Penn State 74, Illinois 59 Postgame

RockfordIllini · Dec 10, 2022

Just a tough draw at this stage for us. We are still learning to communicate and switch off ball and we’ve struggled to find shooters in our transition defense. And their whole offensive game plan is to create confusion off the ball and get open 3’s. Add in a big physical guard who can bully our 3 freshmen down low and the result is our kryptonite.

Should be a ton of good film to learn from. Stinks to lose and puts us behind the 8 ball a bit for BIG title but I think we have our sights set higher this year. Credit to Penn State. They beat us today but we will get better and will be just fine.

FlotownIllini · Dec 10, 2022

Youth and inexperience reared its head today against a veteran, experienced team hungry for a big win. Ups and downs were to be expected this season. Gotta take the lessons from this one and try to improve. History shows we have the right man at the head of the ship to get that done.

Flyin' Illini · Dec 10, 2022

IlliniFaninHoosierLand said:
Waiting for somebody to claim the early start time is why they lost...

It isn't why they lost, but it is one of many factors that could have contributed. The entire performance today was sub-par and you can't discount the early start time having been part of the letdown.

D1959 · Dec 10, 2022

We have no offense identity

NorthShoreIllini · Dec 10, 2022

We had TWO players even attempt a FT today?! TWO??

eas23 · Dec 10, 2022

InDaAZ said:
View attachment 22060
A tale of two halves: offense defense
PSU excelled at both.

Learn and move on to the next…

Would've signed up for 27 second half points in a heartbeat at halftime.

That 21 is going to be the forgotten killer here.

ORANGEANDBLUE2011 · Dec 10, 2022

For the remainder of this season, I don’t want to hear a damn thing about the Pizza Hut parking lot. Penn State just took us there…

InDaAZ · Dec 10, 2022

Turpin & Tate in 2008! said:
I think you hit on the key here. Blame for this performance rests squarely on the shoulders of the equipment manager. There needs to be accountability.

Can’t even find another Melendez jersey at a home game… Shame, shame!

spillini · Dec 10, 2022

Turpin & Tate in 2008! said:
I think you hit on the key here. Blame for this performance rests squarely on the shoulders of the equipment manager. There needs to be accountability.

Yeah, they should gave had a backup jersey for RJ with his number. Game over right there.

Ramrod2010 · Dec 10, 2022

Hot take, emotional reaction:

So, is it hard to win on the road in the B1G or no?

DB11Headband · Dec 10, 2022

Have to flush this one, but yikes. Really nothing good to take away from this one. Teams are going to adopt the hack-a-Dain strategy, and rightfully so.

If you want to win the B1G, you absolutely cannot lose this game.

DJM · Dec 10, 2022

EyeoftheIllini · Dec 10, 2022

So for those more knowledgeable than me on these matters, is our switching defense a liability against 3-point shooting teams or was this just a case that we just played poorly on D? I know PSU was incredibly hot there for awhile, but they were also getting a lot of incredibly open/good looks.

IlliniFan4Life · Dec 10, 2022

Horrible all around. Inability of coaches to adjust in game. Glad I turned it off.

Navy_illini · Dec 10, 2022

The turning point is when PSU go on a 9-0 run in three possessions when we had the game down to 2 possessions. Seemed like we never recovered.

Get through finals and regroup

Illiniam1984 · Dec 10, 2022

A lot of growing pains for this team. They are young and inexperienced except for a few. It’s going to take a while for them to become that team that we expect them to be.

jayd · Dec 10, 2022

Coach needs to post a pic on the bulletin board of Funk making that cocky nap time gesture…cause we played like we were asleep.

727ill · Dec 10, 2022

This is a pure scouting failure IMO. This Penn State team is exactly the same as last year and they added Funk (who you know is an elite shooter).

The fact that Pickett was able to post up over and over is shameful.

BRucks · Dec 10, 2022

Epsilon said:
Penn State won’t shoot like that again all season but we earned this loss.

I expect that most opponents will do a much better job guarding their three-point shooters. We contested a few but not nearly enough.

RickBB · Dec 10, 2022

I get that TSJ and Hawkins have NBA potential, but they do not look like NBA players right now. They just got torched by some guys who will play in 2nd division Euro leagues and who will be playing in the TBT in 3 years.

Listened to the first half on the radio in the car, and all I thought was “why are the PSU dunks so loud.”

Ran into Walgreens with like 4 minutes left in the half. Didn’t even turn the radio on getting back in thinking I’ll just watch the second half when I get home. And when I flipped it on I thought WTF?

80'sIllini · Dec 10, 2022

Common themes in our losses:
1. Poor FT shooting
2. Poor 3 point shooting.
3. Really poor assist/turnover
4, Either the opposing teams star player or an unlikely suspect goes off and we can't stop them
5. Committing untimely/dumb fouls

Our half-court offense was so stagnant with minimal player or ball movement outside of the top of the key weave that doesn't seem to produce preferred mismatches or open shots very often. We took so many contested 3-point shots jacked up off 1 on 1 action. Our team and individual D has kept us in almost all games this year but not today. Easy to second guess and but wish Melendez was assigned to guard Pickett- he has the size and quickness to contest his paint shots.

pruman91 · Dec 10, 2022

I sure am glad that I'm not a big sports fan , cause if I was I would be puking my guts up right now......I mean Linda Blair green pea soup chunks.....it would be such a strong stream that it would break glass.........I'm so lucky that I don't put too much emotion into these sporting events , cause , ......well you know..........

727ill · Dec 10, 2022

Epsilon said:
Penn State won’t shoot like that again all season but we earned this loss.

Forget the shooting. Why was Jalen Pickett allowed over and over again to get into the paint with no resistance?

IMPE ALL STAR · Dec 10, 2022

Cut it to 5 and then Andrew Funk goes on an 8-0 run which includes a three off of an OOB play where there was 1.8 on the shot clock.

Only positive takeaway I can find is that hopefully the freshmen learned a lot and will grow from this.

Vinegarben · Dec 10, 2022

WORST performance I have ever seen by an Underwood team. So called team leaders-Shannon, Melendez and CO-HAWK never made an appearance in this one. Mayers 14 pts. in 1st half not a single pt. in 2nd. Shameful display of NO-DEFENSE. Penn State was wide open all day long and got to the basket like water poured through a sieve! Wonder which team they are-Jekyll or Hyde?