Pregame: Illinois vs Iowa, Tuesday, February 25th, 8:00pm CT, FS1

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#127      
Fighter of the Nightman
Mistakenj said:
https://www.news-gazette.com/wdws/

Not sure enough attention has been paid to the end of this WDWS podcast. Paul Klee hinting at what the issues are….
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Link doesn't appear to be working for me, or I am too dumb to figure it out, lol ... any hints??

As for this game, my expectations for this season are absolutely zero now, but I am hanging on to two pipe dreams at this point, with the latter being the especially unrealistic one:

1. Beat Iowa in Champaign or die trying. It would extend the winning streak vs. Iowa to 3 games, and it would extend the streak in Champaign to 5 games. Fun fact, until we finally lost a home game to the Hawkeyes in Groce's second year, Iowa had lost 11 straight games in Champaign and 22 out of its last 23 games in Champaign entering the 2012 season. Let's at LEAST not slide all the way back into Groce Era futility, losing to mediocre Iowa teams on our home floor?!?!

2. Somehow, SOME way keep our hilarious winning streak vs. Michigan alive. It stands at 8 straight victories, dating all the way back to Ayo's clutch game winner in 2019-20. Given all of the drama with Juwan, Hunter and Michigan's asterisk title in 2020-21, it would just be oh so sweet if even during a seeming collapse, we could just extend that winning streak at least one more offseason, haha.
 
#129      
Illini2010-11
illiniswish09 said:
Opening Line:

Illinois -11.5
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I think Illinois will end up winning this game, but given the way Iowa can score (and the terrible Illini defensive gameplans), I think there is extreme value for taking Iowa and the points.

EDIT: Not often that you lose by more than 40 points (including 3 straight games by double-digits) and then are a double-digit favorite the next time out.
 
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#131      
PepeSilvia
BryceHopkins said:
Question for the coaches/insiders out there: What's the proper adjustment Illini coaches should be making to counter the blitzing double team opponents are throwing at KJ every time we try a high ball screen. It's been killing us for several games now. How should we counter it?
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Beating double teams simply involves identifying them and getting the ball to the guy that's left open.

Doubling off the pnr means initially the screener will be the open man. You can also do vary that set if teams are cheating where the screener can slip or ghost to create an open look. You could also the ballhandler start turning down some screens and attacking away from the double team.

Here's where the Illini are in a bit of a predicament though. Opposing teams are giving no respect to guys shooting 3s so a help defender can easily pick up the screener. Normally the screener would be able to kick for a wide open look but the Illini simply aren't hitting those looks.

So the adjustment that likely needs to be made is that whoever's guy leaves to help on the screener should be immediately cutting to the basket where he should have an open look.

For example, if KJ has the ball, Ivisic is the screener, and the help defender is guarding Boswell. When the defender guarding Ivisic doubles KJ, KJ should dump the ball to Ivisic, at the same time Boswells defender picks up Ivisic, so Boswell should attack that open space by cutting to the basket where Ivisic hopefully finds him for an open layup attempt.

Don't know if I explained that very well but that's how I would attack it.
 
#133      
jrichisamazing
Some of you might think the team has already checked out. I'm still optimistic they can break through the wall. That they are still bought in and trying their best, but just need to find some confidence. It could happen at any time, but it can only happen if they are still bought in and fighting.

This game will officially tell us if that is true. Iowa is the softest team in the B1G. Soft interior defense and poor rebounding. If we are chucking 3's and getting beat on the glass then this team is officially checked out.
 
#134      
2qtslow
1. Did the Illini practice today?
2. If yes, how many players actually participated?

IOW, are we still sick?
 
#136      
sulli
PepeSilvia said:
Beating double teams simply involves identifying them and getting the ball to the guy that's left open.

Doubling off the pnr means initially the screener will be the open man. You can also do vary that set if teams are cheating where the screener can slip or ghost to create an open look. You could also the ballhandler start turning down some screens and attacking away from the double team.

Here's where the Illini are in a bit of a predicament though. Opposing teams are giving no respect to guys shooting 3s so a help defender can easily pick up the screener. Normally the screener would be able to kick for a wide open look but the Illini simply aren't hitting those looks.

So the adjustment that likely needs to be made is that whoever's guy leaves to help on the screener should be immediately cutting to the basket where he should have an open look.

For example, if KJ has the ball, Ivisic is the screener, and the help defender is guarding Boswell. When the defender guarding Ivisic doubles KJ, KJ should dump the ball to Ivisic, at the same time Boswells defender picks up Ivisic, so Boswell should attack that open space by cutting to the basket where Ivisic hopefully finds him for an open layup attempt.

Don't know if I explained that very well but that's how I would attack it.
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Additionally, if the other three guys weren't so stuck in their spot they could get open. That really aggressive double makes it kind of hard to even hit the screener on the roll sometimes, which is why he usually doesn't roll all the way but does a short roll and catches a pass at the high post, then has a 2v1 or 3v2 with whoever is left over.

If the other three guys are more active, the guys in the wings can cut hard up to the three point line in the higher wing to catch a pass (just gives KJ more options). They should bring their guy with them. The third guy runs the baseline and the Ivisic can finish his cut to the basket or even go post up quickly. That is likely to make an easy bucket too if KJ cannot pass to ivisic in the high post.

If you go look at 14:17 of the first half. KJ is about to get that double. TGLs man has completely turned his head away from him. If booth ran the baseline and both wings cut HARD to the wing, they'd have gotten a dunk out of that possession. Instead they are slow (DGL cuts at 14:15 but not hard and Riley doesn't move at all) because they aren't teaching them to move without the ball but just sit motionless in the corners. Booth isn't a threat to shoot a three and never makes a cut, but instead just drifts to the corner while his man spends the entire possession in the lane on D. He had two more chances to cut to the hoop at 14:10 (from KJ) and 14:09 (from Riley) but never moved.
 
#139      
BlueLeader
illiniswish09 said:
Opening Line:

Illinois -11.5
Click to expand...
schitts-creek-umm.gif
 
#140      
Dan
#142      
Mistakenj
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Link doesn't appear to be working for me, or I am too dumb to figure it out, lol ... any hints??

As for this game, my expectations for this season are absolutely zero now, but I am hanging on to two pipe dreams at this point, with the latter being the especially unrealistic one:

1. Beat Iowa in Champaign or die trying. It would extend the winning streak vs. Iowa to 3 games, and it would extend the streak in Champaign to 5 games. Fun fact, until we finally lost a home game to the Hawkeyes in Groce's second year, Iowa had lost 11 straight games in Champaign and 22 out of its last 23 games in Champaign entering the 2012 season. Let's at LEAST not slide all the way back into Groce Era futility, losing to mediocre Iowa teams on our home floor?!?!

2. Somehow, SOME way keep our hilarious winning streak vs. Michigan alive. It stands at 8 straight victories, dating all the way back to Ayo's clutch game winner in 2019-20. Given all of the drama with Juwan, Hunter and Michigan's asterisk title in 2020-21, it would just be oh so sweet if even during a seeming collapse, we could just extend that winning streak at least one more offseason, haha.
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Sorry, it’s towards the end of the 2/22/25 Sportstalk. If you look for that link on there (won’t let me link directly). Klee said NBA people said KJ is not being put in thei right spots and doesn’t help that we have zero shooters. Also said that International players can take some yelling from coaches, but if /when they make it personal, the International players tend to tune out. He kept it kind of vague about that being the case, but it seemed like he was inferring it
 
#144      
FloridaMan
Fighter of the Nightman said:
And in case anyone wants to chalk that up to luck, let's see how it compares to those teams' averages for the year...

Duke: 38.3% overall ... 52.2% vs. Illini ... 36% improvement
Wisconsin: 36.3% overall ... 41.7% vs. Illini ... 15% improvement
Michigan State: 29.6% overall ... 41.7% vs. Illini ... 41% improvement
UCLA: 35.5% overall ... 52.2% vs. Illini ... 47% improvement
Minnesota: 32.3% overall ... 40.0% vs. Illini ... 24% improvement
Rutgers: 33.7% overall ... 37.5% vs. Illini ... 11% improvement
Ohio State: 36.9% overall ... 47.8% vs. Illini ... 30% improvement

So yeah, during the whole stretch, our opponents are shooting about 29-30% better than they usually do just by virtue of going up against our defense.
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So that means Iowa is set to shoot about 50% tomorrow night. Sounds a little low, honestly. Won't be surprised if they shoot much better than that given our defensive "effort" lately.
 
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#145      
Illini92and96
FormerIllini said:
Couple of things. We were told to be patient during recruiting that the staff was “cooking“. And by all accounts, we killed it recruiting now we are at a point where multiple fans are calling for the head of every Coach saying things like Coach has lost his fire he’s too soft.

Interestingly, one of the biggest strengths of Coach has been his ability to survive in adapt. My question is is this new Underwood where he’s more reserved, easier on the players just that. In the 2023 season multiple people suggested he was too hard. He needed to go easier on the young guys. Who’s to say this is not him adapting to that. Paul Klee said himself that you can’t coach the European players like you can American players. Reading between the lines that tells me he cannot get after them so is this “lack of fire“ just his adaptation to that?

I do agree that staffing changes need to happen. But I don’t think canning somebody fresh off in the lead is the answer. Period I highly doubt I’m in the minority in this thought process.
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While they might be cooking, it would appear they took their eye off the stove and burnt the pan. Might need to throw it away.
 
#150      
OrangeKrush1981
Thompson1 said:
Is it just me or is Will just out there trying to get his and improve his draft stock? His defense is absolutely terrible. Hes made Tomi look horrible. I know Will would prolly never come back here atleast but he could severely use another year of college
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Will is a phenom. Will has no fear, because he's having a blast. If he had any idea -- he hasn't -- how much WE think is on the line, he'd crumple under the pressure.

He's a fun kid to watch. Illinois won't go anywhere this way though. And that bothers me: I think it's absolutely fantastic that kids have fun playing this game. That kids dream "that he is me ... if I could be like Mike." I never get mad at Will when he is simply out there having fun. I bet parents, teachers and coaches country-wide grin watching him -- like any other youngster -- live their dream. :)


But this is a man's game, and winning is the only true goal. Sigh.
 
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