This game worries me. Who is going to check Liddell? Damonte is undersized and I haven't seen much out of Grandison or Hawkins to tell me they can guard a skilled forward.
I would predict we show double teams to Liddell as soon as he catches it and force other players to beat us.
EJ is a mismatch issue, for sure. As long as we remember we have a 7' 285 lb leviathan on our side, we should be able to create some mismatches too. EJ is the biggest dude on their roster @ 236 lbs.This game worries me. Who is going to check Liddell? Damonte is undersized and I haven't seen much out of Grandison or Hawkins to tell me they can guard a skilled forward.
I would predict we show double teams to Liddell as soon as he catches it and force other players to beat us.
Fair enough. I fully expect OSU to throw hard double teams at Kofi in the half court so hopefully we can find him for lobs and in transition.EJ is a mismatch issue, for sure. As long as we remember we have a 7' 285 lb leviathan on our side, we should be able to create some mismatches too. EJ is the biggest dude on their roster @ 236 lbs.
Well.....Wisconsin got crushed. That will teach you to be overly optimistic!I was quite negative after the Maryland game ... I would say I was actually furious. So, right now I am going to be 110% overly positive and optimistic to balance it out and try to make any other Illini fans who are down in the dumps feel better. (Before some wise guy comes at me, I just said that I was being overly optimistic ... I don't need some sage to "bring me back to reality"). If you guys are still (pipe-)dreaming of a Big Ten title and have faith that these boys got the kick in the rear they needed this week ... here's what you should wish for. (This obviously depends on our boys coming out and taking care of business from here on out.)
TUESDAY 1/12 - #9 Wisconsin over #7 Michigan in Ann Arbor ... this one is huge!
THURSDAY 1/14 - Michigan State over #5 Iowa in Iowa City ... long shot, but Sparty HAS to have a random bounce-back game, right?!
FRIDAY 1/15 - Rutgers over #9 Wisconsin at the RAC ... hopefully RU feels desperate and comes out hot!
SATURDAY 1/16 - #23 Minnesota over #7 Michigan at The Barn ... hey, they beat Iowa there!
That would take some serious luck, but it is not as crazy as it sounds. Michigan hasn't been quite as tested as the other top teams in-conference. This seems like the type of random huge win that a boring old Wisconsin team pulls out, and Minnesota will be out for revenge on Saturday after a beatdown in Ann Arbor. MSU over Iowa in Iowa City might be the toughest bet, but Iowa has been streaky, and hopefully a rejuvenated Sparty D stifles Iowa's shooting and leads to a similar loss to the one the Gophers dealt them. RU needs a win BADLY, and hopefully they catch UW on a hangover game after the Badgers get a huge, emotional win at Michigan. If all of that happened and we win on Saturday, we would actually be alone in first place:
#14 Illinois: 6-2
#7 Michigan: 5-2
#5 Iowa: 5-2
#9 Wisconsin: 5-2
I am as down as the rest of you, and forgetting all of these things going our way ... I'm worried enough about taking out a good Ohio State team. However, this season is going to be a huge mess and logjam around the top, and we have every opportunity to still be there. That will all depend on if we can turn a corner after that Maryland loss, though. I understand why some people will be pessimistic, but I tend to get regained optimism two days after a loss. Come on, boys, let's get back in this thing!
P.S. With how many Conference games could be made up across the country to get a full conference schedule and the lengthy quarantine procedures ... and given the fact that most reports say vaccine distribution beyond healthcare workers/nursing homes is due to really ramp up in February ... the idea of pushing the conference tournaments back to make room for makeup games and moving the NCAA Tournament into what is hopefully a MUCH rosier April (or even May Madness with limited, vaccinated/tested fans?!) doesn't seem like an awful idea to me...
He is practicing. Wearing some kind of wrap or protective device.Any word on Trent’s injury?
Thank you.He is practicing. Wearing some kind of wrap or protective device.
Well.....Wisconsin got crushed. That will teach you to be overly optimistic!
There was one. It was fired out to AM's shoe tops.As has been mentioned previously, KC needs to develop a better sence of when the double team is coming, and get the ball to the open man for the open look I am reaeonably sure there was not one pass from the paint to the perimeter in the Mary;and game
I'm in the same place. If we want to compete for a conference title and be in contention for the Final Four, we need to show we can win these kinds of tough games. Especially when we're playing at home.I look at Ohio State similar to Mizzou and Rutgers. They are solid teams but a top 10 caliber team should handle. The attitude of “well if we lose that’s not a bad loss bc Ohio State isn’t bad”. If we keep losing to these levels of teams then it just means we aren’t that special ourselves. If we want to be special, we need to beat them.
Actually there were two with in a minute or so. First one Miller could not get to and went out of bounds. The second was off target and low.There was one. It was fired out to AM's shoe tops.
There needs to be some consistency in our play....the Jekel and Hyde performances that we've turned in will have to cease....not saying we have to play like 2nd half of NW game all the time (although that would be great)...but just play under control and with confidence and consistently .....oh....and make Free Throws!!I'm in the same place. If we want to compete for a conference title and be in contention for the Final Four, we need to show we can win these kinds of tough games. Especially when we're playing at home.
Unfortunately Michigan beat Wisconsin by over 20 points! So there goes this scenario.I was quite negative after the Maryland game ... I would say I was actually furious. So, right now I am going to be 110% overly positive and optimistic to balance it out and try to make any other Illini fans who are down in the dumps feel better. (Before some wise guy comes at me, I just said that I was being overly optimistic ... I don't need some sage to "bring me back to reality"). If you guys are still (pipe-)dreaming of a Big Ten title and have faith that these boys got the kick in the rear they needed this week ... here's what you should wish for. (This obviously depends on our boys coming out and taking care of business from here on out.)
TUESDAY 1/12 - #9 Wisconsin over #7 Michigan in Ann Arbor ... this one is huge!
THURSDAY 1/14 - Michigan State over #5 Iowa in Iowa City ... long shot, but Sparty HAS to have a random bounce-back game, right?!
FRIDAY 1/15 - Rutgers over #9 Wisconsin at the RAC ... hopefully RU feels desperate and comes out hot!
SATURDAY 1/16 - #23 Minnesota over #7 Michigan at The Barn ... hey, they beat Iowa there!
That would take some serious luck, but it is not as crazy as it sounds. Michigan hasn't been quite as tested as the other top teams in-conference. This seems like the type of random huge win that a boring old Wisconsin team pulls out, and Minnesota will be out for revenge on Saturday after a beatdown in Ann Arbor. MSU over Iowa in Iowa City might be the toughest bet, but Iowa has been streaky, and hopefully a rejuvenated Sparty D stifles Iowa's shooting and leads to a similar loss to the one the Gophers dealt them. RU needs a win BADLY, and hopefully they catch UW on a hangover game after the Badgers get a huge, emotional win at Michigan. If all of that happened and we win on Saturday, we would actually be alone in first place:
#14 Illinois: 6-2
#7 Michigan: 5-2
#5 Iowa: 5-2
#9 Wisconsin: 5-2
I am as down as the rest of you, and forgetting all of these things going our way ... I'm worried enough about taking out a good Ohio State team. However, this season is going to be a huge mess and logjam around the top, and we have every opportunity to still be there. That will all depend on if we can turn a corner after that Maryland loss, though. I understand why some people will be pessimistic, but I tend to get regained optimism two days after a loss. Come on, boys, let's get back in this thing!
P.S. With how many Conference games could be made up across the country to get a full conference schedule and the lengthy quarantine procedures ... and given the fact that most reports say vaccine distribution beyond healthcare workers/nursing homes is due to really ramp up in February ... the idea of pushing the conference tournaments back to make room for makeup games and moving the NCAA Tournament into what is hopefully a MUCH rosier April (or even May Madness with limited, vaccinated/tested fans?!) doesn't seem like an awful idea to me...
This is where you start Cole. We need size and athletic ability. The Monte getting 30 minutes a game is over and needs to be over. We need more length, size and athleticism. Sorry, but we need to face facts.This game worries me. Who is going to check Liddell? Damonte is undersized and I haven't seen much out of Grandison or Hawkins to tell me they can guard a skilled forward.
I would predict we show double teams to Liddell as soon as he catches it and force other players to beat us.
I think there was one other too in first half or early in second half. He completed that pass, though it was particularly effective beyond getting the ball into someone else’s hands.Actually there were two with in a minute or so. First one Miller could not get to and went out of bounds. The second was off target and low.