Our mediocre to slightly above average teams (sans this years men's bb) may be frustrating, but how would you like to be in Illinois's shoes? They must be thinking "I wish Lou Henson and Jimmy Collins still had connections to the Chicago Public League." Even when they get a player from out of there it doesn't quite have the ring of Nick Anderson or Ken Norman or Lowell Hamilton or Eddie Johnson.Kentucky loses America wins. And what must Illinois fans be thinking.....Bruce Weber and an in-state mid major in the Elite 8
Iowa State blew it letting Custer go.
He’s really good.
Our mediocre to slightly above average teams (sans this years men's bb) may be frustrating, but how would you like to be in Illinois's shoes? They must be thinking "I wish Lou Henson and Jimmy Collins still had connections to the Chicago Public League." Even when they get a player from out of there it doesn't quite have the ring of Nick Anderson or Ken Norman or Lowell Hamilton or Eddie Johnson.
If Loyola-Chicago can make an Elite 8....what is our excuse?
And Gary Barta says.........Hey we fill up Kinnick on Saturday's and we play an exciting brand of basketball so who cares.
To think that Iowa could have beat Michigan in the BTT.......
It wasn't too long ago that they were in the National Championship game. And they have exactly the same number of NCAA wins since Fran has been here. They are doing better than we are.Our mediocre to slightly above average teams (sans this years men's bb) may be frustrating, but how would you like to be in Illinois's shoes? They must be thinking "I wish Lou Henson and Jimmy Collins still had connections to the Chicago Public League." Even when they get a player from out of there it doesn't quite have the ring of Nick Anderson or Ken Norman or Lowell Hamilton or Eddie Johnson.
That's why you absolutely MUST coach good defense. Good defense can win games when shots don't fall. Michigan beat us in spite of their 15% 3 pt shooting. They held us to 41% from 2FG and 30% from 3FG.Actually it's not that hard to figure out. I believe Michigan couldn't hit threes for most of the game vs. Iowa but last night they hit a lot of them. That's how so much of who wins the games is determined these days. Hit a lot of threes = good chance to win.
Absolutely. But the defense is what made the difference. Here are Nevada'a season averages.Took a good look at Loyola last night. I'm not a coach (some of you have coached high school and above or AAU). This is what I saw.
Dribble drive
Extra interior pass.
SHOT FAKES
Adjustments after early 20-8 defecit.
Balanced floor
Pushed pace when available
That's just on the offensive side. I could add poise under pressure, too. When Nevada was jumping their passing lanes and fronting their bigs, they adjusted. When Stephens didn't have it from outside, they committed an extra man to the lane.
Nevada actually made good adjustments, too. It was a fascinating chess match to watch.
Once again, I've never coached above 6th grade girls. Any opinions out there? And once again, I would love we some Jordan Caroline. And the Martin twins. But Loyola made one more shot and Martin fell for one head fake. And Loyola is Rambling on!
If you designate a starting point that includes the Weber era, then aboslutey they have a leg up on us. We have to drag the Lickliter years through the mud, not to mention some uninspired efforts from hairgel. Their performance graph definitely has some upward spikes.It wasn't too long ago that they were in the National Championship game. And they have exactly the same number of NCAA wins since Fran has been here. They are doing better than we are.
Loyola turned the first eight or nine minutes of that second half into a basketball symphony. 13-13 from the floor. And they needed every last one of them.Absolutely. But the defense is what made the difference. Here are Nevada'a season averages.
82.6 PPG
top 20 in offensive efficiency
47% FG
39% 3pt FG
last night against Loyola, they were held to:
68 pts
41% 2 pt FG
26% 3 pt FG
Are you under the same spell as Fran? Did you look at the difference between Nevada's season avgs vs what Loyola did to them? Fran has one of the best offensive %s in all of D-1 basketball. He loves offense too.Loyola turned the first eight or nine minutes of that second half into a basketball symphony. 13-13 from the floor. And they needed every last one of them.
I read (and liked) your post. I nicely answered your question last night. I deferred to you when comparing Iowa and Illinois basketball. I defended you on this board when another poster accused you of turning discussions into pissing matches about two weeks ago. I, on multiple occasions, have gone out of my way to point out the effort of people who are coaching traveling teams, such as yourself, and that the crap you go through is even worse than high school coaches.Are you under the same spell as Fran? Did you look at the difference between Nevada's season avgs vs what Loyola did to them? Fran has one of the best offensive %s in all of D-1 basketball. He loves offense too.
Don't take my posts too seriously. I certainly don't.I read (and liked) your post. I nicely answered your question last night. I deferred to you when comparing Iowa and Illinois basketball. I defended you on this board when another poster accused you of turning discussions into pissing matches about two weeks ago. I, on multiple occasions, have gone out of my way to point out the effort of people who are coaching traveling teams, such as yourself, and that the crap you go through is even worse than high school coaches.
I never disagreed with you that defense won Loyola that game last night. I watched it. I said that Loyola needed every bit of that thirteen for thirteen. The final was 69-68. If Loyola goes 9-13 in that stretch, which is still hot shooting, they might lose. That was the only point I'm trying to make.
I know you love defense and I do too. I was at the Robert Johnson show about a month ago. It was pathetic, like watching a bunch of ninth graders trying to start a weed whacker. I respect your posts and your knowledge and enjoy talking hoops and football in the fall with you. But I'm certainly not under the same spell as Fran and I've seen countless examples in 40 years of watching college hoops of what no defense can do. I don't care if your 1990 Loyola Marymount.
By the way, defense can be symphonic too.
Gotcha. If anything I got a little too self righteous. There are other posters here who will devolve threads into pissing matches. I'm not one of them. BTW what grade do you coach and do you ever get up to Just A Game in the Dells? If it's incoming eighth graders you may play my son's team.Don't take my posts too seriously. I certainly don't.