Winthrop 84, Illinois 80 OT POSTGAME

#176      

Monte Carlo

Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Here's my take:
1. I am not ready to fire Groce, but feeling this year is make or break.
2. Thorne is not a very good player. He looked good against a couple of patsie last year before he got hurt, but he truly has showed me nothing.
3. We are running an offense with two point guards and yet we are turning the ball over at an alarming rate. Maybe this system is not the way to go.
4. Did Malcolm's huge amount of weight training help him or hurt him? Other than his 40 point outburst, I don't see the same player I saw last year. He has started slow in many of the games and seems like he is missing a lot of mid-range jumpers that used to be his bread and butter. I know it's early, but just what it appears at a quick glance to date.
 
#177      

Serious Late

Serious Late
Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Serious Late
illinoisfan11 said:
Everyone needs to relax. Winthrop made countless lucky shots down the stretch, and we ran into a kid who couldn't miss. Winthrop is not a bad team. Remember, Wisconsin lost to Western Illinois last season. At home. Plenty of time to turn it around.
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So you are saying we need a mid-season coaching change just like Wisconsin. I am coming around to your thinking...
 
#178      

IlliniMed

I
Lillington, N.C.
IlliniMed
O-Bla said:
I've been watching the Illini longer than you, Junior.

And Groce is terrible. He doesn't deserve to be the head coach at Illinois. He was a marginal hire, by a an idiot AD. He's done nothing in 5 years to give anyone hope of ever turning this thing around.

He should be fired immediately.
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lol, Junior. Right.
 
#180      

Trakis

Trakis
Chicago, IL
Trakis
It's simple: if we miss the tourney, Groce is gone. Even with the recruiting momentum. ESPECIALLY with this class, we deserve a better coach.
 
#181      

Second and Chalmers

S
Second and Chalmers
Serious Late said:
We clearly looked like the better team throughout the game.
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Yeah. The short kid is a baller but we were much, much better than them throughout. Mistakes, poor decisions, plenty of bad luck, there was a lot of stuff, but nothing programs that have success don't face and overcome over and over and over again.

We're a program that wins or we're not. No excuses.
 
#182      

CasualObserver05

C
CasualObserver05
Why is it that when a team like Winthrop gets into the NCAA tourney and goes on a run and "upsets" team after team along the way, people say it's "March Madness?" But when it happens in November, "we're terrible, fire the coach, etc. etc."
 
#183      

chief78

chief78
Florida
chief78
StateFarmCenter said:
Ironically it's probably the older generation wanting to fire Groce since those fans are the ones used to making the tournament every year
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I would not bet on that....some of us have been through some lean years in the 70's, while some younger fans started rooting at the turn of the century.
 
#184      

zoggle101

Z
zoggle101
14-3, JCL's 3 gets waved off on a suspect moving screen call really changed the flow of the game.
 
#185      

Second and Chalmers

S
Second and Chalmers
CasualObserver05 said:
Why is it that when a team like Winthrop gets into the NCAA tourney and goes on a run and "upsets" team after team along the way, people say it's "March Madness?" But when it happens in November, "we're terrible, fire the coach, etc. etc."
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Overestimating cupcakes in November is a bad habit to get into.

You should assume any team from a one-bid conference won't make the tournament.
 
#186      

JohnnyJolly69

J
JohnnyJolly69
I hate to say it...never thought I would say it...but a Bruce Weber team would've won that game. Recruits don't mean "diddly poo" if you can't coach them. Anyone that thinks Groce can coach is out of their "diddly poo" mind.
 
#187      

Bverdec

B
West Palm Beach, FL
Bverdec
Just not a well coached game

It's tough to see them get out rebounded the way they did. It seems like nobody goes to box out on jump shots. Then the turnovers and fouls from an older team like this is inexcusable. They fell asleep a couple times with the lead too. To me, that comes down to coaching and the attitude set in practice.
 
#188      

Give it to Greene

G
Give it to Greene
Illinithad said:
Fire Groce...lose at least a part of next year's recruiting class...probably the biggest part at least. Start over with making recruiting connections. Set the program back a few more years.

No, I'm not happy we lost at home to Winthrop, but I was worried about this game. I guess everyone assumed we were going to win this thing by 20 since they're Winthrop?

I just get frustrated when everyone loses their mind every time we lose a game. We are going to lose more this season. It's going to happen. But we'll win more than we lose.
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I always love this bogus argument (bold) .... Do you NOT think that losing seasons, and creating an atmosphere of continual losing seasons, and not making the tourney doesn't set (and keep) a program back -- for more than a few years ?
 
#189      

Deleted member 19448

D
Guest
Deleted member 19448
If Whitman is worth his salt he could can groce and higher a replacement that the incoming guys would want to play for. Can't go the mid major route tho. Have to be willing to pay the big $.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#191      

Adnarel

A
Adnarel
Serious question for the pitchforks: which candidates are you high on to replace Groce right now? Completely serious question, because I'd like to hear and research the candidates.
 
#192      

Illinoy

I
Illinoy
Im not concerned about this being a bad loss as much as Im mad about not procuring a good win well within reach. Being up 10 with 2 and some change to go needs to result in a win even if its Kentucky.
 
#193      

Berg88

B
Berg88
IllinistuckinGopherland said:
You had to know we were in trouble when the kid made a falling down, out of control bank shot, followed by a bank in three at the end of regulation. Really wish we could have won in OT. Would've been a great wake-up call for some of the guys who disappeared at the end (Hill in particular).

If Malcolm doesn't make a tourney in his four years, I won't feel that bad. It's his job to get this team there. He can. They can. Tonight he completely failed.

One game. Weird game (refs, banked 3's).

Win Thursday/Friday and all will be forgiven.

We all know it's tourney or bust for JG. I guess it's your choice which one you're rooting for.
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All will be far from forgiven in the eyes of the selection committee. The RPI will not forgive us just because we beat a ranked team. This is a bad loss at home.
 
#194      

GoIllini40

G
GoIllini40
Adnarel said:
I'll simply remind you that John Groce is not at the free throw line throwing up bricks in extra time. John Groce is not the one mishandling post feeds. John Groce is not the one failing to lock down loose balls. John Groce is not the one forgetting to play defense against Mr. Undersized Peg Leg.
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John Groce recruits and coaches the people at the free throw line throwing up bricks in extra time. John Groce is recruiting and coaching the people mishandling post feeds. John Groce is recruiting and coaching the people failing to lock down loose balls. John Groce is recruiting and coaching the people forgetting to play defense against Mr. Undersized Peg Leg.

Stop defending John Groce.
 
#196      

Serious Late

Serious Late
Peoria via Denver via Ann Arbor via Albuquerque vi
Serious Late
Adnarel said:
I'll simply remind you that John Groce is not at the free throw line throwing up bricks in extra time. John Groce is not the one mishandling post feeds. John Groce is not the one failing to lock down loose balls. John Groce is not the one forgetting to play defense against Mr. Undersized Peg Leg.
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No, John Groce is the one subbing in 4 reserves with the team up 14-2.
 
#199      

Ken

K
chitown
Ken
coltjames03 said:
Glad to see you didn't watch the game just come on here and talk about something you obviously know nothing about
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I watched all of the game thats how I know your comment is ridiculous.

We dont know how TJL wouldve responded because he didnt play at all .