jump, though.
Dang. Such a compelling product compared to years past. Will continue to watch.
Finke - I honestly do not feel he is a better player than when he joined this program. What position can he guard? Look at his offensive numbers vs. high major competition this year. Dude is 6-21 with 10 TOTAL rebounds in the B1G.
'Monte - gets his hands on so many basketballs. We haven't seen that since... Brandon? Chet Frazier? His stroke looks so pretty at the stripe. Somewhere in there is an all B1G player. He just needs to find it.
Kip - Think he's got some of those Bull Durham lady issues. Too talented for his head to be not in it.
We all knew Jordan was going to regress to something. 41% should about do it. Rough timing for a major jump, though.
Dang. Such a compelling product compared to years past. Will continue to watch.
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The problem here is that Coach Underwood is trying to make up for all of the Weber/Groce years. You only give just around half a season and you give up? Just jump on some other team's bandwagon and crawl back when things turn around in the future. That way you can act like you were here all along. You owe it to yourself to suffer less in life. Stop watching and save yourself. This wasn't going to be an overnight turnaround... Anyone "expecting" any different was/is living in fantasy land. That isn't the coaches' or the team's problem, that is the problem of those with unreal expectations in this rebuild. We need some bigs. Groce didn't leave much in that department. We have gotten as much (and probably more) than what I expected to get out of this group thus far. I'm enjoying watching these players grow and play their a$$es off (no matter the circumstances). Sure, things could be different/better, but they could be way worse as well. Give it time. With the right additions on the recruiting front, we will be back sooner, rather than later.
Still looking for Horizon League defenses to shoot against
Frazier and Williams got to start and Alstork has to take who ever handles the ball on the other team from the beginning.
Totally agree. If you cannot see and enjoy the difference this year compared to past years, then you should turn it off. There will continue to be struggles but the overall direction is up.The problem here is that Coach Underwood is trying to make up for all of the Weber/Groce years. You only give just around half a season and you give up? Just jump on some other team's bandwagon and crawl back when things turn around in the future. That way you can act like you were here all along. You owe it to yourself to suffer less in life. Stop watching and save yourself. This wasn't going to be an overnight turnaround... Anyone "expecting" any different was/is living in fantasy land. That isn't the coaches' or the team's problem, that is the problem of those with unreal expectations in this rebuild. We need some bigs. Groce didn't leave much in that department. We have gotten as much (and probably more) than what I expected to get out of this group thus far. I'm enjoying watching these players grow and play their a$$es off (no matter the circumstances). Sure, things could be different/better, but they could be way worse as well. Give it time. With the right additions on the recruiting front, we will be back sooner, rather than later.
Go away then...Good God man, stop doing this to yourself. Please, don't lose years off of your life because of Illini basketball. Save yourself!
Alstork, aside from that 45 second sequence that encompassed 3 fouls, was fantastic when he was on Mason. Mason was really bothered by Alstork's pressure.
Thats a rose colored glass completely full to overflowing.
I'm not quite there yet. We have to actually get some of these quaity wins sometime.
Very optimistic for the BU years in general though.
The Sprouting Divot
Invisible and Bulletproof
- Miracle Mile
Ditto.
Anyone who claims that they can't tell (or understand) the difference between this year's team and those of the past two regimes is either hopelessly dim or purposefully histrionic.
This team is more fun to watch lose than some others have been to watch win.