Yeah a team that’s gonna finish 75 or 80 percent in b10 games and beat top 10 opponents on the road down a starter has no toughness
Get a grip
UCLA 95, Illinois 94 OT Postgame
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Get a grip
It’s so effing bad man.
Like what in the world. Between that and the phantom 2 calls on fears in OT, It’s just sickening
I don't think this is the time to adjust expectations. This team is special and I think our best team since 2004-2005. Weber would have been playing stall ball once we went up 23 in the first half (which always drove me nuts fwiw).
The loss was rough but most of our players had off nights shooting. The one play I wish we had back is the one where Wagler had the ball up 1 in OT and settled for a 3 instead of driving again. It was the first time I felt like we were in the driver's seat for about 20 minutes and we blew it. He was having a terrible shooting night. We looked tired tonight so it's nice to have a big break before Michigan at home. Not sure why they all looked tired -- Wednesday / Saturday is a pretty normal spread.
I did think the refs helped UCLA's run with missed calls that would have broken their momentum. One shining example: Wagler was fouled on a 3 point shot and they called a ticky tack foul on Jake Davis's rebound instead. UCLA was great though -- I can't believe they rallied. There might be something to Mirkovic being concussed. It could have really affected the game if he's addled.
Other random side note: we sure liked to leave one of their two good shooters wide open a lot. Once they get hot then they're making circus shots. Also there were just intangibles like this was some mystical unlucky loss: UCLA's three pointer that rattled around and dropped in, UCLA's rebound where they hit it up and it dropped through the hoop (not sure if they hit it or Jake hit it), Andrej rattling around a three pointer that came out, missed free throws throughout. Just a wild game.
B1G refs are a f**** joke…..Been like that all year…
Shouldn’t surprise anyone. All I’m going to say here.
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It's a bad thing that when the team gets to OT, they can't close the deal. There were multiple possessions in OT where we just needed ONE more score to get a bit of cushion, but couldn't make a basket. When they allow the game to come right down to the very last play, it usually doesn't go our way.
Same thing against Tennessee last year - Kylan just gives up the ball handler to another defender. You gotta want that, man.
Tonight made even less sense; he was not even remotely in danger of running into a screen and he just let Dent catch the ball going toward the basket with zero resistance. Did they even talk about that in the huddle? I don’t think Keaton was even ready to switch that. And then KB didn’t sprint back once he willingly gave up the ball. I just don’t get it man.
Tonight made even less sense; he was not even remotely in danger of running into a screen and he just let Dent catch the ball going toward the basket with zero resistance. Did they even talk about that in the huddle? I don’t think Keaton was even ready to switch that. And then KB didn’t sprint back once he willingly gave up the ball. I just don’t get it man.
Next time Keaton gets that call in the final minutes of a tight game will be the first. Complete disgrace.
I dont think you can challenge a foul in college. They wouldn't have overturned it anyway. Did we have any timeouts, anyway?
yep, same with Boz, Keaton, and Tomi who got injured to various extents in the game
usually we just give one player a career night. Tonight we gave one to a whole program (largest comeback).
Even if we has squeaked this out at the end, I'd still be p*ssed at that performance.
Even if we has squeaked this out at the end, I'd still be p*ssed at that performance.
THAT 'foul' getting called when you see Keaton get slapped 3 times on a drive with no whistle is what is just perplexing. I don't put this L on the officiating at all, but it's not good for the game.
1.312 points per possession today.
UCLA is going to get one of their own guys injured for the year if they can't figure out how to wipe the floor. Just amateur hour.
Closest shot I could narrow it down to:
Watch Zvonimir’s hand and where it touches all. Awful call.
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RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
So many hot takes fueled by anger and, most likely, alcohol. Coolers heads will prevail in the morning, hopefully.
So many have mentioned Tyus Edny vibes, and while that final play was eerily similar to his famous game winner, being at the game, I immediately felt the same way I felt back in 2005 when Matt Sylvester broke our hearts at Value City Arena. I just wanted to get out of there. Didn’t want to make eye contact with the joyous home crowd. The only walkout that was worse than both was at the Edward Jones Dome a few weeks later after the Natty game loss.
I’m more discouraged than I am angry. The guys weren’t soft. They played hard and when they could’ve folded they rose back up to the challenge. They just lost on the last play of the game. It sucks, but it’s not the end of the season. Just have to reevaluate our goals.
So many have mentioned Tyus Edny vibes, and while that final play was eerily similar to his famous game winner, being at the game, I immediately felt the same way I felt back in 2005 when Matt Sylvester broke our hearts at Value City Arena. I just wanted to get out of there. Didn’t want to make eye contact with the joyous home crowd. The only walkout that was worse than both was at the Edward Jones Dome a few weeks later after the Natty game loss.
I’m more discouraged than I am angry. The guys weren’t soft. They played hard and when they could’ve folded they rose back up to the challenge. They just lost on the last play of the game. It sucks, but it’s not the end of the season. Just have to reevaluate our goals.
OT is pretty random, tonight shouldn’t haven’t gotten to OT - and even when we did get that ONE more stop UCLA was rewarded 2 points instead.
The 2022-2023 Illini team, which I think of all the relevant underwood teams, has been the universally most “disliked”, went 2-0 in OT.
Fun fact for yall - Steph curry is 10-19 in overtime games
Let's not bring Weber into this. I know he has a lot of haters on here, but we've somehow deluded ourselves to think every Tom, Dick, and Harry could've coached that '05 team to a National Championship and that his coaching had nothing to do with it. He also has gotten 3 different schools to the Sweet 16. Tonight's loss has no bearing on that, but this team has more talent on it than '05 had. And fair or not, there are expectations that go along with that. And this was not a particularly well coached game.
That was...just a terrible piece of officiating and Brad will be up someone's @## about it.
Be careful, using intelligence and logic with this crew after a loss is "risky business." Agree on all accounts.
One more opinion though. There are more optimistic than pessimistic people on this board and they can see the potential this team has. What tonight showed was we can't beat other teams all facets of the game. If we are going to depend on rebounding, we have to outrebound for 40 minutes, not 25 minutes. If we are amongst the best FT% shooting teams in the country, we have to knock those down in the second half. Is this team talented enough to win it all? Yes. Are they growing from the OT losses? That is still be determined.
However, school is out. We have 3 league games the B1G tourney and the NCAA tourney. We need to play 40 mins and there are going to be moments where the opposition sticks it to us. We just need to squeeze a couple more FTs or rebounds (better both) and we should be OK.
80'sIllini
- Arizona
I hope this team is not just flat out lacking the mental toughness, and Tomi the physical toughness, to win a close game going down to the wire in the NCAA. Probably just my "disappointment bias" but it seems like all these past 4 losses are to teams that made winning plays before the very end of the game to put themselves into contention to win the game and we don't. They hit timely free throws and we miss them, they run and execute to perfection out of bounds plays and we don't on our end, defensively or offensively- especially near the end of the games. And we sometimes commit really dumb fouls. Seems like a pattern going back years. Watching other games of teams ranked ahead of us, they don't give away games at nearly the same level that we do- if they do lose, it's just because the other team played exceptionally well and took it from them. I don't feel that UCLA played particularly well this game, we just handed the game to them.
Well, I think he did. Every staff I've been around has been quick to notice short shots, and I'm sure high major is no different. And Brad, who is usually loathe to accept getting tired as an excuse, said as much after the game.
The guys let themselves exhale then couldn't bring it back. Remember that they had enough to scorch the nets in the first 10 minutes and had enough to play overtime. They were tired, not exhausted. Ideal coaching, in hindsight, would have had them try to go inside much more. That's not super easy against UCLA, but yeah - even if it means a few more turnovers from a lack of focus, we should have been taking advantage of the bonus. And use Z as a stopper earlier. Oh well.
Five games left. Hopefully more, but this loss is unlikely to affect any of that. We have a little bit more time with Kylan and Keaton. Onward.
ILL ... We suck in overtime... Don't get in overtime... I love my team... Hate losing... Rather lose now than in March
Dent was spectacular, but I think the problematic matchup for this defense continues to be bigs who can space the floor and shoot. UCLA didn't put one guy on the floor tonight that wasn't a threat from 3. Same for Wisconsin.
I am pissed and sober. Coaching in the game is just bad. It is Brad's weakness IMO. His whole life at Illinois we come out of a time out with the ball. Nothing 90% of time. Unless, Ayo went one on one and stone cold daggers in him. Not throwing alley oops all night and killing them in the paint was just horrible coaching when our 100, 3 point shots quit falling. Forgetting of having Z down low and on defense is blood pressure raising. In closing, I have no issues when we lose and we've put it all on line. Thats fine in my book. We are playing ourselves and Coaching out of a 2 seed. We were never being a 1. People thinking that are delusional. I have enjoyed this season the most in 20 years. Watching Keaton, Z, Mirk, Ben, and Jake has been great. Forever an Illini and hoping we go 14 and 0 rest of the way!
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