Pregame: Illinois vs McKendree, Tuesday, November 15th, 7:00pm CT, BTN

EfremWinters84 said:

These first three opponents seem interchangeable. Admittedly, I'm still not doing my research/homework. Even so, the outcome should be something in this vicinity:

ILL 86
McK 61

Hoping TJL gets 15+ minutes (in lieu of Tate). Would also like to see Finke and JCL take five shots each from inside the arc. Predicting that JCL finally breaks loose tonight --- for at least 14 points!

Click to expand...

TJL is not going to supplant Tate until he plays much better defense in practice.

Illini_1979 said:

I could be looking through orange colored glasses but I think that MH is getting better lift on his rebounding as well. It seems to me that he is getting higher and being more authoritative when grabbing rebounds.

Click to expand...

I noticed it as well. And like a previous poster mentioned, there was a steal& break away play last game where Malcolm had noticeably more lift getting to the rim than in the past. In general he looks a bit quicker & lighter on his feet to me.

whovous said:

TJL is not going to supplant Tate until he plays much better defense in practice.

Click to expand...

The coach says he is a plus defender and he hasn't lost anyone in any game he has played in so far. Curious as to how many practices you have watched to see this as a glaring fault?
Realizing of course he is a freshman and is going to have freshman moments. I just see him as a immediate upgrade to Tate. I am not taking anything away from Jaylon at all. There is a talent tier and Tejon is a Tier above Jalon. Experience is what Jaylon has over Tejon right now and its probably the only thing. However Tejon needs reps in game to get that experience himself. Just saying.

TownieMatt said:

I'll be interested to see how Leron fits back into the team. I'm guessing DJ will see a little less time. Maybe Jordan too if DJ slides to the 3.

We were so worried about front court depth at the end of last season, now we've got a bit of a log jam there. Especially once Kipper is eligible.

Click to expand...

DJW should be seeing more time not less. If Black can stay out of foul trouble ( and that's a BIG if) his minutes should come from AJ and others. JMO

Illinidreamin said:

The coach says he is a plus defender and he hasn't lost anyone in any game he has played in so far. Curious as to how many practices you have watched to see this as a glaring fault?
Realizing of course he is a freshman and is going to have freshman moments. I just see him as a immediate upgrade to Tate. I am not taking anything away from Jaylon at all. There is a talent tier and Tejon is a Tier above Jalon. Experience is what Jaylon has over Tejon right now and its probably the only thing. However Tejon needs reps in game to get that experience himself. Just saying.

Click to expand...

There is a fair to middlin' chance you have seen more practices than the zero I have seen. I've just listened to what HCJG said. I've also watched how reluctant he has been in past seasons to play freshmen at all. Last season was an outlier because injuries gave him no choice. But both Nunn and Malcolm sat on the bench for very large parts of their freshmen years, and both had better resumes than does TJL.

JG is going to play whoever gives the best chance of winning today. He is not going to play TJL just because it will pay dividends for next year at the expense of this year.

Someone else noted in another thread that Tate was +23 for the time he was on the court in the last game, and that was the best of the entire team. TJL will be a better player than Tate, but he is not that player now. I look forward to the day that he is, and I'd love for that day to come soon. Both players know how to find the open man, but TJL gets the ball up the court faster than does Tate and will likely prove a better shooter as well (I persist in thinking Tate can shoot and that it is a mental confidence issue for him... not that there is much difference between a missed shot and a missed shot due to confidence issues).