Ilinii vs Wildcats

[Renz]

Both UA and WVU blew their games.

Wvu up by 20, UA by 15.

They both choked.

Outside is good, but BBall games are won inside.

Yeah, Illinois' 16 threes had nothing to do with their win.

 

[schutd]

Both UA and WVU blew their games.

Wvu up by 20, UA by 15.

They both choked.

Outside is good, but BBall games are won inside.

Youre kidding right? Couldnt be a more far off analysis when talking about the U of A game. The Cats had like a 20 some odd point advantage in the paint. The Illini kept draining threes, the Cats panicked, kept turning it over, and gave it away.

I hate to say it, but my team choked.

 

[ajcardfan]

I hate to say it, but my team choked.

I'm an ASU grad and I disagree with this.

I think what we saw was Illinois rising to the occasion, not Arizona choking. A choke job would've been when UofA got down by six in OT and then they lost by 12. Instead, they got a couple of clutch buckets and made three stops of the Illini and had the ball with a chance to win. That showed UofA has a lot of heart too. And, I said I thought this Wildcats team was too soft to be great back at the start of the year. I was wrong.

Illinois showed tremendous heart. If you watched any of their games this year, they had runs like that 20-5 run almost at will. Those three guards are pretty special. You just don't see talent match with grit that often in sports. You should tip your hat to it, rather than dog your own team.

 

[sly fly]

I'm an ASU grad and I disagree with this.

I think what we saw was Illinois rising to the occasion, not Arizona choking. A choke job would've been when UofA got down by six in OT and then they lost by 12. Instead, they got a couple of clutch buckets and made three stops of the Illini and had the ball with a chance to win. That showed UofA has a lot of heart too. And, I said I thought this Wildcats team was too soft to be great back at the start of the year. I was wrong.

Illinois showed tremendous heart. If you watched any of their games this year, they had runs like that 20-5 run almost at will. Those three guards are pretty special. You just don't see talent match with grit that often in sports. You should tip your hat to it, rather than dog your own team.

Sorry. The players and the coaches both choked away this game. No excuse for getting sloppy with the ball. Hold onto the ball and shoot free throws. That's all they had to do.

The Illini got away with a lot of "hacking" during that run, as the refs decided they were going to put the whistles in their back pocket. Channing Frye solidified his "soft" label during that stretch, even though he had a helluva tournament.

I feel bad for you UofA fans. That has to be a hard one to take. Heck, I'm not a UA fan, but it hurts me. Wow, I'm still in shock.

 

[Renz]

This is one of those days when it really sucks to be a fan. As a lifelong Angels fan, I compare it to Dave Henderson's home run in the '86 playoffs. Speaking as a U of A grad, this was a total gut-wrencher. It felt like being in the Twilight Zone. I kept re-checking the score, expecting it to somehow change to a Wildcat win.

Eventually you get over it and realize what a great year it was winning the PAC-10 and reaching the Elite 8, but right now it feels like you had your heart cut out.

Ah, the life of a sports fan. Peace, out.

 

[thirty-two]

I honestly thought the game was over when the Cats were up by 15 with like 3 minutes to go. I kept willing Illinois to hit a 3 to make it closer (thus a more interesting game) Then they started hitting more 3's, and stealing more balls, until finally I was like OKAY GUYS, IT'S CLOSE ENOUGH, THANKS! lol

It was a great game to watch though... but the last posession sucked... waited way to long to get a shot off.

I feel for ya Cat fans! But dang what a rollercoaster!

 

[ajcardfan]

Sorry. The players and the coaches both choked away this game. No excuse for getting sloppy with the ball. Hold onto the ball and shoot free throws. That's all they had to do.

I don't think UofA played error free. They didn't and they paid for those mistakes. But, those turnovers wouldn't have mattered if Illinois wasn't making those shots.

I just think, in general, the "choke" tag is thrown around too easily by fans.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Cats choked from the coaching staff on down. That's all I have to say for the night. Props to the Illni though. The better team is usually the one who plays better under pressure and that's exactly what Deron and co. did.

 

[Southpaw]

Holy Crap. With 2:48 to go and U of A up by 15, I called it a night. Then the biggest fold job, I have ever seen, took place. That was almost as stunning as Doug Flutie's Hail Mary pass against Miami.

 

[black]

Illini played their hearts out and beat a very good team. AZ should be proud they got their butts handed to them on national TV by the best team in the nation. Go Illini!

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

We f'd up and Illinois took advantage on what was essentially their home court. End of story.

 

[Chaz]

I am so disappointed. They had that game won.

They still had a chance in overtime.
I only wish Stoudamire or Frye had taken the last shot.

On the last play how does Adams not pass the ball back to Stoudamire?


Congratulations to Illinois.

 

[ajcardfan]

The Illini knocked down what, 4 or 5 threes in a row at the end of regulation? That is amazing considering the pressure of the situation. If they miss one, they lose. I know you UofA fans are down in the dumps, but that is a team doing something special more than the other team doing something bad.

It was mystifying that Lute didn't call the last play for Jimmy Chitwood, however.

 

[The Commish]

I hate my life. We had that game and completely choked it. I just need someone to pull the trigger...any volunteers? ------>

 

[NickelBack]

It was mystifying that Lute didn't call the last play for Jimmy Chitwood, however.

He did, didn't he?

 

[Brian in Mesa]

That was a great ending to a great game!



BIM

 

[schutd]

I'm an ASU grad and I disagree with this.

I think what we saw was Illinois rising to the occasion, not Arizona choking. A choke job would've been when UofA got down by six in OT and then they lost by 12. Instead, they got a couple of clutch buckets and made three stops of the Illini and had the ball with a chance to win. That showed UofA has a lot of heart too. And, I said I thought this Wildcats team was too soft to be great back at the start of the year. I was wrong.

Illinois showed tremendous heart. If you watched any of their games this year, they had runs like that 20-5 run almost at will. Those three guards are pretty special. You just don't see talent match with grit that often in sports. You should tip your hat to it, rather than dog your own team.

Dont get me wrong. Illinois earned the hell out of that game, and my hat is more than tipped to them, but when they started their run, the U of A not only couldnt answer, they pannicked and turned the ball over repeatedly, giving the Illini more and more steam, and that is a choke. I love my team, but thats how Imma call it.

big hats off to Illinois and no two ways around around, my team pannicked, and choked.

 

[PhxGametime]

Illini played their hearts out and beat a very good team. AZ should be proud they got their butts handed to them on national TV by the best team in the nation. Go Illini!

Exactly the Wildcats got theit butts handed to them by - please. Wildcats chocked and the Illini got lucky and Illinois as much as I like Deron Williams (let the Draft experts and scouts keep saying he's slow, and let the Suns take him with Bulls Pick), they still haven't won it. I'd not get too cocky yet though, North Carolina is tough. Raymond Felton against Deron Williams, that's the game I want to see. Let them both had bad games and 1 drop to Suns and I'll accept a team's butt kicking from another ASFN member's team, for now.


If the Suns even need a PG anymore but I really like Williams, I do feel Dee Brown might want to stay in school and lead his own team to Final Four next year, possibly against UofA.


Congrats, though.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Illinois was off their ass the last three minutes of the game while Arizona couldn't do a damn thing. Illinois is a very good team (not as good as North Carolina in my opinion) but to lose that lead is simply inexcusable. The Illini aren't the '96 Bulls.

Really after drinking and saleeping it off I'm not nearly as pissed as I was last night. Remeber when the Cats were 3-2 following the debacle last season and I and many others thought the Arizona program would go into a tailspin reminiscent of proud programs like Louisville and Georgetown. Here we are at the end of the season we're Pac-10 champs and lost to the #1 team in the country in the Elite 8. We have a solid nucleus coming back next year that will probably be a NC contender in 2006-2007. Hell we could be back in the Elite 8 next year if Hassan miraculously decides to return for his senior campaign.

 

[black]

Exactly the Wildcats got theit butts handed to them by - please. Wildcats chocked and the Illini got lucky and Illinois as much as I like Deron Williams (let the Draft experts and scouts keep saying he's slow, and let the Suns take him with Bulls Pick), they still haven't won it. I'd not get too cocky yet though, North Carolina is tough. Raymond Felton against Deron Williams, that's the game I want to see. Let them both had bad games and 1 drop to Suns and I'll accept a team's butt kicking from another ASFN member's team, for now.


If the Suns even need a PG anymore but I really like Williams, I do feel Dee Brown might want to stay in school and lead his own team to Final Four next year, possibly against UofA.


Congrats, though.

You read right thru me didn't you?, good luck next year.


Williams might stay another year BTW. After what Frank Williams done to the NBA, don't be suprised if Deron wants to still be BMOC.

 

[Dback Jon]

Still on cloud 9 after two days - all I can still say is WOW!!

What a comeback!!

Arizona should still be proud of their season - the U of A drew the toughest region - U of A could have advanced through to the final four in some other regions. Channing Frye was very impressive.



On to Louisville - another tough game ahead.

 

[Russ Smith]

Illinois was off their ass the last three minutes of the game while Arizona couldn't do a damn thing. Illinois is a very good team (not as good as North Carolina in my opinion) but to lose that lead is simply inexcusable. The Illini aren't the '96 Bulls.

Really after drinking and saleeping it off I'm not nearly as pissed as I was last night. Remeber when the Cats were 3-2 following the debacle last season and I and many others thought the Arizona program would go into a tailspin reminiscent of proud programs like Louisville and Georgetown. Here we are at the end of the season we're Pac-10 champs and lost to the #1 team in the country in the Elite 8. We have a solid nucleus coming back next year that will probably be a NC contender in 2006-2007. Hell we could be back in the Elite 8 next year if Hassan miraculously decides to return for his senior campaign.

So you think Hassan is going? Right now he's clearly not ready despite a great tourney, and he's also got something to prove since many are making him the goat for that last play where he didn't seem to know what to do with the ball.

If I had to compare Adams to anybody I'd go back a few years to Stevie Thompson another LA Kid(Crenshaw) who went to Syracuse. Spectacular leaper, spotty shooter, barely played in the NBA. Hassan is quite a bit stronger than Thompson was, and probably an inch or two taller, but they both have the same strengths and weaknesses to their games. Charles O'bannon is another example, great leaper but not good enough guard skills to play at the next level and not big enough to play inside. Hassan could be the next great TE if he decided to pursue football.



Tough loss, I didn't see the end I was out of town Saturday and missed much of the games. When I last saw UA was up double digits and Frye was so dominant I didn't see any way Illinois could recover.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

The rumor mill says Hassan (and Rodgers transferring) is going. I still think Hassan needs some work but the guy's an athletic freak so it wouldn't surprise me to see some high level NBA team take him at the end of the first and develop him. That being said if Hassan were smart he'd get an insurance policy and stay a year and develop some more handles and shooting and then go next year after the minimum age rule is set. Only having Euros and upper classmen in the draft will most likely guarantee him a lottery spot next year even though I can't blame a guy with his financial background if he decides to enter now.

The loss defintiely hurt, but in retrospect how pissed off can you be about winning 30 games, the Pac-10 regular season title, advancing to the Elite 8, and earning another Top 10 poll finish? In college bball only one teams finishes the year truly happy.

 

[Russ Smith]

The rumor mill says Hassan (and Rodgers transferring) is going. I still think Hassan needs some work but the guy's an athletic freak so it wouldn't surprise me to see some high level NBA team take him at the end of the first and develop him. That being said if Hassan were smart he'd get an insurance policy and stay a year and develop some more handles and shooting and then go next year after the minimum age rule is set. Only having Euros and upper classmen in the draft will most likely guarantee him a lottery spot next year even though I can't blame a guy with his financial background if he decides to enter now.

The loss defintiely hurt, but in retrospect how pissed off can you be about winning 30 games, the Pac-10 regular season title, advancing to the Elite 8, and earning another Top 10 poll finish? In college bball only one teams finishes the year truly happy.

Agreed, especially in a year that UA as you mentioned earlier started slowly and had very little depth.

Adams would be a huge loss, but I never say never anymore. If Ndudi Ebi can decide to go pro because he was told he defended LeBron James well in PRACTICE for the McDonald's game, anything is possible!

Hope he stays, I hate to see diluted teams. Rodgers has been rumored to transfer just about every year, if he left with Salim graduating and adams leaving UA would be in some trouble.

Congrats to the Cats, tough loss but we all know these things happen. Illinois is a great team no shame in losing.

 

[Chaz]

I am still sick over this loss.

The game was won. Even in overtime they should have had a much better last shot. How do they not get the ball to Stoudamire? How does Adams waste 5 seconds just standing there?

Arizona needed to realize as they did against UAB that the refs are not calling fouls and they needed to adjust and play stronger and more aggressive.