Abrams missing a puppy to end the season. Sounds familiar.
Rutgers 62, Illinois 59 POSTGAME
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It was clearly their ball. There is NO way we should be tied with Rutgers with 30 seconds left anyway. Deserved what's coming to us, a useless NIT berth, transition to a new staff and loss of some recruits, etc.
How do you play like we did against MSU then serve up this garbage just a few days later.
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BlindLoyalty
- FartNoiseMotivation
That is one absolutely terrible Rutgers team that we just lost to.
ivwilsoniv
- Aurora, IL
It was a Tracy Abrams missed layup that knocked Illinois out of contention a few years ago, wasn't it? Against Michigan?
PhillyIllini
- Los Angeles
Long-term it's exactly what it is. Groce is nothing more than a middling coach. His B1G record over FIVE seasons backs that up. :tsk:
You want the Illini competing again or say maybe going to their first sweet 16 since 2005? Change starts at the top.
Grocne?
Grocne.
Grocne.
I'm as pissed as you all, but there is still the BTT to show up for. Don't quit on Malcolm, Mav, and TA yet because you know they won't quit either. Beat Michigan and Purdue and I'll come out of this stupor.
Illini1221
Peru,IL
Kipper was terrible today
the national
- the Front Range
I feel like in the last ten years, our coach (weber or Groce) picks the worst team in the big ten before the season starts and says, I am going to lose to that team. They build up the drama and make it an epic and complete disaster where we lose in the last seconds. I feel like we have been punked over and over and over. Nightmare.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
At the risk of coming off all high and mighty, playing a team with a 170 RPI isn't a trap game. It's a scrimmage. We just lost a scrimmage.
MrOizo
- Chicago
He's going for the silver lining I'm guessing. We ALL want to see this team make the NCAA tournament. But failing that, we don't want more of the same.
ivwilsoniv
- Aurora, IL
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TownieMatt
CU Expat
- Chicago
Kipper, Black, Finke were all awful. TJL was also off. Didn't initiate the offense like he has been.
SuperMetroid
- Evanston
Had to leave the room or my TV might have ended up on the front lawn. Biggest game of your career and you go full-on Weber stallball the last six minutes. No words.
chrisRunner7
- San Diego
There is absolutely no reason for this program to miss NCAA Tournament 5 years in a row. John Groce was a terrible hire and should have never been considered for this job.
Soxfreak64
- Bloomington
The layup was anything but uncontested. And let me tell you something everybody who coaches or plays basketball knows - When you're the better team and you fail to get up against a team that's far worse than you, it falls on the coach.
It falls on bad planning. Bad prep. Poor subs. Lack of motivation. Inexcusable scheming. This one is on Groce and Co. Sure, TA missed and layup and Kipper missed a dunk (that they quickly got back). Groce is the one who's lack of coaching or planning resulted in our twice injured guard taking it into the trees for a final shot. He's the reason Leron Black was in the game so much and the reason Leron is an offensive black hole. He's the reason Corey Sanders got to the rack 4 times in a row like it was nothing - it's pretty clear JCL isn't suited to guard guys like that.
Execution is important. Too often, these guys weren't given a chance to execute. That's on the coach.
Well Black and Finke were both worse, by a lot.
Illinifan533
- Normal, Illinois
Sorry, but this is a case where RPI doesn't tell the whole story. Steve Pikiell had Rutgers playing hard all season long, and on their senior day they were finally rewarded.
If a win/loss vs Rutgers was the difference between an 11 seed and Groce coming back vs no tournament and Groce being gone, the loss was the best thing to happen.
Of course I don't know what Whitmans actual thoughts are and I doubt it's that simple, but it seems to be the popular opinion here.
FightingIllini09
- Belleville, IL
After the first offensive rebound with 3 minutes left, I knew this was going to happen. You take the air out of the ball, and try to run out the clock with 3 minutes left and a 2 point lead.....you'll lose nearly every damn time.
PhillyIllini
- Los Angeles
Technically 4 (we went in 2012-13, Groce's first year), but still absolutely unacceptable. Groce has never had a winning season in B1G play. Shameful.
(Harrison Ford) GET OFF MY PLANE!
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