Pregame: Illinois at Iowa, Saturday, February 4th, 1:30pm CT, FOX

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#303      
Iowa has won 6 of 8, and for the last month we've had abysmal 3-point shooting from everyone other than Mayer. If that doesn't change soon, it may be a weakness we can't overcome against a good team.
Also we generally have had difficulty against good offenses who can find ways to score against our defense (our strength). Our offense is streaky and feeds off our defense so those who can break us on defense tend to break the team completely, hence blowout losses.
 
#304      

illini80

Forgottonia
Bernstein can be that way at times but he's not all the time.

I've liked LoHo ever since he still had the nighttime show.
I like Homes, but he enjoys taking a shot at Illinois when he has the chance also. As for B&B, people seemed to love them or hate them. I never thought they were funny, but to each his own!
 
#305      

illini80

Forgottonia
Incorrect. Let's hope we limit our CONTESTED three point attempts.
Iowa likes to leave people open because they are bad at defense, but Nebraska did it on purpose! I think we play better when we shoot less than 20 attempts from 3 because we are making a conscious effort to work the ball and get to the rim. If we shoot close to 30, there will be a fair percentage that were contested. Now if they let us shoot open shots and guys get hot, our defense can make it an easy night. I just have no confidence in that based on our season so far.
 
#307      
I really want to see what would happen if Hawkins catches the ball in the high post, turns to face the basket and just holds it there ready to shoot for 3 or 4 seconds. To me if he catches the ball there and waits he becomes unguardable. It should be a free throw, dunk or double team/ assist every time. But he has to hold it long enough to force the defense to react.
 
#308      
Oh I don’t think he will play. I was just making fun of the fact that it’s asked 30 times a day.
I Love You Goodbye GIF by Janet Mac
 
#311      
Connor McCaffrey with the surprisingly reasonably take on all of it. It's all good fun, and they did 'win' the round by blocking the fan espionage (but hopefully not the game!), Krush unfortunately did have it coming by affiliating their fake name with the Boys and Girls Club of America, so they do deserve to lose the PR battle. But Connor recognizes this is not some grand larceny committed against underprivileged youths, absolutely nobody was harmed here, and in the end, it's nice that some kids get to go to the basketball game. Hopefully they realize upon witnessing in person that the much cooler team are the ones wearing the blue jerseys. It's not their fault they were born in Iowa, but it's not too late to come to the right side!

As for Krush, they need some good PR of their own. Maybe give up their tickets for the game against Minnesota to the closest Boys & Girls Club (greater Peoria probably?) Turn it into a PR opportunity for the team to meet with the kids and sign some things and shoot around or whatever.
Did underwood say at media days Connor is the one player on another roster he’d want to coach? This was a question asked to him, not openly brought up.
 
#312      

Retro62

North Bethesda, Maryland
Titus and Tate have a pretty funny take on the Krush ticket situation. Starts at 1:30:45
After listening to this, I have to agree with their take. The real failure here was the response to getting caught. It's well worth a listen, thanks for the link!
 
#313      
Iowa has won 6 of 8, and for the last month we've had abysmal 3-point shooting from everyone other than Mayer. If that doesn't change soon, it may be a weakness we can't overcome against a good team.
This, of course, is the major concern. Throw a hostile crowd that will play a big part, add to that the fact that the Illini do not value possession of the ball very well, and you have the potential for a 20 pt. blowout.

So, start there and assume no matter what, you will lose by 20+......and then find ways to defend every shot, keep turnovers under 5, hit kickout threes that are open, rebound like banshees, let each other constantly know you have their back, keep DD, Ty, and Harris off the free throw line, keep the ball constantly moving and move your butt too, and take your time in the lane to put up solid shots that are open....and you just might come away with a win. To win, you must plan to win, and follow the plan. Step by step, you give the mental and physical effort to cut that loss to nothing by playing the game right.
 
#314      
BU hinted that there is going to be a starting line-up change to help jump start the team at the beginning of games. Anyone want to take a guess at what that could be? I can't imagine he'd take Shannon, Hawkins or Mayer out of the starting line-up, and Epps was just put in. So that leaves Dainja. Perhaps starting Rodgers over him?
 
#315      

Big Jack

Decatur
Did underwood say at media days Connor is the one player on another roster he’d want to coach? This was a question asked to him, not openly brought up.
Well the kid is a hard nose tough guy who does the dirty work. Unlike Bohanon sp? he is not a puss.. I would take him or someone like him on this roster everyday. Might be the only player on their team i actually respect..
 
#316      

Big Jack

Decatur
BU hinted that there is going to be a starting line-up change to help jump start the team at the beginning of games. Anyone want to take a guess at what that could be? I can't imagine he'd take Shannon, Hawkins or Mayer out of the starting line-up, and Epps was just put in. So that leaves Dainja. Perhaps starting Rodgers over him?
That makes sense him or maybe RJ starting in his place.. Size wise we match up to them and might be good to be able to have Dain and CHawk to sub for each other and not on the court at the same time to start
 
#317      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
After listening to this, I have to agree with their take. The real failure here was the response to getting caught. It's well worth a listen, thanks for the link!
I enjoyed the intergenerational slam: "back in my day if we got caught tee-peeing his house we'd run away, regroup, and then come back later and egg it. We wouldn't stand there and whine about getting caught."
 
#318      
Slept walked in the last game, can't do that Saturday, Iowa has some serious fire power, in their last two wins they lit up two good defensive teams in Rutgers and Northwestern. good news is the bench has been playing fairly well lately, that needs to continue.
 
#320      

Retro62

North Bethesda, Maryland
I have no idea what to think with this game. The prognostications range from a double-digit win to a 20+ point loss. Well, as we know, either is easily possible. I am glad the defense is solid, although, like in the Nebraska game, we seem to have lulls in our D as well as our O, but I am concerned about matching them in scoring. We need to work the ball around and get inside more. There were a few possessions vs. Nebraska that looked like 2005...I hope we can continue to move the ball around like that. If we do, and cut down on ill-advised threes, we have a great chance.
 
#321      
Slept walked in the last game, can't do that Saturday, Iowa has some serious fire power, in their last two wins they lit up two good defensive teams in Rutgers and Northwestern. good news is the bench has been playing fairly well lately, that needs to continue.
Per usual against Iowa, the key to the game is defense.

By the numbers our defense is not as good at Rutgers, but we are no slouch - we have positional size & length unlike any team they'll face this year. Guard the three point line & throw Coleman and Ty on Murray.
 
#322      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
I have no idea what to think with this game. The prognostications range from a double-digit win to a 20+ point loss. Well, as we know, either is easily possible. I am glad the defense is solid, although, like in the Nebraska game, we seem to have lulls in our D as well as our O, but I am concerned about matching them in scoring. We need to work the ball around and get inside more. There were a few possessions vs. Nebraska that looked like 2005...I hope we can continue to move the ball around like that. If we do, and cut down on ill-advised threes, we have a great chance.
I didn't realize how depleted Nebraska was offensively when we played them on Tuesday (which is why Little Hoiberg was on the floor.) The fact that we let them back into the game at the end of the 1H is dismaying.

We really haven't played anyone strong during this 7-1 stretch, except IU. If we defend wire-to-wire then we have a good shot. Otherwise, if we come out soft or lag for stretches on D, I can see them building a lead and us not getting back into it. As you note, gotta move the ball on offense the way we did at times on Tuesday, and open up looks at the arc for MM.
 
#324      
Just listened to the recorded podcast to see what was said and now my ears are bleeding. It was indeed Bernstein. After calling the fans "downstate goobers" multiple times, he said the Krush should be dissolved for doing this. Apparently stereotyping is bad unless he is doing it then it's OK
He has always been obnoxious and full of himself. Stopped listening to the score because of him. He is the epitome of the worst stereotype of Chicago natives.
 
#325      
Side note based on comments made … nothing breaks my heart more than Chicago vs. Downstate BS, because the joke is on both of us. The other Big Ten states have comparative unity and pride, and they're stronger and better for it. Illinoisans who constantly bash their own state or regions within it aren’t self aware or funny; they sound self-hating and our neighbors laugh at them with pity.

GO ILLINI!
 
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