Personally that's my biggest lineup gripe. Grandison has been either the 3rd or 4th best player on the team this year. His BBIQ is extremely valuable.
There’s not any one lineup that you go: “Holy-crap, that’s it!”
I agree with everyone saying we should ease AC back into the starting lineup, though I don't see how it makes much of a difference in Saturday's game if you're going to turn around and start him in the Braggin' Rights game. That said, I kind of like the idea of DMW, Grandison, and Goode coming off the bench as a "mob," though I also think they all three play the same position
. Coleman was critical on Keegan Murray but putting him on Mathurin was a failure, we really didn't have anyone that could guard him which is why he dropped a 30 ball on the Illini. Mathurin is going to end up being a top ten pick, so that's really not on the players or the coaches, he is just an NBA talent, you do what you can. Love Grandison but I think Coleman is the better defender but Grandison is the better offensive option, tough call, if Coleman can figure out the offense (by slowing down) he will be fine.
Hawkins cooled Mathurin off just fine in the first half before he picked up the hip-check foul in the lane and we had to start rotating in Goode and Melendez to eat up minutes. DMFW played him tough but was giving up height. And with Mathurin, that really hurts against his perimeter jumper.
Can someone refresh my memory? Nick Smith was recruited by Kruger, redshirted the 2001 Elite Eight season in Self's first year, and then went to the National Championship with Weber, correct? Would that make him the only Illini to have been on the team for two number one seeds? (To date)
Missing the best. So heartbreaking.
I loved that frontcourt group, especially after watching them come in as freshmen in 98-99 and then evolve into a #1 seeded team.
My daughter was a freshman in 2001. I went to two games in her first 3 years. They happened to both be losses. Probably the only home losses during that stretch. Her senior year (2004-5) she worked in the ticket department. I told her we might go to a couple of games. She told me unless I got season tickets we were not going to be able to get single game tickets. So I got 2 season tickets. Last row behind the basket. Probably the last season tickets sold. I ended up going to 13 home games often taking friends. One of the best decisions I have made. Got to see the Wake Forest game among others. Since my wife had been at both of the losses during the previous 3 years, I told her when she went if Illinois was losing at halftime she would have to leave since she must have been the jinx for their only home losses in the last 4 years.
As it turned out they never lost at home and I became a hopeless Illinois basketball fan.Excellent.My daughter was a freshman in 2001. I went to two games in her first 3 years. They happened to both be losses. Probably the only home losses during that stretch. Her senior year (2004-5) she worked in the ticket department. I told her we might go to a couple of games. She told me unless I got season tickets we were not going to be able to get single game tickets. So I got 2 season tickets. Last row behind the basket. Probably the last season tickets sold. I ended up going to 13 home games often taking friends. One of the best decisions I have made. Got to see the Wake Forest game among others. Since my wife had been at both of the losses during the previous 3 years, I told her when she went if Illinois was losing at halftime she would have to leave since she must have been the jinx for their only home losses in the last 4 years.
Love it. What a time to get season tickets. And for the sake of your marriage, it's a good thing your daughter didn't attend during the late Weber/Groce years.My daughter was a freshman in 2001. I went to two games in her first 3 years. They happened to both be losses. Probably the only home losses during that stretch. Her senior year (2004-5) she worked in the ticket department. I told her we might go to a couple of games. She told me unless I got season tickets we were not going to be able to get single game tickets. So I got 2 season tickets. Last row behind the basket. Probably the last season tickets sold. I ended up going to 13 home games often taking friends. One of the best decisions I have made. Got to see the Wake Forest game among others. Since my wife had been at both of the losses during the previous 3 years, I told her when she went if Illinois was losing at halftime she would have to leave since she must have been the jinx for their only home losses in the last 4 years.
Me too. I was always an Illinois fan but that team turned my fandom up to 10.
I forgot who was talking but the indication was Belo is not yet practicing. If an insider wants to weigh in on that I’m
Coleman-Lands was a freshman on that team, iirc. Since Kansas doesn't play Saturday, so it would be good if he can join his former mates. /s
You made me curious as to how JCL is doing at Kansas. Averaging less than 10 minutes a game, but he is shooting almost 45 percent from 3.
That's the role he was meant for. Come off the bench, shoot a few threes, and call it a day. He's surrounded by much more talent than he had here, which forced him to play out of his skillset.
I tend to agree that Belo should start if he's back (though coach knows best), but I wouldn't change the starting lineup if he's out. The Illini have played great ball with their current rotation. I wouldn't not swap DMW and JG at this point.
Like play defense LOL
