Pregame: Illinois at Penn State, Wednesday, December 23rd, 5:30pm CT, BTN
- Status
It’s not going to happen and not sure if it would mess with Miller’s head, but I wouldn’t mind seeing Grandison start this game. Be interesting to see how he would play getting some consistent minutes early in each half. Could say the same thing about Hawkins, but I just get the feeling if Grandison got a chance to settle in at the start of each half, he might show more. Still would probably want Miller seeing more minutes overall, but would help with depth too.
Belo, Trent, DMFW, Ayo, and Kofi please.
Deleted member 11228
D
Guest
We will. One thing about this team is their experience in that they won't let this team go into a prolonged slump.
Another road game. Penn St blew the doors of VA Tech at their place. This is no gimme by any means. Better be ready for another fight.
Deleted member 11228
D
Guest
Penn St. also lost to Seton Hall at home.
Gonna be tough. We should expect that from every away game in the B1G...and most home games.
Yoda? May the force be with us.
These words ring truer after seeing Sparty tonight in Evanston.
How do we go from Grand barely playing to starting? I get where you're coming from, but we as fans definitely put too much weight into who starts the game vs. who is playing starter minutes. I agree with you though that getting more consistent minutes may help.
If Grand has the capacity to impact the team in a back up role, I'd like to see his minutes slowly go up.
I’m one of those who don’t get caught up into who starts. I actually think team is better with Curbelo not starting. My thinking — and again I realize this won’t happen — is it might relieve a little pressure on Miller (if being “benched” doesn’t mess with his head) and allow Grandison to get a few consistent minutes in a row each half and be more settled. I’m not saying he would get more total minutes than Miller nor even get that many more total minutes — maybe 7-10 mpg total. Just a different way to use him that I think might actually benefit both of them and lengthen bench a little. I don’t think you can start Giorgi because he is your backup 5. I think for rotation reasons BU may not want Curbelo starting. And though I like Hawkins, I think Grandison would benefit more from the move and like Hawkins’ energy of bench.
Like I said it won’t happen. But there is precedence for something like this. Remember a tourney team that who had a starter played about 10 minutes a game. And another added plus — Grandison is perfect from the line.
Last edited:
We will be fine against Penn State providing we cut down on the number of fouls and increase our defensive intensity
Blocks Rutgers 8 ILL 0
Steals Rutgers 8 ILL 4
Fouls Rutgers 17 ILL 26
We shot 54% from the field, and 60% on 3's and got beat?
If UW does not get the team playing better defense, one could get beat any night in the B10.
Blocks Rutgers 8 ILL 0
Steals Rutgers 8 ILL 4
Fouls Rutgers 17 ILL 26
We shot 54% from the field, and 60% on 3's and got beat?
If UW does not get the team playing better defense, one could get beat any night in the B10.
Can we increase defensive intensity while fouling less?? Sounds like a recipe for fouling more. Maybe by playing smarter defense or maybe throwing a zone for a few minutes might help.
No way he starts a game this year. To me Grandison looks like a d3 player. Seems a step slower and more sloppy than everyone else.
We were up by about 20 against them and then fell apart, totally gave that game away at the end.
This will be a fight... we have some good defensive guards and cause a lot of turnovers. Cockburn will eat us alive though... I envision him getting whatever he wants and certainly a double-double, 20+ pt game.
We have no inside presence, but a load of shooters and play an uptempo style. If we (PSU) can control the tempo and make shots (ala VaTech), then we are a very tough team to beat.
If Illinois controls the tempo and continually feeds the post, you'll win handily.
It's not hard to see the blueprint to beat us, but executing that blueprint is a little more difficult.
Last edited:
Seems like too many people were just standing around watching Rutgers may plays. Not to take anything away from Rutgers.
I was pretty sure this would not happen this year in the absence of fans.
This is not the first time I've been both sure and wrong about something.
illiniswish09
- Northwest Suburbs
Lengthy post incoming...
Thinking big picture we need something out of the BBV/Grandison/Hutcherson bunch if we’re going to reach our full potential. Unfortunately it seems as if Hutcherson is a long shot to play this year. That hurts. He was considered the best athlete on the team, could stroke it and handle the ball. Also had great size at 6’6”. Grandison has basically played himself out of the rotation. I don’t entirely understand the short leash on him but clearly the coaching staff doesn’t trust playing him for 10-15 minutes a game. BBV I thought had been cleared right around the Baylor game. Obviously you’re not going to throw him into that game but I thought maybe he’d start seeing some minutes post that. Are we still building up his conditioning? Or does the staff not trust to put him out there like Grandison? Getting absolutely zero production out of this group at the moment is making things tough. Is the staff still hoping one of BBV or Grandison emerges and is a piece in the rotation? Or are they pretty set on the current rotation?
All that being said I fully believe in this staff to get things figured out. It’s all about playing your best basketball come March. We’re just still trying to figure out the best possible formula to win games with this roster. Gonna be some lumps with the three freshman playing significant minutes. But like last year I think we’ll be playing our best ball late and playing for a Big Ten championship at the UC.
PS
Our combined losses opponents record is 16-0.
Thinking big picture we need something out of the BBV/Grandison/Hutcherson bunch if we’re going to reach our full potential. Unfortunately it seems as if Hutcherson is a long shot to play this year. That hurts. He was considered the best athlete on the team, could stroke it and handle the ball. Also had great size at 6’6”. Grandison has basically played himself out of the rotation. I don’t entirely understand the short leash on him but clearly the coaching staff doesn’t trust playing him for 10-15 minutes a game. BBV I thought had been cleared right around the Baylor game. Obviously you’re not going to throw him into that game but I thought maybe he’d start seeing some minutes post that. Are we still building up his conditioning? Or does the staff not trust to put him out there like Grandison? Getting absolutely zero production out of this group at the moment is making things tough. Is the staff still hoping one of BBV or Grandison emerges and is a piece in the rotation? Or are they pretty set on the current rotation?
All that being said I fully believe in this staff to get things figured out. It’s all about playing your best basketball come March. We’re just still trying to figure out the best possible formula to win games with this roster. Gonna be some lumps with the three freshman playing significant minutes. But like last year I think we’ll be playing our best ball late and playing for a Big Ten championship at the UC.
PS
Our combined losses opponents record is 16-0.
Dan
Admin
Illinois #18 in AP Poll
collegebasketball.ap.org
College Basketball News: Rankings, Scores, Stats & More
Read the latest college basketball news. Keep up with college basketball rankings, scores, and stats of your favorite players and teams, all on AP News.
collegebasketball.ap.org
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Seven teams in the top 25. Eleven teams getting votes. B10 is scary this year.Illinois #18 in AP Poll
College Basketball News: Rankings, Scores, Stats & More
Read the latest college basketball news. Keep up with college basketball rankings, scores, and stats of your favorite players and teams, all on AP News.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
B1G road game @ Penn State......ugh......too many bad memories for me to be confident at all....They have some very good guards who , in the past, were good from 3pt line...I haven't watched them play this year and with chambers gone, don't know their style of play this year...Glad Stevens and Mike bipolar dude are gone, but when I think of PSU the first thought is the 38-33 thriller a few years back...fried clyde mems.......
We need a win streak started to refresh the lads and restore some level of confidence to the squad...we have the talent, but silly fouls , turnovers and really bad refs has us in a think first mode...just play Illini and we will be back on track.....
We need a win streak started to refresh the lads and restore some level of confidence to the squad...we have the talent, but silly fouls , turnovers and really bad refs has us in a think first mode...just play Illini and we will be back on track.....
Life on the road in the Big Ten is difficult at best even without fans. The #4 Michigan State Spartans showed up in Evanston last night and got their lunch handed to them by the Northwesten Wildcats. Izzo basically threw in the towel with 4 minutes left in the game and pulled his starters.
- Status