Panic Time Yet

And just when I gave up on Illinois....they come back.  Ok, I'll give them my attention for a few more games.  If this team turns the corner Groce gets coach of the year.  If we can beat Indiana, there is no reason we shouldn't win the next four in a row, but I can easily see them losing the next four as well.  

By the way, how the heck do you leave the lower lane WIDE OPEN on a baseline inbound play with .9 seconds left????  I mean when your opponent is having trouble hitting 30% from the field give them the field, but a wide open layup is just embarrassing.

Also gotta give Griffey a ton of credit for thinking enough NOT to dunk that ball. Had to release quickly to beat the buzzer.  Smart play. 

And the out of bounds passer waiting until TG was close enough for the layup.
Could you imagine passing too quickly and T having to shoot a short jumper?

Go Illini.

I think coach groce deserves a ton of credit for that late game comeback. if I remember correctly, after dj hit the first three the Illinois bench held up a sign for the next play. one that had macclaren open under the basket but he kicked it out to dj. I can only imagine that the Illini had a play for the 0.9 seconds on the clock.

I agree 05. It seemed to me that the Illini defense has improved as well, seemed better
this past game. But I have to admit Indiana was very hot shooting, but I don't think it was 
from bad defense as much as they just were hot that evening. 

Go Illini. 

The most impressive thing about the win was that Indiana didn't really play poor,  they had a B type game.  Minnesota will be even more difficult to defeat on the road.  I'm not expecting them to beat Minnesota, but I do think we will finish around 7-11.  We have 3 Wins over top ten teams.  IU, Zags, & OSU.  Butler is a solid win.  We are 4-6 vs. the RPI top 50. and 6-6 vs. the Top 100.  All we have to do is really split the rest of our games and then win one B10 Tournament game and I think we make it.

They just beat the Gophers, and now I'm confused. Who is this team??? Are they a tourney team or not?

Does anybody understand this team? Because I certainly don't.

They have 4 wins against teams currently ranked in the Top 15 and they're 5-3 against RPI top 25 teams.  This is a tournament team barring a complete collapse down the home stretch (which should be the 'easier' part of the conference schedule), but only because they saved themselves this last week.

Should this team make the tournament, I have to imagine that we're someone no one wants to draw in the first round.  If Dr. Jekyll shows up and shots fall, we've shown we can compete with anyone. If Mr. Hyde shows up, we could be blown out by 20.

We are a good team.  Not a great team or even a "really good" team imo.  We simply lack offensive consistency.

However, the thing that Groce has done, which our last coach couldn't do is recognize this for what it is and course correct on the defensive end.  The win at Minnesota and IU were pretty much  the same offensive team we've seen since conference play started, just the defense and ball protection
has gotten much better.

Seems like Groce has kind of taken the position of 'ok our offense sucks, but that doesn't mean our defense has to suck as well'.  Good move coach.  Paid off this week. 

I don't see the same offensive team at all, maybe the same plan.  With Griffey hitting his threes, this is a completely different team to guard and compete with.  It is very hard for college teams to handle a 6'9" forward who hits threes consistently.  It opens up everything and everybody for driving to the hoop, hitting thier own threes, and getting rebounds.  It also slows up the opposition when the threes go down vs. them getting long rebounds and going the other way for easy transition baskets.  With Griffey hitting, the defense even gets better because it forces the other team to manufacture points.  I'm glad that Groce has put more emphasis on defense because it was needed anyway, but Griffey is the key to everything that has happened over the past two games.  Without his contribution, these are different games.  Also, I don't think Richardson's contributions can be overlooked at all.  He has been clutch and Paul has been relatively consistent as well, especially on defense.  

I see TG missed his threes, but rebounded, drove to the bucket,
some really nice hustle, at least 7 pts. Nice hustle TG.
Other teams have to respect you, which helps us.


Go Illini.

I havent been around this board in a while, so i just saw this thread for the first time, and BOY dont some of you feel dumb.

Not all of you, obviously beeing down on this team after going 2-7 to start B1G play was expected (I was as well,) but to the people questioning coach Groce as a coach and recruiter i say HA.  The season may have been in question for a few weeks, but the future of illini hoops never was.  Groce is the guy.  Start looking at the kids in the 2014 and beyond recruiting classes who have us on their short lists.  It's impressive.  Hell, the guy even landed a top 20 class for 2013 before he ever coached a game here.  Some people...

Looks like the team is in prime position to get a favorable seed in the NCAA's, I just hope we dont get an 8/9 seed.  Either way, there isnt a team in the tournament that will want to play us.  It will all depend on the draw.  Beat Nebraska and home and Iowa on the road (both winnable) and we are guaranteed a .500 record in the toughest conference.  OSU is a good match up for us, so that is a game at the end of the schedule we have a shot at.  Depending on how far we make it in the B1G tourney i think we are in the 5-7 range in the NCAA's.  Win out the rest of our schedule, and win 2 in the B1G tourney and i think we sneak into a 4 seed.  It could happen.

I see us finishing 8-10.  maybe 9-9 if we can squeak a win in at Iowa.  Remember only two teams have went into Carver-hawkeye Areana this year and won.  I don't expect to get that one and Ohio State is playing better ball lately. For us to beat either of those two teams on the road will take an A game from the Illini to win. I am thinking we will end 21-11; 8-10 and need one win the Big Ten tournament to wrap an at large selection.  I see us around a 10 - 11 seed if that happens.  The only way we could end up as high as a 5 seed is if we would win the Big Ten Tournament.

I think we have a better chance of beating Iowa than OSU, but agree that chances are not favorable @ either.

As for 2014 recruits on the radar:

Cliff Alexander (PF) is supposed to be at the game today, and word is we have made up a lot of ground and are back in on him.
JaQuan Lyle (PG/SG)
Leron Black (PF)
Larry Austin (PG)
Kevin Zabo (PG)

Thats a good start for ya if you want to go to YouTube and search for videos.

Also, coach is very high on a JuCo pg from New Mexico JC named Desmond Lee (there is a really good vid of him on YouTube as well.)  There is serious interest from both parties.  He would be coming in this fall if we landed him, so someone would have to transfer after the season.  We will have to have transfers anyway if we land any of the guys above for the 2014 class, since we only had one open spot and it has already been filled with a verbal committ from Michael Finke, a 4* power forward from Champaign.

Couldnt resist posting vid links, partially because i am super excited too and wanted to go watch em again lol.

Cliff Alexander: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tPH8p5sa34]
JaQuan Lyle: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFCPHtORESo]
Leron Black: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhCIGY1rPW0]
Larry Austin Jr: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6x0NmNJxHU]
Kevin Zabo: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNKNxpjKdJQ]
Desmond Lee: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFZhDjfy7Rk]

Looks like Sam McLaurin may be done for the season with a sprained ankle.  This is not good news as we were already thin as it was at that position.  

8507, could you give us some names, maybe links as well, for those
who have us on their short list in 2014 etc? You got me really excited.


Go Illini.