Game Day Essentials: Game #19 at Illinois

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-8) vs Illinois Fighting Illini (9-8)

 

 

Date: Saturday, Jan 16th, 2016
Time: 1:30 p.m. CST
Arena: State Farm Center

 

 

Broadcast Information

Television: BTN

Online: BTN2GO

Announcers: Jeff Levering and Shon Morris

Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka
Expert Analysis: Matt Davison

 

 

Illinois Scouting Thread

Illinois Info

 

Head Coach: John Groce
Location: Champaign-Urbana, IL
Conference: B1G 10
Nickname: Fighting Illini
Last time out: Beat Purdue
Typical Rotation Depth: 7-8 players
Opening Line: Illinois by 3.5
Fun Fact : The last time Illinois had a week to prepare for Nebraska at home they were the only team to beat Nebraska in their last 9 games of the magical 2013-14 season

 

Player to watch - Malcolm Hill
The more I look at the 6'6" Jr's numbers, the more I see Terran Petteway. Hill is a volume scorer...not super efficient but he's the guy who can score when they need it. He's a so-so 3pt shooter but good enough. He gets to the FT line a lot. There are too many good shooters for Illinois to stop him without them killing you...it's really about containment.

 

Player to watch - Kendrick Nunn
Nunn is more like pairing White with Petteway than Shields if we're going to follow along with our Hill comparison as Nunn can just flat shoot, hitting 42.9% from 3 and 54.7% from 2. His biggest problem has been staying on the court, much like a lot of his teammates, as he's missed 6 games this year.

 

The Skinny
With the exception of last year's trainwreck, Tim Miles teams improve over the course of the year and this team is no exception. Sure they should have beaten Rutgers and Minnesota. Absolutely demolished them? That's impressive and is a nice sign to see from a team about to face a gauntlet of 5 rough games starting with a hobbled Illinois team on the road.

 

Much like Nebraska, Illinois has little inside presence with the loss of senior transfer Mike Thome and forward Leron Black, leaving only redshirt freshman Michael Finke and Maverick Morgan at their 5 spot. Thus, the team is more about Hill creating and the rest of his teammates like Finke, frosh SG Jalen Coleman-Lands, and Nunn hitting 40% from 3 if you double anyone. The Illini don't turn the ball over much and cover the defensive boards well. Can the Huskers be even more aggressive on the offensive boards while not being burned by a Illinois team that like to run on offense?

 

Illinois has a chance to win this one at the FT line but other than Hill it's not their game. To me, this game all comes down to who makes the most 3s. While Nebraska has defended that shot more effectively than Illinois this year, I'll have to take the home team in this one. In what should be a close and competitive game, let's home Nebraska does figure out a way.
Prediction: Illinois 71 - Nebraska 67

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[jimmykc]

At least no one can accuse Dimes of being "cocky". I'm expecting a repeat of the 1921 game myself.

[Silverbacked1]

At least no one can accuse Dimes of being "cocky". I'm expecting a repeat of the 1921 game myself.

which one? the first or the one the next day?

[Red Don]

The First One!  Remember The Alamo:  "Win One for the 'Beke!'"  

 

 

We have a great chance if we can hold them to 25 points again.

 

 

"Hold 'em to 25 again!"   

 

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Illinois Likely Starters                

No. Name              Pos Yr.   Ht.    Wt.   G/GS   PPG RPG  Other

 1   Jaylon Tate         G   Jr.    6-3   170   13/10    2.5   1.3   2.7 apg

23  Aaron Jordan     G   Fr.    6-5   190   16/5     4.4   1.1   0.8 apg

25  Kendrick Nunn   G   Jr.     6-3   190   11/9    18.8   5.5   1.3 spg

21  Malcolm Hill        G   Jr.    6-6    220  17/17  18.1   5.8   3.4 apg

43  Michael Finke     F  RFr. 6-10   230 17/10     9.8   3.6   1.3 apg

 

Nebraska - Likely Starters

No          Name                        Pos.       Ht.          Wt.        Yr.          GP/GS   MPG      PPG       RPG       APG

 3             Andrew White III         G           6-7         216         Jr.           18/18     28.1        17.3        5.9       0.7

 5             Glynn Watson Jr.        G           6-0         165         Fr.           18/6      21.1        7.3         1.9        2.7

12           Michael Jacobson        F           6-8         222         Fr.           18/9      14.6        4.3         3.5        0.4

31           Shavon Shields         G/F         6-7         225         Sr.           18/18     30.2      15.5        5.4         2.9

32           Benny Parker             G           5-9         175         Sr.           18/18     25.7        5.0         2.4        2.4

     Rotation

 0             Tai Webster              G           6-4         196         Jr.           18/12     26.3         9.5         3.7          1.9

10           Jack McVeigh           G/F         6-8         210         Fr.           18/0       17.2        5.4         3.1          1.1

11           Bakari Evelyn           G            6-2         178         Fr.           10/0         6.5        2.1         0.8          0.3

23           Nick Fuller               G/F         6-7         204         So.          15/0         7.5         2.4         1.5          0.1

24           Jake Hammond        F           6-10        235         So.          17/8       11.9         2.6         3.3          0.2

30           Ed Morrow Jr.           F            6-7         225         Fr.           18/1       13.6        3.8         3.4          0.1

      Bench

 4             Johnny Trueblood   G            6-4         195         Fr.            7/0         3.6         0.7         0.3          0.6

15           Malcolm Laws          G            6-1         190         So.           5/0         3.4         0.2         0.4          0.0

20           Tanner Borchardt     F            6-8         274         Fr.            6/0         4.0         0.7         1.0          0.0

[brfrad]

At least no one can accuse Dimes of being "cocky". I'm expecting a repeat of the 1921 game myself.

 

We have a great chance if we can hold them to 25 points again.

[hhcmatt]

i guess it was who misses the most 3s. I didn't real expect that from a team with a week to prepare