So here we are. The start of the Big Ten season comes with a little added importance this year as Northwestern comes to town ranked in the top 25. At 10-1, this Wildcat team is looking to make a statement with a road win over a team that is usually considered the favorite in basketball.
The Illini Win this one 89-83.
It looks like the Illini are going to win this one, but what a way to open the Big Ten... You have to hand it to the guys in Purple, they played a great game.
A foul on John Shurna has put Cole on the line with 24 left. After making 1-2, it's a 87-83 game.
The Wildcats are 16-43 from beyond the arc, let's see if they go for two here and foul, or if they try to tie it up right away.
Northwestern made a free throw and then a pass thrown away gave the ball right back. What looked like a nice three point lead with 40 left and the ball has turned into time to really bare down and play some game winning defense.
D.J. Richardson just got fouled on a three point attempt for the second time in the game, and this one comes with 1 minute left. After hitting 2 of 3, the score is 86-82.
Mike Davis gave us his best Tisdale impression as he nails the hook shot. 84-80 with 1:40 left.
82-80 Illinois with 2:15 left.
Tisdale now has 31 points after two free throws, he's been so clutch down the line... And as I type this, the Junior walks off the court with his fifth foul. The crowd gives him a huge ovation after a 31 and 11 effort.
A missed three by Cole turned into a lay-up for Tisdale... but the Wildcats answered back with a quick three.
Mike Davis scores on the Illini's opening possession. 76-74.
Regulation just came to an end, and the score is all tied up at 74. The Illini never got a shot up on the final possession and once again looked lost. I think the momentum is with the Illini, but with Tisdale holding 4 fouls, it will be interesting to see how the coaches use him here to begin the overtime.
The Illini came out not looking too sure of what was going on. The inbounds pass came to Mike Davis who was left in the backcourt by Richardson and McCamey... Weber calls another timeout and with 7.7 seconds on the clock, the Illini will try it once more.
15.4 seconds left now, and the score is again tied after a tip in by the Wildcats. Full Time out Illini who can hold for the final shot here... Let's not have a Utah here...
Tisdale shooting two with 30 seconds left and the families of the Northwestern players are making some noise from behind the bench... this is a nail biter. The first is good, and so is the second... 74-72 Illinois.
50 seconds left and the Illini lead by 2 before John Shurna drives and ties it up.
Tisdale and Davis both have double-doubles at this point, Tisdale with 25 points and Davis with 14 boards.
McCamey splits free throws, 70-67.
Tisdale just picked up his fourth foul with 2:30 left in the game. 69-66 Illini with a Northwestern free throw on the way...
Welcome to the loudest Assembly Hall of the season. It hasn't been the best all night, but the PA system played a track of heavy metal paired with the voice of a man screaming "Stand up and Shout!" and the fans obliged... moments later when Tisdale slammed home a dunk with a foul, the place exploded. 69-63 Illinois with 3:30 left in the game.
Bill Cole just made a huge three pointer. There are 4 minutes left, and the Illini are up 67-63.
The crowd was really into this one until a foul was called on Mike Davis during a Shurna three attempt... three free throws later and it's tied at 60.
Mike Davis got a dunk opportunity there and wasn't going to miss a second one... 60-57 Illinois.
With 8 minutes left in the game, the Illini take the lead 58-57 on a pair of Mike Davis free throws.
Northwestern has really started to get chippy with Tisdale down low... A lot of shoving.
The Wildcats have only made 6 shots from 2 point range.
The Illini now have 15 assists, a magic number of sorts as the Illini have hit this number in all 8 wins this year.
Brandon Paul has his first points after a three ball goes in 28 minutes into the game... then he follows it up with another. 56-55 Illini.
D.J. is fouled on a three attempt and makes all 3. 53-50 purple.
Northwestern has shot 13-29 from deep.
A Richardson three brings the lead down to three for Northwestern, but it should be only one after a missed dunk by Davis.
The Assembly Hall's getting loud again. The score sits at 41-47. We are asking for the momentum, but the dominoes just won't fall our way. Northwestern had an in-bounds play with 2 seconds left on the shot clock, so of course they hit a three.
The Illini have had two big chances to score here in the opening minutes of the second half, and anytime we get a good look it needs to drop right now.
D.J. just hasn't had his three point touch to this point tonight.
This has been a shooting clinic by the guys in purple. 11-23 in the first half... It's hard to say much else. The offense has been great when we get the ball down low, but the outside shooting has left fans wanting more. Both John Shurna and Jeremy Nash are on fire with totals of 15 and
12. Something is going to have to be done to get more pressure on the shooters because at this rate, the Wildcats are going lights out. 42-33 Northwestern at the half.
The Wildcats are in a 1-3-1 zone, and it looked to be causing problems, but back to back possessions getting the ball inside have the offense looking a little better.
NW is shooting 9-20 on long balls in the first half, the Illini are 1-5.
This game has been a little hard to gauge. One second the Illini look like they are the better team, but when they are shooting three's this well, it's really hard to get on a run.
22-21 Illinois with 7:30 left in the first half. Bill Cole seems to have found a nice place in this rotation. I still really like the minutes that he gives.
Tisdale is playing big tonight. Every time he gets the ball down low he scores.
16-15 Illinois with 11 left.
NW is shooting a crazy amount of threes. It was fine when they were going in, but now it's getting a little silly.
The crowd is letting the officials know that they aren't pleased with the calls so far. The Illini seem to be getting bumped while the calls are all going the other way.
The Northwestern shooting has cooled off, and the Illini have heated up thanks to Tisdale and Davis.
Mike Tisdale is on fire, and I hope his critics can see how effective the big guy can be when we get him the ball one on one.
14-8 Northwestern leads it with 15 left in the first half.
Northwestern reminds me of an international team... There isn't a lot of athleticism or NBA level skill, but they all play their part and have bought into the team philosophy. When this team is shooting like they are tonight, it is extra important to be smart with the ball when we are on offense.
The Wildcats start this one on fire. Four three point buckets in a row to open the game have them out to an early lead.
The opening possession showed a couple of opportunities to get the ball to Mike Tisdale, but the offense didn't make the pass. Weber was all over the guys, and the next two trips down the court resulted in buckets for the center.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Illinois Vs. Western Michigan
The current lineup is Jordan, Legion, Griffey, Semrau, and Simpson... Bubba on deck.
With 5 minutes left, the Illini have this one in the bag. At 82-46, this has been a great showing on both offense and defense.
The Illini are shooting 54% to WMU's 27%... You aren't going to win many games shooting 27%.
Both bigs are having solid games for the Illini. Davis and Tisdale both have potential double-doubles in the making.
The score at the half is 48-25 good guys, and the story is bench production. Dominique Keller has scored 11 points including 3 three pointers. Bill Cole has also looked good with energy and 7 points of his own. Jeff Jordan has 5 assists. Also of note, David Kool only has 2 points, and to this point he is averaging over 20 per game.
Bill just nailed a three, and the Illini were rolling but a questionable call against Jeff Jordan has caused a timeout on the floor. WMU will be shooting free throws. The score is 35-15 with 3:30 left in the game.
25-10 and this one is sort of dragging... The students are home for break, the shooting has been decent for the Illini and plain bad for WMU. It's now a 21 point game with Brandon Paul on the bench.
Bill Cole just got a little bit of a gift I think. The ball may or may not have been going in, but a WMU player grabbing the rim will give him two points anyway.
Illinois has come to life a little bit here and are on a decent run. The score is now 13-5, Illini lead.
The atmosphere in the Assembly Hall has been sort of dead so far. Neither team is shooting well, and the play has been filled with fouls. Illinois just scored their first field goal 5 and a half minutes into the game.
With 5 minutes left, the Illini have this one in the bag. At 82-46, this has been a great showing on both offense and defense.
The Illini are shooting 54% to WMU's 27%... You aren't going to win many games shooting 27%.
Both bigs are having solid games for the Illini. Davis and Tisdale both have potential double-doubles in the making.
The score at the half is 48-25 good guys, and the story is bench production. Dominique Keller has scored 11 points including 3 three pointers. Bill Cole has also looked good with energy and 7 points of his own. Jeff Jordan has 5 assists. Also of note, David Kool only has 2 points, and to this point he is averaging over 20 per game.
Bill just nailed a three, and the Illini were rolling but a questionable call against Jeff Jordan has caused a timeout on the floor. WMU will be shooting free throws. The score is 35-15 with 3:30 left in the game.
25-10 and this one is sort of dragging... The students are home for break, the shooting has been decent for the Illini and plain bad for WMU. It's now a 21 point game with Brandon Paul on the bench.
Bill Cole just got a little bit of a gift I think. The ball may or may not have been going in, but a WMU player grabbing the rim will give him two points anyway.
Illinois has come to life a little bit here and are on a decent run. The score is now 13-5, Illini lead.
The atmosphere in the Assembly Hall has been sort of dead so far. Neither team is shooting well, and the play has been filled with fouls. Illinois just scored their first field goal 5 and a half minutes into the game.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Illinois Vs. Vanderbilt
Jeff Jordan has done a great job this half of moving the ball up the court at a fast pace.
With 4 minutes left in the first half, The Illini are shooting 60%.
The press is causing some problems for the Illini. We've been pretty good at not turning the ball over, but at the same time you can tell that it is changing the flow of the game and it has already caused the Illini to use a couple of timeouts.
D.J. Richardson stretched out and pulled in a big rebound there. To this point the Illini are giving coach Weber what he has been begging for, and that's 100% energy. There may have been a fancy pass or two that he wasn't the happiest with, but for the most part I think he has to be very pleased with his team's effort. 31-18 Illinois with 7:15 left.
McCamey just broke the press and took the ball end to end for a lay-up.
Jeff Jordan comes in and scores a jumper. Tisdale with an offensive rebound... Nice to see both of these things.
The Illini have been shooting the lights out so far. The best part is the overall energy.
The Illini have come out hot to start the game, and it's clear that they are feeding off of the crowd.
With 4 minutes left in the first half, The Illini are shooting 60%.
The press is causing some problems for the Illini. We've been pretty good at not turning the ball over, but at the same time you can tell that it is changing the flow of the game and it has already caused the Illini to use a couple of timeouts.
D.J. Richardson stretched out and pulled in a big rebound there. To this point the Illini are giving coach Weber what he has been begging for, and that's 100% energy. There may have been a fancy pass or two that he wasn't the happiest with, but for the most part I think he has to be very pleased with his team's effort. 31-18 Illinois with 7:15 left.
McCamey just broke the press and took the ball end to end for a lay-up.
Jeff Jordan comes in and scores a jumper. Tisdale with an offensive rebound... Nice to see both of these things.
The Illini have been shooting the lights out so far. The best part is the overall energy.
The Illini have come out hot to start the game, and it's clear that they are feeding off of the crowd.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Illinois vs. Boise State
The crowds continue to grow here at the Assembly Hall. Tonight's is as good as it has been for a non-conference game in a while. Boise State likes to push the ball and play at a high pace, so expect tonight to be a high scoring affair. The Illini came out well against Clemson, were tied at 19, and then allowed the run that appeared to knock them out of the game. Tonight, Bruce Weber wants to see a consistent performance through out the game.
The final score is 84-77 Illinois.
Bubba Chisholm in.
D.J. Richardson had a wide open lay-up, but instead he pulled the ball back out and wasted some clock. Smart move by the freshman who makes both of his free throws.
80-77, BSU misses the second free throw, and Tisdale is on the line shooting 2. The first one drops. 81-77. The second does the same. 82-77.
Bill Cole fouls out on a close call. The fans wanted a charge, but the call was that he was moving. Tisdale, McCamey, Paul, Richardson, and Davis in.
McCamey is fouled quickly and goes to the line with 18 left. Jordan in for Tisdale. McCamey sinks both shots. McCamey out, Cole in.
BSU shows some good defense, and the Illini are forced to use their final timeout trying to get the ball in. Still 20 seconds left.
Again, the ball goes in for the Illini from Tisdale... and again we allow the Broncos to score quickly. 78-76 with 20 seconds left.
Mike Tisdale sinks a shot, but a quick 3 makes it a 2 point game. There are 35 seconds left, and Weber wants to talk things over.
A three pointer by Anthony Thomas has cut the Illini lead down to 3. Weber calls a timeout, and with 1:19 left in the game Illinois is going to have to be a lot cleaner out there when it comes to their passes and defensive assignments.
74-68 with 2 minutes left.
Two games in a row, McCamey's presence on the floor makes all the difference in how sloppy the Illini are with the ball. Every time he is out we become less secure and commit turnovers.
70-64 with 5:30 left.
Tisdale just passed up an opportunity to take the ball strong to the hole. Bill Cole should have caught the pass, but I think he was getting ready to rebound.
Bruce Weber is about to pull his hair out after McCamey tried another tricky pass as the Illini were on the break 3-1.
Mike Davis just recorded another double-double.
Tisdale is now two for two. He's up there in shooting percentage in the Big Ten, the offense just needs to find more ways to get him the ball.
The Illini are in a zone right now in attempt to change the pace a little. The Broncos were hot from deep early so let's see how this works out.
68-58 Illinois with 9 left.
Boise State was chipping back at the lead, but a basket by Paul and a breakaway dunk by Keller has the momentum back on the Illini's side.
Keller is really struggling on his free throws. The problem seems to be his timing on his routine.
Brandon Paul just made a no look pass over his head to Keller who was fouled on the lay-up attempt.
The Illini used great ball movement on that last basket, and the result was a wide open Davis jumper.
McCamey just made his fourth three of the night, and this one was NBA range. 57-50 Illini with 13:00 left to play.
Tisdale just took and made his first shot of the night 26 minutes into the game.
52-46 Illini lead with 15:45 left in the game. Mike Davis is having a great night with 14 and 8.
McCamey tried to get fancy and turned the ball over for an easy BSU bucket. Coach Weber talks a lot about his ability, but sometimes he tries to do too much.
Mike Davis is surely on his way to another double-double, and Demetri McCamey has been shooting well all night. The Illini jump out with a quick 5 points to open the half. 47-38... Timeout BSU.
42-38 is the halftime score. The Illini are shooting pretty well, they just aren't defending and rebounding to the best of their abilities. The Broncos are shooting over 53% on the game, and to this point in the season the Illini haven't allowed a single team to shoot over 45%. I would expect the half time talk to be about keeping up the intensity for the rest of the game and just playing their roles. This Boise State team isn't bad, and they are are very capable of winning this geam if we aren't careful. This is a team that you need to put away if you get up by a lead because they appear to have the ability to score in bunches.
Dominique Keller put home a one hand slam and with 30 seconds left, and the Illini are up by 4. It would be nice to hold it at four points going into the half from this point.
2:00 left in the first half, and the Illini lead 40-38.
Brandon Paul got called for offensive goaltending on a play that looked clean... he followed it up by drawing a charge soon after, so maybe the officials agreed.
Tyler Griffey has done some great things in this game with hustle. The other day he was at practice early shooting, and he put in 38 three's in five minutes, getting his own rebound. The kid can shoot.
Mike Davis made a great reverse lay-up there off the glass.
With 7:45 left in the first half, the Illini lead this one by 2, 30-28.
Tyler Griffey hustles and pokes the ball away from Broncos guard Anthony Thomas... out of bounds to the Illini.
Alex Legion has missed two big shots in this game so far. He is known as a streaky shooter, but those two are the type that any player needs to make when they are that open.
Kurt Cunningham is listed at 265 lbs., and Brandon Paul got called for a charge... knocked him over like a feather... ;)
Illini 22- Boise State 19 with 11 left in the first half.
Evan Turner got hurt today, and that leaves Mike Davis as the leading rebounder in the Big Ten.
Tisdale picks up his second foul less than 7 minutes into the game.
Bill Cole should get a Matto point for the hustle to the missed shot there. He didn't get the ball, but his presence caused the rebound to go to Richardson who was fouled.
DJ Richardson hits a three with 1 second on the shot clock.
The Illini are getting out rebounded early in this game. The Broncos look to be getting the inside position consistently.
Brandon Paul gets called for the foul, but that was the type of thing a coach likes to see... contact going after a lazy pass.
Demetri McCamey comes out and hits on the opening possession, then follows it up with a quick three... Good start for a guy who scored 2 points in his last game.
The final score is 84-77 Illinois.
Bubba Chisholm in.
D.J. Richardson had a wide open lay-up, but instead he pulled the ball back out and wasted some clock. Smart move by the freshman who makes both of his free throws.
80-77, BSU misses the second free throw, and Tisdale is on the line shooting 2. The first one drops. 81-77. The second does the same. 82-77.
Bill Cole fouls out on a close call. The fans wanted a charge, but the call was that he was moving. Tisdale, McCamey, Paul, Richardson, and Davis in.
McCamey is fouled quickly and goes to the line with 18 left. Jordan in for Tisdale. McCamey sinks both shots. McCamey out, Cole in.
BSU shows some good defense, and the Illini are forced to use their final timeout trying to get the ball in. Still 20 seconds left.
Again, the ball goes in for the Illini from Tisdale... and again we allow the Broncos to score quickly. 78-76 with 20 seconds left.
Mike Tisdale sinks a shot, but a quick 3 makes it a 2 point game. There are 35 seconds left, and Weber wants to talk things over.
A three pointer by Anthony Thomas has cut the Illini lead down to 3. Weber calls a timeout, and with 1:19 left in the game Illinois is going to have to be a lot cleaner out there when it comes to their passes and defensive assignments.
74-68 with 2 minutes left.
Two games in a row, McCamey's presence on the floor makes all the difference in how sloppy the Illini are with the ball. Every time he is out we become less secure and commit turnovers.
70-64 with 5:30 left.
Tisdale just passed up an opportunity to take the ball strong to the hole. Bill Cole should have caught the pass, but I think he was getting ready to rebound.
Bruce Weber is about to pull his hair out after McCamey tried another tricky pass as the Illini were on the break 3-1.
Mike Davis just recorded another double-double.
Tisdale is now two for two. He's up there in shooting percentage in the Big Ten, the offense just needs to find more ways to get him the ball.
The Illini are in a zone right now in attempt to change the pace a little. The Broncos were hot from deep early so let's see how this works out.
68-58 Illinois with 9 left.
Boise State was chipping back at the lead, but a basket by Paul and a breakaway dunk by Keller has the momentum back on the Illini's side.
Keller is really struggling on his free throws. The problem seems to be his timing on his routine.
Brandon Paul just made a no look pass over his head to Keller who was fouled on the lay-up attempt.
The Illini used great ball movement on that last basket, and the result was a wide open Davis jumper.
McCamey just made his fourth three of the night, and this one was NBA range. 57-50 Illini with 13:00 left to play.
Tisdale just took and made his first shot of the night 26 minutes into the game.
52-46 Illini lead with 15:45 left in the game. Mike Davis is having a great night with 14 and 8.
McCamey tried to get fancy and turned the ball over for an easy BSU bucket. Coach Weber talks a lot about his ability, but sometimes he tries to do too much.
Mike Davis is surely on his way to another double-double, and Demetri McCamey has been shooting well all night. The Illini jump out with a quick 5 points to open the half. 47-38... Timeout BSU.
42-38 is the halftime score. The Illini are shooting pretty well, they just aren't defending and rebounding to the best of their abilities. The Broncos are shooting over 53% on the game, and to this point in the season the Illini haven't allowed a single team to shoot over 45%. I would expect the half time talk to be about keeping up the intensity for the rest of the game and just playing their roles. This Boise State team isn't bad, and they are are very capable of winning this geam if we aren't careful. This is a team that you need to put away if you get up by a lead because they appear to have the ability to score in bunches.
Dominique Keller put home a one hand slam and with 30 seconds left, and the Illini are up by 4. It would be nice to hold it at four points going into the half from this point.
2:00 left in the first half, and the Illini lead 40-38.
Brandon Paul got called for offensive goaltending on a play that looked clean... he followed it up by drawing a charge soon after, so maybe the officials agreed.
Tyler Griffey has done some great things in this game with hustle. The other day he was at practice early shooting, and he put in 38 three's in five minutes, getting his own rebound. The kid can shoot.
Mike Davis made a great reverse lay-up there off the glass.
With 7:45 left in the first half, the Illini lead this one by 2, 30-28.
Tyler Griffey hustles and pokes the ball away from Broncos guard Anthony Thomas... out of bounds to the Illini.
Alex Legion has missed two big shots in this game so far. He is known as a streaky shooter, but those two are the type that any player needs to make when they are that open.
Kurt Cunningham is listed at 265 lbs., and Brandon Paul got called for a charge... knocked him over like a feather... ;)
Illini 22- Boise State 19 with 11 left in the first half.
Evan Turner got hurt today, and that leaves Mike Davis as the leading rebounder in the Big Ten.
Tisdale picks up his second foul less than 7 minutes into the game.
Bill Cole should get a Matto point for the hustle to the missed shot there. He didn't get the ball, but his presence caused the rebound to go to Richardson who was fouled.
DJ Richardson hits a three with 1 second on the shot clock.
The Illini are getting out rebounded early in this game. The Broncos look to be getting the inside position consistently.
Brandon Paul gets called for the foul, but that was the type of thing a coach likes to see... contact going after a lazy pass.
Demetri McCamey comes out and hits on the opening possession, then follows it up with a quick three... Good start for a guy who scored 2 points in his last game.
Tough Way to Finish a Season
Call it tough luck. Call it fitting for the season. Call it whatever you want... This one stings. After an exciting game, Illini fans were eager to wish the seniors off in the right way, but Fresno State quarterback Ryan Colburn had other ideas. On fourth down, the junior quarterback hooked up with Jamel Hamler, and the Bulldogs were within 1 point as the clock read 0:02. So like any good team out of the WAC, Fresno State went for the win (See Boise State over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl). What followed was one of the craziest plays I have ever seen in person. Colburn dropped back to pass for the two point conversion when Illini linebacker Russell Ellington broke into the backfield. Colburn was spun around by the attempted sack, and he launched a prayer towards the hero of the last play, Jamel Hamler. The pass never made it to Hamler however, as an Illinois defender batted the ball out of the air... and right into the hands of 350 pound offensive lineman Devan Cunningham. Cunningham proceeded to fall forwards for the touchdown. The highest scoring game in Memorial Stadium's history was won by the heaviest player on either roster."It was a heck of a game... We did some good things, just not enough of them..." was the message from Illinois head coach Ron Zook who seemed to be short with his responses... and why wouldn't he be? He and Juice have had a bond for 4 years, and they have been through a lot together. When asked what he thought of Williams' departure, Zook responded, "Guys mature and go on, I think everybody knows about the relationship between us.". When asked what he said to Juice after the game, he opted to keep that between himself and his quarterback. When Williams committed to this program, he was seen as the future along with the rest of this graduating class. "I feel bad for the seniors. They are part of the foundation of this program and where we are right now. Things are heading up... We're not as far away as people think."
When the quarterback entered the media room, he approached the podium with poise, and yet you could tell that the moment was really starting to sink in. "I was sad on the sidelines, but at the same time joyful. I get to reflect on the times with all of my brothers... It was tough, the last time I walk off the field as an Illini football player. There were so many things running through my head..." I'm sure most Illini fans remember the first time that Juice came into a game. When a player reaches the 10,000 yard mark, he's been around the block, but it really did seem to go quickly. Juice finished the game with 211 yards passing, 62 yards rushing, and 3 total touchdowns.
The other Illini to have a big day was Champaign native Mikel Leshoure.
The sophomore running back accumulated over 200 yards of offense and 3 touchdowns of his own. Junior Rejus Benn probably also played his last game in an Illini jersey today, but that is still to be determined. Benn finished with 2 receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown (which he threw into the student section for a penalty). Also with big catches were tight end Michael Hoomanawanui and former quarterback Eddie Mcgee. The Illini will not see Hooman again in uniform, but most expect McGee to return for his senior year.It's been a long season for players, coaches, and fans. There were nice moments such as beating Michigan back to back and the road win at Minnesota, but there was no shortage of hardships. The coaching staff will hit the road to recruit immediately, and it will be interesting to see what changes are made in the off season... but for now, let's remember the good times we had with these seniors... Rose Bowl anyone?
Illinois vs. Fresno State.
Well here we go... The last game for a senior class and probably some of the juniors as well. I'm expecting big things today... Whether it's trick plays, a huge day from a player or two, or just an overall solid win, I just think the players will want it too much to lose this one.
I can't wait to see the pictures of this one! Juice Williams to Mikel Leshoure... Touchdown after a full out flip into the end zone. 52-45, 6:15 left. I'm headed to the field now.. go Illini!!
What a catch by Hooman! For the second time today, the quarterback has gotten a big play from his receiver saving an INT.
This is now the highest scoring game in Memorial Stadium history.
For a 220 pound passing quarterback, Ryan Mathews moves pretty well. His last run was 25 yards and a touchdown. 45-45.
Mathews is really stepping up his game in the second half. He had 57 yards at halftime and now has 158 total on the day.
The Illini have 6 pass receptions on the day, and they are all to different people.
Mikel Leshoure is knocking on the 200 yard mark for the game. 184 yards on 11 carries, and the result of his latest run is the go ahead touchdown. 45-38 Illini.
Not a good possession for the Illini... Until Juice hooked up with Eddie McGee for 48 yards on third and very long.
Justin Green returns the kickoff for the Illini and brings it out to the 21. I hope Green gets another carry today.
Terry Hawthorne slipped and fell after a Mathews cut, and all that was left was real estate. Mathews runs for his third touchdown of the day... He now has over 100 yards on the day. Tied up at 38 with 13 minutes left in the game.
The Illini have been giving FS good starting field position all day when the kick off is going into the wind.
Ask and ye shall be granted... Roughing the kicker... first down... first play? 61 yard touchdown run by Leshoure. Welcome back momentum. 38-31 Illinois heading into the fourth quarter.
The momentum is with the Bulldogs at the moment and with a three and out for the offense, this team needs something to happen.
Juice Williams is back in the game at quarterback.
Josh Brent makes a nice tackle on third and 5, FS will settles for a field goal. All tied up at 31 with 1:44 left in the game.
Ryan Mathews gets on the board for the second time today. He still isn't dominating anyone out there like he has in the past, but he's becoming more consistent than he was in the first half. 31-28 Illini, 3:51 left in the third quarter.
Robbie Rouse is all of 5'7" for the Bulldogs, and he cuts quickly making it hard for the linebackers to get a good read on him. He's only a freshman, so I think he has some good football ahead of him.
Juice is up and walking around on the sidelines. I wouldn't be surprised if Charest got the next series anyways, but I think we'll see the senior again today, at least to hand one off and get an ovation when he leaves the field.
44 yard field attempt by Dimke sails through the uprights. 31-21 Illinois. I was watching Dimke during warm-ups, and he was kicking from that spot with good results.
Juice Williams was down following a first down run and after walking off under his own strength, Charest came in to spell the senior.
Mikel Leshoure just had great back to back runs where he punished the tackler both times with hard contact.
The Illini have done a great job of containing Ryan Mathews. The back is averaging 150 yards per game on the ground and through one half and a possession, Mathews has only 66 yards on 3.7 YPC.
Well Rejus Benn didn't seem to care that the clock read 18 seconds... Juice Williams bombed one, and the result was a 58 yard touchdown... The fans felt a sudden change in emotion when the ball looked to be picked off, but Benn used his strength to rip it free. It's 28-21 Illinois heading into halftime, Fresno State will start with the football.
Ball at the 42, so maybe it changes... air it out or be safe?
Terry Hawthorne lost track of his guy, and Fresno State is able to score with 22 seconds left. The Illini just need to head into the half here, nothing fancy.
Fresno State calls their final timeout now, and they have the ball at the Illini 4 yard line... 27 seconds left. I was worried about the amount of time left, and it looks like it might be just enough for the Bulldogs.
FSU seems content to run the ball here... ball at the 50 with under 2 left, let's see if it changes.
A nice return for Fresno State brings the ball all the way up to the 39. Kicker Derrick Dimke saved the touchdown.
Jason Ford breaks into the end zone, and the Illini are back on top 21-14. I would have liked to see use us a little more clock though, still 3:30 remaining... but that's nit-picking.
Garrett Edwards picks off a pass inside the 30, and the Illini take over inside of Fresno State's 20... 4 minutes left in the half.
Juice pitches the ball to McGee, McGee passes back to Juice, the result is 6 yards... fun play that you could see going for a lot more if you caught the defense on the right play.
The Illini force Fresno State to punt after a 3 and out. Fayson back to return, but the short kick falls down at the 50.
Aaron Gress makes a nice tackle on special teams.
Juice found some touch on that one and and with the touchdown reception, Jeff Cumberland breaks the 1,000 yard mark for career receiving yards. 14-14, 9:00 left in the second quarter.
The Illini just caught the Bulldogs on a strong side blitz, and the sweep play worked very well.
The Illini just missed a chance for a quick snap which would have resulted in 12 men on the field for Fresno State.
Juice still in at quarterback.
Juice Williams just gift wrapped a pick six. When you run the screen pass, you need good blocking and a quick release... the blocking started off pretty good, but Juice waited too long and the result was a 6 point swing.
Juice may have lost yards on that option, but he made a good decision to not pitch the ball into traffic. Williams' decision making on the run this year has been overshadowed by his troubles passing the ball.
Fresno State gets a one yard touchdown run from Ryan Mathews on a play that completely fooled our defense. 7-7, 1:30 left in the first.
Juice is having a lot of trouble with his passes today, but his work on the ground has made it less detrimental. You get the feeling that his hands might be frozen as you watch him overshoot his wide receivers by ten yards while throwing into the wind.
Illinois used the fullback as a traditional blocker... something you hardly ever see in this offense.
Jarred Fayson left the field limping after an earlier play, but he caught that punt so it appears he is fine.
Ian Thomas just made a great tackle on the third down pitch play. Mathews was ready to lower his shoulder, but Thomas got more leverage and sent him backwards.
Fresno State has a great running back in Ryan Mathews... Let's see how he does in the cold.
The Illini run a great looking option play, and senior Daniel Dufrene scores on a 15 yarder. 7-0 Illini.
The Illinois sideline appears to be fired up... lot's of cheering and chest bumping.
The offense is coming out mixing the throw with the run, and it's working. After a fourth down conversion by Rejus Benn, the offense stays on the field.
I can't wait to see the pictures of this one! Juice Williams to Mikel Leshoure... Touchdown after a full out flip into the end zone. 52-45, 6:15 left. I'm headed to the field now.. go Illini!!
What a catch by Hooman! For the second time today, the quarterback has gotten a big play from his receiver saving an INT.
This is now the highest scoring game in Memorial Stadium history.
For a 220 pound passing quarterback, Ryan Mathews moves pretty well. His last run was 25 yards and a touchdown. 45-45.
Mathews is really stepping up his game in the second half. He had 57 yards at halftime and now has 158 total on the day.
The Illini have 6 pass receptions on the day, and they are all to different people.
Mikel Leshoure is knocking on the 200 yard mark for the game. 184 yards on 11 carries, and the result of his latest run is the go ahead touchdown. 45-38 Illini.
Not a good possession for the Illini... Until Juice hooked up with Eddie McGee for 48 yards on third and very long.
Justin Green returns the kickoff for the Illini and brings it out to the 21. I hope Green gets another carry today.
Terry Hawthorne slipped and fell after a Mathews cut, and all that was left was real estate. Mathews runs for his third touchdown of the day... He now has over 100 yards on the day. Tied up at 38 with 13 minutes left in the game.
The Illini have been giving FS good starting field position all day when the kick off is going into the wind.
Ask and ye shall be granted... Roughing the kicker... first down... first play? 61 yard touchdown run by Leshoure. Welcome back momentum. 38-31 Illinois heading into the fourth quarter.
The momentum is with the Bulldogs at the moment and with a three and out for the offense, this team needs something to happen.
Juice Williams is back in the game at quarterback.
Josh Brent makes a nice tackle on third and 5, FS will settles for a field goal. All tied up at 31 with 1:44 left in the game.
Ryan Mathews gets on the board for the second time today. He still isn't dominating anyone out there like he has in the past, but he's becoming more consistent than he was in the first half. 31-28 Illini, 3:51 left in the third quarter.
Robbie Rouse is all of 5'7" for the Bulldogs, and he cuts quickly making it hard for the linebackers to get a good read on him. He's only a freshman, so I think he has some good football ahead of him.
Juice is up and walking around on the sidelines. I wouldn't be surprised if Charest got the next series anyways, but I think we'll see the senior again today, at least to hand one off and get an ovation when he leaves the field.
44 yard field attempt by Dimke sails through the uprights. 31-21 Illinois. I was watching Dimke during warm-ups, and he was kicking from that spot with good results.
Juice Williams was down following a first down run and after walking off under his own strength, Charest came in to spell the senior.
Mikel Leshoure just had great back to back runs where he punished the tackler both times with hard contact.
The Illini have done a great job of containing Ryan Mathews. The back is averaging 150 yards per game on the ground and through one half and a possession, Mathews has only 66 yards on 3.7 YPC.
Well Rejus Benn didn't seem to care that the clock read 18 seconds... Juice Williams bombed one, and the result was a 58 yard touchdown... The fans felt a sudden change in emotion when the ball looked to be picked off, but Benn used his strength to rip it free. It's 28-21 Illinois heading into halftime, Fresno State will start with the football.
Ball at the 42, so maybe it changes... air it out or be safe?
Terry Hawthorne lost track of his guy, and Fresno State is able to score with 22 seconds left. The Illini just need to head into the half here, nothing fancy.
Fresno State calls their final timeout now, and they have the ball at the Illini 4 yard line... 27 seconds left. I was worried about the amount of time left, and it looks like it might be just enough for the Bulldogs.
FSU seems content to run the ball here... ball at the 50 with under 2 left, let's see if it changes.
A nice return for Fresno State brings the ball all the way up to the 39. Kicker Derrick Dimke saved the touchdown.
Jason Ford breaks into the end zone, and the Illini are back on top 21-14. I would have liked to see use us a little more clock though, still 3:30 remaining... but that's nit-picking.
Garrett Edwards picks off a pass inside the 30, and the Illini take over inside of Fresno State's 20... 4 minutes left in the half.
Juice pitches the ball to McGee, McGee passes back to Juice, the result is 6 yards... fun play that you could see going for a lot more if you caught the defense on the right play.
The Illini force Fresno State to punt after a 3 and out. Fayson back to return, but the short kick falls down at the 50.
Aaron Gress makes a nice tackle on special teams.
Juice found some touch on that one and and with the touchdown reception, Jeff Cumberland breaks the 1,000 yard mark for career receiving yards. 14-14, 9:00 left in the second quarter.
The Illini just caught the Bulldogs on a strong side blitz, and the sweep play worked very well.
The Illini just missed a chance for a quick snap which would have resulted in 12 men on the field for Fresno State.
Juice still in at quarterback.
Juice Williams just gift wrapped a pick six. When you run the screen pass, you need good blocking and a quick release... the blocking started off pretty good, but Juice waited too long and the result was a 6 point swing.
Juice may have lost yards on that option, but he made a good decision to not pitch the ball into traffic. Williams' decision making on the run this year has been overshadowed by his troubles passing the ball.
Fresno State gets a one yard touchdown run from Ryan Mathews on a play that completely fooled our defense. 7-7, 1:30 left in the first.
Juice is having a lot of trouble with his passes today, but his work on the ground has made it less detrimental. You get the feeling that his hands might be frozen as you watch him overshoot his wide receivers by ten yards while throwing into the wind.
Illinois used the fullback as a traditional blocker... something you hardly ever see in this offense.
Jarred Fayson left the field limping after an earlier play, but he caught that punt so it appears he is fine.
Ian Thomas just made a great tackle on the third down pitch play. Mathews was ready to lower his shoulder, but Thomas got more leverage and sent him backwards.
Fresno State has a great running back in Ryan Mathews... Let's see how he does in the cold.
The Illini run a great looking option play, and senior Daniel Dufrene scores on a 15 yarder. 7-0 Illini.
The Illinois sideline appears to be fired up... lot's of cheering and chest bumping.
The offense is coming out mixing the throw with the run, and it's working. After a fourth down conversion by Rejus Benn, the offense stays on the field.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Checking in on the Illini
Bruce Weber and his Fighting Illini squad return home after what looked to be a depressing road trip for the first 100 of the 120 minutes played... but what happened in that final half of play has set this team's sights back on big things. In statistically the greatest comeback in school history, we got to see a glimpse of what these guys should accomplish in time. Here are a few updates on the team.
Four point plays, blocked shots, and heady decisions were on display once again after the previous two games left fans wanting more... and the players too. I asked D.J. Richardson about the two games in Vegas and the feeling of having a target on your back. The freshman thought for a second and responded that he has played the game from both sides of that ticket. Last year at Findlay Prep, Richardson's team was touted as the top in the country... but things weren't always that way. "At the start of my career no one really feared us. We had to prove it and make our own name." And he's done just that for himself. Richardson currently ranks second in the Big Ten in three point shooting percentage, and word that he was feeling some discomfort in his foot have Illini fans cheering for the hard worker even more.
After his leadership at halftime against Clemson, Demetri McCamey should be recognized for keeping his cool. Even with three fouls, the junior point guard was ready to lead his team into the second half if they were ready to work. "I just said let's get this thing back down to ten (points) by the ten minute mark, and then we can make a run for it... We had felt the hurt twice after games hearing Bradley and Utah celebrate in their locker rooms, so this was a chance for us to get one of those." You could tell that he wanted be more active on offense, but it was everything else that he was doing that highlighted his maturity. "I couldn't be super aggressive like I wanted to because of the foul trouble, but at the same time I knew that I could help us win by making my teammates better." McCamey may have only had 2 points, but the team scored 26 points more than Clemson when he was on the court.
Brandon Paul is quickly becoming one of the fan favorites, and it's not hard to figure out why. From the hair to the hops, there's a certain flair about this kid that is catching on in Champaign. The question is, when a player gets off to a hot start like Paul did, does the pressure build? The first two games showed us that the freshman has all the potential in the world with back to back nights of reaching the 20 point mark. The next few games saw totals under ten... Now for a normal freshman, 8, 6, 5, and 7 points would be expected... was there pressure to score more because of the big start? "Coach talked to me about it, and he said that sometimes I let my offense affect the rest of my game. I just wanted to play defense and play hard, and the offense came back."
The Illini need to keep moving the ball on offense. In the 5 wins, the Illini are averaging 20 assists. In the two losses, the team is only putting up 10. Over Weber's time with the Illini, the team is 107-21 when dishing out at least 15 assists.
All 5 Illini starters are averaging in double figures.
Outside of Las Vegas, D.J. Richardson is shooting 12 of 16 from deep.
Brandon Paul is the second leading freshman scorer in the Big Ten.
Mike Davis is second in the Big Ten with 9.9 rebounds per game.
Demetri McCamey is second in the conference with 6.1 assists per game.
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