madillini4
Ozamataz Buckshank
- Millywaukee
Lunardi just released his first 2025 bracketology predictions, Illinois a 7 seed (I’ll take it for now). *bonus points for having them playing in Milwaukee.
Illini Basketball 2024-2025
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ILFaninFL
- Nature Coast in Florida
This is the one thing that the coaches need to work with him on.
I've seen that he has no help around him and looks to wear down later in the games. Illinois has enough ball handlers to give him a breather or sometimes take the pressure off KJ. He should be better with talent around him to prevent the four-on-one situations he is facing.
That being said, right now, that is the main negative I'm seeing because we can't afford to give the ball away at the rate he is doing in these games.
The upside is I see his game translating to college. Some of the things he does show why he is being considered a lottery pick.
The only other thing is that, like all freshmen, he needs to get into the weight room to play through contact better.
Man people are underestimating how good this team is going to be.
We have a true rim protector, a 7 foot 1 1/2 inch 250 pound ambidextrous behemoth, we have a two year starter at the University of Arizona, who has won many games for his team as a true point guard, we have a 6‘9“ Forward who shot over 40% from the three-point range last year, we have a 6‘8“ basketball Savant who can score at any angle at any position at any time it seems he wants to, we have a 6‘6” point or shooting guard from Lithuania who has proven to be a one of the best European basketball players in a very competitive league of play. We have a 6‘7“ wing who started as a freshman at USC and last year at Louisville who scored over 12 points a game last year. We have a 6‘10“ stretch who started at Notre Dame last year as a freshman. We have Ty and DGL from last year‘s team as well as a 6‘6“ wing from Mercer University who averaged 10 points a game his freshman season and the coaches are, high on his shooting abilities. We have the Illinois Gatorade player of the year and rebounding machine, who is 6’9” 242 pound with a high motor and future NBA post player as well as a 6‘11“ freshman who is putting on strength and weight on his frame still has a great shooting touch.
We have the best coaches, the greatest supporting staff including a very talented and smart AD, the best facilities with the NOAH computer aided shooting system in use with high level and medically based nutrition and recovery services and a track record of five years of having the most wins in the best basketball conference in the country?
Whatever.
We have a true rim protector, a 7 foot 1 1/2 inch 250 pound ambidextrous behemoth, we have a two year starter at the University of Arizona, who has won many games for his team as a true point guard, we have a 6‘9“ Forward who shot over 40% from the three-point range last year, we have a 6‘8“ basketball Savant who can score at any angle at any position at any time it seems he wants to, we have a 6‘6” point or shooting guard from Lithuania who has proven to be a one of the best European basketball players in a very competitive league of play. We have a 6‘7“ wing who started as a freshman at USC and last year at Louisville who scored over 12 points a game last year. We have a 6‘10“ stretch who started at Notre Dame last year as a freshman. We have Ty and DGL from last year‘s team as well as a 6‘6“ wing from Mercer University who averaged 10 points a game his freshman season and the coaches are, high on his shooting abilities. We have the Illinois Gatorade player of the year and rebounding machine, who is 6’9” 242 pound with a high motor and future NBA post player as well as a 6‘11“ freshman who is putting on strength and weight on his frame still has a great shooting touch.
We have the best coaches, the greatest supporting staff including a very talented and smart AD, the best facilities with the NOAH computer aided shooting system in use with high level and medically based nutrition and recovery services and a track record of five years of having the most wins in the best basketball conference in the country?
Whatever.
KJ did make the write up for one of the best players in pool play. He is playing Italy and Dame Sarr tomorrow which should be a great matchup to watch- he is getting to go against some of the best U18 talent globally in the tournament, Hugo Gonzales, saint-supery, Sarr which can only help him
www.fiba.basketball
10 standouts from the Group Phase in Tampere
The future stars of European basketball are making a strong impression at the FIBA U18 EuroBasket.
www.fiba.basketball
I feel differently. It will depend upon how well Kasparas plays and how well our other backcourt options play. We are turning over practically our entire roster with the exception of a couple of players. Any talk about how many minutes anyone will get at this point is pure speculation.
Chuck Nuggets
Dip your nuggets in my staff source sauce.
Yes, except that was in reference to Domask.
Chuck Nuggets
Dip your nuggets in my staff source sauce.
I think most people are simply skeptical (rightfully, IMO) that an entirely new roster can come together and form a fully functioning team.
Top-to-bottom, I think this might be the greatest collection of talent I have seen on a single Illinois team, yet even I am not sure they're going to be great. A lot of things have to go right in a short amount of time. Thankfully, I believe BU has an offensive system in place that should make the transition smoother.
Some thoughts: Kasparas and Nojus were battling with Gonzalez and Saint-Supery on both sides of the court all game and came out victorious. Very entertaining. So I don't agree that he has no help. Looks like LTU has a very solid S&T program. Tomorrow it will be Saraf's turn to go up against the Spanish duo,but I don't think he has a Nojus to help him. Like Spain in that one. Lithuania has a tough match with Italy and their giant center and Dame Sarr; I'll take KJ and NI inthat one.
I agree with you- Lithuania is frequently one of the better teams in these tournaments- so while KJ is their best player he has help, in fact he was deferring to Nojus in the 4th quarter against Finland - which may not have been the right answer, they clearly should have beaten Finland who lost by 30 points to Spain
Pre-season rankings are historically more accurate than in-season rankings. It's easy to point out the misses but there are many more times where they get things right.
Referencing KenPom, one of the stats I found most interesting about last year's team was the average height stat. KenPom weights a team's average height by taking height for each player and weighting it based on minutes played. Last year's team was the 8th tallest team (out of 362 teams).
Looking at last year's and this year's rosters, it's no secret that BU is looking to stretch the floor, create offensive mismatches and gain extra opportunities from crashing the glass with height.
Using opinions from the board, I've estimated a calculation for this year's team's average height based on an estimated % of minutes played per player. Interested in the board's opinion on total percentages of minutes played, but based on the percentages below we're looking at an average height of 6'7", which would put the Illini as the 4th tallest team in the nation. The significant size advantage with this team is going to be a lot of fun to watch through the season.
Looking at last year's and this year's rosters, it's no secret that BU is looking to stretch the floor, create offensive mismatches and gain extra opportunities from crashing the glass with height.
Using opinions from the board, I've estimated a calculation for this year's team's average height based on an estimated % of minutes played per player. Interested in the board's opinion on total percentages of minutes played, but based on the percentages below we're looking at an average height of 6'7", which would put the Illini as the 4th tallest team in the nation. The significant size advantage with this team is going to be a lot of fun to watch through the season.
Yes and the sun shines bright orange in the morning & evenings. If you pick up a sea shell and place your ear against it, you can hear the Illini war chant
Bigtex
- DFW
I would split "5" minutes evenly between Ivisic and MJohnson.
I would give Humrichous at least 20 minutes a game - only senior on the team
I would reduce Boswell and White.
I think this covers 200 minutes
Jakucionis 28 minutes
Kboswell 26 minutes
Riley 26
Humrichous 22
Ivisic 20
MJohnson 20
White 20
Rodgers 20
DGL 10
Booth 8
David 6
Mr. Tibbs
- southeast DuPage
agree
but I prefer to be flying under the radar right now .
we know our team has talent .most people don’t . we have lots of time to climb up the polls next winter
I am as big of a fan of Illini hoops as anyone, but with 69 years of watching them play, along with an interest in watching and assessing big time college hoops, pragmatism demands some realistic perception. No doubt, if this team had a year of two playing together, they would be a top 5 team with as good of a chance of winning it all as most. But, as Chuck points out, expecting that to happen this season is an outlier. Regardless, my enthusiasm for an Illini victory in every game is peaked. This will be a riveting season that should see some mind-boggling highs...and some disappointing lows. But right now, they need to enjoy learning to play together and learning each others skills. Hold on to your seats Illini fans!!!
I think last year at this time, he had the Illini as a #6th seed, so, for me, Illinois will have a better seed in March.
I love everything about his post. The rational and thoughtful intial line, and the hyper-potent medicinal-grade Orange Koolaid in the second. Belief is a powerful, powerful thing.
Truth. The young talent is very impressive. Nothing has been achieved by them as yet, though, and so the exuberant anticipation of Sweet Sixteens is fun, enjoyable and of course a tad over the top. No one should apologize for enthusiasm, in my opinion. And too, an occassional suggestion of an alternative assessment should be respectfully received as well, again only in my opinion. Carry on, Dudes of the Orange Order!!!
I know a lot of people believe this -- but I see no particular reason why. We've got top-10 talent with decent experience and multiple ball-handlers, so as long as the culture is right it is highly likely we will be a top-10 team -- and that good culture is just one thing right.
These guys will also have played a ton of ball together by March. The nay-sayers were wrong last year over the "no pg" story, and it is likely they are just as wrong this year.
Joel Goodson
- dawgville
memory lane:
Who was the genius Iowa player that taunted HRF causing him to erupt with steals, assist and buckets?
I know the basketball team has been released from official scrimmages, etc. for two weeks, but I was wondering if there were any of the players who are staying around the campus and getting extra some work in on their own?
69 years? You're an old codger just like me. I've been watching the beloved since the '52-'53 season. So who''s ahead? My math is poor, esp. since we've turned over another century.
Happening right now:
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