UCLA 95, Illinois 94 OT Postgame

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#727      
According to the B1G Bracket Generator, if the Illini win at least 2 of their 3 games, the worst they will finish is fourth…unless MSU wins out, including road games at Purdue, Indiana and Michigan…and Wisconsin also wins out, including at Purdue.
And Nebraska also would have to win out, including at UCLA and USC and home against Iowa.
This scenario right here is between slim and none and I'm leaning heavily towards none.
 
#728      
It’s just amazing the potential for duality — if we were only able to guard 4.9 seconds with the full length of the court (which we couldn’t; no excuses), everyone would be up in arms, gloating about the win. Yes we couldn’t… and so now everything’s a catastrophe.

I UNDERSTAND that’s how sports works — you either win or you don’t, you’re either doomed or your overjoyed. But it’s just not true to think there’s something major wrong with this team.

ALL of our 3 losses in the last 3 months have been in overtime (and all to pretty good teams).
There are posters who point out flaws of the team and staff even through wins.

Even if we got the W, I’m willing to bet the loss of another lead, defensive inefficiencies, and bad coaching and playing would have still been topics.
 
#729      
Still can't get over KB on that final play. Impossible to believe really. Dude immediately gave up on Dent after allowing free release. C'mon man. One change of direction, one forced pass and they're throwing up a much much more difficult shot.

Dent and his quickness was getting around KB with ease much of the night but figured we'd get some sort of effort here. Plenty of blame to go around on the play, including the staff, but expected more from KB there.
I talked about this some in another post so no need to rehash it here, but Boswell has slipped defensively noticeably from last season.

Dent absolutely blew by him like he was a traffic cone several times, and then he does nothing on the final play. Literally.

Unacceptable.
 
#730      
#731      
Still can't get over KB on that final play. Impossible to believe really. Dude immediately gave up on Dent after allowing free release. C'mon man. One change of direction, one forced pass and they're throwing up a much much more difficult shot.

Dent and his quickness was getting around KB with ease much of the night but figured we'd get some sort of effort here. Plenty of blame to go around on the play, including the staff, but expected more from KB there.
KB and Wagler switched as they indbounded the ball. Or are you saying KB should have stayed with him and double-teamed him?

I was more frustrated with Stojakovic not forcing Dent against the sideline and instead letting him get the shortest path through the middle to the basket
 
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#732      
Just missing that killer instinct up 23 points early. Then playing casual/optional defense the rest of the way only to give up an uncontested layup at the end. That's brutal. I think this mindset just a couple weeks from the tourney means we aren't in the right place. We should be fine-tuning, not missing basic, fundamental basketball presence. I think THAT's what we're all frustrated with. Onward we go!
 
#733      
There are posters who point out flaws of the team and staff even through wins.

Even if we got the W, I’m willing to bet the loss of another lead, defensive inefficiencies, and bad coaching and playing would have still been topics.

Probably. But would have rightfully been secondary to “we just went 2-0 on our LA trip, and are in a spot for no worse than 2nd in the Big Ten, and still have a 1 seed path and we’re talking about how bad the coaching is?”

23 is obviously a tad extreme, but we started out like 7-11 from 3 and they were something like 1-8 - the lead was always gonna dwindle to a degree. Unless UCLA quit, which I guess was a non zero chance.
 
#734      
I am clearly still pissed off. Zvonimir only played 17 minutes last night. He had 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 blocks. He needs to rebound at a higher rate, but he played well in his minutes

We have to have him out there for around 20 minutes or so for his defensive ability. When he’s not out there players don’t even think before getting into the lane.
 
#735      
Lots of appropriate comments about the defense.

But what I found frustrating is why we went away from driving the lane. Keaton was routinely finding a cutter for layups or dunks. With UCLA in so much foul trouble and us in the bonus so early into the half, we needed to put more pressure on them to play defense.

This is how you can offset a bad 3 pt shooting night. We don't value the 2 pt basket enough and it isn't the first time this year.
We harp on this every year. And I agree with you. But Brad refuses to change his analytical style

The best teams are not shooting 35 threes a game
 
#736      
Probably. But would have rightfully been secondary to “we just went 2-0 on our LA trip, and are in a spot for no worse than 2nd in the Big Ten, and still have a 1 seed path and we’re talking about how bad the coaching is?”

23 is obviously a tad extreme, but we started out like 7-11 from 3 and they were something like 1-8 - the lead was always gonna dwindle to a degree. Unless UCLA quit, which I guess was a non zero chance.
We obviously weren't going to continue outscoring them at the same rate, but I didn't think the lead was obviously going to dwindle. I would have been just fine with it dwindling some by the end, but giving it up so quickly was extremely tough to watch
 
#737      
KB and Wagler switched as they indbounded the ball. Or are you saying KB should have stayed with him and double-teamed him?
Yes. KB never should have left him .So bizarre the instant give up by him on a full court play with under 5 seconds. Any pass at all from Dent (or a forced change of direction/hesitation) and UCLA is heaving a long distance prayer.

Lots of blame to go around on the play but it starts with KB with the players on the floor.
 
#738      
Lots of appropriate comments about the defense.

But what I found frustrating is why we went away from driving the lane. Keaton was routinely finding a cutter for layups or dunks. With UCLA in so much foul trouble and us in the bonus so early into the half, we needed to put more pressure on them to play defense.

This is how you can offset a bad 3 pt shooting night. We don't value the 2 pt basket enough and it isn't the first time this year.
He and the staff were probably a bit hesitant af5er he limped off to the locker room. Dude gets beat every time he drives with very few fos called.
 
#739      
We obviously weren't going to continue outscoring them at the same rate, but I didn't think the lead was obviously going to dwindle. I would have been just fine with it dwindling some by the end, but giving it up so quickly was extremely tough to watch

1000%

The 11 straight field goals and end to the half where we could have been up 12-13 and instead 7 was a joke.

I don’t care how tough a few of the ucla shots were
 
#740      
Yes. KB never should have left him .So bizarre the instant give up by him on a full court play with under 5 seconds. Any pass at all from Dent (or a forced change of direction/hesitation) and UCLA is heaving a long distance prayer.

Lots of blame to go around on the play but it starts with KB with the players on the floor.
I don't think we know if that was KB's decision or the coaches', do we?
 
#741      
Here’s where I place blame for the final defensive possession.

Most: Kylan
Late to his gap to the point where he can’t even properly defend without fouling so he has to just kind of escort Dent through the gap. He gets to his spot and Dent has to go around and put up a tough midrange.

Some: Drej and Z
Drej needed to do a better job of being physical IMO. Z probably needed to put a better contest on it. Both are hindsight though and didn’t totally hate eithers defense.

None: Keaton and Ben
Keaton got screened out of the play and Ben’s role is to contest a kick so he can’t collapse.
I would love to know what the assignments were supposed to be when Dent passed half court and Wagler got screened.

Was Stojakovic really supposed to drift backwards and towards the sideline with his back to the basket? Perhaps so, and Kylan was supposed to get back to guard the middle (or that Wagler could run under the screen and guard the middle) to deny Dent's drive? If so, maybe it's just easy to say in hindsight that's not a good plan. Maybe it would have worked if Kylan had gotten back quicker, or Wagler hadn't been taken out by the screen (was there bad communication on that, or did Wagler not listen, or was that not part of the plan?)

It seems like a much simpler plan to force the ball handler along the sideline. To do that, Stojakovic should stay on Dent's right hip, making sure he can't cut to the middle. Worst case, Dent still gets around him, but in a longer arc to the basket that takes more time off the clock, gives other defenders more time to get between Dent and the basket, and might force a running jumper or late pass with no time to shoot. If that was the plan and Stoj drifted too far to the sideline, then that might make Bos look bad when Bos was trying to get back to a different assignment altogether (like trapping Dent at the baseline or cutting off a pass to a cutter/shooter).

Doing something to disrupt the inbounds pass could also eat some time if Dent can't catch it in stride. There's probably some tradeoff of allowing long passes though, so I'm not going to make too big of a deal about that.
 
#743      
Who was guarding the in-bounds passer on the baseline?
 
#744      
IMO we needed both Ivisic brothers in there. Tomi on the ball, Z to protect the rim. Having no one on the ball is the mistake - allows the casual inbound, Dent to catch and go unimpeded.
If Andrej would have stepped up into the gap between the screener and the sideline, that would have likely forced Dent back toward Keaton (or draw a charge!). (Yes, the screener would have been free to roll for an deep uncontested three, but our chances would have been better.) Not faulting Andrej there, but let's think about it for next time.
 
#745      
Program loss, players and coaches. I did feel Brad was too comfortable when they started making their run. I’m over it.

The one thing that does concern me, unless the rules of setting a pick have changed since I played years ago, I cringe almost every time we try to set a pick. Seems like picker is moving his feet / body trying to get in position as he sets pick. If he’s not in the right spot, he keeps sliding over. I thought picker has to be set and ball handler had to drive his man into the SET pick? Thoughts?
that is the way it should be called, but often not
 
#746      
The points per possession talk is confusing for me. Can someone give our average for the season so I can remember?
Here:

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#748      
I don't think we know if that was KB's decision or the coaches', do we?
Nope. Plenty of blame to go around.(Players and coaches)

KB, as the senior leader of team, should say "I got Dent" there IMO. Made zero sense there to switch off immediately like it was a normal middle of the game defensive set. The clock was their best friend there. Got to know the situation. A forced pass from Dent (or impeding his progress at any point) there and the game is over....worst case, a much much more difficult, longer distance shot.

It started with the free release. If going to pick up full court....pick up full court. Don't half !!! it which is what they did (coaches and/or players)
 
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#749      
I think Ben was the biggest to blame no idea what he was doing. Going full court the options were so limited. I would have put 2 on Dent, and kept guysc lose on Tyler B and Perry. But once he got to halfcourt he wasn't passing it anyway.
 
#750      
I watched the game … I rewatched the game …

I have a couple thoughts …

Great teams don’t piss away a 23 point lead …

Great teams don’t make people question their effort …

AS … HORRIBLE … Missed box outs, I counted 11 on the film … That’s unacceptable … Missing FTs … You wanna get paid like an Alpha … Better be an Alpha !!!!! You don’t just get to show up when you want to …

Bam … Dent took belt to 🍑 … Tell your coaches/teammates you’ve got Dent … No switching … No nonsense … And if you are who you say you are and who I know you are … LOCK … HIS … 🍑 … UP … Let someone else beat you …

I don’t even need to break down the last play … Absolutely pathetic … Knowing how to defend that scenario is REC LEAGUE 💩 !!!!! THE EXACT SAME THING WE LET TENNESSEE DO !!!!!!!!
 
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