Panic Time Yet?

Hard to believe, we are 14-4 but we've lost 3 of our last 4 games and this is looking a lot like last year, where the team lost confidence after losing some games.

That game today was hard to watch because Wisconsin just outplayed us in every single facet of the game. We've really got a problem with a lack of an interior presence. Griffey hasn't shown up for the last few games, Egwu keeps getting in foul trouble and is pretty inconsistent offensively, McLaurin does well defensively but he is offensively challenged and has a hard time getting shots up, even from close range. I mean the fact that Shaw played a lot of mins. doesn't bode well for us considering this was one of the first games where he has been given significant minutes and that was due to foul issues.

It seems like when the 3's aren't going down, the team doesn't have another way to win the game. You would think the next 2 games (Northwestern and Nebraska) would be winnable, but I don't know. I just hope Groce keeps their spirit up and does not allow them to lose their confidence b/c this is looking a lot like last year. Only difference is the coach at this point, so we have to hope Groce can instill the confidence in these guys that Weber could not.

Would help if we could hit more layups and get some rebounds.  It's pretty bad that the other team gets so many rebounds on their own free throws....jeez.

Our offense also seems to have degraded to the no assist drive to the hoop plan.  

There were a lot of things that went wrong in Wisconsin but I think more than anything Bo just scouted us very well.  What else would you expect?  I think he knew our weaknesses very well, just like Tubby did, and used them against us.  I still like Groce but he's getting picked apart by coaches who can easily see our weak spots and exploit them imo.

I still think that winning on the road in the Big Ten is harder than in any other conference. If I remember correctly, even the '89 team only went 5-4 on the road in conference. But...

This won't be a popular opinion, but I think Groce should start building now to try to make the NCAA tourney...in 2014.

Djimde, Langford, Shaw, and Henry need to play NOW. Are any of us really thinking that the seniors are going to lead this team to a sweet 16 run? I have decided to not comment about individual players this year, but looking at box scores shows that some guys still are not consistent performers even as seniors. Why continue to try to build the team around them? Let the young guys play their way into or out of more playing time for next season by letting them show what they've got now. Sticking with upperclassmen who completely sucked is largely what ended Weber's tenure.

Missing the tourney this year won't be a catastrophe. Missing it next year as well because they tried to make it this year and didn't give minutes the the young guys would be very disappointing.

I know the youngsters will make mistakes. But playing 20 minutes and only grabbing one board and shooting 1-11 are mistakes as well.

I think Griffey has been very dissapointing over the last several games. He's kind of like Bill Cole in a lot of ways. Just a lot of unseen potential with him.

Also, a lot of times, Richardson seems to be inconsistent and loses confidence or just jacks up 3's instead of being a penetrator like he was as an underclassman.

Based on Groce's presser after the Wisky game, I would expect there to be more energy from the guys or Groce will make changes and it will start with Griffey being replaced by Bertrand.

Bertrand has long deserved to be a starter on this team. We lose a little size but Griffey can't rebound for crap and all he's got is a 3.

I highly doubt we make the tournament this season and we will likely be looking at a 3-8 conference record after our first 11 games.  I do agree that Griffey has lost all confidence in his jump shot and has been frustrated to no end.  I have been disgusted with our lack of guard play over the last 7 games.  We have done nothing but one on one crap and jack up terrible shots.  We don't share the ball as well as we did earlier in the season and this is limiting the quality shot attempts in this recent skid.   If we expect to get any more W's during this season we have got to start playing team ball.  I think Lankford needs more PT.  Egwu needs more touches and Brandon Paul MUST become a leader if we are to make any run at all this year for a tournament bid.  Some of this is just the fact that the Big Ten is the biggest and nastiest it has ever been in it's existence.  It is a meat grinder of a conference this season.  Possible 3 National Championship contenders in Michigan, Minnesota, and Indiana.  

We are still ranked in the top 25 dsespite getting our @sses kicked by 20 in the last two games and losing 4 of 6.  That should make for good laugh for many.  

I'm no Illinois fan, but I do think you guys will get into the big dance, maybe as a 10 or 11 seed but still... You do have wins over Butler and Ohio State so far, and a 14-4 record. Finish close to .500 in the conference and I think you're a lock.

The big 10 is stacked.  This will be a grind for Illinois and when march hits we will see how we are doing.


No reason to panic.  They need to play some D and get tough, especially inside.

Balance is everything.  You can only shoot so many 3's.


Early in the season, their ball movement seemed to be 1 step ahead of everyone else.


Peaks and valleys.

Not panic time, but time to start rebuilding the program and benching players who are not performing.

Disagree...  Why would you think the younger players would be any better or would be better in the future???  Have you seen any spark when they come in (maybe Bertrand but he is not a younger player)???   Shaw just fauls and takes shots...  McLaurin, I love his effort but he is just a mid midmajor athlete that should not have been brought to Champaign.  Is Illinois a mid major team that needs to thrive because their players stay for four years?  We have taken steps backwards with coaches since Self.  Champaign used to be a tough place to play and I remember when the fans were crazy...   But after three straight home blowouts, wow... I remember when we were bad but played tough at home because we had toughness.  I watched them play in Maui and they looked great; but then again they looked great early last year... 

I was never a a Weber fan but it will be fun to see if people say that Groce lost because of Weber's players... I see our recruiting taking another step back and us being as good as our seniors like a midmajor...  I don't see him recruiting any big stars...  Sad to say how the program has dropped...  I remember when they were bad but played with effort and toughness...  It took time to build up our program but it has gone down, look at how many coaches turned the job down for a mid major program..  Just saying...  I hate to say it's time to go back to the days where Illini are not a factor...   I love the Illini but darn....

Illinois was blown out at home by a team that has never had an NCAA tourney appearance.

When the horse is dead, it is time to dismount.

Three of the four seniors combined for 19 points on 5/17 shooting while chewing up 87 of the 200 available minutes. Include Paul in that four and they shot 3/16 from the 3-point line. Are we still thinking they are going to get better and lead this team to the NCAA tourney?
At this point in the season, every Big Ten team knows every other teams' strengths and weaknesses. The games are only going to get tougher as the shortcomings are exposed more and more.

But you're probably right. The seniors are going to improve and lead the team to the tourney.

Anyone interested in purchasing beach house? Located in central Illinois.

Playing the younger guys now will help them get better for next year or find out that they should transfer.

Let us count the number of times we watched one illinois player with the ball drive into 3 defenders resulting in a turnover.  They are mental migits.  They taste success, then they inflate their egos and think its all about me.  I have sat back and watched the same event happen back to back seasons now.  Just look at the body language and game decisions in the last 7 games.  They play much more together and with confidence when things go well, but soon as they get hyped up in the media you begin to see all this one on one, I am a NBA star, take it to the hole 1 on 5 bullsh****!t just starts to increase, then after a couple crap games like that all their confidence just dissapears and they don't even try on defense.  

It is what it is and your not fixing this problem unless you clear the bench.  It's a lost season.  Who are we going to be beat looking like we did last night? Or any night in 2013 this year for that matter. The last 3 games Illinois has been outscored 67-84, 51-74, and 54-68. We have been outscored by 54 points, had 15 assists in those 3 games combined and shot 8-58 from three while giving up 27-54 to their opponents.  This team is worse than last season.  We won't win 5 games in conference this year.  At least we have football to look forward to....oh wait its even in worse shape.  lol

We lost to Northwestern at home....and it wasn't close!  Goodbye top 25.  And this year's tournament is looking bleak.

I have a bad feeling about the rest of the year. I doubt we make the
big dance, unless we can start hitting our shots, which means getting open,
which means passing the ball, and setting screens, playing as a team.

I also think there may be dissention on the team, but hope not. Or maybe
some are attempting to make the NBA, feel they are on the bubble.

Whatever it is, we have not been playing as a team,,,, until we just beat
Nebraska. It will take a team effort. 

We need to recruit some real star players, but if they go to other schools, what
can one do.

Go Illini.

The only NBA caliber player is Brandon Paul. DJ does not strike me as a selfish player and he doesn't strike me as an NBA player either, so I don't think he is thinking NBA.

BP3 was doing great things earlier in the season, helping his NBA stock rise, so I don't know why he would deviate from that course and start doing his own thing.

I don't agree with selfishness being the reason for the slide. The reason for the slide is lack of confidence and lack of accountability. Say what you want about Weber, but this is the same group of players minus Leonard that choked last year.

Weber and staff could not reach them. I know Groce and staff are working hard on trying to get them over the hump.

I have a stange feeling Illinois is going to knock off Michigan, the same feeling I had when I thought we were going to lose to Purdue to open Big Ten play.  It's long a shot, but would it really be that surprising adding Michigan to the list of great teams we have beat this year?

Thi is a huge opporunity for this team, and they 4 more if we don't get this one.  If they just keep playing hard!  I think we can be in it at the end of this game. 

Agree, I have the same feeling... I hope they play hard and pass the ball...  Go ILLINI

Agree, I have the same feeling... I hope they play hard and pass the ball...  Go ILLINI

We don't improve as year moves on.  Same thing last couple of years.  We are no better than we were in November

Brandon Paul is starting to heavily remind me of Brian Randle, in that we are never going to get the complete packeage with him. Brandon is a good kid, but it just seems as if he gets lost in his own ego at times.   Tracy shows the same personality traits.  Given that, I still think we played hard last night, but Michigan has my vote for nations best team.  We missed some good shots in the 5-10 foot range last night really hurt our chances of staying with them.  They have a beastly trio in Burke, Hardaway, and Robinson III. I can't think of any team with a better 3 man combo.  I thought DJ played great last night despite his 1-7 start from the field.  He did play great defense on Burke, but Burke is what he is and thats a top 5 Lottery Pick. 

I just think the Big Ten may be too tough for the Illini to squeek into the the dance this year.  If they can find a way to split their next 4 games they have a shot, but that is going to be one tall order.  Minnesota is struggling and we get Wisconsin at home.  Those two might be our best chance at stopping the slide.