Tell me more, please!
Wisconsin 69, Illinois 60 POSTGAME
Tell me more, please!
Oh, I know, and in the other thread, when folks were talking about head coach jobs that might open and Wisky was mentioned because Alvarez wants a national search, the thought sure crossed my mind that if they let Gard go and we let Groce go, I'd sure think about talking to Gard. Hard to believe they'd fire Gard if they make the tourney, but we don't know of the relationship between Alvarez and Gard. (Sorry, Dan, getting off topic and will suspend.)
Chris Yates
Recruiting Correspondent
- Michigan
Richard Pitino might be available if Minnesota makes a logical choice . . . .
It's a relationship between Barry Alvarez and someone in his department who draws attention and spotlight. You can take a guess.
But of course, Wisky will let Gard go and somehow end up with Tony Bennett because good things only happen to everyone other than us.
1. This is not a truly bad Wisconsin team, but it is one of the least talented teams they have had in a while. Obviously Hayes and Happ with Brown thrown in give them a pretty decent front line, but the other players are more solid contributors than the stars that Wisky has had for many years.
2. They tried to give us the game. It is rare to see a Wisconsin team shoot that poorly for a full half of basketball. We should have been up 15 at the half, not 5. Still, we came out well in the second half and pushed the lead, but then the dreaded dead spell pretty much ended the game for us Opportunity lost.
3. Malcolm Hill played hard and well. He is a legit All B1G first teamer in my view. A good game, but a losing cause.
4. Kendrick Nunn started out really well, but he got to 15 and sort of faded. Not a bad game for sure, but it looked like he was headed for a really big game early on.
5. Mav played hard, but Happ is obviously a rising star. Fortunately he is not much of an outside shooter or a free thrower, but if he develops his shot he will be something.
6. Finke also played hard, but he looks like he is hitting a freshman wall. He did hit some big threes, but it was too little too late.
7. The rest of the guys had less than stellar games, and Hill and Nunn didn't have enough to win it all by themselves.
8. A lot of the fouls called on us were legit, but that was a huge foul differential. It seemed like some of those close ones could have gone the other way. Oh well, it was Wisky in Madison.
9. We are coming home, but I don't think it is going to get any easier. Hopefully we are learning, because we ain't winning.
2. They tried to give us the game. It is rare to see a Wisconsin team shoot that poorly for a full half of basketball. We should have been up 15 at the half, not 5. Still, we came out well in the second half and pushed the lead, but then the dreaded dead spell pretty much ended the game for us Opportunity lost.
3. Malcolm Hill played hard and well. He is a legit All B1G first teamer in my view. A good game, but a losing cause.
4. Kendrick Nunn started out really well, but he got to 15 and sort of faded. Not a bad game for sure, but it looked like he was headed for a really big game early on.
5. Mav played hard, but Happ is obviously a rising star. Fortunately he is not much of an outside shooter or a free thrower, but if he develops his shot he will be something.
6. Finke also played hard, but he looks like he is hitting a freshman wall. He did hit some big threes, but it was too little too late.
7. The rest of the guys had less than stellar games, and Hill and Nunn didn't have enough to win it all by themselves.
8. A lot of the fouls called on us were legit, but that was a huge foul differential. It seemed like some of those close ones could have gone the other way. Oh well, it was Wisky in Madison.
9. We are coming home, but I don't think it is going to get any easier. Hopefully we are learning, because we ain't winning.
Well stated, that is actually talking about a lack of execution and I would agree with everything there. Unfortunately, Finke just isn't able to get the inside touch down low to present any type of real threat yet which leaves us with only Morgan who was on the bench for a large portion of their run.
What a different season this might have been (starting all the way back to I believe we win the Iowa State game) if we don't lose MT.
"He took an 18-year old kid and helped him become a man both on and off the court. No words can accurately describe what Coach Ryan has meant to me and how he has changed my life," Frank Kaminsky
Guys were trying to draw contact. Lewis had some good plays tonight.
I get frustrated with MH for pressing too much at end of games
illinoisfan11
- Peoria, IL
I agree. Sad to think of what might have been with a healthy Abrams, Black, and Thorne.
Actually really can't guess, unless Ryan is still in the dept.?
Deleted member 4960
D
Guest
Too many turnovers and missed shots in that 2nd half slump. I hate it when our offense just sits out front and waits for Malcolm to make a play. Lewis in this game was just as bad as Tate ever was. He had so much room up top and still couldn't do anything with it. I agree the officiating did help them on that run. It took several possessions out of our hands and gave them free throws.
Richard Pitino might be available if Minnesota makes a logical choice . . . .
Last I checked, Minny was down in Charleston trying to convince Tom Michael to move north :thumb:
Barry buys his own hype big time and does not get along with anyone who doesn't consider him the sole reason for Wisconsin's success. He also still considers himself head football coach emeritus.
Bielema, Gary Andersen, Bo, Gard, even Sean Frazier, I heard.
Truly, this. Crying about the stripes, no matter how bad they were, is sour grapes. Big leads should not turn into 9-point losses. We stopped executing and Wisconsin started their run by playing defense. It's textbook good basketball. Someday Illinois will play good basketball again. I've got a lot of time left alive to wait for it, and thank God for that, for how far away it appears now.
This was yet another game, mostly in the first half, where we couldn't corral a loose defensive rebound if our life depended on it. Ball hitting the floor, bouncing right past guys, etc. Kills me. That's what spurred Wisky's run to get back the lead in the 1st even though they couldn't make a shot. Just grabbed their own errant bricks and pass underneath for a dunk.
Why didn't they go to the monitor for that call? I didn't think KN touched it either.
I actually thought KL had been playing really well the past handful of games and didn't see much to take issue with in this game either.
About a month ago I'd have agreed with you though
ILL in IA
- Iowa City
I'm fine with his game when it in rythem. It's the catch the ball at the top of the key. Try to shake your guy, can't and follow up with a spin move in traffic missed shot possession. I'm OK when Hill decides he is going to get a shot up no matter what. Same for Nunn. But I don't like when Lewis does it.
It would be nice if we would play an entire strong 40 minutes instead of only 30. Only one positive caveat from this game - commentator Jon Crispin going out on a limb and predicting us to be in the top 25 next year (we'll see if your prediction comes true, Jon, in about a year, standby).
Bob Christiansen
- 4th & Chalmers, a few years ago...Now? Weeki Wach
This. Play good, and the refs won't have to determine the outcome. Playing in an opponents gym, you expect homers...get over it and execute...
well that is a voice of reason....and true....but it would be a bit unfair to think the stripes did not have an effect on things. A somewhat sizeable effect....and of course Groce not making shots for 2 segments didn't help...
Just finished watching the game. While the officials did not help, that is life on the road. Obviously Wisconsin seems to get more whistles than most, but you have to be mentally strong and play through it. We just don't have a mentally strong team. When things go bad we abandon our offense and things snowball. Part of this is due to so many young players and part of it is the mental drag of a season where so many things go wrong. Hard to be confident and to stay together after all of the negative experiences of this season. I did like the effort. This team has not quit on Groce.
frozenrope9190
- Aurora, IL
If anything, this game tells me that we can play with these guys, and most of the teams in the B10. We're not that far off from being a player. Get this season out of our systems, and come back next year with all of our guys in tact, plus TJL and Kipper and LB (who I think will be back).
To find a positive, it was nice to see Finke knock down a couple of shots late. Maybe that will help get him out of his funk.