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Mar. 17—If the Illinois men's basketball team's 88-65 loss to Maryland in the Big Ten tournament this past Friday night "felt like Duke," there are significant and worrisome reasons.
The 110-67 collapse against mighty Duke on Feb. 22 was still fresh in our memories when the Illini hit an early wall against red-hot Virginia Tech transfer Rodney Rice and the rest of the Terrapins. The halftime numbers show shocking disparities as Kevin Willard's quintet led 57-31 in points, 20-10 in field goals and 11-0 in turnovers.
Maryland ultimately scored 22 points off 17 UI turnovers while Illinois produced a big, fat zero off three Terrapin miscues. Illini coach Brad Underwood called these UI mistakes as "pick sixes," and they were killers. With the UI defense in tatters, Maryland had 83 points after 30 minutes, two more than Duke at the same stage in Madison Square Garden. But Willard allowed no starter more than 25 minutes, and the subs managed just five points in the final 10 minutes.
So, yes, it could have been worse, even approaching and/or surpassing the record-breaking 43-point loss to Duke.
A season of inconsistencies
It is noteworthy that Underwood's athletes rebounded from Duke with four well-balanced and high-scoring triumphs, but it's difficult for fans to remain positive as the sixth-seeded Illini (21-12) face either 11th-seeded Texas (19-15) or Xavier (21-11) in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday in Milwaukee. It's appropriate to ask: Which Illini team will show up, the one that scored 90 or more on 11 occasions (Chicago State shouldn't count) or the one that permitted 90 or more four times? And Maryland, as noted, could easily have reached 100 by giving the regulars more playing time.
Why the Illini swoons? Underwood points to a lack of energy defensively.
Willard reminded that Illinois is young — more subject to breakdowns and inconsistency — and explained that "we felt we could be physical with them."
Actually, there's not much a defense can do when Iowa's Payton Sandfort or Maryland's Rice is draining long treys. But the UI's plan to limit three-pointers often allows too much penetration, and centers Tomislav Ivisic and Morez Johnson Jr. have frequently shown a tendency to get in foul trouble (Ivisic played just 16 minutes Friday).
Evaluating their NBA draft stock
Looking ahead, it appears that the UI's two prize freshmen will be leaving for NBA dollars even as they clearly need more college preparation.
Turnovers continue to plague the playmaking efforts of Kasparas Jakucionis, who had six in each game in Indianapolis. But he's still as high as No. 4 in NBA Mock Draft 2.0, while a few points higher in others.
Bleacher Report's lead NBA draft scout Jonathan Wasserman seems more realistic in tabbing him at No. 9 with the following comments: "Questions have emerged over Jakucionis' ability to blow by or create enough separation ... about how much his positional size, clever maneuvering, shot-making skill and passing IQ can offset his lack of explosiveness and quickness.
"There are contests in which he struggles to get himself shots, and ball pressure can lead to turnovers. Despite a recent slump from behind the arc, there are years of promising shot-making data/tape for scouts to go back to from Jakucionis' time with Barcelona and Lithuania."
Recruiting never stops
Wasserman has Will Riley at No. 20, and the ever-improving rookie will likely find a first-round slot behind other Big Ten freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey of Rutgers, Derik Queen of Maryland, Jase Richardson of Michigan State and Jakucionis.
Here are Wasserman's thoughts on Riley:
"Aside from scoring with more confidence during the second half of the season, Riley also showed encouraging growth as a playmaker by using his dribble and gravity to set up teammates.
"Still, teams will likely see more of a long-term project, and he could raise some eyebrows at the NBA combine after last measuring a negative wingspan."
So, in addition to adding incoming prep signees Brandon Lee (6-5) and Keaton Wagler (6-6), Underwood will be scouring the European and transfer markets for a point guard, a wing like Italy's 6-5 Dame Sarr, and a post-up center.
There is already talk of Iowa center Owen Freeman having interest in Illinois, although Kansas figures to be a strong contender with Hunter Dickinson completing his eligibility.
Freeman announced his departure immediately after Fran McCaffery was fired, the 15th-year coach losing his following while Iowa's wrestling, football and women's basketball are routinely sold out. Carver-Hawkeye Arena seats 15,400, and announced attendance of 8,728 for a late-February game with Oregon in Iowa City was not ideal, with actual scanned tickets far below that number.
Continue reading...
The 110-67 collapse against mighty Duke on Feb. 22 was still fresh in our memories when the Illini hit an early wall against red-hot Virginia Tech transfer Rodney Rice and the rest of the Terrapins. The halftime numbers show shocking disparities as Kevin Willard's quintet led 57-31 in points, 20-10 in field goals and 11-0 in turnovers.
Maryland ultimately scored 22 points off 17 UI turnovers while Illinois produced a big, fat zero off three Terrapin miscues. Illini coach Brad Underwood called these UI mistakes as "pick sixes," and they were killers. With the UI defense in tatters, Maryland had 83 points after 30 minutes, two more than Duke at the same stage in Madison Square Garden. But Willard allowed no starter more than 25 minutes, and the subs managed just five points in the final 10 minutes.
So, yes, it could have been worse, even approaching and/or surpassing the record-breaking 43-point loss to Duke.
A season of inconsistencies
It is noteworthy that Underwood's athletes rebounded from Duke with four well-balanced and high-scoring triumphs, but it's difficult for fans to remain positive as the sixth-seeded Illini (21-12) face either 11th-seeded Texas (19-15) or Xavier (21-11) in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday in Milwaukee. It's appropriate to ask: Which Illini team will show up, the one that scored 90 or more on 11 occasions (Chicago State shouldn't count) or the one that permitted 90 or more four times? And Maryland, as noted, could easily have reached 100 by giving the regulars more playing time.
Why the Illini swoons? Underwood points to a lack of energy defensively.
Willard reminded that Illinois is young — more subject to breakdowns and inconsistency — and explained that "we felt we could be physical with them."
Actually, there's not much a defense can do when Iowa's Payton Sandfort or Maryland's Rice is draining long treys. But the UI's plan to limit three-pointers often allows too much penetration, and centers Tomislav Ivisic and Morez Johnson Jr. have frequently shown a tendency to get in foul trouble (Ivisic played just 16 minutes Friday).
Evaluating their NBA draft stock
Looking ahead, it appears that the UI's two prize freshmen will be leaving for NBA dollars even as they clearly need more college preparation.
Turnovers continue to plague the playmaking efforts of Kasparas Jakucionis, who had six in each game in Indianapolis. But he's still as high as No. 4 in NBA Mock Draft 2.0, while a few points higher in others.
Bleacher Report's lead NBA draft scout Jonathan Wasserman seems more realistic in tabbing him at No. 9 with the following comments: "Questions have emerged over Jakucionis' ability to blow by or create enough separation ... about how much his positional size, clever maneuvering, shot-making skill and passing IQ can offset his lack of explosiveness and quickness.
"There are contests in which he struggles to get himself shots, and ball pressure can lead to turnovers. Despite a recent slump from behind the arc, there are years of promising shot-making data/tape for scouts to go back to from Jakucionis' time with Barcelona and Lithuania."
Recruiting never stops
Wasserman has Will Riley at No. 20, and the ever-improving rookie will likely find a first-round slot behind other Big Ten freshmen Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey of Rutgers, Derik Queen of Maryland, Jase Richardson of Michigan State and Jakucionis.
Here are Wasserman's thoughts on Riley:
"Aside from scoring with more confidence during the second half of the season, Riley also showed encouraging growth as a playmaker by using his dribble and gravity to set up teammates.
"Still, teams will likely see more of a long-term project, and he could raise some eyebrows at the NBA combine after last measuring a negative wingspan."
So, in addition to adding incoming prep signees Brandon Lee (6-5) and Keaton Wagler (6-6), Underwood will be scouring the European and transfer markets for a point guard, a wing like Italy's 6-5 Dame Sarr, and a post-up center.
There is already talk of Iowa center Owen Freeman having interest in Illinois, although Kansas figures to be a strong contender with Hunter Dickinson completing his eligibility.
Freeman announced his departure immediately after Fran McCaffery was fired, the 15th-year coach losing his following while Iowa's wrestling, football and women's basketball are routinely sold out. Carver-Hawkeye Arena seats 15,400, and announced attendance of 8,728 for a late-February game with Oregon in Iowa City was not ideal, with actual scanned tickets far below that number.
Continue reading...
