Rutgers 70, Illinois 59 Postgame
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I agree. Time for the super seniors to hold the players only meeting and do some soul searching. Got to get a fire lit. They have to have some urgency about them. The season is winding down for those guys and their careers quickly. Time for EVERYONE to leave it all on the court, every second, of every game.
This was exactly my point in the game thread. The team is getting outplayed and looking bad doing it more often than not right now. Making threes would kind of solve everything, but won't solve the underlying weakness. Not anybody's fault, just how it is.
This is not a team of destiny. They have had bad luck that you can't just quickly recover from. Gotta appreciate the good games when they happen.
I disagree with your last point about RJ and Coleman.
If we are going to go far, Plummer/Frazier/Kofi/Curbelo are going to carry us there with some spot up shooting by Grandi/DMW. I think BU is taking the short term struggles to make sure our key leaders get rolling before March comes along. Coaching is much more than one game. This loss should humble some of those guys and hopefully give them back that chip on their shoulder.
I think RJ is going to be a starter next season, maybe this season depending on if someone struggles. Hawkins, I’m disappointed with his performance this year. I thought he was going to be better this year but maybe it’s because he hasn’t been given more minutes in important situations or hasn’t been given the vote of confidence like you said. He needs to work on a lot of things in the offseason to have a chance with this team next year. I can’t wait for these recruits to come in and show what they can do.
chrisRunner7
- Spokane, WA
I think it's time to shake up the starting line-up, but I don't know if Underwood will do that. I know you don't want to deliver another hit to a player's confidence when he's struggling offensively, but at some point, you gotta give other players a shot or try something new.
I don't know. I'd like Brad's salary but I would not like to being tasked with fixing these problems on the offense. I'd like to see a more open rotation.
I don't know. I'd like Brad's salary but I would not like to being tasked with fixing these problems on the offense. I'd like to see a more open rotation.
I agree 100% but thats not the seniors game none of them are really open court players you would have to go with something like
Belo
Trent
Pods
RJ
Hawkins
to really get out and push consistently in the open floor
So basically anyone we face in the second round of the NCAA if Plummer disappears
This. While we could certainly still make some noise in March, this is the time of year you want your team to look like a well oiled machine. But we look like we're just searching for answers. I'm not the knee-jerk reaction type, but this recent 3 game stretch concerns me.
Arrow is down. But the Wisconsin and Indiana games weren't so long ago. Hopefully we can find that form again. 1-1 was the reasonable expectation this week and that's still in play.
He's got good talent. He's got at least one more NBA player on their roster than we do. The difference now is that they're healthy.
Not for long the way we are playing
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
A night when you start off 0-for-13 from 3 and finally make one at the end of the first half, and are outrebounded 2-to-1 by halftime is a night that will be rather challenging to end successfully.
I've said before this team is not matchup proof. I feel you need to be matchup proof to make noise in the tourney. The reason Purdue is still the B10's best shot is they can somewhat say they are matchup proof -- they can truly bang with anyone.
If you can't withstand matchup problems then you are basically just hoping for a good draw.
Every player is difft... I still like Andre off bench for pace change...like last year. Melendez off bench is awesome so far. I could see Plummer off bench. Alot of bench players can play 20+ minutes and roll in a game.
I would just like us to be a little less predictable. Like full court press sometimes... or push ball at times ...or mix up D.
I think we are relying on predictable sets on offense and D and we need to vary more
illini80
- Forgottonia
Rutgers played well. They did not win because they were shooting lights out as some have said. They shot about what you would expect a home team to shoot. 33% from 3 and 47.5% from the field. They flat out beat us. Out hustled, out worked, out rebounded, out wanted. We shot poorly, but we also made bad decisions. I hate seeing Kofi posted up in the lane while the guards dribble around not getting him the ball.
Overall I’m not surprised at the outcome, but I’m disappointed in our effort and mental toughness right now. Brad has some work to do. He said last week they didn’t practice well. I’m anxious to hear how they practiced this week. It’s a grind this time of year and we don’t have Ayo to will us to victory. Guys gotta step up. Dig deep. Go Illini.
Overall I’m not surprised at the outcome, but I’m disappointed in our effort and mental toughness right now. Brad has some work to do. He said last week they didn’t practice well. I’m anxious to hear how they practiced this week. It’s a grind this time of year and we don’t have Ayo to will us to victory. Guys gotta step up. Dig deep. Go Illini.
Right, I'm just reading a lot of crash and burn and we really should, even after all that, should have won this game.
InDaAZ
- Eugene, Oregon
I defer to BU’s experience, strategies, and view of practice when it comes to lineups.
As an ignorant fan in front of a tv, though, here‘s who I’m liking:
1. Belo (controls the pace [turnovers notwithstanding], plus passer [esp. to Kofi], defender & rebounder)
2. Trent (still the heart & soul of the team, elite defender)
3. RJ (adds length, ups the energy on both ends, great composure for a frosh)
4. CoHawk (adds length, great off. rebounder, guard skills, plays with more confidence in extended mins [not so great in short stints])
5. Kofi (duh…)
Keeping either Trent or Belo in for ball-handling, the bench would bring in offensive firepower (Fonso), toughness/defense (Da’Monte), maturity & plus shooting (Jake), Center relief (Omar/BBV)
Our lack of 1-4 size in the starting lineup is becoming a liability, imo. End of the day, though, BU has us in first place, so I’m not going to whine about anything. Let’s bounce back and make Izzo cry some more!
As an ignorant fan in front of a tv, though, here‘s who I’m liking:
1. Belo (controls the pace [turnovers notwithstanding], plus passer [esp. to Kofi], defender & rebounder)
2. Trent (still the heart & soul of the team, elite defender)
3. RJ (adds length, ups the energy on both ends, great composure for a frosh)
4. CoHawk (adds length, great off. rebounder, guard skills, plays with more confidence in extended mins [not so great in short stints])
5. Kofi (duh…)
Keeping either Trent or Belo in for ball-handling, the bench would bring in offensive firepower (Fonso), toughness/defense (Da’Monte), maturity & plus shooting (Jake), Center relief (Omar/BBV)
Our lack of 1-4 size in the starting lineup is becoming a liability, imo. End of the day, though, BU has us in first place, so I’m not going to whine about anything. Let’s bounce back and make Izzo cry some more!
Looks like a team that won’t win. Play Curbelo
I just don't see us going 4 games in a row without a game like this where we shoot lousy and loose our mojo. We can still get into the Sweet Sixteen (which would make a nice (or very nice) year, but I don't have my hopes up for a Final Four.
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I don’t know why RJ was pulled so quickly in the first half. His assignment never should have been Harper, that was putting him in a position to fail defensively, in my opinion. Not finding a way to keep him on the floor was unacceptable.
We have to figure out a lineup that can rebound with Kofi out of the game. Payne is seemingly a poor rebounder, so when he is in the game we need to go big. Payne, Hawkins, and two of Melendez, Goode, and Grandison would be helpful. We are far too undersized to keep teams off the glass when we have Payne and 4 guards, usually two of which are very small.
This is another game where I feel a zone defense could have been effective in taking away Rutgers from using their size advantage to post up our smaller guards. It wouldn’t have helped us hit shots but it may have slowed them down.
Ultimately if you go 0/13 from three you’re going to be in some trouble unless the other team is equally inept.
We have to figure out a lineup that can rebound with Kofi out of the game. Payne is seemingly a poor rebounder, so when he is in the game we need to go big. Payne, Hawkins, and two of Melendez, Goode, and Grandison would be helpful. We are far too undersized to keep teams off the glass when we have Payne and 4 guards, usually two of which are very small.
This is another game where I feel a zone defense could have been effective in taking away Rutgers from using their size advantage to post up our smaller guards. It wouldn’t have helped us hit shots but it may have slowed them down.
Ultimately if you go 0/13 from three you’re going to be in some trouble unless the other team is equally inept.
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