2013 NCAA Tournament

[Exile on Waveland]

Tom Crean actually stopped to shake the guy's hand?

 

Oh yeah, they won and he doesn't need to act like a petulant child

 

He stopped and talked to Bo Ryan for quite awhile after IU's loss in the Big Ten Tournament. Mainly, he just does not like Thad Matta at all (and the feeling is mutual).

[mul21]

Is anyone still SUPER ANGRY PISSED that Illinois hired Groce?

 

I don't recall that being something that was expressed here. There were concerns, yes, especially after the disaster the football season was with a similar coaching hire. I think most, myself included, were hopefully optimistic considering the combination of his recruiting successes and the consistent uptick in wins at Ohio. Nobody was jumping up and down excited, but I don't recall many ready to jump off a bridge about it.

[Formerly Snayke]

Is anyone still SUPER ANGRY PISSED that Illinois hired Groce?

 

I don't recall that being something that was expressed here. There were concerns, yes, especially after the disaster the football season was with a similar coaching hire. I think most, myself included, were hopefully optimistic considering the combination of his recruiting successes and the consistent uptick in wins at Ohio. Nobody was jumping up and down excited, but I don't recall many ready to jump off a bridge about it.

 

Someone called it a disaster and someone else wanted Frank Martin. Both were silly overreactions.

Edited March 25, 2013 by Formerly Snayke

[mul21]

Is anyone still SUPER ANGRY PISSED that Illinois hired Groce?

 

I don't recall that being something that was expressed here. There were concerns, yes, especially after the disaster the football season was with a similar coaching hire. I think most, myself included, were hopefully optimistic considering the combination of his recruiting successes and the consistent uptick in wins at Ohio. Nobody was jumping up and down excited, but I don't recall many ready to jump off a bridge about it.

 

Someone called it a disaster and someone else wanted Frank Martin.

 

The former is an over reactor and the latter is a moron.

[Splendid Splinter]

I only correctly picked 9 of 16 teams. Easily my worst year

 

 

The only thing I can proud of about my bracket is that my Midwest bracket is perfect so far. South/East are "ok", but I had Georgetown/UNLV going elite 8. West is just flat-out UGLY. The only thing I have right so far is Ohio State and that's it. Yes, that means I had Southern over Gonzaga (the only time I've ever had a 16 seed over a 1).

 

 

So I got 11 out of 16 right and that's probably my worst in 10 years or so that I've done brackets although I might've had 10/16 one year.

[Formerly Snayke]

From a distance I thought he did a pretty good job and I'm not sure any other hire would've netted the same results.

[bukie]

The runaway success that was John Groce's first season

[illiniguy]

From a distance I thought he did a pretty good job and I'm not sure any other hire would've netted the same results.

Who said those things?

[Formerly Snayke]

From a distance I thought he did a pretty good job and I'm not sure any other hire would've netted the same results.

Who said those things?

 

Flamz and someone else.

[Cubswin11]

Tubby got fired

[Irrelevant Dude]

Tubby got fired

Sporting News is reporting that Minnesota may pursue Shaka Smart. If he turned down Illinois, what would possibly make Smart want to go to a lesser program in Minnesota?

[SouthSideRyan]

Tom Crean actually stopped to shake the guy's hand?

 

Oh yeah, they won and he doesn't need to act like a petulant child

 

He stopped and talked to Bo Ryan for quite awhile after IU's loss in the Big Ten Tournament. Mainly, he just does not like Thad Matta at all (and the feeling is mutual).

 

He did it to Bo like 2 months ago.

[Guest]

Tubby got fired

Sporting News is reporting that Minnesota may pursue Shaka Smart. If he turned down Illinois, what would possibly make Smart want to go to a lesser program in Minnesota?

Their current AD hired Shaka at VCU.

[Exile on Waveland]

Tom Crean actually stopped to shake the guy's hand?

 

Oh yeah, they won and he doesn't need to act like a petulant child

 

He stopped and talked to Bo Ryan for quite awhile after IU's loss in the Big Ten Tournament. Mainly, he just does not like Thad Matta at all (and the feeling is mutual).

 

He did it to Bo like 2 months ago.

 

And he made a point to rectify this "issue" (which is totally a non-issue anyway). There are dozens upon dozens of games that Crean has lost at IU at which this did not occur--basically, the entirety of his first three years--but this "issue" has been magnified based on a couple instances. It's deeply silly, and blatantly factually incorrect to say Crean is petulant after every loss (besides, he acted petulantly at Michigan after they won the Big Ten Championship outright).

[Formerly Snayke]

Let's just agree that Crean is hiding the bodies somewhere.

[rawaction]

Wow! That was rough. For me game ball goes to Remy Abell. He had to play some big minutes and I thought he really frustrated Wyatt late in the 2nd half and early in the 1st. He started to force some things, though did get a lot of them to fall. Also, Hulls +/- had to be huge.

 

Exhale. I've said all year long I was really worried about the second game. Fran Dunphy is a really good coach so I'm not surprised he had the blueprint; I am,however, surprised Temple (102nd in defensive efficiency, 200th in offensive rebounding percentage, and 139th in tempo) had the capacity to do that. Fortunately, they really only have one good player, any more and they win. I'm also pretty surprised IU won, as this is the first time all year they've won such a game.

 

Syracuse should be interesting. It's hard for me to say if it's a really bad or a really good match-up. They are big and athletic, and offensive rebound very well. They play excellent defense and are a slower tempo team. On the flip side, they're not the muck-it-up halfcourt style team that has given IU the most fits. And IU has some things they should be able to do well against the zone. Zeller/Watford/Sheehey should be able to cause damage at the free throw line shooting (latter two) and passing out to shooters (former two, hopefully all three). Louisville offers up a great blueprint in the second half of the Big East Championship Game with Dieng at the free throw line. I'm also glad IU is playing Syracuse the first game of a weekend, so they have longer to prepare (Crean is very good at game-planning, it's adjustments that are an issue). It should be interesting.

 

 

On Illinois, I thought in real time and replay the ball was clearly off Miami. It's even worse than that, though, because in general that is the exact kind of close call the officials almost always will defer to the offensive team (especially if that team is losing). (Though perhaps there is

some angle proves imb right?)

My thoughts exactly on the Syracuse game. I'm really glad Crean has an extra few days to gameplan rather than just the one. Also really glad Fab Melo left school last year. He'd give Zeller fits. I think we matchup well across the board, but worry about our ability to solve the zone. I don't know that anyone has played Zone against IU all year for fear of the 3pt shooting.

[hawkeyecub]

Illinois is probably going to take a one-year step back next year, right?

[SouthSideRyan]

Illinois is probably going to take a one-year step back next year, right?

 

Unless Rayvonte Rice is better than I'm expecting, yes. They lose 4 rotation players, and are almost certainly going to have to play 4 wings with Myke Henry at the 4 at least to start.

[bukie]

Illinois is probably going to take a one-year step back next year, right?

Really good recruiting class and plenty of playing time available to give them. Couple of transfers to ease the process somewhat, and Abrams/Egwu/Bertrand/Henry return from the rotation. Biggest challenge will be to see where the scoring comes from early on.

[mul21]

Illinois is probably going to take a one-year step back next year, right?

Really good recruiting class and plenty of playing time available to give them. Couple of transfers to ease the process somewhat, and Abrams/Egwu/Bertrand/Henry return from the rotation. Biggest challenge will be to see where the scoring comes from early on.

 

I'm most concerned about outside shooting. Henry can shoot, Abrams is okay, but unless somebody shows up able to knock down threes, it could be a long season on the offensive end. Egwu developing a bit more should help, but there's a lot of holes to fill.

[illiniguy]

Illinois is probably going to take a one-year step back next year, right?

Really good recruiting class and plenty of playing time available to give them. Couple of transfers to ease the process somewhat, and Abrams/Egwu/Bertrand/Henry return from the rotation. Biggest challenge will be to see where the scoring comes from early on.

 

I'm most concerned about outside shooting. Henry can shoot, Abrams is okay, but unless somebody shows up able to knock down threes, it could be a long season on the offensive end. Egwu developing a bit more should help, but there's a lot of holes to fill.

Malcolm hill can shoot. Well be worse at the start of the year, but better than this year by the end, IMO.

[radarluv1]

Seemed that Bertrand and Abrams were better earlier in the year, than later. And not just in the very early cupcake games. Any injury or other factor to explain this? This lack of development is the only negative I would give Groce this year, with a lot of positives. Egwu still looks like a guy who started playing organized ball 3 yrs ago, but way better at the end of the season.

[Magnetic Curses]

Illinois is probably going to take a one-year step back next year, right?

 

Unless Rayvonte Rice is better than I'm expecting, yes. They lose 4 rotation players, and are almost certainly going to have to play 4 wings with Myke Henry at the 4 at least to start.

 

i think maverick morgan is going to get a lot of early playing time for better or for worse. we'll see something like:

 

abrams/nunn

rice/hill/nunn

bertrand/henry/langford

egwu/henry

morgan/egwu

 

9-man rotation. depending on how the shooting is, there is a distinct possibility that latulip sees some time. but, as has been said, hill can shoot, nunn can shoot, henry can shoot. i have no idea what to expect from rice, but he's got a reputation as a pretty mean customer.

 

i think they'll be better next year, over .500 in Big Ten play, they won't disappear as much due to the streaky shooting of richardson and paul and will most likely have more of a consistent identity apart from chucking. they're going to miss the scoring though, a lot, and somebody's going to have to step up.

[SouthSideRyan]

Rice can't shoot, but he can take it to the basket, and seems to actually want to.

[Derwood]

Take your false Illini hope to the other thread. This is for teams that are still playing