Yes while our recent losses have been disappointing, one came without one of our top 2 players and best defender and tonight we also had another solid defender and top 3 scorer out. Even with the poor officiating we still would have won both games if we just make our free throws at our normal rate. Once we get them back we are good for a final four run and maybe take it all. We will be ok.It was painful to watch, kinda like a slow-motion train wreck. But not all that shocking when you consider the Illini were without 25% of their rotation and 67% of their playable guards.
Wagler sat out one minute and the result was a 5-0 Wisconsin surge, including a turnover that led to a layup.
I give the players who did play credit for battling throughout. I would guess some of the missed FTs, a couple of the turnovers and maybe even the failure to corral a couple rebounds were due in part to fatigue.
Why we don’t have more playable depth is a fair question because injuries, illnesses and foul trouble happen every season. Part of the answer is the type of season the Illini were having put a premium on narrowing the rotation to keep stacking wins.
The short-term goal of a B1G title is probably gone now. But the bigger picture goals are still within reach. If they can get healthy.
We only had 6 healthy players.I don't understand why we basically only played a single guard the entire game. Our chances of winning, while having no way of keeping their two guards out of the paint, was a risky gamble.
What's a makeup call. When you call your ex - wife or girlfirend? It wouldn't be an Illinois board if when we lost, a number of people go after the officials. We are famous for our complaining. Would rather be famous for our support. But in either event, the officials had nothing to do with tonight. Wisconsin watched film and beat us off the dribble and had we made our FTs in regulation, we win. That simple - but watch Keaton, Mirk and Tomi.... they were gassed and missed free - throws.I’d say we deserved to get makeup calls tonight. The problem is we played a team coming off a game where they get jobbed worse than us.
From a pure entertainment standpoint. I’m not sure why the league wouldn’t have wanted a banger Illinois versus Michigan title game. But hey, idk
Not exactly understanding this. All we need is to win the next 3.The short-term goal of a B1G title is probably gone now. But the bigger picture goals are still within reach. If they can get healthy.
100%Guys, did y'all see this? It should've been a 10sec call with 30sec left in 2H.
21:55 -
We should've had the ball to win it.
I will always think BU is a very good coach, his record proves this, but I will always have serious concerns that he is a coach who could win a National Championship? The annual bad losses at home don’t give a fan much confidence in him ever being able to win the kind of games it takes in the E8 and F4. So far, he has not looked up to the task in his 9 years at Illinois?2 home loses is absurd. Lee or petro have to give at least 2 or 3 min if we don't have Andre or bos. Can we please just stop having injuries
Help me understand when in the first half where Jake picks off a pass and goes into our half court and tosses it back to Keaton…. we loose possession based on back court violation. Looks like Walger is in air and on our side of the court.
What am I missing or not seeing? I have rewatched it several times… is there an explanation I am missing?