Add me to the crowd who does not believe in celebration past a high five from a teammate. You are not the first person to make a dunk, putback, or rebound, block, etc. etc......so act like it is just another common play you are supposed to make and do most of the time. That reaction does not cost your team a game. Now a 65 footer at the buzzer to make the FF...that is a different hombre!!
Penn State 79, Illinois 76 Postgame
- Status
Tacomallini
- Washington State
Still basketball this year, and I'll be rooting hard.
Looking to next year, there are promising recruits in DGL, Hansberry, Moretti.
I think it's safe to say BU can play the portal, even if the results haven't panned out exactly as we'd have liked this year, and there will be solid additions.
Think it'd be completely irrational to not welcome back Hawkins and TSJ with open arms, if they want to come earn $ome NIL.
Hoping Juniors Goode, Dain, RJ are back for the ride.
We live in the portal era, though, and it's likely there will be a surprise transfer or two from Illinois as well.
But what I most want to see out of next year's team is to have one or more of the sophomores: Epps, Rodgers, Harris, who will all be veterans next year, to take on a leadership role. Not sure who is capable of stepping into this role, and maybe Goode or others can fit this mold too. But someone to lead like DMFW, Trent, or Ayo. Give them a captain's C and carte blanche to get-in-their-teammate's-grill and demand they get their heads outta their arse for taking off plays kinda leader. Demonstrate this is an every day guy program, and be vocal to those who feel otherwise. I'd say that's what this year's team is missing, almost as much as depth at PG, or stellar outside shooters.
Looking to next year, there are promising recruits in DGL, Hansberry, Moretti.
I think it's safe to say BU can play the portal, even if the results haven't panned out exactly as we'd have liked this year, and there will be solid additions.
Think it'd be completely irrational to not welcome back Hawkins and TSJ with open arms, if they want to come earn $ome NIL.
Hoping Juniors Goode, Dain, RJ are back for the ride.
We live in the portal era, though, and it's likely there will be a surprise transfer or two from Illinois as well.
But what I most want to see out of next year's team is to have one or more of the sophomores: Epps, Rodgers, Harris, who will all be veterans next year, to take on a leadership role. Not sure who is capable of stepping into this role, and maybe Goode or others can fit this mold too. But someone to lead like DMFW, Trent, or Ayo. Give them a captain's C and carte blanche to get-in-their-teammate's-grill and demand they get their heads outta their arse for taking off plays kinda leader. Demonstrate this is an every day guy program, and be vocal to those who feel otherwise. I'd say that's what this year's team is missing, almost as much as depth at PG, or stellar outside shooters.
Lot of handwringing over lack of shooters. I mean, it's not 100% untrue, but I think it lacks context. The real problem is this team runs no actual offense. Been saying it all year and it was true again tonight. Look at the quality of shots PSU had vs what we did. Ours were abysmal.
What I see 90% of the time is four guys watching one the guy with the ball dribble the logo off the leather and then take a difficult contested shot. We say we have no shooters, but the truth is our shot degree of difficulty is very high.
Aside from half-hearted poorly set ball screens for the guy dribbling, the offense does nothing. No movement without the ball. No back screens, no cutting. And this isn't new, it's a staple under Brad. This year we just didn't have an all-American to defer to that could make those tough shots.
Brad's number one off-season goal should be to find an assistant that can install a competent offense. "Play harder" isn't a tactical adjustment that works in a tough, well coached league like the B1G.
What I see 90% of the time is four guys watching one the guy with the ball dribble the logo off the leather and then take a difficult contested shot. We say we have no shooters, but the truth is our shot degree of difficulty is very high.
Aside from half-hearted poorly set ball screens for the guy dribbling, the offense does nothing. No movement without the ball. No back screens, no cutting. And this isn't new, it's a staple under Brad. This year we just didn't have an all-American to defer to that could make those tough shots.
Brad's number one off-season goal should be to find an assistant that can install a competent offense. "Play harder" isn't a tactical adjustment that works in a tough, well coached league like the B1G.
Not sure if it would've mattered at the end. But the rebound mishap by Harris, where he just stepped on the line when we could've got the possession back really didn't help our chance to come back. PSU players already cleared out and the ball was literally just bouncing into our hands. Just costly mental mistake and bad communication between him and Hawkins. I am sure he will learn.
They didn’t lose this game on offense. They gave up 48 points in the second half to a team that tries to play as little basketball as possible. Illinois scored 1.12 points per possession, which should be enough to win you a ballgame.
People think there’s some magic set of plays you can run that will be effective if your guys aren’t executing or aren’t playing hard or just don’t have talent. That doesn’t exist.
I think that one of the reasons why we’ve seen the last two seasons end poorly is because there have been significant shortcomings on the roster, and having limited options makes you easy to defend, especially after you get a whole season of film out there for other coaches to look at. There are only so many ways to draw something up when you don’t have enough scorers on the floor.
Underwood is accountable but acting like he doesn’t know how to coach is, well, I dunno. He’s been a power 5 coach for seven years, and during that time he’s had the number one offense one year, a top ten offense another year, been in the top 40 two more years. Two of those seven years were spent rebuilding here with a totally bare cupboard.
I think this year’s team isn’t as good as it could have been, but there was only one all-American out there tonight and he was wearing navy blue.
This should be our fourth straight tournament appearance. We’ve won two* conference titles in that stretch and the BTT as well. We all know what he hasn’t done, but people are out here acting like he’s Todd Lickliter or something.
Retro62
- North Bethesda, Maryland
This team, and this last game, have made me realize what a Jekyll and Hyde fan I am. During the game, my emotions are so raw and sometimes extreme, and yet it's so easy to put it in perspective shortly thereafter: As many have said, we are what we are, and losing to PSU was not a shock. Do I think we should have beaten them? Yes. We have more talent and ability. However, PSU is a better team. You can see PSU running plays and schemes, whereas we seem to do so sporadically. I will look forward to watching us in the tournament, and either being overly elated, or ready to blow a gasket...probably during the same game.
Epps, Harris andd Rogers have not really shown they are consistent long range shooters
That leaves Goode
UW best keep that in mind when mining the portal
We lost a lot of games this year due to horrendously poor 3 point shooting, and it was not good shooters taking bad shots.
Should have learned from Kofi how to punch a ref in the face and still not get a technical
Sipping on vodka tonic thought out, one never got the feeeling we were going to win, very depressing.
We don’t match up well against A LOT of teams personnel wise. I will be watching them the rest of the way however long that lasts, but this team no longer disappoints me. It’s been 32 games. This is who they are.
TSJ and MM were not "the guy" on their former teams. They are very very good players but have never been "the guy". Every great team has a "the guy". "The guy" does is consistently every night and whenever the team needs to be carried, he carries the team. Neither one ever developed into "the guy" on this team. We are as inconsistent as a team as the 2 people we thought would be "the guy". No knock on them, glad we have them on our team, "the guy" is just a different animal. This team unfortunately does not have a "the guy".
Last edited:
the national
- the Front Range
All due respect, 2023 scum is the 2023 version of 2022 scum.
Nope.Built for… Mid-Late March
With no leadership at point guard they are lost!
...and Skyy Clark was not the answer.
An incredibly talented team still, but with that missing piece they are average.
...and Skyy Clark was not the answer.
An incredibly talented team still, but with that missing piece they are average.
Two things can be true:
1. This team would have been horrible without the guys we got from the portal.
2. A team so heavliy dependent on guys from the portal is going to lack cohesion on offense at times and make a lot "freshman mistakes" on defense even when they're not freshmen.
Our offensive philosphy seems to be "Give it to Shannon and see if he can do something. Shannon's getting stopped? Then give it to Mayer and see if he can do something..." and so on and so on. In game 32, there were still numerous defensive mistakes that led to walk-in layups and practice-style open threes.
Overall, relying on portal guys was a plus, getting us to the tournament and leading to several thrilling wins in a year when we otherwise would have been a bottom-dweller. However, depending so heavily on one-year portal guys is not a recipe for championships.
1. This team would have been horrible without the guys we got from the portal.
2. A team so heavliy dependent on guys from the portal is going to lack cohesion on offense at times and make a lot "freshman mistakes" on defense even when they're not freshmen.
Our offensive philosphy seems to be "Give it to Shannon and see if he can do something. Shannon's getting stopped? Then give it to Mayer and see if he can do something..." and so on and so on. In game 32, there were still numerous defensive mistakes that led to walk-in layups and practice-style open threes.
Overall, relying on portal guys was a plus, getting us to the tournament and leading to several thrilling wins in a year when we otherwise would have been a bottom-dweller. However, depending so heavily on one-year portal guys is not a recipe for championships.
And COVID.
I am not convinced he did it on purpose, but in any case it was incredibly stupid and likely cost us the game. The and one put us up 6, then they hit the two free throws for the technical and a three for a five point swing. We had incredible momentum and it vanished with that one play. They looked like a team on the verge of being overwhelmed by the moment. Dain has incredible potential, I was very disappointed with the lack of discipline and his behavior. Maybe this will motivate him for the NCAA.
2021 is the only season in Underwood's tenure where the team won more than one game in the BTT and/or got past the 2nd round of the BTT.
Two years ago, a team lost its last three regular season games and only conference tourney game and was relegated to play-in to the NCAA tournament. Barely surviving in OT, they then picked up momentum and advanced to the final four, ultimately losing in OT to a one seed. I am keeping the faith.
I've been saying this all year. Nobody moves. When we do we are pretty good.
Since December 2019, we have beaten Michigan 6 times, and lost 0 over that period of time. This season, we lost to Penn State 3 times, and won 0 during that period.
The sun came up this morning. And if it’s one or the other then I will take the Michigan stat at the expense of the Penn State stat each time. Let’s just win a game or two in the NCAA tournament. Promise it’s farther than Michigan will get this year.
The sun came up this morning. And if it’s one or the other then I will take the Michigan stat at the expense of the Penn State stat each time. Let’s just win a game or two in the NCAA tournament. Promise it’s farther than Michigan will get this year.
Last edited:
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
user name checks outSince December 2019, we have beaten Michigan 6 times, and lost 0 over that period of time. This season, we lost to Penn State 3 times, and won 0 during that period.
The sun came up this morning. And if it’s one or the other then I will take the Michigan stat at the expense of the Penn State stat each time. Let’s just win a game or two in the NCAA tournament. Promise it’s farther than Michigan will get this year.
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
Went to the game last night with a few friends that know basketball but havnt followed Illinois and all their comments were “what exactly is the goal of this offense besides ball screens - surprised this team has a pretty good resume”
USAFILLINI
- Florida
I would love to see them make a run, but I havent seen anything that shows me they could make a deep run. We lost 4 of 7 in Feb, and we still cant get away from our terrible shot selection woes we've had all season. Part of me has hope, but everyone who says this team is made for March cannot back that up with any stats or background on why.
- Status