Illini grade vs. Ohio State: F
Player of the game: Mike Thomas
Question isn't if, it's when. An NIT home game — in a half-full Assembly Hall — could create an awkward setting for all parties.
Backcourt
Illinois: D
Ohio State: A
UI starting guards shot 9 for 29 (31 percent). Ohio State's shot 14 for 23 (61 percent). "We got easy shots," William Buford (17 points) said.
Frontcourt
Illinois: A
Ohio State: A
The 6-foot-8 Deshaun Thomas (team-high 19 points) offers an NBA-ready skillset. But the kicker that sets him apart is a nonstop motor. He goes and gets it.
Bench
Illinois: D
Ohio State: B
Good for Ibby Djimde, who met with old friends after the game. His "house moms" from Huntington (W.V.) Prep — Alicia Anderson and Lesli Thomas — made the trip.
Overall
Illinois: F
Ohio State: A
Illinois is one of nine teams to beat multiple top-10 foes (IU, KU, UK, Michigan, Ohio State, Missouri, Florida State, Georgetown). The others will play in the Big Dance.
Illinois would embarrass itself if it accepted a home game during the first 2 rounds of the NIT. Go on the road to an Illinois State or another midwestern school and if you win a couple, then the fans might come for a 3rd game.
Otherwise, you are a glutton for punishment.
An NIT bid may not be realistic at this point, anyway.
McClain should have been named head coach in the 1st place. Don't think the Chicago kids still remember him. Its been a long time since he won all those state championships. Programs going nowhere, why not nuke it and get a "clean" start? Like, maybe Bruce Pearl? Take a few years probation and get some studs in here.
I'm certainly hoping you're joking. Either that, or you're not from around here. Bruce Pearl?? SERIOUSLY??? All too many of us remember how that conniving liar got UI in hot water w/ the NCAA. If you need more information, ask Deon Thomas. I'm sure he could bring you up to speed. Bruce Pearl.....Sheesh!!!
Let's see, if a manager reporting to me had hired a team of 12 and they weren't getting the job done and then came to me and said that the problem wasn't him/her but the employees... oh yeah, that would go over well...
Coach Weber admitted to "playing not to lose" and that's a horrible mentality. I've been a Weber supporter. The last three regular season games are all winnable games. It looks like Mike Thomas is going to let Bruce Weber finish out the season before making any decisions. That would seem to be fair to me. If the coach has "lost" the team you can hardly blame the AD for whatever action he takes after the regular season has finished.
Hey, the Illini only lost by 16 to a ranked team on the road and IlliniHQ gives an "F" grade but a loss to last place Nebraska by 23 warrants a "D"? Sure, that's logical...
Are you going to repeat your posts and spam every article? We get that you think it's all the players fault. Jim and Semo sound like a broken record with their constant mantra of blameless Weber. However it's clear to me these players don't respond to Weber just like last year's group of seniors didn't respond either. These players are without a supreme leader, someone that can connect with them, coach them up and actually have them want to play for him and will respond to him. Clearly Weber's just not that guy. He's not a strong enough leader, not able to command the player's respect and get them to buy in. So keep making excuses for Weber every single year and throw the players under the bus, while nothing changes and Illini stay mediocre and dysfunctional. Weber's 49-54 Big Ten record now for past 6 years is proof aplenty he has failed and not meeting AD's expectations.
Columnist Mark Tupper also said though, in no uncertain terms, that many are now skeptical about Illini players comments in that they have been "coached" to talk about their support of the staff and vice-versa using the same orchestrated script. Not that players would speak poorly of their coach during season anyway for fear of consequences or retribution. But if this is true, this is a a very sorry state the program is in now, seemingly barely held together by scotch tape. Forget what anyone says, there's proof enough of what the truth really is in what's happening on the court. Actions speak louder.
Get rid of Bruce for the NIT and we will fill the hall with a party!! Sure the players have to take some of the blame, but the buck should stop with the guy making $1.5 Mil a year and producing the same crappy results since 06. The guy has only accepted blame after being told he should do so, he still believes it is the fault of the players,the fans, anyone but him. Think its ugly now? just wait ,, coach whiney will say a lot more stupid stuff over the next couple of weeks. Go ahead and blame 18-20 year old students, not the 50something instructor. And how can the Nebraska game be a D but Ohio State an F ? Thought Nebraska was a worse game and loss.
Please stop the madness. To accept an NIT bid at this point would be to lose an opportunity to send a message to these players. You cannot fall apart as a team and expect to be rewarded with a trip and TV time. They would be better served to just get this season over as soon as possible and learn from what happened. None of us know what goes on between the players but when teams fall apart as badly as this, there are usually internal conflicts.
There is no need to speculate on all the inner drama. The only thing these kids need is to do is to finish the season the best that they can under present circumstances and get a break to make some decisions, Meyers' being the largest. If I could say anything to him it would be that he is in no way ready for the NBA. He needs to get much stronger to have any chance to compete effectively at the college level. Dwight Howard would knock ML into the bleachers. Come back for at least one more year. Your family has been poor your entire life and they have made it this far. If you go now and can't stick in the league, you will be poorer in the long run. If you mature and get stronger before going up against Dwight Howard, you have a chance to be a good player at that level, not now.
Think Patrick O'Bryant. He wasn't ready. Where is he now?
I like to watch Leonard shuffling to the top of the key to set one of his patented phantom picks. He covers his jewels every time but hardly ever gets into the defender. Then, sadly, he hasn't seemed to embrace the idea of what a "pick & roll" is all about. He will make a great "project" i.e. benchwarmer for some unlucky team.
So far as the Illini NOT getting an NIT bid--won't happen. Even if we lose the last 3 conference games and the 1st round game in the B1G Tournament, our record would be 16-16. The NIT will take ANY power conference team that qualifies (.500 record or better). I know there are fewer bids available now due to the promise that regular season conference champions who do not also win their conference tournament, get an automatic NIT bid. The losers would be mid-majors with 20+ wins.
So far as turning down an invite--won't happen, either. When there is money involved (although not much, compared to the Big Dance), all schools accept the bids.
U people are as dumb as any fans I have ever seen ! I was a recuit or a good coach I would'nt come
to U of I cause the fans are so bone-headed ! New coach yes, but when you start talking about a kid I draw the line. The people talking bad about kids never played a day of ball and never will your probably someone who used to get slapped around in school heck I might have slap you ! lighten up on the players ! they did'nt ask to come to Illinois you asked them remember that ! No MATTER HOW BAD THEY ARE OR HOW GOOD THEY GET, THEY ARE OUR TEAM AND YOU RESPECT THAT ! WE FIGHT WITH THEM AND WIN , WE FIGHT WITH THEM AND LOSE BUT WE ARE WITH THEM NO MATTER WHAT , BECAUSE THEY ARE OUR TEAM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
finally an actual loyal fan, im tired of hearing all this negativity during this season. us fans need to rally behind this team and show support. we got the whole offseason to reflect and criticize this team. half the reason the team cant get up for a game anymore is because win or lose the media will put this team down.
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