I’m still in the camp of having Grandison back would have really helped, even though we were already super deep on the wing. Experienced dude who knew the system, more-than-capable 3-point shooter, and would have been a clear leader as a senior. Then again, I’m not in the locker room and don’t know if he even wanted to stick around.
Penn State 79, Illinois 76 Postgame
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I’m still in the camp of having Grandison back would have really helped, even though we were already super deep on the wing. Experienced dude who knew the system, more-than-capable 3-point shooter, and would have been a clear leader as a senior. Then again, I’m not in the locker room and don’t know if he even wanted to stick around.
JGn was 31/92 at Duke forr 33%.
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That basically would’ve led this team… show’s how abysmal we’ve been shooting.
I know it’s a tall order, but any chance Moretti can have a similar impact next year that Braden Smith had this year for Purdue?
Sounds like a similar type of player. High IQ. Good passer. Can knock down shots if needed. But may be limited athletically/physically.
Sounds like a similar type of player. High IQ. Good passer. Can knock down shots if needed. But may be limited athletically/physically.
Last night, Maryland ran the same play several times where they cleared out the left side of the floor and played a two-man pick-and-roll there. Obviously it wouldn't work every time but it got them 2-3 buckets in a 4-5 min stretch. In the last couple games TJS kept coming off a pin down and curling left into the lane. When they get stagnant -- and as someone previously said "there is no magic play" -- those are the kinds of things I'm interested in seeing when they just start standing around and jogging through cuts. Every team has to have 2-3 plays that are near guaranteed buckets, right?
Cook
- Richmond, VA
Consistent in BU's tenure, offense has never worked to target specific mis-matches or push to foul out defenders in foul trouble.
YES And mixing up the plays so the defense coming out of a time out can not predict the play. We do not seem to have multiple options with the spread. As to your point, lazy cuts and big has to step out to get ball reversal. I see other teams cross screen in the paint and depending on the switch pass to the match up desired. PS beat us back door last night twice in first half as we lost sight of the offensive man. Why can't we do that?
What a season! Is it over? Will we be a one-and-done? Who knows, but soon we'll all be drooling/crying in the recruiting thread for the next best set of players to come onboard or those leaving. Another question - is it really worth gambling with the portal when things take so long for players to gel as a team...or did they ever? We know they can do better than what the season has displayed. Best to this team in the tourney, whoever they end up against and however they end up. I-L-L...
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Men's Basketball vs Penn State on 3/9/2023 - Box Score - University of Illinois Athletics
The official box score of Men's Basketball vs Penn State on 3/9/2023
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GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
More complete buy in. Plus most guys will have at least a year of experience in the system. All of that should help.
By 'old fashioned way' do you mean high school students like Miller and Clarke and Podziemski and Curbelo.
danielb927
Orange Krush Class of 2013
- Rochester, MN
One word: chemistry. This year's team looks like they never really meshed on the court. Even if our average individual skill level takes a step back, we have a ton of room to grow in terms of playing as a team.
Illini_1979
- Oregon
Point taken. Both the portal and the old fashioned way have their plusses and minuses. I just think that, overall, we have had very good success with our high school recruiting (including our current crop of players) and a mixed bag when using the portal. It takes time to build a team and getting one and done portal players makes it really tough to get a team to gel. I'm not being critical of TSJ or MM, they are both very good players. It's just tough to blend them into a team with a new coaching philosophy in one year.
Cook
- Richmond, VA
Also big BU fan here, and there have been some off things and let downs, but I don't think there is always something off with his teams. Poor tourney performances, last year we had all those games where we wouldn't/couldn't do anything for the first 10+ minutes of the game or the 2nd half, and this years struggles are legitimate examples where something's been inexplicably awry (i.e. not a common basketball team problem). Which has just been really odd and frustrating.
Pru, I've seen the play multiple times and it was a fluke accident similar to when Kofi KO'd the ref. Dain had his eyes closed well before the headbutt and had no idea he was there. You could see during the review, Dain looked sick to his stomach as well. It was an unfortunate bit of bad luck and was correctly called a flagrant 1. And honestly, had his eyes been open and he did that, he would've gotten a flagrant 2 and ejected, and rightfully so.
Humorously (or not), I said before the game we needed to limit our celebrations as Kelly Pfeifer has a very short leash and is just looking to give out a T most games he refs. I didn't quite foresee us having an actual flagrant worthy celebration tech though...
Second word: Alpha. We never found one. Not sure we even had a Beta.
Fitting end to a disappointing season, yeah they made the tournament but IMO they should have done more with the talent they had, with it all said and done one of the main culprits of an underachieving season was the lack of a consistent long range shooter. Good luck in the tournament and they can make it to the second round, however, I won't be surprised if they get bounced in the first round.
Really good players and teams always CREATE their own momentum. And then just as important, they sustain it. Lesser teams seem to wait for something good to happen and then they pray that somehow that continues. But while prayer might work before and after the game in the locker room, it does not work out on the court with the other team breathing down your throat and the game on the line.
The Illini have a great deal of difficulty in maintaining a positive game flow. Thus, the constant lack of a 40-minute effort. They either just lack the ball talent to do that... or they suffer from a general lack of confidence and are just waiting for another infamous 5 minute stretch with no points or for some other way for the wheels come off.
And I don't know if any Coach can instill that in players.
The guys wearing Orange just don’t seem to believe in themselves. That’s why when something good happens on the floor and they over-celebrate in the moment and get a ‘T’... they are almost showing surprise about their good fortune. Good teams and players EXPECT to do well out there. They are not surprised about it and they do not over-do things whether things are going well or going sour.
Who is the ‘confident’ player on the Illini right now? Who is they guy who projects strength and leadership and stability at all times? Who is ‘The Rock’ that the team anchors itself upon?
Nothing against Lieb playing spot minutes in certain situations but it is not ideal for him to play 10 to 12 minutes a game. If he does we will be at a disadvantage vs most B10 teams. We have to find someone else if Hawkins leaves
Not sure who that would be, it's likely Hansberry in a small lineup. Perrin was obviously a bust. Dainja should be locked in as the Starting 5 so it'll be hard to recruit a guy 6'10+ content to transfer in just to come off the bench.
For what it's worth, I wasn't saying "give Lieb 10-12 minutes guaranteed", I meant "hopefully he will have progressed enough to be good enough to play 10-12 minutes a game without it being detrimental". Standards for a Backup Big are not that high.
I do not feel RJ is a terrible shooter or Harris. Harris has a very deliberate shot that takes time to get off and so he may not take many. RJ is likely our best FT shooter and his outside shot and form looks good. To me he is one shooter I won’t give up on yet. I know it was a small sample size but he shot ut very well last year and has improved lately. He was in a bad funk shooters sometimes go through. RJs jumper looks good and has improved and imo it will continue too. One reason I can’t see Hawk in todays NBA is he must improve his shooting and arc on his shot so why not be paid well here.
Experience guys with a year here now, bringing in more experience with shooting with a more physical PG that can defend some of these stronger PGs
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