Not saying playing some minutes giving Tate a break wouldn't of helped but people seem to be blaming Tate way to much on this game. No Tate and this game wouldn't of even been close. Amazing all the blame going around but very little on Hill who didn't show up to play tonight
Winthrop 84, Illinois 80 OT POSTGAME
Not saying playing some minutes giving Tate a break wouldn't of helped but people seem to be blaming Tate way to much on this game. No Tate and this game wouldn't of even been close. Amazing all the blame going around but very little on Hill who didn't show up to play tonight
Assuming Walker is amenable to this plan, sure. I'd love to have that cake and eat it.
FWIW, let it be on the record that my official stance on Groce is still TBD. Need more data from this season.
illinoisfan11
- Peoria, IL
So does the possibility of keeping John Groce. Win on Thursday and this seems like a distant memory. Lots of season left.
I agree. I'm seeing a lot of depth, finally.
As for me... I've not said that JG should be fired (yet).... What I've said is that he isn't the right coach for this fine institution... And I've seen the Harv Schmidt years, the Gene Bartow 1 year, and everything since....
This wasn't the first major test. This was answering a true false question in lecture with "six!". It's serves as confirmation that things don't look like they're going very well. It took a 40 point effort to beat Northern Kentucky, which I have to keep checking the schedule to make sure its a thing.
Can he turn it around, I hope so. I'm just running low on optimism at this point. Is this the 2012 Nebraska game? No. But does it remind me of losing to North Florida and Chattanooga last year? Unfortunately, yes.
I agree with that first part and have been saying it since Groce's 3rd year dive. Unfortunately, our offense doesn't have anything to hang it's hat on (well, you might have said Hill, but that wasn't happening), and our defense is not good enough to provide identity at all.
The second part is simply a matter of opinion as to what's the best path forward. I think we'd all feel better not collapsing in a game we're up 10 late, but it happened. Lotta season left. Really hard to stomach a game like this where guys look like tentative and disorganized down the stretch and even one good possession would have iced it.
So far our resume is 0-1. None of those cupcake wins will matter at all. Hope the team can get it together, because opening a stretch with a stinker like that just makes fans not want to keep watching.
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LuvIlliniHoopzInVA
- Virginia
Even though it's only one loss, it feels like a bad one. Can't give away a win like that when it seems like they will be tough to come by this season.
Also not sure why everyone wants Martin just because he Midwest guy. He hasn't done anything to really show he needs to be here. Hasn't had a ton of success either. Good seasons but nothing screams he is a must get
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Don't like the loss, but this can be used to motivate the team to work harder. Gut check time.
Serious Late
- Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
They are the best team in the BIG SOUTH! NCAA Tourney Team! We should not be disappointed, frustrated or angry losing to a team that high quality.
Pretty sure half the people here could not tell one team from another in the Big South vs. The Southern conference. "Wofford.. Winthrop, uhhhhhhhhhh". 1 bid non-existent conferences we shouldn't be losing games to. That is the sum of those bball conferences.
Thorne doesn't belong out there at all. If he needs to come in probably should just go small instead because he does nothing to help besides be a big body inside. Even then he isn't much help
Isn't Ford still doing the substitutions?
I hear ya, you can play smart whether or not you are a top 25 recruit. I have just felt myself shaking my head for far too long over the lack of smart play, or basketball IQ of Illini players. Perhaps that is just me being a fan wanting more from the team I root for. Another part of me wonders if the more talented players also equate to players who are smarter on the court.
I am sorry that I kind a live in the past, but I remember when nobody came to our court and expected to come away with a win, now it seems it is no big concern, is it our players or poor coaching? will anybody please give an honest opinion
Totally agree. Tate was right in the chest of Johnson. Made him work probably contributing to his dehydration. I would blame the loss on the 11-2 start and making 4 3's. Illinois never believed they were going to lose. Thought they could just go thru the motions and win.
I've always said there should have been an assistant firing a season or two ago. I don't know if Ford is suppose to be the Xs and Os guy along with big man coach, but I have seen nothing from the bigs defensivley, they're not dominant rebounders and yes mav is offensively sufficient no one is dominant. Either way we're obviously not getting an Xs and Os savant in anyone and Ford hasn't landed anything from Canada, Ohio, or WV other than what he learned at a Holiday Inn Express.
FinalFour88
- Charlotte, NC
We don't know if Winthrop is a tournament team. They haven't been to the tournament in years. But this has become the culture of the Illini hoops program -- accepting a loss to a potential 15-seed in the tourney because they're "good."
4 years of bad teams and you think the whining is short sighted? How long do we have to be bad before we can complain?
Meh, every team has 13 players, some slightly less. You need some players who can make a difference and create their own offense in tough situations. This team does not have difference makers. In tough situations, the only "consistent" option is Hill. Others need to step up, but not many have the talent to do so IMO.
For real, though, what's the deal with Thorne? He is not the same guy we saw last season before his injury.
Well whoever is doing it, its time they gave the remote control to somebody else.