Quincy had very high usage rate when TSJ was out. Marcus was doing booty ball and feeding him a lot of open shots. He lost the most minutes when TSJ came back. Hard to say - did his rebounding decrease becayuse fo less minutes or did less minutes result in rebounding decrease?
Pregame: Illinois vs Purdue, Tuesday, March 5th, 6:00pm CT, Peacock
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Don't see any reason to hedge regarding feeling doubts about winning, they are #2 in the country and have beaten us 4 times running by an average of 8.5 points. This seems like the perfect storm of line and opponent to bet on Purdue and either enjoy an Illini win or be consoled by your gambling winnings.
If our Boys can beat Purdon't tomorrow, I will be filling out my NCAA bracket with the Illini going deep into the tourney. This team has the talent and experience to do special things..... The confidence from a win like this upcoming game could put them over the top!
Sure but if Ty isn’t out there I expect Coleman to be matched with Edey and either he is open on the perimeter or he is out of the paint having to guard Coleman opening the lane allowing Domask to penetrate.
Think we have a pretty simple offensive game plan. Put QC and Harmon in the corners, Coleman at the top of the key, and let Marcus and TSJ work their men. The guards of Purdue can't stop them. When Edey collapses to the basket, kick it to Coleman. He can make 40% plus from the top of the key - that is his spot. QC and Harmon are excellent from the corners, so if their man drops off them, go to them. We probably shoot a lot of threes tomorrow night.
As for defense, if Edey within 8 feet of the basket, front him and deny the pass. If he is farther out, double him when he gets the ball and try to strip it from him. Not sure what else you can do - maybe that playground trick where you get down on your hands and knees behind him and when he gets the ball and turns to go to the basket he trips and falls on his face. Also, have to stop Smith from making the floater coming off the screen from Eddy. Will see if TSJ can do that and if we get the illegal screen calls like at Wisky on Eddy. DGL got one last game.
As for defense, if Edey within 8 feet of the basket, front him and deny the pass. If he is farther out, double him when he gets the ball and try to strip it from him. Not sure what else you can do - maybe that playground trick where you get down on your hands and knees behind him and when he gets the ball and turns to go to the basket he trips and falls on his face. Also, have to stop Smith from making the floater coming off the screen from Eddy. Will see if TSJ can do that and if we get the illegal screen calls like at Wisky on Eddy. DGL got one last game.
blackdog
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Since you highlighted the 7 games, during that stretch he averaged 11 rebounds per 40, during the last 7 he is at 6 so his rebounding rate has gone down pretty significantly. We haven't been seeing those rebounds where he just went up and snatched it away from everyone like he was doing. I think that's been a big missing piece during this stretch of games. He's looked out of position and off balance a lot more often than earlier in the year.
How would you rate the best five players on the court between Illinois and Purdue, and in what order? I think I would have it 1. Edey 2. TSJ 3. Marcus 4. CH
5. Braden Smith. Thoughts?
5. Braden Smith. Thoughts?
Luke Goode had his career high 16 pts in W Lafayette. We need him to repeat that.
Marcus had a great game (since Edey only played 26 minutes due to foul trouble). He just ran out of energy at the end.
Only place we got beat badly was rebounding.
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I hear you. Another strategy that can be effective is the one preferred by Henson and Bob Knight--front the post and bring the help from behind and strip the ball. Shannon, Domask, and Rodgers would all be effective if deployed that way. But you have to bring it quick. I'm probably a latecomer on this, but I'd say Domask is a lot stronger than he looks.
Question for folks that are basketball smarter than me: can a team account and practice for long rebounds?
Rewatching the first Purdue game they certainly killed us on the glass. A lot of that is Edey of course but alot of was also long rebounds that we weren’t able to grab. Seemed like they made every 3 off of a long rebound.
Rewatching the first Purdue game they certainly killed us on the glass. A lot of that is Edey of course but alot of was also long rebounds that we weren’t able to grab. Seemed like they made every 3 off of a long rebound.
Feeling pretty good about this one for some reason. I do think we start Harmon over Ty for this game. We'll need all the scoring potential we can muster. I also think Harmon is pretty good putting ball pressure on the small guards. Hope Coleman keeps his composure and has a monster game. We already know what to expect from Marcus and TSJ. Let's do this guys!
I love this idea and I think we do it to some degree. Probably mix in Goode if he is healthy enough. I might even give Nico a shot to see if he can stay in front of Smith.
Defensively I’m torn. They shoot markedly worse away from Mackey so do we sell out on Edey? I’m sort of inclined to let Edey get his and limit three point attempts. If we can limit their second chance opportunities and three point attempts I dont know if they can score enough to beat us.
There are some fans who will probably say with both Bardo and Hummel on the call, there will be two announcers rooting against the Illini. (I like them both).
If Edey scores 40 on 30 shots you let him. Run the guys off the 3 point line
I think it’s all about the three ball on both ends. Illini are averaging around 9 threes made per game over the past month, and it would be around ten if you through out the 1-7 stinker at Maryland.
If we can make 10+ threes, and limit Purdue’s, I like our chances. We’ll get plenty more points in transition, with booty ball and at the FT line. Domask hung 26 on them at Mackey, with only one three made.
If we can make 10+ threes, and limit Purdue’s, I like our chances. We’ll get plenty more points in transition, with booty ball and at the FT line. Domask hung 26 on them at Mackey, with only one three made.
Domask scored 26 at Mackey, mostly from inside the arc.
Edey, TSJ, Smith, Domask, Hawk in that order
I noticed the last few games that the defender coming from the off side that slapped the ball out of Edey’s hand. Go Illini.
I honestly think it is a trickier problem for teams to figure out how to defend against the Illini’s three-headed monster than Purdue’s one-headed one.
THIS. Coleman has been instrumental in the continued growth of this program despite his challenging tough love relationship with Brad. A four year player whose best days in basketball may still be ahead of him if his knee issue ever gets resolved. A California kid who could have left the central Illinois cornfields in the age of the portal. But he stayed and ceded his anticipated role of scorer to Marcus in particular for the good of the team, sacrificing shots a more unselfish player trying to attract the NBA's attention would definitely have taken. I hope that tomorrow's Senior Night contest is remembered as "the Hawkins' game" in ILLINI lore as this somewhat taken for granted team player buries numerous 3 point shots from the top of the key on his way to a win over Purdue to jump start a season ending run to the Final Four. Thanks to a throwback multi-talented 4 year player who made ILLINI basketball fun for all of us!
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