Ohio State 68, Illinois 63 (OT) POSTGAME

#151      
Four critical factors to the game:

1. Ohio State's length on defense created a big problem for us on offense, especially on Malcolm Hill. Their length made a difference.

2. We missed too many critical FTs at key junctions in the game.

3. Malcolm was simply not himself in this game. But he has led the team this season multiple times, so give the kid a break.

4. Terrible play at the end of regulation. I understand if you do not want to take a TO to catch the opposing team off-balance. But running isolation with Groce unnecessarily talking on the court to Hill, leaving not enough time, was simply terrible. Should have taken a TO and Finke should have been back in the game for the last play.

+1, especially #2. 18-31 was really more like 18-35 or 18-36 with a few missed front ends of 1 and 1s. We could've shot 22-23 more FTs than OSU and still lost. Ugh.
 
#152      
Yep...I'd say we lead B10 in student sections...keep it up...awesome.

And a little off topic, but what they did in Minny was awesome. Can't fault the student support here.

+1. Too bad they don't have a quality program to cheer for. Disappointing to see the state of this once-proud program. Almost shocking how far the program has sunk after a long and good to great run from 1981-2011.
 
#155      
Last year the Illini were one of the top teams in the country in free throw percentage; this year, towards the bottom. :confused:

Not only did we beat ourselves up on the free throw line, but the commentators had a field day providing stats on how bad the team is in almost every category in the country. :eek:

Last nights game, pretty simple: make the free throws, the Illini win the game. :frustrated:
 
#156      
Nothing like having upperclassmen to lead the team. I don't want to say Hill lost us that game, but he sure didn't do ANYTHING to help us win it. Maybe the poster that said Hill is thinking about the NBA is right. With how selfish he has played lately, it sure seems like it.

I am not sure Hill played anymore selfish that anyone else? This team does not pass the ball particularly well. Neither does Ohio State, for that matter.
 
#157      
Seth Davis said on air that Groce has unfairly caught heat from the fan base. And Davis is pro-Illinois. Has said in the past that they are a premier job. This is a guy who covers the game for a living so I'll trust his opinion over the impulsive pissy and whiny portion of the fan base.

Watch a rerun of the Iowa-Maryland game

Watch the 2005 team
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJf3gnNEB3M

This is what Big Ten basketball looks like today, and what it once looked like at Illinois.

Even prior to the injuries, pre-season polls once again had us, at best, in the middle of the pack.
 
#159      

RedRocksIllini

Morrison, CO
Has a team ever gone an entire game without an offensive rebound? We tried last night and only managed to get 4 or 5 (on 38 missed shots!) Neither team shot well last night (to put it nicely) but OSU took a lot more shots thanks in part to their willingness to rebound. Lot of reasons for this loss, but being lazy on rebounding seemed to be huge.
 
#160      
The hardest part is that watching the game really hurts the eyes. You know what is going to happen even when hot shooting is keeping Illinois in the game. No structure to the offense and no effort on offensive rebounds almost insures that there will be long periods of no scores. It happens in every game. When the shooting goes cold there is no chance of winning. The shooting becomes tighter, there is even less structure to the offense and everyone goes into hero mode.
 
#161      
The hardest part is that watching the game really hurts the eyes. You know what is going to happen even when hot shooting is keeping Illinois in the game. No structure to the offense and no effort on offensive rebounds almost insures that there will be long periods of no scores. It happens in every game. When the shooting goes cold there is no chance of winning. The shooting becomes tighter, there is even less structure to the offense and everyone goes into hero mode.
It is frustrating when we don't seem to have an answer to cold shooting. Shot selection and ball movement seemed good to me...we got fouls but didn't execute on charity stripe...particularly down stretch. The come back at end of regulation was indeed a high point.
 
#162      
Poor foul shooting lost this game and failure to execute at the end of the game. OSU gave this game to the Illini and they just did not take it. Even the better shooters missed foul shots last night.
 
#163      
there are a lot of fans who bring up 2005 who have no clue about the late 90s and early 2000s teams. You'd be surprised
I've been watching Illini basketball pre-Henson. It isn't whiny to expect the program to be a winner going to to the Dance every year.
 
#164      
I've been watching Illini basketball pre-Henson. It isn't whiny to expect the program to be a winner going to to the Dance every year.

We can't just bail when the going gets tough. That is how Kentucky fans are created! :D
 
#166      
Does anybody else think that Mickey Mitchell looks really creepy? If he plans on having kids someday, he should ditch that haircut because there is no way Chuck E Cheese is letting him through the door looking like that.
 
#167      
If Groce can find an assistant that can coach defense this team can be really good.

That defense though. Horrid....

The defense? The defense that held tOSU to 58 points going into OT? Defense did not cost us this game. Missing ft's, giving up a number offensive rebounds did. Not to mention arguably Malcolms worst game ever.
 
#169      
Should have Won This

FT shooting hurt us.

But why can't we figure out who the right person is...MH effective fg% 21% last night, KN 63%...MH forces bad shot at end of regulation...not sure what the coaching was...and comes down in ot late and instead of giving it up to KN for the 3...loses it...yes, he was fouled but why did he have the ball when KN was clearly having the better night...
 
#170      
KenPom defensive rankings during Groce's tenure:

Code:
Year  B10  NCAA
2013:   6    41
2014:   2    11
2015:   6    49
2016:  12   153

For all the complaining there was about Egwu the last few seasons he was the anchor of the defense. Now we have nada, in the middle, which affects the entire team.
 
#171      
Illini ft shooting has been decent if not spectacular this season. I was wondering if we were just exhausted from effort and hence 18/31 from line. OSUs length really bothered us last night.
 
#172      
For all the complaining there was about Egwu the last few seasons he was the anchor of the defense. Now we have nada, in the middle, which affects the entire team.
Multiple opposing head coaches have made comments to this effect.
 
#174      
Last year the Illini were one of the top teams in the country in free throw percentage; this year, towards the bottom. :confused:

Not only did we beat ourselves up on the free throw line, but the commentators had a field day providing stats on how bad the team is in almost every category in the country. :eek:

Last nights game, pretty simple: make the free throws, the Illini win the game. :frustrated:

We're shooting .719 from the line. That is top 90 in the country, no where near the bottom. It is better than Indiana or Kansas.

FT shooting was an issue last night, it has not been a season long issue.