'Horns hook Illini in OT
For postgame updates follow Klee on Twitter
NEW YORK CITY - It might take some time for Illinois to forget Thursday's result.
For the Illini's sake, it better not take too long.
Texas beat No. 13 Illinois 90-84 in overtime at Madison Square Garden on Thursday. The loss dropped the Illini into the third-place game at the 2K Sports Classic. Illinois will face Maryland at today (4 p.m. ESPN2) - roughly 17 hours after the loss to Texas.
"It's a tough situation," coach Bruce Weber said. "But we put ourselves in this bind."
The blueprint's still out on the Illini: Beat 'em up and they won't beat you back. The Big 12's 'Horns were the more Big 10-like team in the semifinal round of the 2K Sports Classic.
Time will tell if the defeat was a Las Vegas-like omen for the Illini's season. But there were clear signs that Illinois hasn't overcome the problems that plagued last season. Texas (4-0) beat up Illinois (3-1) in a literal sense. The Longhorns' big men searched for contact, while the Illini frontcourt often shied away.
The starting big men for Texas - led by a sophomore (Jordan Hamilton) and a freshman (Tristan Thompson) - combined for 61 points and 21 rebounds. In comparison, the Illini's starting bigs had 24 points and 21 boards.
"It's not about strength. We added the weight in the offseason and we're stronger," senior Bill Cole said. "It's about wanting to go get the ball and playing aggressive."
A pair of salty freshmen sent the game into overtime. With 24.6 seconds left in regulation, Texas guard Cory Joseph drilled a jumper over his former prep school teammate, D.J. Richardson. Illinois freshman Jereme Richmond tied it with a layin that fell through with 11.2 seconds left - and just as clocks on the Eastern time zone hit midnight.
"We've got to bounce back from this," Richmond said. "It's just one game. We've got a lot of basketball left."
NBA rookie Evan Turner - the former Illini nemesis - spent time outside the postgame locker room chatting up the Illinois players. He told Richmond, "Keep doing what you're doing," and mingled with former teammate Demetri McCamey. The latter played like a future pro in front of numerous NBA scouts, finishing with 22 points, eight assists and five rebounds.
But when the going got tough, Illinois didn't get tough enough. There was more complaining to the officials than combating the Longhorns. Texas opened the second half on an 8-0 run. It also opened overtime on an 8-0 run.
Sophomores D.J. Richardson (15) and Brandon Paul (12 points) also answered the call. Richmond had 11 points.
1. Jereme Richmond looks like a player but he is learning quickly how to be a whiner to the refs like the rest of the team.
2. What defense??
3. DMac was pounding the ball a lot- he looked like he was having a pro tryout
4. We let 2 guys beat us and it was obvious from the beginning who they were
5. Rebounds from the center position- same as last year- not much
6. Depth?- how would we know it's a 7 player rotation- we better pray nobody gets hurt- Weber just can't do it and it will cost the Illini later in the year and probably some transfers- this team was TIRED and it showed
at least we can now play guys who want to play. sit our senior big men (is that what you call them?) and play Leonard and Richmond. the Champign kool-aide brigade had better change their tune after that performance. Hard to believ these guys have not improved from last year.
Tisdale and graduate fast enough. He must have pictures on Weber because I can't understand why he keeps rolling him out there doing the same weak BS!
Cole hustles I will take him on my team off the bench, but Davis & Tisdale are weak PERIOD.
DMAC, Richmond, Richardson and Paul have to play all the time. If Griffey or Myers get a mean streak and board play them at the 5.
I am so sick of Weber BS not playing the best athletes! Purdue Bruce needs to look in the mirror on some of this!
It is time for Richmond or Paul to get in the starting line-up...they have a better chance of starting the game or half with burst than Cole does...I am not a Cole fan, but I think he showed up last night...why can't Cole provide the spark off the bench Weber talks of all the time?
Where was the depth? Griffey barely gets minutes...am I wrong or did he not have good showings last year in big-time games...Bertrand? Head? not good enough to get on the court? Leonard looked good against weaker teams, rough night last night...how about grabbing a rebound instead of slapping or tipping it..
heyillini,
I totally agree with ya about Davis, if something doesnt go his way he just mopesaround and he rolls his eyes and he doesnt hustle, I just cant stand that about him. He used to be one of my favorite players on the team but then I got to watch him and it's like he only wants to play hard when he wants to and not every game.
Personally I was curious why Griffey didn't see the floor more, I would have put him in over Leonard. Griffey has more experience. But as always it is easy to criticize after a loss. There are always things we as fans think we know. I still like the team and will watch every single game this year, I am loyal. Saying that and admiting my Peoria bias (since I am from there) I think it is time to have Cole be a spark off the bench like some have mentioned. I thought he gave great minutes yesterday and two clutch 3's in OT to bring the game close again.
My only observation from that game and these fan boards.... relax, its one game that we were competitive in against a ranked team. I don't actually know what Weber is thinking with his starting rotation but his ability to find a lineup that could tie/keep us in the game and the fact he COACHED someone else's talent to a nat'l title leads me to believe the man knows what he's doing. I get the zooker criticism, not the flack weber gets. He's had to deal with awful talent after 05 and still has managed to do okay with them.
Sorry bit of a wenalway type rant tossed in there, the guys rubbing off on me.
If I was weber the freshman are not starting against the first ranked team we play either. Because they're freshman, and while they're good they are... just freshman. Meyers had a terrible game yesterday and while Richmond showed his potential (closing down the last few min) I don't think his entire body of work screams I'm prepared to be a starter. Give them a little more time to get acclimated to the college game. With Tis and Davis your either going to get a lot of productive min or none at all. There is no in between and as a coach given the youth on this team I'd rather see if I can start those guys and get going, at the very least the early parts of the game will tell me how I need to be subbing so I can give Meyers and Richmond the time they need. Davis had a ton of DD's last year and Tis was efficient at times as well the whole game looked like everyone was just off except DMac and I think it bodes well that we took them to overtime given that. Had Paul or DJ started lighting up 3's like they're capable or driven better to the basket we would have won. Additionally had Davis and tis not shot 2for20 or whatever awful stats they put up we would have won the game.
In sum the Frosh will get their starting spots this season if, and they probably wont, davis and tis can't start playing like "bigs" instead of "littles" The season is young and lets wait to see how good Texas is when they play pitt and how good/bad we play maryland tonight to get a better sense about this team. One thing I do agree with people on here is 1. Griffey should have seen the court more. 2. Cole would be a better 1st of the bench although the kid has been pretty clutch with 3's the past few seasons. 3. Depth was not utilized well, Bertrand and Head both need to start seeing the floor, I know they're both trying to shake some rust off but they way we were playing yesterday, Dmac excluded, they would have looked just as good as the starters.
Who says, I feel your frustration after a loss but "athletes" don't win basketball games. I think with another 12 inches I'd be athletic enough to step out on a basketball floor but that doesn't mean I'd be better than Tis.... know what I mean?
@ heyillini you hit the nail on the head with your comment about Davis. I think he needs to start wearing his t-shirt under his jersey again because there is no reason to show the guns if your not going to fire them. GET PHYSICAL!!!!!! I say start Jereme over Davis. Hopefully we are just all overreacting it's still early and it was a top 25 team that we got beat by. We'll see who shows up tonight.
Weber won a national title? When? We should celebrate.
The inaccuracies; the incomprehensible writing; and the plain ignorance of basketball are embarrassing. I hope no other schools' fans see these comments.
Last week I saw some Minnesota fans driving either back to their state or to Chicago for the rest of the weekend. I was hoping they did not listen to local radio, or they would hear the awful post-game rants.
My Macchiato chart has the fans pretty low, although IlliniDan does get some points for that comment about Richardson and Paul.
Finally, the constant complaining about the officials should stop, both here and on the court. I don't know who was signaling for a traveling call on Texas while the play was still live, but that player should be on the bench for at least half the next game. Right now some of the Illini players look like they are in a grade school P.E. class.
Wenal thanks for pointing out the error of my ways, thinking won a big ten title and went to a nat'l title and the two blended together much like the finger paint on paper plate art u made today in the home. I'll get back to u on the rest later bc I'm driving. Get excited
Wow.
Ok.. so Cole shouldn't be our 5th starter... agreed. But our 5th starter is not Richmond. It's Paul, if anyone.
Davis is who Davis is. He has not improved on that, and unfortunately, evidently, cannot. He is more than serviceable, but very frustrating.
Tis is not a presence on the inside. Let's accept that and use him for what his talents are. Blocks, occasionally... some mid-range jumpers and an occasional 3. OK. Again, more than serviceable, and in his case, probably a starter.
Paul needs to continue to get open PRIOR to getting the ball. He is successful then. He is also taking it to the rack with some success, although it is apparent that he is "timeable" as is Richardson, when driving... meaning you can set up for the block fairly easily... whereas McCamey is variable with his speed and doesn't allow for the three stride leaping block.
Cole can... well... shoot an occasional three and offer effort... but he is nothing more than an occasional calming effect.
Richardson show flashes of ability and an entire body of work that showed that he is truly not ready yet. But is closer than some. Please stop whining. Please stop being smug when you score YOUR FIRST TWO POINTS and disproportionately cocky when you score your 3rd and 4th points. Unreal.
Meyer. Grow a sack. He "postures" between plays, like he has a sack. Show it between the whistles, wuss. C'mon. Your taller and bigger than anyone on the floor. GRAB a rebound.
There is more. I have to stop.
I think the newcomers and old school players are adjusting well and are getting a feel for one another. When the freshmen step in, its breath taking, and heart stopping. With Richmond's keen eye to spot an open man and Leonard's intensity- those two are really going to be an unstoppable, dynamic duo.
-Glad to see Meechi and Mike Davis on point.
Comments
IlliniHQ.com embraces discussion of Illini sports. We welcome you to contribute your ideas, opinions and comments, but we ask that you avoid personal attacks, vulgarity and hate speech. we reserve the right to remove any comment at its discretion, and we will block repeat offenders' accounts. To post comments, you must first be a registered user, and your username will appear with any comment you post. Happy posting.