Tate: Illini are flawed, frustrating and fun to watch
CHAMPAIGN — A win is a win is a win is a win.
Bruce Weber's oft-frustrated and always-frustrating Illini survived Minnesota 81-72 in double overtime Tuesday, but they won't get far in the Big Ten title race if they keep committing turnovers and allowing unguarded layups.
"We need to do a better job of guarding without fouling," Weber said. "We made some bad decisions. Five of our turnovers led directly to layups."
This hair-pulling thriller was saved from the trash bin when Gopher Julian Welch, who made 25 straight earlier this season, missed the front end of a one-and-one with Minnesota ahead 64-62 and 15 seconds remaining in regulation.
Meyers Leonard, who had three grievous turnovers in the preceding three minutes, tied it with two free throws at :06.8. And it went from there with Leonard and Brandon Paul taking charge in the second OT.
Amid the celebration of a hard-earned victory, it's difficult to overlook Illini shortcomings. Shaky ball handling led to 21 turnovers — five apiece by Paul, Leonard and Tracy Abrams. These allowed the Gophers to cut into a deficit that stood at 48-35 with 13 minutes left.
Minnesota outshooting was never on the mark, but in the regulation 40 minutes they slipped free for 15 layups, and they had only eight field goals in 41 tries (19.5 percent) otherwise before going into OT.
On the positive side, UI sophomore Joseph Bertrand ran his string of made baskets to 13 straight with four first-half goals. He is now a likely starter, playing 31 minutes to just seven for Tyler Griffey. Leonard (20 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks) and Minnesota senior Ralph Sampson neutralized each other on the block, and Paul (21 points, seven rebounds, six assists) continued to put up good numbers across the board.
Headed away
Nobody ever took better advantage of a second chance than Luther Head at Illinois. His positive experience undoubtedly served as a strong influence with younger brother Crandall Head.
But Crandall had logged three strikes when he announced himself as a non-fit with Weber's Illini, explaining: "It's a shooter's offense. I'm not a shooter. I like to drive and play up-tempo."
Slow to recover from a high school injury, the UI sophomore took Strike 1 by running afoul of team rules (a four-game suspension), missed Strike 2 with an awkward shot from the perimeter and fanned with careless ball handling.
In terms of explosiveness and defensive reactions, he can play for anybody. He is an extraordinary athlete. But it was virtually unanimous that Crandall needs a fresh start at a program where turnovers aren't counted and three-point shooting isn't needed.
Meanwhile, Weber still has point guard concerns for next season, not to mention a hole at center if Leonard turns pro. Freshmen Abrams and Nnanna Egwu have the potential, but they haven't shown it yet. So the extra scholarship comes in handy as Weber again goes into search mode, whether it's prep schools, jucos or whatever.
Tate's tidbits
In losing powerhouse forward Trevor Mbakwe to a November injury, the Gophers arrived in Champaign with a glowing 12-1 record but the worst individual numbers imaginable. The Gophers took the floor with no active double-digit scorer, no one averaging 5.0 rebounds or 3.0 assists, and no one among the 15 qualified Big Ten players averaging better than 40 percent on three-pointers.
Mbakwe's absence is the latest in a series of episodes negatively impacting Tubby Smith's efforts to rebuild the program ... and raising questions with a fretting fandom.
The Gophers haven't fully recovered from the 2008-10 period when 6-foot-8 Royce White emerged in Minneapolis as the state's Player of the Year, only to be arrested twice for theft. He might have recovered from the Mall of America incident if he hadn't been charged with taking a laptop computer in a dorm. White departed, ending the dream of the hometown boy playing alongside Mbakwe in a thunderous frontline.
Meanwhile, crack guard Al Nolen went ineligible at the semester break two years ago and fractured his foot last January. And Canadian guard Devoe Joseph and backup center Colton Iverson transferred after last season.
Joseph leads Oregon in scoring (14.3) after becoming eligible six games ago, and White leads a 9-3 Iowa State team in scoring (14.2), rebounding (9.6) and assists (4.3). Iverson will play next season at Colorado State.
Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at ltate@news-gazette.com.
Before Crandall Head was injured in High School he was once rated as a top 10 player in his class (#5) along with Richmond. Weber had better hang onto his extra scolarship (from Head transferring) for better 2013 class rather than pick up another so-so player like 2012 2star rated recuit Orris. Illinois has upgraded it's recruiting the last few years and now is not the time to backslide. Illinois needed a top PG and yet Weber wasn't able to pull in one of the top rated point guards in the country and it will be even harder for Bruce to pull in a top rated center to replace Meyers Leonard. Not with Bruce's developmental track record with formerly elite players like Richmond and Head and his middle of the Big Ten performance the last few years and no deep runs in NCAA. Top recruits will stay away until Illinois is winning big, developing top recruits, getting them playing time and sending them to the pros. Meyers Leonard will be our best examplke since Deron Williams, but still too few and too far apart compared to top basketball schools.
we picked up orris to provide depth at PG since Tracy would have been our only PG. You arent going to get a top PG to commit when Tracy is already there, not in the very next class. But overall recruiting has been very good, the best its been since the 1980s, so i am really not sure what you are complaining about. Richmond's issues had nothing to do with player development and everything to do with Richmond as a person, I mean, look at whats happened to him. And Head's off court behavior seemed to leave a lot to be desired or he wouldnt have been suspended. We have too many wing players for the minutes available, somebody was going to get left out, and sadly for Crandall it looks like it was going to be him now that Bertrand has stepped up.
Stop all this bashing of head Mr. Tate. It lies with Weborn. ...all of it. This is an example of a kid that did not do as Weborn wanted for everything. You have to work with kids and their level of understanding. Weborn is one way, his. I think that we will miss Head immensly. After all, he had to sit there and watch a pugy guy with no future who dribbles all the time take his spot
and get playing time ahead of him. End of story.
Yeah we would be so much better with a shooting guard who cant shoot, averages a turnover every 9 minutes and cant beat out the guys in front of him for playing time. Bertrand seized the opportunity. Crandall did not. Also Crandall did not take care of business off the court; getting suspended for 4 games when you are trying to earn minutes is not a smart or mature decision.
I wish Crandall all the best. Hopefully he can develop a halfway decent shot and be a player somewhere. Most of all I hope he takes care of business and gets his degree.
Sammyboy...Crandal did not seize the opportunity...OPPORTUNITY...WHAT OPP. WHAT..WHEN WHERE ..WHO WHAT DAY ....DID HE GET HIS START AND CHANCE.WHEN
WHEN WHEN...Hey. if you call getting in and out and in and out a chance, then I am glad I do not play for you. man oh man.
And then Miss Daisy, you'd be complaining that he's making too many turnovers, and why isn't so and so playing more and why isn't the court blue and why don't the coaches all wear the exact same clothes, and why did it snow.
Trust me, I wanted to see Crandall succeed as much as anyone.....and he does have skills......but we don't know what all the issues were. Getting a 4 game suspension has to tell you that he did something unfortunate.
It's not unlike the REAL WORLD......if you screw up bad enough at work, you may face consequences that you don't like.
BPOIL ...I do not complain when all the other Illini make those same mistakes. The up side of Head is tremendous. I guess I need to remind you that when you get a kid with skill (Bertrand) out of the motion, driving and shooting off the dribble, and you give them a chance, then you
see what they really can do. Weborn saw it with Head in high schools but brought him in to be diciplined and run WEBORNS OFFENSE and play WEBORNS MINUTES GAME...and so you saw Head run around passing and picking cause that is the rules that he must go by...so it is now BYE BYE HEAD.
Head was getting just as many minutes as bertrand (minus the games head was suspended) until bertrand broke out during the missouri game. Now how does that add up to bertrand getting a chance and head never getting a chance?
Also why are you calling him weborn? How is that insulting in any way or creative. Its just stupid and makes it seem like youre trying your hardest at all times to come up with new ways to insult him and consistently falling flat
Sqiggy...one more time ...our coach is so stubborn...thus Weborn is his true name. Stubborn that he never plays zone, will not listen to even Coach Knight that he stubbornly uses Leonard out front almost all of the time, stubborn in that we continually use the non productive Motion offense, and stubborn in that he uses a substitution policy of certain minutes in and out and in and out no matter WHAT... NOW what part of stubborn confuses you with a coach named Weber. W e b of Weber,,, O r n of stubborn is = Weborn.
real creative nickname for him you got there. maybe making it webborn would be more obvious? or you could stop using it because in general when you have to explain a nickname to people, it means it's not a very good one.
also you mention in response to your comment below this post, the reason crandall had significantly less playing time than bertrand was because... wait for it... HEAD WAS SUSPENDED FOR THE FIRST FOUR GAMES. Now who did we play the first four games again? O yeah a bunch of cupcakes. So guess who gets a bunch of playing time against cupcake teams? It's the bench isn't it? And doesn't Mr. Bertrand start on the bench? He does you say? What an unbelievable coincedence.
Bottom line: if you would have actually watched all of the games leading up to the missouri game you would have seen what every other illinois fan who actually supports their team saw. Head and Bertrand getting very similar playing time until one player broke out while the other continued to turn the ball over and take/ miss stupid shots. Any major differences in playing time were due to those first four games that head was out for. Im so happy you were nice enough to look up the playing time differences for us though. It was so nice of you, maybe next time you complain about this team, actually watch them play first.
Also: sqiggy? good job, another stellar nickname, it cuts me deep.
Daisy usually I have liked your posts on here but you are way out of line. I agree that the Weborn stuff makes you seem dumb so just stop already. Next, Head had plenty of chances and just doesnt fit the system because he can't shoot and He can't stay out of trouble.
I wanted him to succeed too because of his brother and out of high school he was supposed to be better than luther but luther can shoot. I think its best for Illinois and For Crandall to part ways on ok terms. I wish Crandall luck whereever he goes.
Toddy,,,,check out his min. check out his games played.. He was 10th on the depth chart so how is that getting a chance. Did he ever get a chance to play 15 straight one half, 15 the second half,,,and if he did (he did not for the record) did he get to do that a second time.
I love experts out there telling me that people get chances. Are you telling me one on one he is better than Sammy boy. Tell me...Look, in Weborn system, this was to be expected. Look at our team,,we have way too many kids that are good. How can that work. Tell me Henry is not good,,,got his chance to play more like the 15 min stretch and tell me what the H was the result..and tell me how much he has played since. Ohio State has 10 great kids also, but play mainly 6 once in a while 7.. Did that all of last year and this.. This is part of the reason Weborn struggles. Playing too many kids. Decide the best and play them. end of story GEEZ,,,NOT THAT HARD, DID NO ONE OUT THERE EVER PLAY THIS GAME3.
Tell me how many of these players you know personally and tell me how many practices you have attended??? We don't really know who is a good player and who is not. unless you see these guys practice day in and day out, who knows how disciplined they really are? You are only guessing. Sure everyone would like to be played but I think you have to show a certain something extra in practice and really dig deep and play like it is the championship game every time you play. I know you don't like Bruce and really in the scheme of everything, that will not change anything. You sound like you have no formal education everytime you write. When you blog, be clear thinking and that will transfer over to your comments.
How will we miss Crandall when he never played? If you do well in practice and are an effective player when you are put in, you will get played. There is a reason he did not get played. Get your education, keep out of trouble, and fight to be in the permanent rotation.
Daisy,
Crandall never did anything to deserve being a starter. Also, it wasn't Weber who told Crandall to not go to class and to get drunk and pass out behind the wheel of his SUV. He is lucky campus police found him and not Urbana or Champaign PD. He is also lucky he only got a 4 game suspension. You cannot (although you certainly will) blame BW for CH's bad decisions. I hope the best for CH and I hope he gets the fresh start he thinks he needs.
I’m lost??? Why didn’t he get an opportunity?? How did Bertrand?? 1 week ago Joe’s a non factor.. probably will be a starter next game.. what a bunch of ridiculous people… he’s gone.. it’s best for all.. good luck and have a good life.. I don’t think it will matter at all to us… I just find it conveniently coincidental this happens right after Bertrand’s break out game… he’s better off elsewhere.. move on get over it
I’m lost??? Why didn’t he get an opportunity?? How did Bertrand?? 1 week ago Joe’s a non factor.. probably will be a starter next game.. what a bunch of ridiculous people… he’s gone.. it’s best for all.. good luck and have a good life.. I don’t think it will matter at all to us… I just find it conveniently coincidental this happens right after Bertrand’s break out game… he’s better off elsewhere.. move on get over it
Student Athletes once out of high school have a responsibility to grow up a little faster than the average student. They are recruited to a school program to play in that program. It is part of their responsibility to attend classes, study, attend practices, do their own personal development, and play in the games. They get the opportunity to have most of their school paid for. If for any reason a problem develops the tale should not wag the dog. The student can make a choice to recommit to the original plan or make a choice to do something else. Prima donas have never worked out well at Illinois or any school. Our society however lays upon the athlete from the time that they begin playing organized sports that everything revolves around them. That works for a while and some students get it before others that they have some skin in the game as well. They have to work hard to produce. They are in competition for playing time. My take on watching and reading Coach Webers comments is that he was truly disappointed in the decision to leave. He wants the student athlete to succeed on and off the court. After reading some of the comments I have to believe that the writers have never coached a team in their life and therefore can only put out some venomous comments not out of experience, but out of personal need to have control over something in their life. Decisions about the UI athletic teams are made without their input. That is what the staff is paid for. The UI has a good record of graduating athletes who work at it. Some of them even leave with a Masters degree. This is a good program in a good conference that is very competitive.
I have yet to read any fan giving Coach Weber and staff credit for "developing" potential NBA 1st round draft choice Myers Leonard.
Plenty of bashing and judgement abound for all other aspects of the BB program.
Makes me think a game where a fan can win 100% of the time is what is needed to sooth the raging minds and hearts of these judgemental types. Better yet, use your energy to solve the financial problems in the country instead.
Go Illini!
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