What about Shannon?????
Pregame: Illinois at Indiana, Saturday, February 18th 11:00am CT, ESPN
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The answer is that you deny him the ball and if he gets it, you double. I can live with getting the ball out of his hands and if someone else beats you, so be it. To let up 41....that just can't happen. He drilled us twice twice this year. If they don't adjust their approach to TJD....I fear the result will be much of the same.
Well, that is pretty obvious Sherlock. I think we have all seen games where a really good player just goes off. He hit multiple shots with a hand in his face and the defense was very good. When Mayer gets hot, it doesn't matter what his shot looks like or who his on him, it goes down. We have had people on this team do that this year and put up few points before and after. I suppose our coaches suck, and our players are terrible.
I think people aren't realizing two things:
1. Penn State is elite at home and stinks on the road.
2. Pickett has been doing this to teams all year. It just so happens he hit shots at a slightly higher clip than normal.
Regarding #2, he has the following point totals at home this year:
ILL: 41 (win)
WISC: 17 (loss)
UM: 25 (win)
NEB: 12 (win)
IU: 12 (win)
PU: 26 (loss, although this was in Philly)
IOWA: 26 (win)
MSU: 13 (loss)
He took 15 or more shots in every game besides IU. For the most part he makes shots at a really high clip and even if he doesn't Penn State still is a really good shooting team that someone is picking up the slack.
They have a pretty favorable schedule remaining and would not be surprised to see them finish 10-10 in conference.
I don't see anything wrong with that or a box and 1, this might work on TJD. I don't think anything would have on Pickett that day.
You make great points and I agree, they are tough at home. That said, in our place he went 20/7/6 and shot 53%. He got going early and we fell behind early. This past game he went 41/2/8 on 75% shooting. That's an average of 30.5 PPG, 4.5 APG, 7RPG on 65% shooting(24/37).
i hear what you're saying, but in two games, they haven't been able to shut the water off. My issue isn't that he had great games. Good players have good games. I love BU. It's just the lack of adjustment that surprises me. Now, how does he approach TJD? Similarly? He's another guy that's going to probably get a double double. If he's 15/10, we can win. If he's 35/17, we can't. I guess my question is...what do we do different, if anything?
Oh I agree, our loss at home to them was the most disappointing loss of the season IMO. That to me was more about us being awful offensively.
We held them to 27 points in the second half and only scored 21..
Listening to Brad's presser, he did not seem impressed with the Northwestern strategy of doubling TJD, immediately pointing out that he had 8 assists and nearly a triple double. I would counter that Indiana only scored 62 points and LOST THE GAME because the people he passes to are worse basketball players than him.
It's true that TJD is going to be able to get his no matter what you do, but I would like to see at least some variance in how they defend him. Don't let him know exactly what is coming every time he gets the ball. Bring the double sometimes and let Dain or Coleman try to handle him one on one sometimes, that would at least keep him on his toes. If the double team is getting torched and leading to wide open baskets every time, fine, abandon it then. But you can't make it that easy for him every time.
Indiana has made 3, 2, 5, 4, and 3 three pointers over their last five games (3-2 record) and Kopp is the only player to make more than 1 three in multiple games during that span. So it's not like they are Penn State who is just going to bury you from behind the arc if you double in the post.
It's true that TJD is going to be able to get his no matter what you do, but I would like to see at least some variance in how they defend him. Don't let him know exactly what is coming every time he gets the ball. Bring the double sometimes and let Dain or Coleman try to handle him one on one sometimes, that would at least keep him on his toes. If the double team is getting torched and leading to wide open baskets every time, fine, abandon it then. But you can't make it that easy for him every time.
Indiana has made 3, 2, 5, 4, and 3 three pointers over their last five games (3-2 record) and Kopp is the only player to make more than 1 three in multiple games during that span. So it's not like they are Penn State who is just going to bury you from behind the arc if you double in the post.
The issue with that game is that Indiana was ice cold in the first half and Northwestern couldn't miss. Then the script flipped in the second half and Northwestern probably loses that game if it goes another 2 minutes.
If you assume normal shooting percentages each half then Indiana probably wins that game. In other words, Northwestern didn't win because they doubled TJD..they won because they had such a big first half lead and the clock became their friend.
Having the big lead clearly played a part, but forcing other people than TJD to beat them and not giving him easy bunnies every time he touched the ball helped build that big advantage. Illinois should also be able to force TJD to work harder on the defensive end with Dain's offensive ability. Nicholson does nothing in the post for Northwestern.
NU also went 14-14 from the line. Layups and free throws will have to be made this time.
Dan
Admin
ESPN (Brian Custer, Robbie Hummel & Myron Medcalf)
fightingillini.com
Illini Next at No. 14 Indiana on Saturday - University of Illinois Athletics
Illinois begins a stretch of four games in nine days Saturday at No. 14 Indiana.
fightingillini.com
chrisRunner7
- San Diego
What I hope to see: Illini come out with incredible energy and play lock-down, inspired defense on the road. TJD gets double-teamed this time and commits a bunch of turnovers. Hawkins and Shannon get hot from three. Hood-Schifino has a poor shooting night. Illini win by eight.
What I am afraid will happen: Illini double TJD, but he doesn't fumble the ball or commit costly turnovers like he did against Northwestern. Indiana rains down three-pointers when we do double TJD, and some no-name unathletic Hoosier off the bench scores 13 points. TJD still scores 25 points and Indiana wins by 20+. Dain spends a lot of time on the bench with foul trouble. Illinois goes 4-23 from three.
Someone please reassure me that the latter isn't going to happen tomorrow...
What I am afraid will happen: Illini double TJD, but he doesn't fumble the ball or commit costly turnovers like he did against Northwestern. Indiana rains down three-pointers when we do double TJD, and some no-name unathletic Hoosier off the bench scores 13 points. TJD still scores 25 points and Indiana wins by 20+. Dain spends a lot of time on the bench with foul trouble. Illinois goes 4-23 from three.
Someone please reassure me that the latter isn't going to happen tomorrow...
InDaAZ
- Eugene, Oregon
Coach U pees out more BB knowledge each morning than I have cumulatively stored in my brain…
but I think TJS & SH - with their quick hands - would be good ones to turn and double up TJD as he backs his way to the basket. Perhaps they could disrupt his flow a bit, and even dig out a steal or three.
DB11Headband
- Chicago Burbs
HummelESPN (Brian Custer, Robbie Hummel & Myron Medcalf)
Illini Next at No. 14 Indiana on Saturday - University of Illinois Athletics
Illinois begins a stretch of four games in nine days Saturday at No. 14 Indiana.
Coach U pees out more BB knowledge each morning than I have cumulatively stored in my brain…
but I think TJS & SH - with their quick hands - would be good ones to turn and double up TJD as he backs his way to the basket. Perhaps they could disrupt his flow a bit, and even dig out a steal or three.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I have GENERALLY been pleased with our results after losses in the last few months, just sayin...
(A) Lose an uninspiring game in Evanston
(B) Beat #14 Wisconsin while actually shooting well
(A) Get blown out by Indiana at home
(B) Handily beat Ohio State, fixing a lot of the issues from the IU game
(A) Lose a heartbreaker at Iowa where late mistakes cost us
(B) Soundly defeat Rutgers, even after a slow start
(A) Lose a game we needed at Penn State due to one of their players being on FIRE
(B) Who knows?
I don't know if we will win in Bloomington, but I think the effort/focus will be there, and I think we are due for Mayer, Shannon or someone else (home state Goode??) to be feeling it shooting. When we get off to a decent offensive start, we seem to play with a lot more flow, including on defense, and we can get into transition more. Again, I don't know if we will win - and I guess I'm "expecting" a loss - but I could see this being a lot like last year's win at #19 Michigan State, where these were the results in succession:
L 68-84 at #3 Purdue
W 73-66 vs. Northwestern
L 59-70 at Rutgers
We were all pretty down after the !!! whoopin' at the RAC (origin of the Pizza Hut Parking Lot, IIRC), but we came out and got the win we needed the next day at MSU. One thing is for certain - I think we would all LOVE payback against Indiana on their home floor to win a THIRD straight year in Bloomington!
(A) Lose an uninspiring game in Evanston
(B) Beat #14 Wisconsin while actually shooting well
(A) Get blown out by Indiana at home
(B) Handily beat Ohio State, fixing a lot of the issues from the IU game
(A) Lose a heartbreaker at Iowa where late mistakes cost us
(B) Soundly defeat Rutgers, even after a slow start
(A) Lose a game we needed at Penn State due to one of their players being on FIRE
(B) Who knows?
I don't know if we will win in Bloomington, but I think the effort/focus will be there, and I think we are due for Mayer, Shannon or someone else (home state Goode??) to be feeling it shooting. When we get off to a decent offensive start, we seem to play with a lot more flow, including on defense, and we can get into transition more. Again, I don't know if we will win - and I guess I'm "expecting" a loss - but I could see this being a lot like last year's win at #19 Michigan State, where these were the results in succession:
L 68-84 at #3 Purdue
W 73-66 vs. Northwestern
L 59-70 at Rutgers
We were all pretty down after the !!! whoopin' at the RAC (origin of the Pizza Hut Parking Lot, IIRC), but we came out and got the win we needed the next day at MSU. One thing is for certain - I think we would all LOVE payback against Indiana on their home floor to win a THIRD straight year in Bloomington!
IlliniMike_Aurora
Straight outta Champaign
ah, someone else remembers TED, my dad took me to one of my first games at the Assembly Hall (the good one) and Kitchell put 41 on us and I cried all the way to the car.... i think I was 7, regardless, when Jordan, er, the PSU dude spilled 41 all over us the other nite, i instantly thought of Kitchell. 41, something about 41
Pickett wasn’t the problem the first time around. And frankly we played well enough that if he didn’t go nuclear this past time we had an excellent shot at winning. PSU as a team played extremely good offense, it was just their night. Frankly it was the first and only game this season that really felt like we did our best but there’s was obviously better, maybe Iowa too if you wanna stretch it a bit.
I will admit I think it’s concerning the amount of career highs we have given up this year. Not sure major adjustments would’ve changed the outcome of the game, but I do think it would’ve altered the individual stat line of the player
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
But did you cry this time?
I just texted my closest Illini brother and told him that I worked until 8 pm, until I couldn’t think straight, and went to my favorite Mexican place nearby. A margarita, two pulled chicken tacos and a carne asada burrito later serenity washed over me and I’m convinced we’re going to beat INDINIA.
I’ll be there tomorrow and fully anticipating an Illini win - just like last year.
IlliniMike_Aurora
Straight outta Champaign
I did not cry this time - just shook my head at why Brad couldn’t try a zone for two minutesBut did you cry this time?
I just texted my closest Illini brother and told him that I worked until 8 pm, until I couldn’t think straight, and went to my favorite Mexican place nearby. A margarita, two pulled chicken tacos and a carne asada burrito later serenity washed over me and I’m convinced we’re going to beat INDINIA.
I think we’ll win if Nick hits his buzzer beater again
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