4.4 seconds were the only thing standing in Indiana's way on their path to overtime.
D It was just a play for us to go back door, and they did a good job switching.
T The last few times in close games we stopped attacking, and coach wanted us to attack.
D I just made them.
T Tyler's been playing well. He plays hard, and he wants the team to win.
Crean
McCamey made a great shot obviously. You ask your team to do everything possible to win, and they did it, we just didn't get the last shot.
It's very hard. We're learning about what it takes to be successful.
Great momentum into half time. We were very excited and never flinched when we were down.
Weber
I didn't yell. At some point there isn't any point in yelling. (at halftime)
They've been through a lot of situations. It's just part of it. (on being unpredictable as a team)
Davis has to change. I love him, great kid... but he has to come to practice everyday and get better.
Keller said, Davis is ready, and we need him. (second half)
We held D accountable, and it worked well. We need to do the same thing with Mike maybe and hope that he will get it all together.
We've been on his case all year, and there's no doubt that he is a huge part of this team... but when you let off he just likes to chill.
There's no doubt. (on getting Tisdale more touches)
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Illinois Vs. Indiana Game Blog
The Hoosiers are invading the other Assembly Hall this afternoon in a match up between old rivals. The series, of course, got an extra kick when now L.A. Clipper Eric Gordon made the last minute switch from the Illini to the Hoosiers... And if you ask me... both schools would have been better off if Gordon had stayed with Weber. The Illini took a step back with their momentum, and Indiana basically sold their souls for the kid considering that this team now hasn't won three games in a row a single time under new coach Tom Crean. The Illini are wearing pink shoes and special pink and white jerseys for breast cancer.
Illinois 72 Indiana 70 Final
DEMETRI MCCAMEY!! ILLINI WIN! A screen near mid-court allowed the Junior to get free for a drive down the sideline ending up with a tear drop that hit nothing but the bottom of the net.
4.4 seconds left, and the Illini just need one point to win.
Tied game.
The Illini foul after a turnover, and Indiana has a chance to tie this one up with free throws.
Verdell Jones makes 2 FT, and the score is 70-68 Illinois, 30 left.
The Illini are unable to capitalize, and the ball goes back to Indiana. 1:30 left.
An air ball gives it back to the Illini with a 68-66 lead, 1:51 remaining. The Hoosiers are in need of a turnover, and the Illini are in need of some good decisions. This is a game that we really need.
Illinois back on top 66-64 with 2:45 left.
64-64 with 3:30 left.
The crowd is on their feet finally, and this is turning into a home court advantage.
Mike Davis is in the game now and since his arrival, the Illini are looking more sound with the ball.
56-59 Indiana with 7:30 left.
Mike Davis checks in for the first time in the second half with only 8 minutes left. There has to be more to this story.
McCamey just drilled a contested three at the end of the shot clock. I was ready to start yelling, but he saved himself the time.
49-53 Indiana with 12 minutes left.
The play has gotten really sloppy all around. Indiana is just tossing up quick shots, some of which are going in, and Illinois is fouling with lazy defense.
The game isn't coming to the Illini; we instead are forcing the action. Indiana is capitalizing on bad shots and turnovers. 47-50 Indiana.
47-43 Illinois with 15 left.
Watford was just called for a Technical for throwing an elbow after the play. 2 shots and the ball.
The crowd is back in this one after the Illini open the second half with some of that energy that was missing from the first. Mike Davis really not getting much playing time today. Hopefully this will wake him up because we're going to need him down the stretch.
And just that quickly the score is tied at 36. The Hoosiers made a lay up with 7 seconds left and then a half court shot at the buzzer.
36-31 Illinois with 28 seconds left.
The Illini need to put the Hoosiers away. The lead is only 5 now, and I would assume that Weber isn't happy about it. You can tell that there is talent on this team, you just don't see the effort all of the time.
34-25 with 2:30 left in the first half. The Illini are still letting the Hoosiers hang around like they have so many times while out-playing a team.
24-15 after a bit of an Illini run. Tom Crean is livid on the Indiana bench. The Hoosiers aren't playing with much emotion, and it shows on defense. The Illini are running sets, and they are working for the most part.
Demetri McCamey just made a great pass over half the court to an open Mike Davis for the dunk.
11 minutes left, and the Illini lead this one 15-12.
Dominique Keller just dunked off of a nice pass from Demetri McCamey then went to the bench. The Illini don't need him to score, but he's great at the energy plays.
Tyler Griffey is doing a great job of being aggressive and making the best of his start. 13-9 Illini with 13:33 left in the first half.
Illinois is looking great with this line up. It took 6.5 minutes for the Illini to sub.
Tisdale finally found Griffey down low after what seemed like an eternity. I can't believe no one picked him up.
7-4 Illini with 16 left in the first half.
Tom Crean just yelled something to Bruce Weber, but I couldn't make it out.
Watford, one of the better freshman in the country just threw up an air ball. Hopefully we can get in his head early because he is a big part of the Hoosier attack.
Bill Cole hits the open three. This starting line-up is doing a great job.
Tyler Griffey gets the offensive board and is fouled on the put back.
Bill Cole draws a shooting foul right away which is nice to see.
Tyler Griffey starting in place of Mike Davis.
Illinois 72 Indiana 70 Final
DEMETRI MCCAMEY!! ILLINI WIN! A screen near mid-court allowed the Junior to get free for a drive down the sideline ending up with a tear drop that hit nothing but the bottom of the net.
4.4 seconds left, and the Illini just need one point to win.
Tied game.
The Illini foul after a turnover, and Indiana has a chance to tie this one up with free throws.
Verdell Jones makes 2 FT, and the score is 70-68 Illinois, 30 left.
The Illini are unable to capitalize, and the ball goes back to Indiana. 1:30 left.
An air ball gives it back to the Illini with a 68-66 lead, 1:51 remaining. The Hoosiers are in need of a turnover, and the Illini are in need of some good decisions. This is a game that we really need.
Illinois back on top 66-64 with 2:45 left.
64-64 with 3:30 left.
The crowd is on their feet finally, and this is turning into a home court advantage.
Mike Davis is in the game now and since his arrival, the Illini are looking more sound with the ball.
56-59 Indiana with 7:30 left.
Mike Davis checks in for the first time in the second half with only 8 minutes left. There has to be more to this story.
McCamey just drilled a contested three at the end of the shot clock. I was ready to start yelling, but he saved himself the time.
49-53 Indiana with 12 minutes left.
The play has gotten really sloppy all around. Indiana is just tossing up quick shots, some of which are going in, and Illinois is fouling with lazy defense.
The game isn't coming to the Illini; we instead are forcing the action. Indiana is capitalizing on bad shots and turnovers. 47-50 Indiana.
47-43 Illinois with 15 left.
Watford was just called for a Technical for throwing an elbow after the play. 2 shots and the ball.
The crowd is back in this one after the Illini open the second half with some of that energy that was missing from the first. Mike Davis really not getting much playing time today. Hopefully this will wake him up because we're going to need him down the stretch.
And just that quickly the score is tied at 36. The Hoosiers made a lay up with 7 seconds left and then a half court shot at the buzzer.
36-31 Illinois with 28 seconds left.
The Illini need to put the Hoosiers away. The lead is only 5 now, and I would assume that Weber isn't happy about it. You can tell that there is talent on this team, you just don't see the effort all of the time.
34-25 with 2:30 left in the first half. The Illini are still letting the Hoosiers hang around like they have so many times while out-playing a team.
24-15 after a bit of an Illini run. Tom Crean is livid on the Indiana bench. The Hoosiers aren't playing with much emotion, and it shows on defense. The Illini are running sets, and they are working for the most part.
Demetri McCamey just made a great pass over half the court to an open Mike Davis for the dunk.
11 minutes left, and the Illini lead this one 15-12.
Dominique Keller just dunked off of a nice pass from Demetri McCamey then went to the bench. The Illini don't need him to score, but he's great at the energy plays.
Tyler Griffey is doing a great job of being aggressive and making the best of his start. 13-9 Illini with 13:33 left in the first half.
Illinois is looking great with this line up. It took 6.5 minutes for the Illini to sub.
Tisdale finally found Griffey down low after what seemed like an eternity. I can't believe no one picked him up.
7-4 Illini with 16 left in the first half.
Tom Crean just yelled something to Bruce Weber, but I couldn't make it out.
Watford, one of the better freshman in the country just threw up an air ball. Hopefully we can get in his head early because he is a big part of the Hoosier attack.
Bill Cole hits the open three. This starting line-up is doing a great job.
Tyler Griffey gets the offensive board and is fouled on the put back.
Bill Cole draws a shooting foul right away which is nice to see.
Tyler Griffey starting in place of Mike Davis.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Illinois Vs. Northwestern Game Thread
I'm sitting in a packed Welsh-Ryan Arena for tonight's match up between The Fighting Illini and in state rival Northwestern. If you haven't been to Welsh-Ryan in a while, this is no longer the easiest place to win in the Big Ten... If the crowd shows up like it has tonight, this "high school" gym can really get rocking. The fans a split at about 65% to 35% in favor of the Purple... a bit different from last year when the Illini may have had over 50% of the fans in Evanston.
Nash hits a put back and even a Brandon Paul three pointer doesn't seem to make this one look any better... This will be a tough loss after what started as a good basketball game.
63-56 Northwestern, under 2 to play.
D.J. Richardson just lost his head and let the shot clock run out... then Shurna hits a three... this game has gone downhill in a hurry.
The Illini are down 4 with under three minutes left, and it's crunch time. Weber's team came into this game with most casual fans not giving Northwestern a chance. A loss here is going to hurt in the public eye, it will also drop the Illini from 4-0 to 4-3 in the Big Ten in a matter of three games...
56-54 Northwestern with 3:45 left.
Nash hits a three, and the Wildcats go up by one.
The Wildcats are hitting their second wind, and the pace is back where it was to begin the game. Illinois is having a hard time getting the ball inside.
51-44 Illinois with 7:30 left in the game.
The Illini need to keep up the pace. They are currently out hustling the Wildcats and that doesn't happen often against a team such as this that relies on its hustle to make up for the lack of athleticism.
D.J. Richardson just drove the baseline and finished with a nice reverse lay-up... good move by the freshman, and I think it's something Weber has expected out of the two freshman guards.
The halftime stats for today's game look nothing like the previous meeting. Last time out, Tisdale and Davis combined for 50+ points in the win... today they have 4 after 20 minutes.
Bill Cole just drove the lane and finished nicely in the paint... good to see the smart play leading up to the shot as well. A good pump fake opened up the lane.
Northwestern has energy, but it's nothing like the first half... The crowd is a little quieter, the pace is a little bit slower, and the defense isn't getting the loose balls like it was the first five minutes. 39-41 Illinois with 17 left.
McCamey at the line with a chance to make this a three point game going into the half... nails them both. 4 seconds left, and the Wildcats come away empty. 39-36 Illinois at the half.
Nash just got away with a pretty blatant travel and then nailed a three.
37-33 Illinois with 3 left in the first half. The pace has been more geared to the Illini as they are on their way to having more than half of their average points at the break.
Demetri McCamey just ran his own 3 on 1... fake the pass and take it yourself.
The score is tied at 15 with 10 left as the Illini have begun to find their stroke. D.J. hits a three, and the Illini have their first lead of the game.
Keller just got the first big Illini play after a baseline dunk.
Weber had made some changes to the line up presumably in hopes of finding some guys who want to be on the floor more. Paul, Keller, Richardson, Griffey, and McCamey are on the floor.
13-6 Northwestern with 12:44 left in the first half.
Northwestern is playing twice as hard as the Illini but even more than that, the crowd is feeding the Purple... It's pretty loud in here!
The first Illini point come 3:30 into the action.
The Illini are shooting a terrible percentage to start the game... try zero after 3 minutes.
The Illini are having a tough time finding a rhythm on offense. Twice now the Illini have turned the ball over on traveling while a player failed to make the first move. The hesitation hasn't been good.
The Wildcats are coming out shooting again... just not quite as hot... But they are out working us on the glass early.
Last time out, the Wildcats got off to a hot start and drained threes like it was all they knew how to do... Hopefully this time out Carmody's squad won't have the hot touch resulting in 47 three point attempts.
Nash hits a put back and even a Brandon Paul three pointer doesn't seem to make this one look any better... This will be a tough loss after what started as a good basketball game.
63-56 Northwestern, under 2 to play.
D.J. Richardson just lost his head and let the shot clock run out... then Shurna hits a three... this game has gone downhill in a hurry.
The Illini are down 4 with under three minutes left, and it's crunch time. Weber's team came into this game with most casual fans not giving Northwestern a chance. A loss here is going to hurt in the public eye, it will also drop the Illini from 4-0 to 4-3 in the Big Ten in a matter of three games...
56-54 Northwestern with 3:45 left.
Nash hits a three, and the Wildcats go up by one.
The Wildcats are hitting their second wind, and the pace is back where it was to begin the game. Illinois is having a hard time getting the ball inside.
51-44 Illinois with 7:30 left in the game.
The Illini need to keep up the pace. They are currently out hustling the Wildcats and that doesn't happen often against a team such as this that relies on its hustle to make up for the lack of athleticism.
D.J. Richardson just drove the baseline and finished with a nice reverse lay-up... good move by the freshman, and I think it's something Weber has expected out of the two freshman guards.
The halftime stats for today's game look nothing like the previous meeting. Last time out, Tisdale and Davis combined for 50+ points in the win... today they have 4 after 20 minutes.
Bill Cole just drove the lane and finished nicely in the paint... good to see the smart play leading up to the shot as well. A good pump fake opened up the lane.
Northwestern has energy, but it's nothing like the first half... The crowd is a little quieter, the pace is a little bit slower, and the defense isn't getting the loose balls like it was the first five minutes. 39-41 Illinois with 17 left.
McCamey at the line with a chance to make this a three point game going into the half... nails them both. 4 seconds left, and the Wildcats come away empty. 39-36 Illinois at the half.
Nash just got away with a pretty blatant travel and then nailed a three.
37-33 Illinois with 3 left in the first half. The pace has been more geared to the Illini as they are on their way to having more than half of their average points at the break.
Demetri McCamey just ran his own 3 on 1... fake the pass and take it yourself.
The score is tied at 15 with 10 left as the Illini have begun to find their stroke. D.J. hits a three, and the Illini have their first lead of the game.
Keller just got the first big Illini play after a baseline dunk.
Weber had made some changes to the line up presumably in hopes of finding some guys who want to be on the floor more. Paul, Keller, Richardson, Griffey, and McCamey are on the floor.
13-6 Northwestern with 12:44 left in the first half.
Northwestern is playing twice as hard as the Illini but even more than that, the crowd is feeding the Purple... It's pretty loud in here!
The first Illini point come 3:30 into the action.
The Illini are shooting a terrible percentage to start the game... try zero after 3 minutes.
The Illini are having a tough time finding a rhythm on offense. Twice now the Illini have turned the ball over on traveling while a player failed to make the first move. The hesitation hasn't been good.
The Wildcats are coming out shooting again... just not quite as hot... But they are out working us on the glass early.
Last time out, the Wildcats got off to a hot start and drained threes like it was all they knew how to do... Hopefully this time out Carmody's squad won't have the hot touch resulting in 47 three point attempts.
The Illini Head to Evanston
The Illini head to Evanston tonight to take on the Wildcats of Northwestern in a battle that features two teams in need of a win to help their March resume. Bruce Weber’s team will enter Welsh-Ryan Arena tonight at a 12-7 clip, 4-2 in the Big Ten. Northwestern on the other hand is 13-5 overall but only 2-4 in conference play. A lot of fans will point to Illinois’ advantage in the all time series (127-34) and assume that anything short of a blowout win is a let down, but this year things are different. The Wildcats are in real contention for their first trip to the NCAA tournament in program history, so it’s a safe bet that they will give 110% every time out… but then again, you would expect that from this team anyways. Head Coach Bill Carmody has put together a roster of guys who may not be able to jump out of the gym, but they have bought into their roles for this team. Guys like John Shurna could walk right by you on the street, and you wouldn’t look twice… but get him on the court, and you have a player with great heart, hustle, and basketball IQ, maybe the most underrated attribute in today’s game.
Northwestern has always liked to slow things down and make you grind it out on defense, but this year's team likes to move the ball a little bit more quickly. Carmody’s team currently ranks eighth in the NCAA with three point shots made per game… they also are top five in three point shots taken… meaning that there has been a big boost in offensive attempts this season. Twice already this year, including the game in Champaign, Northwestern has taken 47 three point shots in a game… which now sits as the Big Ten record. The Illini bigs are going to have to be ready to get out on the perimeter because in all honestly, the line-up Carmody deploys will mostly likely look like four guards.
What we need to see
1. The Bigs Going Big. Northwestern really lacks a post presence. Luka Mirkovic is listed at 6’11”, 243 lbs. but has never really been a rebounder. Kyle Rowley is one of the biggest bodies in the country at 7’0”, 280 lbs. but lacks athleticism and has trouble covering bigs who can shoot. I hope to see a lot of touches inside, especially after Tisdale and Davis combined for 50 points last time out against the Cats.
2. Guard the Perimeter! I don’t know if I will ever sit through another basketball game where I witness 47 three point attempts from one team… just a crazy stat in itself, but when you realize that the 34% they shot from deep was better than the 33% that they shot from the field in total… you wonder if the team has simply lost all confidence in the inside game. I don’t expect to see 47 attempts again, but guarding the perimeter will be key tonight.
3. Come out Aggressive both halves. Both Bruce Weber and Matt Painter commented that the Illini could have been up 15 points at the half instead of just 4. And even those 4 points didn’t help much seeing as Purdue came out with a purpose in the second half and scored 7 points right off the bat. Weber has tried everything to get this team to play with a chip on their shoulders, but in the end it’s up to the guys.
Quick Hits
• Illinois plays three of its next four games on the road, beginning Saturday night at Northwestern.
• Illinois’ 11-game winning streak over Northwestern is tied for the longest active streak in the Big Ten over a conference opponent (tied with Ohio State’s 11-game win streak over Penn State).
• Demetri McCamey has accounted for nearly 60 percent of Illinois’ offense over the last four games.
• McCamey has scored 972 career points, ranking 44th on the UI all-time list. He is just 28 points away from becoming the 42nd player in school history to join the 1,000-point club.
• McCamey tallied his seventh 20-point game of the season with a season-high 28 points against Purdue on Tuesday. He now has 14 career 20-point games to lead the Illini.
• McCamey has scored at least nine points in 12 straight games. Over that stretch, he is averaging 17.1 points (216) on 51.8 percent shooting (73-141).
• In conference play, McCamey ranks first in the league in both assists (7.2 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (3.6). He has totaled 43 assists in Big Ten games, 13 more than the next closest assists leader.
• Mike Tisdale (all games) ranks third in the conference in field goal percentage (.574), sixth in free throw percentage
(.844) and fifth in blocked shots (1.8 bpg).
• D.J. Richardson ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage at 45.1 percent (37-82).
What does it all mean?
I would guess that this one is going to be close in the beginning due to the crowd and the energy the Wildcats will have playing at home against the in-state rival. Last time out Northwestern started the game on fire. I don’t think the shot will go in to begin with and the Northwestern offense will go a little bit more traditional. Get the ball inside to Tisdale and Davis and this one should be a W. Illinois 71, Northwestern 64.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Purdue comes out on top in Champaign
The Illini drop their first home game of the season and second straight in the Big Ten 84-78 at the hands of Purdue. It looked good early as the offense was active without the ball, but the Illini could only manage a 4 point lead by halftime. Both Painter and Weber agreed after the game that Purdue was lucky to be down by only that much. "I thought the game could have been determined in the first half," Weber said after the game, "They were doubting a little bit and the chance was there to take the game, but we didn't do it."
Coming into the game, one of my key points was to shut down Hummel and Moore... but they weren't the problem. They did both break double digits, but if you would have offered me before the game to lock in less than 30 points between the two, I would have taken it... The biggest problem came from a guy who wasn't on the scouting report... hell he wasn't even in the scorer's book! Illinois was awarded 2 shots and the ball after Matt Painter sent freshman guard John Hart into the game without putting him on the team roster coming into the game. Hart has only scored in one game this year, entered play averaging 1.1 points per contest... but that didn't matter as he posted 14 points, none bigger than the six that came on threes in the second half seemingly each time the Illini started a run. After the game, Painter was asked about Hart getting a chance tonight, and the response was simple, "His work ethic has really gotten much better".
Weber seemed disappointed that his guys couldn't hang onto the lead from the first half, but what troubled him even more was how it happened. "56 points in a half is way too many to give up on your own court, that and shooting fewer free throws than your opponent... it just can't happen".
Quick Hits
Demetri McCamey led the Illini with a season and game high 28 points and nine assists. Over the last four games, McCamey is averaging 21.8 points and 7 assists. Tonight was also his seventh time this season to break 20 points.
McCamey also got to the free throw line 19 times, eclipsing his previous career-high of 16 free throws set this year at Indiana.
Mike Davis picked up his Big Ten leading ninth double-double of the season, recording 17 points and 15 rebounds. Davis matches his double-double total from last season and now is tied with Ohio State's Evan Turner for most in his career among active Big Ten players.
Davis also set his record for rebounds in a half, pulling in 11 during the first half of play.
D.J. Richardson turned it on late, scoring all 12 of his points in the second half on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
Bill Cole blocked a career high 3 shots.
Coming into the game, one of my key points was to shut down Hummel and Moore... but they weren't the problem. They did both break double digits, but if you would have offered me before the game to lock in less than 30 points between the two, I would have taken it... The biggest problem came from a guy who wasn't on the scouting report... hell he wasn't even in the scorer's book! Illinois was awarded 2 shots and the ball after Matt Painter sent freshman guard John Hart into the game without putting him on the team roster coming into the game. Hart has only scored in one game this year, entered play averaging 1.1 points per contest... but that didn't matter as he posted 14 points, none bigger than the six that came on threes in the second half seemingly each time the Illini started a run. After the game, Painter was asked about Hart getting a chance tonight, and the response was simple, "His work ethic has really gotten much better".
Weber seemed disappointed that his guys couldn't hang onto the lead from the first half, but what troubled him even more was how it happened. "56 points in a half is way too many to give up on your own court, that and shooting fewer free throws than your opponent... it just can't happen".
Quick Hits
Demetri McCamey led the Illini with a season and game high 28 points and nine assists. Over the last four games, McCamey is averaging 21.8 points and 7 assists. Tonight was also his seventh time this season to break 20 points.
McCamey also got to the free throw line 19 times, eclipsing his previous career-high of 16 free throws set this year at Indiana.
Mike Davis picked up his Big Ten leading ninth double-double of the season, recording 17 points and 15 rebounds. Davis matches his double-double total from last season and now is tied with Ohio State's Evan Turner for most in his career among active Big Ten players.
Davis also set his record for rebounds in a half, pulling in 11 during the first half of play.
D.J. Richardson turned it on late, scoring all 12 of his points in the second half on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.
Bill Cole blocked a career high 3 shots.
Illinois Vs. Purdue: Big Ten Game 6
The atmosphere is great, Purdue is a top 15 team, and Erin Andrews is in the house... good game! The Illini need to come out and match the energy that the crowd is giving. We have talked about why this is a big game and why it would be big to win on ESPN, so let's see it.
Final Score: Purdue 84 Illinois 78
Purdue's going to win this one, but the Illini made it close in the end. A lot went wrong to start the second half, and the big comeback at the end was just a little too late.
McCamey hits a three, and it's a three point game with 18 left.
Demetri is fouled again and sent to the line. After hitting both, it's 75-79.
D.J. Richardson hits another 3. 72-77 with 47 seconds left.
The Illini made it tough to get the ball in and almost drew a 5 second call, but JaJuan Johnson found an opening at the three point line on the other end.
Another three by the Illini, and it's now down to a doable number... but it would take a lot. 6 point deficit with 1:17 left.
Bill Cole hits a three, but it appears to be too little, too late for the Illini. A good first half is followed up by a rough outing in the second. Purdue leads this one 66-75. It appears the 3 game losing streak is over for the Boilers, and the Illini are facing a three game streak of their own if they don't get their act together this week.
63-71 with 3:19 left, and the Illini have 2 seconds on the shot clock. Play broken up, Purdue ball.
63-70 Purdue with 3:52 left. Timeout on the floor.
Mike Tisdale fouls out after a pretty disappointing performance. 4 points, 5 rebounds.
The Illini are getting killed at the free throw line in terms of percentage.
Mike Tisdale back in with 4 fouls. 5:50 left to go.
Kelsey Barlow goes to the line for the and one, makes it, and the lead is now 7 again.
Bruce Weber has been yelling for some fouls, and this time he got one. The Illini are shooting 1 and 1 with 7:25 left to go. The free throws were poorly shot in the first half, but McCamey hits both free throws and the score is now 53-57 with 7:30 left.
D.J. Richardson hits a big three, and the crowd gets back in it... Shortly after, Mike Davis makes a lay up and suddenly it's back to a four point game, 51-55 Purdue with 8:15 left in the game.
Griffey hits 2 free throws, and the score is 46-53 Purdue.
There is 9:30 left in the game, and the Illini are down nine, 44-53. The ball has started to go inside now, and it has resulted in a lot of Illini free throws... the biggest problem is the defense.
The Illini are scoring again now, but Purdue is having no problems answering.
There are few things more frustrating than playing 34 seconds of great defense only to have a three go in with one second left.
Mike Tisdale leaves the game with 12:30 left after picking up his fourth foul.
39-45 Purdue with 12:30 left.
McCamey has taken it upon himself to score. He has gone to the line twice now in the last few minutes while trying to get to the basket.
The defense in this half has been plain bad. The Boilermakers are getting inside of 8 feet almost at will against our guys. The score sits at 43-36 with 14:11 left in the game. The Illini need a three, or a dunk, or a block... anything to get that energy back from the first half.
34-39 Purdue with 16:00 minutes left in the game. After a great first half, the energy seems to have faded a little bit. Purdue is still hustling, but they have cut down on the turnovers from the first half. The Illini are standing around on offense and look nothing like they did in the first half.
The first 2 minutes of the second have been all Purdue.
The halftime score is 32-28 Illinois. Purdue isn't taking care of the basketball, and they aren't sharing the rock at all. Only 3 assists in the first half compared to 10 turnovers... that's not going to make a coach who is a former Gene Keady assistant happy. The energy level is great, and I would expect that to continue because the crowd has been great. 20 minutes of basketball left to play, and the Illini are up four on the number 15 team in the country.
A technical has been called on Purdue for substituting a player not on the original roster?? I'll try to find out more...
Purdue just threw down an ally oop. Only moments later, Illinois tried one of their own, but it ended in free throws.
28-24 Illinois with 1:45 left.
McCamey looked to have picked up his dribble when a streaking Jeff Jordan got open in the lane for a great lay up. Good vision by McCamey.
22-14 with 6 left in the first.
Illinois just ran a play called Biscuit... whatever it was, it ended in a back door dunk by Davis.
Brandon Paul is really athletic... I know that's obvious, but sometimes he goes up for a rebound and you think it's about to sail over his head, but he just stretches out and grabs the ball.
Neither team is shooting well, both schools are under 34%.
If you read my pregame article, I talked about coming out strong and rattling a reeling Purdue team. Purdue looks to be a little rattled. There have been a few silly turnovers including a bad travel and a few questionable shots. 18-14 Illinois with 8 minutes left in the half.
Mike Davis has 8 rebounds and 6 offensive already, and there is still 8:45 left in the first half.
The Illini are making their living on the offensive glass. Tisdale is a whole new animal when he goes for a rebound.
Tisdale just blocked a shot, but it went in off of the deflection.
I know that Matt Painter can be animated, but I think he had an extra 5 hour energy before this one.
16-10 Illinois with 12:00 left in the first half. Demetri just hit Keller for a nice bucket in the paint and then asked to be taken out due to fatigue... and I love that! These guys are in great shape after the Weber practice regimen, so it's good to see a guy use this much energy this fast.
Jeff Jordan gets fouled going to the hole. You like to see that because Paul has already attacked. The whole mentality of the offense changes when we attack.
10-10 with 15:30 left in the first half.
The offense is moving the ball well, and I like the energy/emotion, I just think the defense needs to be on assignment a little better. To this point, Purdue has gotten to the rim pretty easily, and that's nothing new.
Brandon Paul makes a nice move in the lane and finishes. Good to see him attacking.
The score is 8-8 with 16:30 left in the half.
Bill Cole looking good early with a block and a nice 18 footer.
Mike Tisdale with 4 quick points. The energy is great to start, but Purdue is still getting to the rim too easily.
The tip was won by the Illini, and then the ball was quickly turned over.. not a good start against a team who forces a lot of errors.
The ball is currently stuck between the scoreboard and the backboard... weird.
Final Score: Purdue 84 Illinois 78
Purdue's going to win this one, but the Illini made it close in the end. A lot went wrong to start the second half, and the big comeback at the end was just a little too late.
McCamey hits a three, and it's a three point game with 18 left.
Demetri is fouled again and sent to the line. After hitting both, it's 75-79.
D.J. Richardson hits another 3. 72-77 with 47 seconds left.
The Illini made it tough to get the ball in and almost drew a 5 second call, but JaJuan Johnson found an opening at the three point line on the other end.
Another three by the Illini, and it's now down to a doable number... but it would take a lot. 6 point deficit with 1:17 left.
Bill Cole hits a three, but it appears to be too little, too late for the Illini. A good first half is followed up by a rough outing in the second. Purdue leads this one 66-75. It appears the 3 game losing streak is over for the Boilers, and the Illini are facing a three game streak of their own if they don't get their act together this week.
63-71 with 3:19 left, and the Illini have 2 seconds on the shot clock. Play broken up, Purdue ball.
63-70 Purdue with 3:52 left. Timeout on the floor.
Mike Tisdale fouls out after a pretty disappointing performance. 4 points, 5 rebounds.
The Illini are getting killed at the free throw line in terms of percentage.
Mike Tisdale back in with 4 fouls. 5:50 left to go.
Kelsey Barlow goes to the line for the and one, makes it, and the lead is now 7 again.
Bruce Weber has been yelling for some fouls, and this time he got one. The Illini are shooting 1 and 1 with 7:25 left to go. The free throws were poorly shot in the first half, but McCamey hits both free throws and the score is now 53-57 with 7:30 left.
D.J. Richardson hits a big three, and the crowd gets back in it... Shortly after, Mike Davis makes a lay up and suddenly it's back to a four point game, 51-55 Purdue with 8:15 left in the game.
Griffey hits 2 free throws, and the score is 46-53 Purdue.
There is 9:30 left in the game, and the Illini are down nine, 44-53. The ball has started to go inside now, and it has resulted in a lot of Illini free throws... the biggest problem is the defense.
The Illini are scoring again now, but Purdue is having no problems answering.
There are few things more frustrating than playing 34 seconds of great defense only to have a three go in with one second left.
Mike Tisdale leaves the game with 12:30 left after picking up his fourth foul.
39-45 Purdue with 12:30 left.
McCamey has taken it upon himself to score. He has gone to the line twice now in the last few minutes while trying to get to the basket.
The defense in this half has been plain bad. The Boilermakers are getting inside of 8 feet almost at will against our guys. The score sits at 43-36 with 14:11 left in the game. The Illini need a three, or a dunk, or a block... anything to get that energy back from the first half.
34-39 Purdue with 16:00 minutes left in the game. After a great first half, the energy seems to have faded a little bit. Purdue is still hustling, but they have cut down on the turnovers from the first half. The Illini are standing around on offense and look nothing like they did in the first half.
The first 2 minutes of the second have been all Purdue.
The halftime score is 32-28 Illinois. Purdue isn't taking care of the basketball, and they aren't sharing the rock at all. Only 3 assists in the first half compared to 10 turnovers... that's not going to make a coach who is a former Gene Keady assistant happy. The energy level is great, and I would expect that to continue because the crowd has been great. 20 minutes of basketball left to play, and the Illini are up four on the number 15 team in the country.
A technical has been called on Purdue for substituting a player not on the original roster?? I'll try to find out more...
Purdue just threw down an ally oop. Only moments later, Illinois tried one of their own, but it ended in free throws.
28-24 Illinois with 1:45 left.
McCamey looked to have picked up his dribble when a streaking Jeff Jordan got open in the lane for a great lay up. Good vision by McCamey.
22-14 with 6 left in the first.
Illinois just ran a play called Biscuit... whatever it was, it ended in a back door dunk by Davis.
Brandon Paul is really athletic... I know that's obvious, but sometimes he goes up for a rebound and you think it's about to sail over his head, but he just stretches out and grabs the ball.
Neither team is shooting well, both schools are under 34%.
If you read my pregame article, I talked about coming out strong and rattling a reeling Purdue team. Purdue looks to be a little rattled. There have been a few silly turnovers including a bad travel and a few questionable shots. 18-14 Illinois with 8 minutes left in the half.
Mike Davis has 8 rebounds and 6 offensive already, and there is still 8:45 left in the first half.
The Illini are making their living on the offensive glass. Tisdale is a whole new animal when he goes for a rebound.
Tisdale just blocked a shot, but it went in off of the deflection.
I know that Matt Painter can be animated, but I think he had an extra 5 hour energy before this one.
16-10 Illinois with 12:00 left in the first half. Demetri just hit Keller for a nice bucket in the paint and then asked to be taken out due to fatigue... and I love that! These guys are in great shape after the Weber practice regimen, so it's good to see a guy use this much energy this fast.
Jeff Jordan gets fouled going to the hole. You like to see that because Paul has already attacked. The whole mentality of the offense changes when we attack.
10-10 with 15:30 left in the first half.
The offense is moving the ball well, and I like the energy/emotion, I just think the defense needs to be on assignment a little better. To this point, Purdue has gotten to the rim pretty easily, and that's nothing new.
Brandon Paul makes a nice move in the lane and finishes. Good to see him attacking.
The score is 8-8 with 16:30 left in the half.
Bill Cole looking good early with a block and a nice 18 footer.
Mike Tisdale with 4 quick points. The energy is great to start, but Purdue is still getting to the rim too easily.
The tip was won by the Illini, and then the ball was quickly turned over.. not a good start against a team who forces a lot of errors.
The ball is currently stuck between the scoreboard and the backboard... weird.
Purdue invades the Hall
Games won't get a whole lot bigger than this for the Illini this Big Ten season. The students are back, and we all know how excited they can get for a game on ESPN against a ranked conference foe... The Illini are 10-0 at home this season and 4-1 in the Big Ten. Purdue on the other hand will enter the Hall on a 3 game losing streak, their only three loses of the season. I won't call this a MUST win, because for a team at 4-1, there aren't many MUST wins. But I will say that if we lose, we better leave it all on the floor.The Big Ten Network is a cool idea, especially for the football team who maybe isn't the biggest draw in the country, but the average basketball team will tell you that we have been given the short end of the stick when it comes to national broadcasts. This game might be the only Illini game someone will see all season in California for instance... we need to capitalize on the chance to show off our team.
Hot Shots
- This will already be the sixth ranked team the Illini have faced this season.
- Freshman Tyler Griffey is coming off of a career high 12 points against Michigan State.
- Demetri McCamey is currently first in the Big Ten with 6.8 assists per game.
- McCamey is 56 points away from 1,000 for his career.
- Mike Tisdale is in the Big Ten top 5 for shooting percentage, free throw percentage, and blocked shots.
- Four of six loses on the season have been by 5 points or less.
- Bruce Weber spent 18 years as an assistant coach for Purdue.
- Illinois has lost more than 2 games at home only once in the last 11 years during Big Ten play.
What We Need To See
1. Don't let Hummel or Moore go off. I'm worried about the match-up with these guys. The Illini are not good at containing the dribble, and after a few easy drives through the lane, the defense starts to collapse into the middle... When this happens, look for the drive and dish out to the perimeter. Robbie Hummel and E'Twaun Moore are putting up big numbers as it is (second and first in the conference respectively in Big Ten games), and these two always play hard against the Illini after what some fans will say was a less than fervent recruiting attempt by Bruce Weber while Eric Gordon was still committed.
2. Be careful with the ball. Purdue is second in the Big Ten in turnover margin. The guards put a lot of pressure on the ball handlers, and JaJuan Johnson has an arm span that is hard to be ignored in the middle. This version of the Illini isn't the best with ball control, and I guess that should be expected when 3 of your top 4 guards are freshman or walk-ons. It is essential that we get the version of Demetri McCamey that looks to create for his teammates tonight.
3. Get the ball rolling early.
Purdue is lacking confidence to say the least. After three straight loses to OSU, Wisconsin, and Northwestern, one of the favorites in the conference is struggling to find their footing. The Gonzaga game and the Missouri game are examples of coming out flat. The Vanderbilt game is an example of coming out on fire... Somewhere closer to the later would be preferable (Duh...) but maybe even more so tonight to put the Boilermakers on edge early and to welcome back the Orange Krush in style.
4. Outwork the Boilers. Both of these teams have faced questions this season about 100% effort. We have all heard the talk about Mike Davis and whether of not he is always all there. Well tonight it will be very apparent whether or not he is all in. Hummel and Johnson both create offense, and if you slack off, they both have the talent to make you pay. You would assume that a conference game against a top team would generate some great energy... now let's see it.
What Does it all Mean?
It's a tricky game to call here. Both teams have the potential to go off and shoot the lights out, but both teams also have the nasty habit of either giving it all or harshly falling short of the 100% performance mark. The Illini could find a Purdue team that is ready to fall apart, the Illini could face a Purdue team that plays like they have something to prove, or maybe it will just be an even game regardless. I expect the energy level to be high and the players to really get after it out there. Hummel is going to get his points and Moore probably will too, but I think the combination of the Orange Krush and the national television appearance will push the Illini a little bit harder than the more talented Boilers. Illinois 68 Purdue 66
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Illinois Vs. Iowa
Game two of the Big Ten season and the Iowa Hawkeyes come to town looking for their first win of the conference season. Illinois is coming off of a heartbreaking loss to Gonzaga in Chicago but are sitting at 1-0 in the Big Ten. The Illini have a pretty easy schedule to start with here, and the goal should be 4-0. One thing at a time though. The starting line-up will get a tweak tonight as Bill Cole and Jeff Jordan will replace D.J. Richardson and Demetri McCamey.
Stan Simpson looks unsure of himself on the court. I feel like he lacks that killer attitude.
Bubba, Stan, Richard, Tyler, and D.J. in the game now. I think this one is in the bag.
Iowa has given up in this one. Guys are dogging it back on defense and just standing there on offense. The Illini should be happy with this win. 57-34 with 4 left, and Weber should make it a goal to hold the Hawkeyes under 40.
Bill Cole just had a great block where the ball hit the Iowa player and went out of bounds.
11:45 left in the game, and the Illini lead this one 45-26.
Demetri McCamey just threw up a great oop to Dominique Keller. Right after that, Brandon Paul intercepted a pass by simply jumping higher than the defender expected him to be able to. The edge of athleticism is clearly on the Illini's side.
5 Minutes into the half and Illinois has only put up 2 points. We seem to have fallen asleep at the half which is what I feared after a big lead.
The pace to start the second half has favored Iowa. A quick burst of shooting has brought the score to 39-22 only 3 minutes into the half.
The first half comes to a close with Iowa trailing the Illini 37-15. The big story was Iowa's inability to get the ball into the paint and score. Points in the paint favor Weber's squad 12-2, and the Illini have double the number of rebounds. Iowa has no answer inside for Tisdale and Davis, causing them to pack the lane. The result so far has been plenty of open looks from three. Illinois is 5-8 behind the stripe. Let's see if the Illini put Iowa away for good here early or let them hang around at 12 to 18 points down.
Iowa hits double digits 16 minutes into the game... We have still not seen a two point basket from the Hawkeyes.
D.J. Richardson hits his fourth 3 pointer of the half off of a behind the back pass from McCamey. 29-7 Ilinois.
22-7 Illinois with 8 left in the first half. Iowa is shooting 15%.
John Lickliter just made a three pointer and air balled his next shot. The Orange Krush really let him have it.
D.J. Richardson has three 3 pointers in the first half. A good response after being benched.
There have been numerous clock malfunctions and scoring errors which have made this game seem slooow.
The score is now 17-3 Illinois, and Iowa calls a timeout. The energy level is great for the guys. I'm hoping it stays this way. Iowa just can't keep up with our guys if we continue to play this way. I think the Hawkeyes are playing hard, I just don't think that they are very good.
Coach Weber is getting on the guys about playing with 100% energy at all times.
Illinois has five rebounds after 4 minutes, and four of them have been offensive.
The shots aren't falling early, but the offensive rebounding has been great.
Stan Simpson looks unsure of himself on the court. I feel like he lacks that killer attitude.
Bubba, Stan, Richard, Tyler, and D.J. in the game now. I think this one is in the bag.
Iowa has given up in this one. Guys are dogging it back on defense and just standing there on offense. The Illini should be happy with this win. 57-34 with 4 left, and Weber should make it a goal to hold the Hawkeyes under 40.
Bill Cole just had a great block where the ball hit the Iowa player and went out of bounds.
11:45 left in the game, and the Illini lead this one 45-26.
Demetri McCamey just threw up a great oop to Dominique Keller. Right after that, Brandon Paul intercepted a pass by simply jumping higher than the defender expected him to be able to. The edge of athleticism is clearly on the Illini's side.
5 Minutes into the half and Illinois has only put up 2 points. We seem to have fallen asleep at the half which is what I feared after a big lead.
The pace to start the second half has favored Iowa. A quick burst of shooting has brought the score to 39-22 only 3 minutes into the half.
The first half comes to a close with Iowa trailing the Illini 37-15. The big story was Iowa's inability to get the ball into the paint and score. Points in the paint favor Weber's squad 12-2, and the Illini have double the number of rebounds. Iowa has no answer inside for Tisdale and Davis, causing them to pack the lane. The result so far has been plenty of open looks from three. Illinois is 5-8 behind the stripe. Let's see if the Illini put Iowa away for good here early or let them hang around at 12 to 18 points down.
Iowa hits double digits 16 minutes into the game... We have still not seen a two point basket from the Hawkeyes.
D.J. Richardson hits his fourth 3 pointer of the half off of a behind the back pass from McCamey. 29-7 Ilinois.
22-7 Illinois with 8 left in the first half. Iowa is shooting 15%.
John Lickliter just made a three pointer and air balled his next shot. The Orange Krush really let him have it.
D.J. Richardson has three 3 pointers in the first half. A good response after being benched.
There have been numerous clock malfunctions and scoring errors which have made this game seem slooow.
The score is now 17-3 Illinois, and Iowa calls a timeout. The energy level is great for the guys. I'm hoping it stays this way. Iowa just can't keep up with our guys if we continue to play this way. I think the Hawkeyes are playing hard, I just don't think that they are very good.
Coach Weber is getting on the guys about playing with 100% energy at all times.
Illinois has five rebounds after 4 minutes, and four of them have been offensive.
The shots aren't falling early, but the offensive rebounding has been great.
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