Penn State 86, Illinois 79 2OT POSTGAME

#76      

blackdog

blackdog
Champaign
blackdog
So its been a couple weeks since I've been able to watch a game and a couple things really stood out to me.

1) Team defense and individual defense have improved TREMENDOUSLY since the start of the season. I was paying special attention to rotations and off ball placement and it was leaps and bounds ahead of where they were to start. Finke especially showed huge strides on being able to be in help position and still recover to his man. Early in the season he was often in no mans land.

2) Kendrick Nunn looked like he could not care less. Disengaged on both offense and defense. He showed some spurts when the ball was in his hands but otherwise looked totally lazy. On defense he was often straight up, not in his stance, and got beaten early before his man got the ball a couple times. He totally shot the team out of the game in the 2nd OT too.

3) Mav has really become a solid big. The thing he still needs to work on though is protecting the ball because it seems like you could just poke the ball when he has it and the it would come flying out.

4) JCL needs to really work on his floor game over the summer because teams have figured out he can shoot and thats about it (and boy can he shoot it). There is almost no threat of him putting on the floor and driving it so no defender respects that.

5) DJW is going be an all around beast sooner rather than later. I was really impressed with one play, I think it was the first half, where he took one or two hard dribbles to his right and pulled up for a sweet jumper from the foul line. Just looked so comfortable attacking like that.

6) Hill looked like a man possessed. He almost single handedly willed the team to victory (along with Lewis in the 2nd half and OT). Unfortunately nobody else was able to step up to help him out. Hill played some real fire and I loved it.


I've been one the whole season that has been a lot more optimistic about the future of the team just based on the potential of the younger guys and who we have been missing. Can't wait till next season.
 
#77      

CrazedUIFan

C
UI Fan in QC Land
CrazedUIFan
Gomers Pile said:
I keep reading this, people ( and not to single you out ) saying they aren't running plays , they are . Of course there are the mis-guided one on one trips down the floor which I hate ending in a wasted possesion . The problem is who has the ball when these plays start . Here is a prime example . First play of the game and they run this play a lot , is a double baseline screen where say Nunn comes from the right side gets a screen under the right side of the hoop . He continues across the baseline for a screen from Mav, and comes out to the left wing . He gets the ball there and the Mav follows him out to the left side . Now , Mav sets another pick for him to drive to the elbow or back baseline depending on how the defense plays it . Either way it works 75% of the time for a pick n roll or pop .This is where the problem begins
OK , now Nunn can drive or drive and dish . Who on the team is the best ballhandler /passer ? Well in a perfect world it would be your point guard . Lewis , and he means well, is a horrible passer and not much better off the dribble . Tate , so so passer and a little better with the dribble . Both of there defenders have by now sagged back clogging the lane because they can't or won't shoot . Hill , if he has the ball can sometimes get to the lane , but is usually double teamed and he's not the greatest passer . What it boils down to is Illinois needs a POINT GUARD and Groce doesn't have one .
Now you can blame Groce for getting Snider to commit and bail, or for Abrams to get hurt in yrs. 2 and 3 , and for not signing another pt. guard if you want . But no matter how you slice it , he has zero pt. guards . He'll have one next year and you'll see the difference .
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I'll certainly concede the lack of a good PG is affecting this team. It does affect the way you run an offense. I'm just not overly impressed with the offense over the course of his 4 years. I do think this team will be much better next year simply because our freshmen will be better. I'm still concerned our PG position will be below average. We are putting a lot of faith on a player who hasn't played competitive basketball for two years because of major injuries. Even though we add a freshman PG, I don't expect him to have a huge impact in his first year. I hope Abrams can give us some stability, leadership, toughness, and a decent scoring threat so our wings can see better shots. I want Groce to have all of the pieces so we know what he can really do. But part of his job is to recruit all positions well.
 
#78      

Gomers Pile

G
Gomers Pile
CrazedUIFan said:
I'll certainly concede the lack of a good PG is affecting this team. It does affect the way you run an offense. I'm just not overly impressed with the offense over the course of his 4 years. I do think this team will be much better next year simply because our freshmen will be better. I'm still concerned our PG position will be below average. We are putting a lot of faith on a player who hasn't played competitive basketball for two years because of major injuries. Even though we add a freshman PG, I don't expect him to have a huge impact in his first year. I hope Abrams can give us some stability, leadership, toughness, and a decent scoring threat so our wings can see better shots. I want Groce to have all of the pieces so we know what he can really do. But part of his job is to recruit all positions well.
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You're right it is his job to recruit what and who he needs , but it's not like he hasn't tried . Actually I think TJL barring any injuries that are light years out of anybodys control to be just what we need . However if it was me he would start the first game and not be subbed for unless his tongue was dragging . Trial by fire is the best and quickest way to get a freshman up to speed. When young guys play , until they get tired of being slapped and pushed around they get just that , pushed and slapped around . That is my biggest gripe with Groce . Jordan needs to play not Austin . That one I don't get.
 
#79      

wIn

W
wIn
CrazedUIFan said:
I'll certainly concede the lack of a good PG is affecting this team. It does affect the way you run an offense. I'm just not overly impressed with the offense over the course of his 4 years. I do think this team will be much better next year simply because our freshmen will be better. I'm still concerned our PG position will be below average. We are putting a lot of faith on a player who hasn't played competitive basketball for two years because of major injuries. Even though we add a freshman PG, I don't expect him to have a huge impact in his first year. I hope Abrams can give us some stability, leadership, toughness, and a decent scoring threat so our wings can see better shots. I want Groce to have all of the pieces so we know what he can really do. But part of his job is to recruit all positions well.
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I agree. Yeah, PG play is obviously a limiting factor, but I don't see how that could be an excuse in college. Groce is the HC and the GM, it's all on his shoulders to create a winning roster.

Next season, if the PG play is still below average what are we going to do? Just chalk it up to having a 25 year old and a freshman as the best options and wait it out?
 
#80      

CrazedUIFan

C
UI Fan in QC Land
CrazedUIFan
Gomers Pile said:
You're right it is his job to recruit what and who he needs , but it's not like he hasn't tried . Actually I think TJL barring any injuries that are light years out of anybodys control to be just what we need . However if it was me he would start the first game and not be subbed for unless his tongue was dragging . Trial by fire is the best and quickest way to get a freshman up to speed. When young guys play , until they get tired of being slapped and pushed around they get just that , pushed and slapped around . That is my biggest gripe with Groce . Jordan needs to play not Austin . That one I don't get.
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I think it depends on the individual. Continually playing a player just to gain experience can backfire if it affects their confidence, let alone the team. It's about balance. I do agree I never liked having Austin take minutes away from scholarship players. It would be different if he were a much better option. I will give Groce the benefit of the doubt simply because we fans don't see what goes on in practice.
 
#84      

icengineer

I
Southern Illinois
icengineer
Gomers Pile said:
Yes but he shouldn't have a third of what fe has now. jmo
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Once the season was in the tank I think JG should have sat him and let the Frosh get all those minutes. Earlier in the season playing AA was probably the right thing to do.
 
#88      

FeelYourPaign

FeelYourPaign
So Cal
FeelYourPaign
After one of Maverick's really good games, Trevor on IlliniBoard wrote about him and how he dribbles once or twice, but never three times, then puts up a good shot or a pass. I've been watching for that a bit since the story. Yesterday, MM dribbled three times on two different occassions and he lost the ball both times. Couple that with the rather steals from his apparently delicate grip on the ball and he is a somewhat confusing offensive player. Higher efg% we've seen in some time, but only within a restricted set of conditions.

I'm still thrilled with his progress this year. Way better than I imagined he could ever be, but there is still more potential and by extension, I wish we were enjoying it this year. Wait til next year? Hope so