UConn 77, Illinois 52 Postgame

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#401      

Champaign88

C
Champaign88
Interesting. I’m not really looking for an argument but looking at that team that also beat the snot out of everyone in the tourney…

Clingan came off the bench and played 13 minutes. Averaged 7 pts, 6 reb, 2 blk in 13 minutes. Sanogo averaged 18 and 8. So center position put up 25/14 per game. They also had Newton last year and Hawkins was better than Spencer in my opinion. But either way they are a well oiled machine obviously.
 
#402      

Champaign88

C
Champaign88
fatboyslim said:
This is what I can't stand about some of you at home coaches. Putting Dain in the game to defend Clingan doesn't help us on the offensive end. He was ineffective on the offensive end. It also doesn't guarantee that he stops Clingan. They are still going to go into him no matter who is on him because we don't have anyone tall enough to defend him. Talented teams like UConn are not a good matchup for Dain.

The 3 point shot is not our main offense and we weren't making any of those shots either. Also some of the shots were there and our players passed up on it to drive. We started taking more jump shots and 3 pointers in the second half and still missed. None of that is Brad's fault.
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Dain may not be a perfect answer, but Ty was ineffective offensively. At least Dain brings some size inside and can maybe finish over Clingan (although the crap he was throwing up tonight, even without Clingan in there… not sure what that was).

I think the frustration is lack of trying something else when the first option is clearly not going to work.
 
#403      

Illiniam1984

I
Illiniam1984
Illiniguy13 said:
For pure basketball entertainment purposes, I want to see this generational team go up against a generational mismatch. Zach Edey would put Donavan Clingan in hell & present UConn a unique conundrum they haven’t faced before 🍿
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Ehhh I think UCONN’s guards are a bit better and quicker than Purdue’s so that would put them over the top. I don’t think they would blow them out like they did to us but UCONN has the advantage. Edey is really good but not unbeatable especially when double teamed. Even if they kick it out to their shooters, UCONN’s guards will be able to defend it.
 
#404      

SuperIllini34

S
SuperIllini34
I think Brad Underwood got the absolute most out of this group this year. So I won’t dwell on tonight’s game. This was a very satisfying season.

The challenge going forward will be if this model can work each singular year. I’ll call it the “senior portal” method. Domask, Guerrier, Harmon, and using NIL to keep Shannon/Hawkins was a lot of roster building to build this 1 team.

Now, can they do it again? Guess we will see. The GM’ing in the off-season has become the most important part of the whole program I think.
 
#406      

Emerson Bigguns

Emerson Bigguns
Emerson Bigguns
fatboyslim said:
This is what I can't stand about some of you at home coaches. Putting Dain in the game to defend Clingan doesn't help us on the offensive end. He was ineffective on the offensive end. It also doesn't guarantee that he stops Clingan. They are still going to go into him no matter who is on him because we don't have anyone tall enough to defend him. Talented teams like UConn are not a good matchup for Dain.

The 3 point shot is not our main offense and we weren't making any of those shots either. Also some of the shots were there and our players passed up on it to drive. We started taking more jump shots and 3 pointers in the second half and still missed. None of that is Brad's fault.
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Completely agree. I think everyone knew going into the game we were going to have to bury some 3’s to have a chance. We got good looks, consistently. We didn't get them to fall.
Clingan threw a shutout at the rim. Everyone missed shots. We never got comfortable. Congratulations to UConn. They are extremely good.
 
#407      

Emerson Bigguns

Emerson Bigguns
Emerson Bigguns
SuperIllini34 said:
I think Brad Underwood got the absolute most out of this group this year. So I won’t dwell on tonight’s game. This was a very satisfying season.

The challenge going forward will be if this model can work each singular year. I’ll call it the “senior portal” method. Domask, Guerrier, Harmon, and using NIL to keep Shannon/Hawkins was a lot of roster building to build this 1 team.

Now, can they do it again? Guess we will see. The GM’ing in the off-season has become the most important part of the whole program I think.
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You can’t win many games in April, but you can lose a bunch.
 
#409      

illinifan1987

illinifan1987
illinifan1987
IllinistuckinGopherland said:
I think we’ll look back and see a team that 1) over-achieved, 2) won the BTT, 3) got the second weekend monkey off our back, and 4) were fun to watch.

We weren’t really a top ten team, yet made the Elite 8.

And we sure as hell weren’t UConn.
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Great Job Thumbs Up GIF by Aminé
 
#414      

uofi7477

uofi7477
Silver & Gold Vandals
uofi7477
This: "Thanks to Marcus Domask for showing the nation that basketball is not just about running and dunking."
 
#416      

john1952

john1952
john1952
fatboyslim said:
This is what I can't stand about some of you at home coaches. Putting Dain in the game to defend Clingan doesn't help us on the offensive end. He was ineffective on the offensive end. It also doesn't guarantee that he stops Clingan. They are still going to go into him no matter who is on him because we don't have anyone tall enough to defend him. Talented teams like UConn are not a good matchup for Dain.

The 3 point shot is not our main offense and we weren't making any of those shots either. Also some of the shots were there and our players passed up on it to drive. We started taking more jump shots and 3 pointers in the second half and still missed. None of that is Brad's fault.
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Agreed.
UConn's ability to keep Domask and Shannon from penetrating in the second half was the key to the game.
As you suggest, I think most people knew if we had to depend on 3 point shooting were were not going to win.
I will say I can not recall a basketball game where so many players missed so many shots for such an extended period of time
 
#417      

Illiniguy13

Illiniguy13
Illiniguy13
Illiniam1984 said:
Ehhh I think UCONN’s guards are a bit better and quicker than Purdue’s so that would put them over the top. I don’t think they would blow them out like they did to us but UCONN has the advantage. Edey is really good but not unbeatable especially when double teamed. Even if they kick it out to their shooters, UCONN’s guards will be able to defend it.
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Yup that could certainly be the case. The way to take down the UConn juggernaut is get hot from 3. But I think the Purdue formula might do it: let Zach go to work and get his (he always does) & have Braden smith, Loyer, Jones & Gillis hit outside shots. Would be a fascinating watch.
 
#420      

OrangeBlue98

OrangeBlue98
Des Moines, IA
OrangeBlue98
Illiniguy13 said:
Yup that could certainly be the case. The way to take down the UConn juggernaut is get hot from 3. But I think the Purdue formula might do it: let Zach go to work and get his (he always does) & have Braden smith, Loyer, Jones & Gillis hit outside shots. Would be a fascinating watch.
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The NCAA might as well save a few thousand bucks and not even have officials if Purdue and UConn play. Clingnan and Edey are never called for a foul anyway. Why spend the money for what would be glorified spectators?
 
#422      

OrangeLife

OrangeLife
OrangeLife
pruman91 said:
I turned off the hurley presser after 1:30 ......I just don't care for the man....plain & simple...........
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I agree with that sentiment, the first time I saw him during a postgame press conference I thought he was an obnoxious jerk. He continues to reinforce that impression. He has a great team, just a horrible person. Proud of our team and their season, one bad game won't change that.
 
#423      

OrangeBlue98

OrangeBlue98
Des Moines, IA
OrangeBlue98
Illiniguy13 said:
For pure basketball entertainment purposes, I want to see this generational team go up against a generational mismatch. Zach Edey would put Donavan Clingan in hell & present UConn a unique conundrum they haven’t faced before 🍿
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Clngnan’s absolute ceiling in the NBA is a bargain basement Chet Holmgren. My brother sent me something projecting him as the 10th pick to Atlanta. Not sure a guy useless beyond dunks and blocks at the rim is worth the 10th pick, but I’m sure some desperate team will see 7-2 and ignore everything else.

I guess that’s an on-brand pick for Atlanta. They seem to have a habit picking overrated one-trick ponies (Trae Young) really high. That’s why the Hawks continue to pick in the lottery.
 
#424      

ChiefGritty

ChiefGritty
Chicago, IL
ChiefGritty
Navy_illini said:
2021 team had Kofi who this team would not handle. We couldn’t handle a good big all year

Ayo and TSJ would cancel each other

MD would be problematic but DMFW would have been good on D

a healthy Trent would been hard to stop

2021 played better defense 2024 played better offense except when there was a good big

2021 had a gear at the end of the game if it was close would have closed the game but this team had offensive firepower

Personally the 2020 team was BU best
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It's a little bit of fun with selected endpoints, but I just want to note:

2021: 7 wins versus KenPom top 15 (Michigan, Iowa twice, Ohio State twice, Wisconsin twice)

2024: 1 win versus KenPom top 15 (Iowa State)

That's why I said we needed to lose last night to have this debate. You knock off the UConn juggernaut and go to the Final Four and it kinda ends the debate. But by the same token if we'd lost to Iowa State I think the argument that lucking into a helpless Duquesne team to go one game further in the tourney makes up for the much, much weaker resume this season would be an absurd, laughable argument.

It's 2021 for me. And I think 2024 advocates would have been helped if last night had been a bit less of a walkover.
 
#425      

LvilleILL

LvilleILL
LvilleILL
ChiefGritty said:
It's a little bit of fun with selected endpoints, but I just want to note:

2021: 7 wins versus KenPom top 15 (Michigan, Iowa twice, Ohio State twice, Wisconsin twice)

2024: 1 win versus KenPom top 15 (Iowa State)

That's why I said we needed to lose last night to have this debate. You knock off the UConn juggernaut and go to the Final Four and it kinda ends the debate. But by the same token if we'd lost to Iowa State I think the argument that lucking into a helpless Duquesne team to go one game further in the tourney makes up for the much, much weaker resume this season would be an absurd, laughable argument.

It's 2021 for me. And I think 2024 advocates would have been helped if last night had been a bit less of a walkover.
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2021 team was slightly better but this team will always be one of my favorites ever. I think had Quincy and Harmon not fallen off this team could have won a national title. In the end, just too much was put on TJ
 
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