Do we have a shooting coach? or Sport psychologist on the team?
Pregame: Illinois vs Tennessee, Saturday, December 6th, 7:00pm CT, ESPN
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This is a 1-3-1 zone team if not 3-2 hybrid. This team would be very hard to just shot over
And some of the people on here actually liked this post. They must be a real joyful group.
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The “woe is me” from some is tough.
I know TSJ was slightly joking when he said “our fans are always nervous” but I really don’t think it’s always the best look and certainly not helpful
A lot of people on here must not play much poker. There is a thing called variance. It is why even that dominant UConn team we lost to in the Elite 8 lost to a Seton Hall team that didn't even make the NCAA tourney. It is difficult to always play your best game every game.
It appears that we are not as dominant of a team as was that UConn team that beat us in the Elite 8. We are going to lose some more games - -we are likely going to lose another 6 or more this season. A loss is not the end of the world and does not define a team especially this early in the season. So far, we have lost to the No. 11 and No. 5 team, and I didn't see anything to indicate that we wouldn't have a pretty good shot in a rematch against either one.
It appears that we are not as dominant of a team as was that UConn team that beat us in the Elite 8. We are going to lose some more games - -we are likely going to lose another 6 or more this season. A loss is not the end of the world and does not define a team especially this early in the season. So far, we have lost to the No. 11 and No. 5 team, and I didn't see anything to indicate that we wouldn't have a pretty good shot in a rematch against either one.
I’ll stick to my premise in an earlier post. For me it’s simply: shoot 30% 3pt and 70% free throws.
I looked this up, our last loss when doing both of those things: 2024 @Michigan State.
I really don’t think we’re as far away as people suggest. It’s just being an AVERAGE (not great, not particularly good either) shooting team.
My prediction: we miss our wide open 3s and they make theirs. If we don’t out rebound them by 10+, we lose. We can out rebound anyone but when the misses are from long distance, so are the rebounds and those can go to anyone. Winnable game here but we need the intensity and focus of the latter part of the uconn game, not the beginning
This team is soft. Mirk hasn't done anything against good opponents. Wagler and Stoj can't handle the pressure defense, Tommi is soft, plays no defense, very rarely tries to score. Petrovic plays too fast for the rest to catch up to him. The defense is lousy, Tyler screws up everything he touches. Josh needs to can him. I have nightmares hearing the clanging of the ball off the rim but they continue to chuck them up and miss more every game. Vols will kick their a---s---s
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
A game against another athletic team.
I don’t think it goes well.
I don’t think it goes well.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Ten years ago, I did radio play by play for my local high school team. Four of their starters were 6-6 or taller, which is significant positional size at the high school level. The coach, who was a staunch man to man guy, started playing a hybrid 1-3-1 and 1-1-3 matchup zone.
Off the record, I asked him about it. His answer is pretty analogous to this Illini team. “We have great size, but we aren’t that quick. We’re making teams shoot long shots over our length.”
Again, sometimes basketball isn’t that hard to figure out.
Off the record, I asked him about it. His answer is pretty analogous to this Illini team. “We have great size, but we aren’t that quick. We’re making teams shoot long shots over our length.”
Again, sometimes basketball isn’t that hard to figure out.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
Or, and just hear me out, these are the people looking at the reality of the current situation.
I’ll never understand why so many people are accepting and condoning mediocre play. It’s happening with football as well. You can be a fan while recognizing the current situations in both sports are not very good right now. What really concerns me is a certain section of the fan base personally attacking those who are willing to be realistic.
I’ll never understand why so many people are accepting and condoning mediocre play. It’s happening with football as well. You can be a fan while recognizing the current situations in both sports are not very good right now. What really concerns me is a certain section of the fan base personally attacking those who are willing to be realistic.
Not helpful?
As in 23 pessimistic message board posters had a psychological effect on the players?
As in 23 pessimistic message board posters had a psychological effect on the players?
Lou Henson said it best when he said ( paraphrasing) you're not always going to shoot well but if you play good defense and rebound well you'll always give yourself a chance to win.
Unfortunately, we have yet to play good defense against top teams in the last few years. This is a valid knock on Underwood's coaching philosophy and style
hooraybeer
- Peoria, IL
okay with a loss as long as we look like we care
Has there been more clarity with Andrej's injury?
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
Paid $ article, but some info…
Right, but we can't hit those modest averages, if Coach Underwood continues to be so relaxed (delusional?) about players performing roles they aren't performing well and seemingly can't perform well.
For example, why does Underwood think David Mirkovic's flat-footed 3s (which Mirk shot at 28% last season in the Adriatic League and at 27% this season at Illinois) are a good idea? They aren't. It makes no sense for Underwood to let players who can't shoot 3s well (like Mirkovic) continue to shoot them (not just when a clock expires), while Underwood didn't allow the same thing this year or in prior years for players like Jakstys, Johnson, Dainja, Hansberry, and Verdonk. (They all shot zero 3s in their season-long individual stats, at least for the seasons that I checked).
Similarly, why does Underwood claim that there are times when Mirkovic will play the point (like how Mirkovic was seemingly encouraged to handle the ball in the center of a fastbreak on Friday against UConn, where Mirkovic turned the ball over by travelling)? How can we win this game against Tennessee, when Coach Underwood appears to make coaching errors, concerning what is the best way to use a guy who is 6'9" and 250 pounds. So, instead of using Mirkovic to post or rebound, Underwood has him 25 feet from the basket and launching 3s or clumsily centering fastbreaks, when he should have been on a wing (at best) or trailing that fastbreak (due his slow waddle up the court).
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Exactly. No one is saying it’s Underwood’s fault directly that our players miss shots they should make or perform tasks they should be able to perform. It IS Brad’s fault, however, if he can’t make obvious corrections to our strategy when anyone with a brain sees we just don’t have the personnel to do things like jack up threes.
I'll go ahead and say it. There is no way in h$)) that we beat Tennessee without a healthy Andrej.
But regardless of outcome, I'd like to see the rest of our team show up prepared to compete hard from whistle to whistle.
But regardless of outcome, I'd like to see the rest of our team show up prepared to compete hard from whistle to whistle.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I cannot stress enough what bad news it will be for this team's ceiling if we "need to shoot better" to win. Guess what? Our guys frickin' suck at shooting, lol. If doing something WE DON'T DO is necessary for us to win games, we are screwed. We might have our random games like last year at Oregon where we look phenomenal, but who honestly cares if it's a total coin flip each round of the NCAA Tournament if we are moving on and looking great or going home after a total dud performance?
My point is, this game is sort of a line in the sand for me. I of course want to see us shoot well and win easily, but if we (like usual) aren't shooting well ... what's the plan?? Better be something other than hoping something will change, lol. Can we just out-tough an opponent, PLEASE?? After the UConn game, the type of energy we see from these guys on Saturday will say everything I need to know about what we can accomplish this year.
My point is, this game is sort of a line in the sand for me. I of course want to see us shoot well and win easily, but if we (like usual) aren't shooting well ... what's the plan?? Better be something other than hoping something will change, lol. Can we just out-tough an opponent, PLEASE?? After the UConn game, the type of energy we see from these guys on Saturday will say everything I need to know about what we can accomplish this year.
I'm afraid we just don't have the personnel to be good without a relatively heavy diet of threes. We have a couple guys who can get to the basket but that won't be there as much if we aren't shooting threes and spacing the floor. And our D is never going to be good enough to win ugly.
I think Tomi is the key. If we can play through him more in the post I think it'll open up more opportunities for cutters, kick outs, weak side rebounds, and just overall better ball movement.
I think Petrovic is also an X factor. He gives us a two man game and a transition game that could allow us to rely less on the three. But he's gotta reign it in and figure out how to not be a liability on defense.
Finally, Andrej IMO, shouldn't dribble more than 3 times in the half court. Probably more like two times. We don't need him pounding the air out of the ball. If it's there, make a quick decisive drive to the basket. Otherwise, keep the ball moving.
But I'm with you. I'm nervous we're looking at a repeat of last year. And while a 6 seed was fine last year during a transition year, anything worse than a 4 seed would be a major disappointment this year, IMO.
I think we win this one. We have a week to prepare and more time to practice as a team. Hopefully that gets more people on the same page and we can go 2-2 in our bigger games.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
I’m just tired of Underwood raving about how well these guys shoot in practice. Doesn’t matter how well they shoot in practice if they can’t make a shot in a game when it matters.
This would be like a pro golfer making every single three-foot putt on the practice green and then can’t make one in a tournament. The golfer can claim he makes them all the time in practice, but he’s still missing cuts and not earning any money. Until the shooting that is allegedly happening in practice happens when it counts, it really doesn’t matter.
This would be like a pro golfer making every single three-foot putt on the practice green and then can’t make one in a tournament. The golfer can claim he makes them all the time in practice, but he’s still missing cuts and not earning any money. Until the shooting that is allegedly happening in practice happens when it counts, it really doesn’t matter.
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