Ole Miss 91, Illinois 74 (Exhibition) Postgame

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#226      
Illini in Italy
Poe's Law said:
I have higher expectations for this year than just make the tournament, but the 2026 road to the final four as a top seed would be STL -> CHI -> IND.

Start building that NIL war chest now.
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I think Robert said something along these lines in the late spring. Brad is building this team with an eye towards 2025-26, with the STL-CHI-IND as the goal. I have to agree - it's looking like this year's team should be a very good team, with the goal of being a great team next year.
 
#227      
Bigtex
zentrails said:
Yep, way too much dribbling but as even the clueless SEC announcers noticed, the guy with the ball rarely had an open team mate to throw the ball to, so naturally dribbling aimlessly is the result. That'll be fixed fairly quickly by Brad as he whittles down to a 7-8 man rotation, IMO.
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too much dribbling and non-movement of guys off of the ball were my biggest take aways. I was surprised that Morez was the last guy to get in the game (about 7 minutes remaining in first half) Lot of opportunities to make adjustments.
 
#228      
HensonHall71
Bigtex said:
too much dribbling and non-movement of guys off of the ball were my biggest take aways. I was surprised that Morez was the last guy to get in the game (about 7 minutes remaining in first half) Lot of opportunities to make adjustments.
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Said a different way- we weren’t running any offense- at all

It seemed to be it was up to the guys with the ball in his hands to get a high ball screen and then figure it out, but nobody else was moving. We must have been practicing something the last few months but none of that showed in the game- maybe it was intentional to keep things simple for the exhibition but I don’t know what good that did
 
#229      
OrangeBlue98
Non-basketball example and one from youth sports instead of a D-1 program, but I'm seeing a lot of similarities to this Illini team and my son's club soccer team. They had seven new players this season, so a third of the team turned over. Three of them are extremely talented (they are now the team's starting center forward and two center back defenders), but they are new to the team. The team played five friendlies before competitive games and went 0-5. Every game was competitive, even those when they played a team an age group older. You could tell things were clicking more every game they played. They just couldn't get over the hump in any of those friendlies. I told several other parents after the last friendly that the team is right there and it was going to translate into really good on-field results.

They just won a state club championship and automatically qualified for their nationals.

Things will come together. It's just going to take some time, but it will happen.
 
#230      
Calvin
New Creation said:
Rewatching the game right now. The first half is rough for two reasons, we didn’t close out on threes causing ole miss to catch fire and the other is us on offense. We seem to be running a pro-style offense however, our screens aren’t strong and precise. I have less panic after watching this game again. Learning to close out can happen quickly just as well as learning to set those screens just a little bit better to give our guys some true space to operate in.

Defensively, I really think we should really incorporate some of that Syracuse 1-3-1 and 3-2 zone into our D. We are really built for it.

Also, I would put some money on it that DGL starts eventually. Anyone want to give me odds ? lol
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Still watching the game in chunks. The first 10 minutes we looked lost, more on defense than offense. Close-outs were bad to awful and defensive intensity was really bad. After getting smoked, I could see guys pick up the intensity, and a little less looking around. If you blow a read that's one thing, but waiting and hesitating is giving away an open shot. They were making those which I think is good for us to see the consequences.

The team gets 3 tune-ups before Alabama, and even that game won't likely hurt us given they're a pre-season NC contender. That gives them a full month before they need to be up to speed, and a lot of opportunities to get a better read on our progress. My take-away is to be patient.
 
#231      
hoopsfan47
What a great game to impress a bunch a talented kids on a team that just got blown out that IF THEY DON'T SCORE YOU CAN'T LOSE!!!!

In other words, if you focus on learning to defend, you can play a lackluster offensive game and still win. Like most fan bases, we see this Illini bunch as offensively talented and no 5 on 4 games. But, IMHO, BU understands that the defensive mindset is still back at grade school level. In order to get a buy in from all on the defensive end, he needed them to see the results of what happens if that is not present from the tip off. And they did.

This team lost so much dependable talent, effort, and sound judgement on both ends. THAT CANNOT BE REPLACED ON EITHER END. Why? Simply this bunch has to climb the ladder to consistent performance TOGETHER. They need to learn and build...both effective performance and confidence in themselves and each other. That takes time, hard work, and successes to stack up.

This team, with so many new faces and young, inexperienced players, was NEVER recruited to achieve an elite legacy this season, regardless of the hyperbole so many posters here slather on them. But hopefully, if BU gets what he saw from each one of them, they will learn together and grow into the kind of EVG monster we saw from last year's team. Enjoy this team and the process, but it will be some time before we see any kind of a well-oiled, efficient, confident, and effective winner that is a tough out at the Elite Eight level. Meanwhile, there will be some eggs....along with some joyful wins. Enjoy the process and stick with them.
 
#232      
2X2L
Yeah, it was an exhibition. No big deal, reàlly. But I was not prepared for the game. I needed a scorecard to tell who's who on Illini team. SEC announcers were of no help. Understandable.

I'm sure Illini will be just fine down the road.
 
#233      
JKR
Illini in Italy said:
I think Robert said something along these lines in the late spring. Brad is building this team with an eye towards 2025-26, with the STL-CHI-IND as the goal. I have to agree - it's looking like this year's team should be a very good team, with the goal of being a great team next year.
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Hard to think that way in this new environment. Who knows which of our current players will even be here next year.
 
#234      
ptgrd23
Last year team - great passers - Coleman, Marcus, Ty, TSJ, Quincy. Very unselfish. Thing of beauty to see them dismantle Iowa State trap.

This year team wants to pass but does not have Marcus to trigger the offense. Need to set off ball picks and move to get open. Ball handler needs to penetrate to create angles.

Talent is there. Its on Brad to create an offense that works for this team.
 
#235      
21ChampaignSt
JKR said:
Hard to think that way in this new environment. Who knows which of our current players will even be here next year.
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The idea isn't that the staff just thinks or assumes everyone will automatically come back. It's that the staff will work to retain a solid nucleus of players. They know starting over each year with an entirely new roster is not an optimal long term strategy.
 
#236      
skyIdub
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
This statement is based off contempt rather than any ounce of fact.

Since the end is all that matters, why were we in then in 2022 losing our last 4 games, really having no good performances, no quad 1 wins for pretty much the entire latter half of the slate? - Because we had wins over two 2 seeds in November.

Why was Texas A&M out yet having a bunch of great performances in the latter half, ranked wins, making the SECT final, etc? - Because of having a bunch of cupcake Ls in November/December.

Couldn't possibly be more wrong lol.
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Lmao!! Is this really the logic you are pulling out to explain your exceptionally lame take
"this team is not a tournament team right now" after one exhibition game in October?

Please keep the laughs coming!
 
#237      
Bigtex
21ChampaignSt said:
The idea isn't that the staff just thinks or assumes everyone will automatically come back. It's that the staff will work to retain a solid nucleus of players. They know starting over each year with an entirely new roster is not an optimal long term strategy.
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Also, presume that when they were recruiting some of these young men - they said 2024/2025 we will be good but if you are here for 2025/2026 we will be great.
 
#238      
chudaman
Get yourself a new map said:
One thing I can speak on from experience - it is super annoying to play with hair in your face. Jake gotta at least go headband. Seriously there was a play in the second half when he was flinging his head back to clear the hair out of his eyes while his guy curled to the top of the arc and buried a three.
As director of operations, first order of business is to ensure every player has an appt with the eye doctor, and then I’m telling them do whatever they want with the hair, as long as it doesn’t get in the way.
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I think the team could use quite a few hair cuts. Now get off my lawn!
 
#239      
Calvin
ptgrd23 said:
Last year team - great passers - Coleman, Marcus, Ty, TSJ, Quincy. Very unselfish. Thing of beauty to see them dismantle Iowa State trap.

This year team wants to pass but does not have Marcus to trigger the offense. Need to set off ball picks and move to get open. Ball handler needs to penetrate to create angles.

Talent is there. Its on Brad to create an offense that works for this team.
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Defense is the issue I saw against Ole Miss. Last year with TSJ, defense turned into instant offense. It's hard to get transition buckets or quick looks off opponents made baskets. Gotta get better on defense to get better on offense.
 
#240      
Old Farm Illini
21ChampaignSt said:
The idea isn't that the staff just thinks or assumes everyone will automatically come back. It's that the staff will work to retain a solid nucleus of players. They know starting over each year with an entirely new roster is not an optimal long term strategy.
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I'd be shocked if we can keep KJ. The kid has too much potential and he just has to keep showing flashes of that to stay as a likely lottery pick. I'm guessing Riley gets drafted too even though I think he could use another year.

But if we get one more year of DGL, Boswell, Rodgers, Morez, and Ivisic, our floor will be so freaking high in 2025-26. I'd be ecstatic with a Sweet 16 this year but I'm tempering my hopes with such a young group.
 
#241      
mysterio2525
HensonHall71 said:
Said a different way- we weren’t running any offense- at all

It seemed to be it was up to the guys with the ball in his hands to get a high ball screen and then figure it out, but nobody else was moving. We must have been practicing something the last few months but none of that showed in the game- maybe it was intentional to keep things simple for the exhibition but I don’t know what good that did
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It seemed like their defense punched us in the face and we were slow to initiate anything and moving side to side instead of getting around them. That can be cleaned up with the turnovers. The defense on the other hand... Will need a lot more effort to not be bad
 
#242      
Bigtex
Old Farm Illini said:
I'd be shocked if we can keep KJ. The kid has too much potential and he just has to keep showing flashes of that to stay as a likely lottery pick. I'm guessing Riley gets drafted too even though I think he could use another year.

But if we get one more year of DGL, Boswell, Rodgers, Morez, and Ivisic, our floor will be so freaking high in 2025-26. I'd be ecstatic with a Sweet 16 this year but I'm tempering my hopes with such a young group.
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perspective - history of Illinois MBB - zero 1 and done (freshman in college and to the NBA following their freshman season). And you are projecting 2 in 2025? I understand it is not just you projecting this
 
#243      
Combo
Bigtex said:
perspective - history of Illinois MBB - zero 1 and done (freshman in college and to the NBA following their freshman season). And you are projecting 2 in 2025? I understand it is not just you projecting this
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We're in a new world. Last two years the environment has completely changed. If it's not the NBA, it could be any of a 100 or so college programs.
 
#244      
FightinIllini30
i have the same amount of excitement with this team that I had before the ole miss game. I think it would be much higher had we just blown them out or something but I am not unhappy with how things went.

For starters, KJ is gonna be awesome. For people saying they were disappointed from his performance- I get it. But on the other hand, 12pts, 6 reb, and 5 assists is far from disappointing for a first outing in my book. While he shot poorly, I didn’t think that all of the shots were bad shots by any means. He is young, and he may end up being the best freshman I’ve ever seen at Illinois- that is my expectation (high I know)

I think the only player my stock went down on was Benjamin. He struggled and looked so lost.

The other guys have potential. I like the young team, I think it keeps things interesting.

I’ll stop there because I do not have the credibility in this board to ramble on for 8 paragraphs… yet
 
#245      
Piotyr
My biggest hot take from this one is that maybe televised exhibition scrimmage are a bad idea.
 
#246      
foby
Piotyr said:
My biggest hot take from this one is that maybe televised exhibition scrimmage are a bad idea.
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This Is Bad Oh No GIF by The Bear
 
#247      
illinitiger
Old Farm Illini said:
I'd be shocked if we can keep KJ. The kid has too much potential and he just has to keep showing flashes of that to stay as a likely lottery pick. I'm guessing Riley gets drafted too even though I think he could use another year.

But if we get one more year of DGL, Boswell, Rodgers, Morez, and Ivisic, our floor will be so freaking high in 2025-26. I'd be ecstatic with a Sweet 16 this year but I'm tempering my hopes with such a young group.
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At this juncture a 5th yr Marcus D > KJ
 
#248      
hoopsfan47
illinitiger said:
At this juncture a 5th yr Marcus D > KJ
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Let's see. Fifth year guy, proven scorer, solid work ethic, experienced leader, proven scorer might be better than a talented Euro kid with no experience against elite college athletes. Who'd a thunk it?

I loved what MD brought to the Illini and found joy in his success. He was a kid with minimal athletic advantage over anyone but with heart and desire elite above almost all. Need more of that. Who will step up and provide that....Ty, DGL? Love both those guys. If anyone else can bring that, it is not evident yet.
 
#249      
RollChief
FightinIllini30 said:
i have the same amount of excitement with this team that I had before the ole miss game. I think it would be much higher had we just blown them out or something but I am not unhappy with how things went.

For starters, KJ is gonna be awesome. For people saying they were disappointed from his performance- I get it. But on the other hand, 12pts, 6 reb, and 5 assists is far from disappointing for a first outing in my book. While he shot poorly, I didn’t think that all of the shots were bad shots by any means. He is young, and he may end up being the best freshman I’ve ever seen at Illinois- that is my expectation (high I know)

I think the only player my stock went down on was Benjamin. He struggled and looked so lost.

The other guys have potential. I like the young team, I think it keeps things interesting.

I’ll stop there because I do not have the credibility in this board to ramble on for 8 paragraphs… yet
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Wait you're supposed to have credibility on here before rambling for 8 paragraphs? Woops
 
#250      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
skyIdub said:
Lmao!! Is this really the logic you are pulling out to explain your exceptionally lame take
"this team is not a tournament team right now" after one exhibition game in October?

Please keep the laughs coming!
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Saying that we're a tournament team rn is an absolute lie. and we likely won't be for the entire first half of the year. highly likely we start out with 5+ losses in our first 12 (games before 2025).

going to need a strong finish to get into tourney conversation.
 
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