Purdue review
Thoughts from Sunday's Senior Day victory against Purdue at the Assembly Hall ...
--Overcoming adversity has not been a UI strong point lately, but that wasn't the case Sunday. The Illini overcame foul trouble to Lacey Simpson, who sat out a key 5-minute stretch late in the game. They overcame their own mistakes, most notably 23 turnovers. And they overcame the ... what's the word ... jinx? ... that seems to hang over the Illini program whenever it takes on the folks in black and old gold.
Of course, when the Illini play well -- and the offense, turnovers aside, ran much smoother Sunday than it has in most games since early January -- it makes you wonder why this can't be the case more often.
--Good to see a nice turnout for seniors Whitney Toone, Lacey Simpson and Jenna Smith on their big day. They deserve it. As I wrote in the Live Report, I'd put Simpson and Smith high on the list of the players I've covered when it comes to cooperation with the media. They are engaging and never fail to offer something to those of us who rely on comments after a game, even the most disappointing defeat.
Their individual accomplishments speak for themselves. But they'll also be missed off the court.
--Speaking of which ... Smith's quest to break Ashley Berggren's scoring record boils down to this: How many games can Illinois win to extend its season? If the Illini don't win one of the next two -- Sunday at Northwestern in the regular-season finale or the March 4 opener of the Big Ten tournament -- their season (and Smith's career) will come to an end. Illinois must be at least .500 overall at the conclusion of the Big Ten tournament to be eligible for the WNIT, and right now the Illini are 14-13. There is no guarantee, of course, that the WNIT would select Illinois, especially given the way the standings currently sit. It's possible that the Big Ten will have six WNIT-eligible teams after the NCAA tournament grabs its share (likely Ohio State, Michigan State and Wisconsin). Will the WNIT take all six? Can't imagine that it would, but stranger things have happened.
In any event, Smith needs to play as many games as possible to catch Berggren. Smith trails by 53 points, so she'll probably need at least three games to get there.
--Kersten Magrum's improvement seems to have really taken hold on the offensive end. Against Purdue she was aggressively looking to shoot or make something happen, reflected in her ability to get to the line (where she went 5 for 6). At the risk of stating the obvious, Illinois needs Magrum to be an offensive factor next season. Her midrange jumper might be the best among the UI's underclassmen.
Can't help but wonder how far advanced Magrum might be if she had been on the court more during the season's first 15 games.
--For a variety of reasons, this isn't a vintage Purdue team. But don't get too giddy about the Boilermakers' slippage. It might be short-lived. Next year's team will look a bit different, boosted by the addition of transfers Drey Mingo (Maryland) and Antionette Howard (Florida State), along with the return of injured post Chantel Poston (Achilles tendon). Purdue's post play has been an issue, but it will improve with Mingo and Poston in the fold next winter. The continued development of players like Alex Guyton and Sam Ostarello would be another boost.
The Boilermakers lose guards FahKara Malone and Jodi Howell, but Malone's role will be filled by freshman KK Houser. I'm a big Houser fan. Love her game. Look for her to become a standout in this league soon, perhaps even next season.
--Can you guess which team has the Big Ten's worst road record? Yes, Illinois is 1-7. But the Illini have company at the bottom. Purdue also is 1-7. But the Boilermakers are the only team to be undefeated at home (8-0 entering the home finale against Michigan State on Thursday).
--Illinois' victory means that the last place team will have at least six conference wins. That's never happened before. The most wins by a last-place team had been Minnesota in 1989; the Gophers won four.
The parity within the league is no surprise. Two wins separate the fifth through 11th-place teams, a jumble that most folks expected.
--Reminder: The weekly Friday chat returns at 1 p.m. Friday. Click here to submit a question.
I agree, Tony. There were many positive things in the Purdue game. I believe I might have seen a couple of tears, even. I thoroughly enjoyed the game and what it represented.
Now for some what ifs. What if: Purdue's free throw has been better. Ouch! They were horrible.
What if some of our turnovers had been better anticipated? It seemed to me that passing has been a weak point this year. And then...there are the turnovers that occur right under the basket! Ouch!
Great crowd. Too bad we had to let lots of folks in free to see a good game. Purdue had a good, vocal contingent, too.
I thought that Macie Blinn worked hard on defense; it is too bad that she cannot seem to have some plays set up that she can put up some treys. She is good at passing and can draw the defenders out to shut her down.
What will next year bring. Brianna Jones adding some muscle under the basket? Will Fabiola have more influence on the flow of the game? Will Amber be able to find a spot in the rotation? Will Karisma learn that the competition is much better in the Big 10 than in HS? She needs to put the ball up without setting a dribble first. Get those hands accustomed to handling the ball.
There are many, many positives about the future with Illinois Women's Basketball, I hope that more fans show up to enjoy this special sport.
I really wish the Illini well in the tournament. They need two wins to boost their confidence to start next year.
At last! Someone who wants to be positive, and truly analyze what we have.
We do have something for next year, two top 100's coming in, with hopefully Moore rejoining. Overall, the rest of the Big Ten did not do well in recuiting, with 7 teams failing to sign a top 100.
You did forget a major "swing" player. Lydia. If she could improve as an individual, we could improve as a team. Illinois has not had a true point guard since Maggie Acuna, who was not a scoring threat. The last true point guard with score threat was Shavonna Hunter. Wow, a blast from the past!
I cannnot resist the temptation to say that Lori was not a great point guard, but she had not been trained in it, and she worked her butt off.
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