uneblinstu's post game chatter: ed 6, vol 24 - Illinois

Benny's effort tonight cannot be overstated.

Shavon gets POTG, but Benny was the difference maker (if that makes any sense, I don't know, I've had a few tonight).  Benny's D turned the game around for us.  We're lucky to have him.

Boom! All I got! Great win

This is the game that would usually make me a piss-ant for a week. I am so happy.

I have this odd feeling that we're going to have to start getting used to this winning stuff.  Tim Miles is the man!

It was nice to win despite the refs. I could not believe some of those calls

I don't know who he is, and I am pretty sure he does not appear in these pages, but God Bless the gentleman sitting next to me tonight at the start of the game.  He had to be taken out by the perimedics who responded swiftly to the medical emergency.  I hope it was simply heat related, but I fear that wasn't the case...

Also, when they hit a three to go up six early in the second half, petteway came right back and nailed one of his own. So nice to have a clutch scorer like that.

Man... And it was just a mere few weeks ago people were giving up on these guys. They have it in them.

Great win tonight.  Illinois has some good athletes, but we played with great intensity with the exception of the beginning of both halves.  Again, nice to win the games.

- Refereeing stunk...I have to say it, they simply stunk. 

- The crowd was good to great.

- The heat at the PBA is close to unbearable.  Lord.

- Perhaps the biggest struggle I have seen in awhile rebounding.   Chalk it up to a very athletic Illinois team.  But some of it was a result of our mental lapses.  Same on some defensive breakdowns.  I will call out our senior.  He simply looked lost in his role at times.

- Shavon!!!  Way to bring it tonight.  Wowser.

- Terran...nice game but stop reaching...I know, I know, some of those calls were...ahem...questionable, but still.

- Walt had a couple of good stretches.  We need you to be more consistant.

- Good defensive and rebounding effort by David.  Nice to see.

- Ray, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

- Tai...eh, need you to finish on offense and,

- It is nice to see Benny step up.  He is not much of an offensive threat, will he isn't an offensive threat, but his defensive intensity picked us up.

- Leslee did okay, but man, he seems to be only about 60% of what we saw earlier.

That last 8 seconds of the first half was a bit...ummm, disturbing or something.

- Benny was amazing. Favorite player and it isn't even close

- Terran with a quiet 16, but he took some questionable shots. They dropped though

- Shields was outstanding. 2 big threes early and 15/15 from the stripe? I hope his knee is alright, oh my gosh I hope its alright. 

- Rebounding was suspect, but Rivers cleaned up some of them

- Tai needs to attack the basket more. I don't think he needs to be getting points for others, he needs to attack

- Leslee is really good against non-conferene opponents. I'll leave it at that. 

- Walt with a big three. Played decent defense as well. Came a long way

- Pretty decent crowd

- Dogs were okay. One of the dogs was miserable. He dropped like 4/6 and then didn't catch a single one of the long balls. May have been the guy throwing it to him, though. 

- Can't believe we couldn't get Peltz in the game

I don't know who he is, and I am pretty sure he does not appear in these pages, but God Bless the gentleman sitting next to me tonight at the start of the game. He had to be taken out by the perimedics who responded swiftly to the medical emergency. I hope it was simply heat related, but I fear that wasn't the case...

If you sit in 115, and I think you do, no that did not look good. That was not a heat related thing.

I was going to post before the game tonight that I thought we'd learn something about the kind of team we really have.  The recent success could be exposed as smoke and mirrors or we could find out that some of this unbridled optimism may have been warranted.  

This game could have put to bed any discussion of NCAA tourneys or even post-season of any significance.  I had said before that we're either good enough or we're not.  And if we're good enough, we will close out at home.  I think based on tonight, we look good enough.

I thought Illinois was frankly better than Indiana and worried me more going into the 2nd half.  But the boys, especially Shavon, buckled down and put the game away.  After watching this, I actually think we have a chance to win one of these remaining road games.

Defense was top-notch for 90% of the game tonight.  Credit the assistant who scouted this one.

Shields 15/15 ties a record!

I am just happy right now, this is the sort of game we traditionally lose and we didn't!  Yipee!

Which one of our players is leaving early to the NBA; I couldn't tell tonight, Petteway or Shields?

We just need to be loose on Sunday and go into MSU and have fun.  No pressure, just see if we can steal one.

The Penn State, Purdue and NW games are huge.  

3 more wins and we are in the NIT!

And one major takeaway from tonight:

Shavon and Terran make for a very formidable one-two punch.  They do a lot of the same things very well.  Shavon is getting his groove back.  I knew he would.  It took some time for these guys to figure out how to compliment each other.  But you could see it the last home game where Shavon started being a little more aggressive when Terran was out and trying to get to the rim.  

They're both in the 6'6" to 6'7" range.  They both can score from the perimeter or put it on the floor and get to the rim.  They both have the ability to attack the rim and have the strength to hang onto the ball.  And if you stop their drive, they both have the ability to pop from the outside.  And they're both very good free throw shooters.

Assuming neither one leaves early to go to the pros (hey, could happen) the next couple of years look pretty promising for the big red.  We need that big guy who can defend the paint and snare all the defensive rebounds.  We're that one big away.  But the core group of players otherwise are a group that can really give you some things.  Really bring some things to the table.

Really like the way Shavon and Terran can attack the rim.  Seeing Shavon go off tonight was awesome.  They're lovin' the rim.

Shields 15/15 ties a record!

 

I am just happy right now, this is the sort of game we traditionally lose and we didn't!  Yipee!

 

Which one of our players is leaving early to the NBA; I couldn't tell tonight, Petteway or Shields?

 

We just need to be lose on Sunday and go into MSU and have fun.  No pressure, just see if we can steal one.

 

The Penn State, Purdue and NW games are huge.  

 

3 more wins and we are in the NIT!

You mean "loose."  Very important distinction in this case.  Not grammar-copping you.  Just pretty sure you don't want us to go in there Sunday and lose.  Amiright?

We need a big and a point guard and a shooter to complement Petteway, Shields and our role players.

That was in the 2nd half when we forced a shot clock violation and Benny was in Ray Rice's jock and wouldn't let him get a good look at a 3 at the end of the clock.

crowd was weak tonight

crowd was weak tonight

Had it's moments. This is still a fan base that's been let down so many times when they've had chances, there's a bit of a reluctance to jump in the deep end just yet. It wasn't the best crowd of the year, but it got pretty loud in there at times. I wouldn't call it weak at all.

 

That was in the 2nd half when we forced a shot clock violation and Benny was in Ray Rice's jock and wouldn't let him get a good look at a 3 at the end of the clock.

 

Yeah man, I got so caught up in watching Benny do his thing I didn't even notice the shot clock was running down. Seemed like the rest of the crowd was late in recognizing that as well. Parker was awesome tonight.

Why is the crowd continuing to be weak? What has to happen?

Loved the students trying to get the crowd going reminder me of Tex am

crowd was weak tonight

I agree.

We are getting better, win and play hard and the crowd will get better. We are some what new at this too.

I'm too busy cheering to worry about the rest of the crowd.  It was a fun ballgame, especially seeing Shavon & Benny do their thing on O & D, respectively.