I’m Good With That January 31, 2013
I think this will be my shortest ever postgame post. I’m not really sure what to say. When your opponent shoots 88% in the second half, and shoots 32 free throws in the second half, and goes the last 11 minutes of the game with only two empty possessions (the over and back call, plus, technically, the Abrams strip under our basket after Dawson rebounded the ball was a “possession” for MSU), well, you’re just not going to win. We got Harold Jensen’d. Every time they crossed half court (except one time), they scored. Not much we can do at that point (besides, you know, play better defense and stop fouling).
So now that’s two consecutive games where we’ve looked better – looked more like the team we saw in December – and two consecutive losses. Michigan is just really good – best team in the country and whatnot – and Michigan State completed what was nearly a perfect half of basketball. It’s funny – they made 14 of 16 second half shots, and they got the rebound on both misses. So we played an entire half of basketball without a single defensive rebound. Is that a first for us?
Wait, is that maybe the first time that’s ever happened in college basketball? There are very few 88% halves. You have to limit your shots – nobody is going to make 29 of 32 – so you’d have to have the officials call, like, 16 fouls in the half or something. And then you’d have to make nearly every shot. And rebound every miss. Yeah, this has to be the first time it’s happened.
I’ve seen a lot of comments saying that the first five minutes of the second half (and MSU’s 14-0 run) was the difference in the game. I just can’t look at it that way. Their shooting + the large number of free throws is all I can see. It wasn’t a five minute run from Michigan State. It was a 20 minute run. We just happened to score at a ridiculous pace for the last 15 minutes and somehow keep up with them.
And because of that, I’m good tonight. Not really upset. The Purdue loss still sticks with me (especially after they lost at home to Indiana by 37 points – at home, in the one game they get up for every year, by THIRTY SEVEN POINTS). The Northwestern loss really sticks with me (how can that happen?). Michigan on Sunday and Michigan State tonight? What can you say? Best team in college basketball, and then best half of basketball I’ve seen in a long time.
If Michigan State shoots 65% in the second half and only gets to the line 20 times, we’re probably talking about The Myke Henry Game. Not just scoring – his defense was impressive. My one white-hot anger moment at the officials centered around Henry’s reach-around deflection in the second half that was called a foul. He showed a little Roger Powell tonight – undersized four chases down rebounds and hits threes and plays solid defense against bigger guys – and that will be much needed in the next two seasons.
In fact, we saw a lot of good from next year’s team tonight. Our best second-half run came with only one senior on the floor. Abrams-Richardson-Bertrand-Henry-Egwu, while foul happy on the defensive end, made a solid run after Michigan State pushed the lead to six or eight. Take that lineup, replace DJ with Rayvonte Rice, bring in the freshmen off the bench, and there’s your 2013/14 Illini.
Overall, it felt like the surprise win to get us back on track towards a tourney berth slipped away tonight. A win in this game would have erased that awful Northwestern loss, and then we’d just be looking through the schedule for something to replace the Purdue loss. Now, we pretty much have to win two of the next three (Wisconsin, Indiana, at Minnesota) or we’re officially dunzo.
Which, before the season, was about what we expected. But after Butler and Gonzaga and Ohio State, we all had high in the sky apple pie hopes. A #10 ranking and big-time recruits tweeting about our new, fun style of play.
And now we’re right back where we started. Yeah, maybe I’m not so good with that.
We had 3 defensive rebounds in the second half, all off of free throws. Yes, still a ridiculously low number, but those do count.
Illinois managed to make more threes than they had turnovers last night (9 to 8). Yet still lost. I’d venture to say that that is similar to an NFL team being +3 in turnovers, and still losing…it happens so rarely that when it does…there should be no positives from it at all.
When the bar for satisfaction is simply not getting blown out (and I dont even think Michigan qualifies…they won easily), I think you need to truly reassess the standards you have for Illinois basketball. In other words, I could understand apathy in place of anger after performances like this. But I could never understand satisfaction.
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A game at MSU is an expected loss. Every year. Pretty much for every team in the country. Nothing to see here, folks.
Interesting comments from a member of the ’89 Illini. Scoop Jackson asked him for his thoughts on this year’s team.
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“Unfortunately,” he responded in his text, “these are the same soft-a– cats who got Weber fired. Straight front-runners who can’t handle adversity. Teams have them scouted out. Might have to sneak into the Dance.”
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Hard to figure out if its toughness, or head-problems, but we are not in a good spot my friends.
Is this the same Scoop Jackson who confidently asserted on Dec 24 that Da Bears would retain Lovie Smith? Consider the source.
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Same Scoop Jackson who accused ND of racism for firing Tyrone Willingham -his 11-12 record over his final 2 years had nothing to it, right? I’m with uilaw71 on this.
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Not that the comment doesn’t have some merit but it’s a punk comment to slam guys like that at the school that you went to though (if the comment is even legit). And it appears to be anonymous. Boy, that takes guts.
This is my first knock on Groce. This loss was a little bit on him. Mich State figured out how to run a ball screen and take advantage of our big men hedging. Egwu fouled out because of it. We tried to flash our bigs above the ball screen, but Mich State counterred that with a dive by their own bigs towards the basket. Same formula Missouri used to carve us up. Either we fouled outright when we tried to hedge the screen or we allowed easy penetration by the point guard and got caught in a bad defensive rotation.
Groce should have called off the dogs on those high ball screens. I know he loves to defend the 3, and hedging on the high ball screen does prevent the point guard from shooting behind the screener, but it also opens the door for guard penetration and/or a dive by the opposing big man setting the screen. If we don’t hedge that aggressively, then the opposing guard struggles to penetrate, and he’s left to try to make 3′s from behind a screen all night. And after about the 5th time they successfully execute that play, I believe I’d make them shoot some 3′s and take away the super easy buckets we were handing over.
It’s easy to shoot 88% when they’re ally-oop dunks and easy lay-ins.
I saw it mentioned on here or Illinois Loyalty before, but JG really likes DJ Richardson. He praises his effort and attitude over and over. (Many times in front of the cameras)
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But one thing I rarely see is the same sort of praise given to BP. I wonder if it’s because BP doesn’t need to be lifted up the way DJ did/does (Since it seemed Weber did a number to DJ’s game) or if it’s because JG knows that BP is a bit of a head case that tends to get lazy and become selfish.
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Last night would tend to make me lean towards the latter. BP was awful out there at the start of the second half, and when he started giving MSU the game back, he got lazy on D. And when JG took him out (and he was out for awhile I believe) we started to pick the game back up. JG is not afraid to bench BP. Which is good, because I think this season needs to go back to expectations of “Let’s play a deep rotation, get some young guys playing time, and if we make it to the tourney than we have overachieved.”
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So I guess we can start BP if he deserves it, but if he goes braindead for awhile, let’s just leave him out and get our younger guys some time.
Amen Hoppy! BP has really been mentally absent for the last couple of games. And he started to show up late in this last one with some effort. I just wish somebody would help him bring that effort consistently like he was earlier this year.
Great point law. Scoop also was the guy who predicted 6-6 Ticket City for our football team. He is not to be trusted.
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My guess BBQ is that the quote came from Nick because I dont see Bardo or Gill saying that to a member of the press. I’d love to have a punk like Nick back on our team.
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No doubt, DanO. Nick was a tank…one that could also fly. I’d kill to have a beast like him on this team. BP can be that guy at times. But, unfortunately, when he starts launching shots wildly, he apparently can also be Earvin Small.
Indiana best team in the country.
Coming to Champaign thursday night as #1 in the country.
Robert, I have to ask…you must feel silly wanting to give John Groce an extension back at Christmas time. 4 straight double digit home losses. That is unheard of. This guy isnt a good coach. His offense is playground nonsense and his defense is a ton of switching which results in mismatches that good coaches exploit. Wisconsin didnt even play that well today and won easily.
Looking forward to your mea culpa.
Joe John, might want to check the batteries in your calculator. 74-68= 10+???
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Our seniors are garbage. It’s like McCamey, Tisdale, and Davis…but worse. At least they finished out by making the tournament. Kind of hard to win consistently in the big ten with this cast.
Sorry – I turned the game off when it was 62-47 with 3:47 left. Listened to John Groce’s post game news conference (you know, those things that he wins in place of games). This genius got real defensive when he was questioned on the switches. He said they were fine, but that Illinois just didnt execute backside help. Said that they did it vs Ohio State and were fine. Now, this guy just got embarrassed in a game at home…in a game where he puts a 5’10 walk on in and gets a switch onto a 6’10 guy…and Groce says that it was fine, just bad execution. Then he goes onto to stress that the Illinois players dont “trust the system”…So Groce believes in his system, but the players just dont execute it. I have to question any system that allows for a 5’10 guy to get switched onto a center and backed down for an easy lay up.
Illini fans, alot of them…did not like the John Groce hire. They should have stuck with their first instinct. In terms of Xs and Os…Groce and Beckman have alot in common. In fact, I’d say in Big 10 play…they look quite similar.
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You’re an absolute trip, JJ. First of all, you get way too jacked about us doing poorly in both football and basketball.
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Second, you seemingly put all of the blame on Groce and none on the fact that the personnel on this year’s team is pretty the exact same as last year’s team which did horribly under Weber minus an NBA lottery pick. We just don’t have the horses, friend.
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I don’t even understand your motivation anymore – to constantly bash? What good does that do. It’s Monday: Beckman and Groce suck. It’s Tuesday: Beckman and Groce suck. It’s Wednesday: Beckman and Groce suck. What’s on Thursday’s menu?
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And BTW, JJ, since you hate Groce so much, I believe you said Frank Martin was a better choice. The Frank Martin whose team is 12-9, 2-6 in conference? Eh, you’re probably right. That would have been a good choice. With the added bonus of potential scandal.
Grogs, but Frank Martin would run around and scream and punch a player, and that’s what JJ is all about. That wins games, I’m sure.