Tip of the cap to UConn. Great team, great effort and great showing on their part. Hard to say there’s no shame in losing when you give up a 30-0 run, but they were simply the better team.
UConn 77, Illinois 52 Postgame
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BU runs a great program, but he can be stubborn as we all have seen. Agree with quick subs once it became apparent Clingnan was camping at both ends.
Glad to see him run a zone to stop ISU high pick and roll. Would have been great for Loyola.
Glad to see him run a zone to stop ISU high pick and roll. Would have been great for Loyola.
Anyone going to Willard?
We ran a zone for about 7 seconds against ISU.
The ol 7 second defense
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
I had to take a step back from the board last night. I was disappointed because this team had such a spark to them and seemed to give us our best chance in a long time to make a run. The sudden end to the season hurt, and it didn't help that we didn't seem capable of putting up a fight at times, particularly in the second half.
But that's how the game goes sometimes. Sometimes it's just not your night and the other team is firing on all cylinders. That's what happened last night and I fully expect UConn to go back to back. The Husky players deserve their flowers; their fans can take a long walk off a short pier.
I'm so thankful to this Illini team for what they did this season. They were the definition of tenacious, playing through adversity with the allegations against TSJ and refusing to crumble. They were a joy to watch, from TSJ's one-man fast breaks to Domask's booty ball to Hawkins being a jack-of-all trades and everything else in between. I loved watching Dain's emergence during tournament season and DGL coming into his own on defense, and Goode getting into the groove. There was so much to love about this team, and they made Illini basketball so much fun to watch this year. I'll be forever grateful to them for that.
Now is time for the coaching staff to get after it. Re-recruit our players who might be considering the portal that we'd like to keep and get the guys in the portal we need. Game plan for how to beat teams with a tower at center -- we still haven't figured that out yet -- and get ready for next year. I expect another good one.
But that's how the game goes sometimes. Sometimes it's just not your night and the other team is firing on all cylinders. That's what happened last night and I fully expect UConn to go back to back. The Husky players deserve their flowers; their fans can take a long walk off a short pier.
I'm so thankful to this Illini team for what they did this season. They were the definition of tenacious, playing through adversity with the allegations against TSJ and refusing to crumble. They were a joy to watch, from TSJ's one-man fast breaks to Domask's booty ball to Hawkins being a jack-of-all trades and everything else in between. I loved watching Dain's emergence during tournament season and DGL coming into his own on defense, and Goode getting into the groove. There was so much to love about this team, and they made Illini basketball so much fun to watch this year. I'll be forever grateful to them for that.
Now is time for the coaching staff to get after it. Re-recruit our players who might be considering the portal that we'd like to keep and get the guys in the portal we need. Game plan for how to beat teams with a tower at center -- we still haven't figured that out yet -- and get ready for next year. I expect another good one.
How many times was Shannon on the floor and there was no call?
What UConn figured out on Shannon was he really only shoots 3’s or goes all the way to the basket. He rarely shoots in between. They played all the way up on him with an Uber athletic guy with similar size so he couldn’t shoot 3’s then had Clingan at the rim. Very few teams could play him like that because no one has that personnel. If he was willing to shoot 7 footers or dish out on the drive there were guys wide open as they were crowding the lane to contain him. Iowa St decided to shut down Domask and UConn decided to shut down Shannon and they had the personnel to do it unless he adjusted his whole game, which he didn’t do
Uconn fan here. Been reading the board the past few days and decided to post.
First off, making the elite 8 is nothing to be ashamed about. It took uconn few heartbreaks back in the early 90s before we finally broke through. It's a process.
As far as your coach. Probably not the best idea to give uconn bulletin board material but I get it. It tried something different which you have to do against uconn. As far as driving it at clingan I don't see anything wrong with that. He is foul prone. He can pick up some silly fouls reaching in or setting screens. But, after the first half he probably should have made some adjustments as clingan only had one fouls.
As for Hurley, you have him all wrong. I wasn't his biggest fan at first. The riding of the officials killed us the first few years.. It distracted the team and we absolutely got hammered by big east refs.. Even now we always get a bad whistle in conference. That's why so many fans are happy to get out of league play.
But, if you know his history you understand why he is the way he is on the court. He was Bob hurleys little brother. He played at Seton Hall and opposing fans would scream you're not big hurley all the time. You stink. Seton Hall fans boed him. He wanted to quit basketball and thought about suicide. He also was Bob Hurley Sr son. Another hard footstep to follow. He was always the one who was not good enought. Had to fight for everything.
Which is why he shines off the court. He understands the players and what college athletes go through. He brings in speakers all the time to help the kids deal with life. He really relates to them. He has reading sessions where they discuss books about life and becoming a better person. The players love him. More importantly and a better sign is the parents of the players really love Hurley.
As far as uconn fans. Many are obnoxious. I wish they would relax on social media at times myself. But again I understand. Being a uconn fan for almost 40 years now I was there at the beginning. Syracuse and Georgetown fans constantly telling us we suck. And we did back then. But when we started getting good they still didn't give us the respect many fans thought we deserved. Then we won it all in 99.. still they bashed us until we won again in 04..then we had the Duke fans tell us we weren't good. Won't last etc. we kept winning. Now we get the you're not a blue blood. Most of could care less. We know who we are as a program. But, honestly we have been fighting for respect so long a lot of fans are going to be heard now even if it means going overboard.
Sorry for the long post. Just wanted to give a little context. Anyways. Enjoy your Easter. Congrats on a great season.
First off, making the elite 8 is nothing to be ashamed about. It took uconn few heartbreaks back in the early 90s before we finally broke through. It's a process.
As far as your coach. Probably not the best idea to give uconn bulletin board material but I get it. It tried something different which you have to do against uconn. As far as driving it at clingan I don't see anything wrong with that. He is foul prone. He can pick up some silly fouls reaching in or setting screens. But, after the first half he probably should have made some adjustments as clingan only had one fouls.
As for Hurley, you have him all wrong. I wasn't his biggest fan at first. The riding of the officials killed us the first few years.. It distracted the team and we absolutely got hammered by big east refs.. Even now we always get a bad whistle in conference. That's why so many fans are happy to get out of league play.
But, if you know his history you understand why he is the way he is on the court. He was Bob hurleys little brother. He played at Seton Hall and opposing fans would scream you're not big hurley all the time. You stink. Seton Hall fans boed him. He wanted to quit basketball and thought about suicide. He also was Bob Hurley Sr son. Another hard footstep to follow. He was always the one who was not good enought. Had to fight for everything.
Which is why he shines off the court. He understands the players and what college athletes go through. He brings in speakers all the time to help the kids deal with life. He really relates to them. He has reading sessions where they discuss books about life and becoming a better person. The players love him. More importantly and a better sign is the parents of the players really love Hurley.
As far as uconn fans. Many are obnoxious. I wish they would relax on social media at times myself. But again I understand. Being a uconn fan for almost 40 years now I was there at the beginning. Syracuse and Georgetown fans constantly telling us we suck. And we did back then. But when we started getting good they still didn't give us the respect many fans thought we deserved. Then we won it all in 99.. still they bashed us until we won again in 04..then we had the Duke fans tell us we weren't good. Won't last etc. we kept winning. Now we get the you're not a blue blood. Most of could care less. We know who we are as a program. But, honestly we have been fighting for respect so long a lot of fans are going to be heard now even if it means going overboard.
Sorry for the long post. Just wanted to give a little context. Anyways. Enjoy your Easter. Congrats on a great season.
Good luck.. you guys have an incredible team. Please beat Alabama/Duke/Purdue/Tennesee.
Thanks in advance.
I lived in Connecticutt for awhile, and can absolutely believe this. Some of the most foul "fans" I've ever been around.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Got it. So he has deep-seated trauma and inferiority complex that causes him to berate the officials, create fake narratives in his head (like what he said about Sean Harrington, who is not an Illini staff member btw), and act like a pompous a**hole.
Makes him a hell of a coach tho
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
Good thing he never got a therapist, right?Got it. So he has deep-seated trauma and inferiority complex that causes him to berate the officials, create fake narratives in his head (like what he said about Sean Harrington, who is not an Illini staff member btw), and act like a pompous a**hole.
Makes him a hell of a coach tho
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Thank you for kindly leaving NC State off that list.Good luck.. you guys have an incredible team. Please beat Alabama/Duke/Purdue/Tennesee.
Thanks in advance.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
This board is so popular even Mr. Hurley decided to make an appearance. Keep up the great work Dan!
Your second paragraph is spot on. Had those drives been in the B1G, TJ would have been going to the line and Clingan would have been gettin a breather. And when we did pivot to shooting 3's to try to loosen up the lane, we couldn't throw it in Lake Michigan off Navy Pier. When Booty Ball needs one of those two other things to be at least somewhat working and neither are working at all, your third scoring option is gone. Most teams don't even have 3 reliable ways to score. We were cooked.
Illini4Chief
- TENNESSEE
Whew...where to begin.....extremely dissapointed.......U Con 30 to 0 run, easy layups, backdoor in your face dunks..I don't think I"ve seen an Illini team this "lost" in the second half. U Con running up n down the court for easy pass n dunks....
what bulletin board material exactly did underwood provide? saying he hasn't watched uconn much during the season, a team in a completely different conference, while trying to focus on preparing for Illinois' future opponents? I think BU was being honest and it's a stretch to think he was trying to diss uconn with his response to the reporter's question
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Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Pretty simple. Hurley and company are experts at twisting everything into making it seem like they are being disrespected.
Hurley is a complete tool, but it makes him a great coach. Hopefully karma eventually bites him and his fan base in the butt.
From the interactions I've seen on other social media with UConn fans, anything outside of groveling at the feet of the almighty Huskies is bulletin board material to them.
I'm still in shock! How did they score 30 straight points? Seen it once or twice in the NBA and Secretariat did it but????
OrangeBlue98
- Des Moines, IA
He had a demanding dad growing up and was treated mean by opposing fans, so it’s OK to be a complete jerk and take everything that isn’t complete fealty as an insult. Got it. Sounds a lot like another person that seems to be in the news headlines an awful lot these days.
I’m sorry, but that all sounds like a bunch of excuses. Plenty of people have difficult events happen early in life and still end up being a good person while being very successful.
I’m sorry, but that all sounds like a bunch of excuses. Plenty of people have difficult events happen early in life and still end up being a good person while being very successful.
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altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
POTD, ma'am. I wanted to post exactly this last night and didn't. Thank you for doing so. You're much better placed to do so than I am given your vocation.
Hey everyone: thank you all.
I have had an absolute blast this season, largely because of the community here. Woke up this morning, went to Easter service for the first time in many years, and thought a great deal about rebirth in all its forms. I regularly do that on Easter, just this time actually did it in a pew.I can't wait to see what BU and his staff do to mold next season's team. I'm confident we'll be excited for March again. There are 362 teams in D-1. We're blessed to have one of the Top 10-15 programs of all time, and we finished within the top eight in the nation this year. We have a great deal to be thankful for and, I project, a great deal to look forward to in the seasons to come. Let's focus on all that these splendid young men and those who guided and supported them gave to us.
It's truly a precious gift to be able to call ourselves members of the Fighting Illini family.
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Beat Purdue and you’ve got this fan for life.
(#2 to the Illini of course.)
I think a lot depends on how they mash together. Mayer was a big talent on paper but didn’t work out. With that being said, I felt like the 22/23 was like our floor (a 8, 9, or 10 seed) without major injuries. I can easily see us being a 5 seed or above (i.e., a top three B1G team).
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