PSU ruins our dreams again, beats illini 38 to 33
by Joe Kutsunis on Feb 19, 2009 7:00 AM CST
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PrintWell, that sucked. This was some awful basketball on both sides. This was basketball so bad it makes my eyes bleed, basketball so bad it makes me want to turn the channel. I don't remember any game with a shot clock having this low of a score.
Early on in the game, the Illini had some great looks but ball and net rarely met. This game is no one players fault, the crap shooting was shared equally all around. Tisdale seemed to suffer from it the most however as close range shots hit mostly rim.
Its hard to be too hard on this team for the loss though. They played great defense, as did obviously Penn State. You want evidence of how unoffensive this game was in general? Talor Battle, led the entire gym with 11 points, two of which came from meaningless foul shots in the last seconds of the game. Defense on both sides prevented either team from getting a rhythm.
I don't know what to make of this game, I know it makes me angry, but I am not entirely sure what about. Could I single out DMAC for not taking the team on his back and winning the game by himself? Sure I could, but can't the same be said about Mike Davis, or for that matter Tisdale who was called for a basket interference at a key moment in the closing possessions, erasing a drive by DMAC that would have taken the lead.
This game is just plain baffling, and I don't know what to take away from this game. Other than, once again, Penn State has ended our hopes for a Big Ten title. Plus 3 straight wins in Assembly Hall. Why don't we publicly dislike this team more? They sure have earned it.
From now on though, this team is playing for seeding in the NCAA tournament. We cannot afford to drop many more games and expect to get a 4 seed. I can't let a game like this get me down, this is still a great team waiting to come into its own.
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“Its hard to be too hard on this team for the loss though.”
Are you kidding?! The Illini had not a single FT attempt. How does that happen? And at home!? No aggressiveness toward the rim; absolutely no guard penetration with the exception of a single cutting Meacham layup. Tisdale flat-footed and unbalanced.
The team played without energy or spirit. They seemed nonchalant about losing, let alone losing what is the ugliest display of Big Ten basketball I have ever seen.
“Could I single out DMAC for not taking the team on his back and winning the game by himself?”
No; instead you can take him to task for trying to put the team on his back with that awful last-second shot he tried (when we could have tied the game) fully-defended instead of looking for an open teammate on the perimeter.
Bad ball movement; no penetration; no passion and no leadership. Last night captured the fundamental lack of character this team displays on certain nights. Chet made some terrible decisions (WTF was that desperate rainbow pass cross court that went out of bounds?!)
On nights like this I can’t see this team winning a single BTT game, let alone a first-rounder in the NCAAs. It’s Penn State for goodness sake! Stick bodies on Cornley and Battle and the game should be easily won.
Chester's pass...
was to Davis in the corner because the shot clock was winding down and he found himself alone on that half of the court. There was no help from his teammates on that play, so I can’t really blame him for that one mistake.
That being said, I agree with everything you said. This game truly exposed the Illini’s fatal flaws: lack of leadership and the lack of a penetrating guard.
"Some men are born mediocre, some men achieve mediocrity, and some men have mediocrity thrust upon them."
Dmac
I agree with both to some point. The entire game was awful. And everyone was to blame. The last two possessions were even more awful, and I don’t know who to blame, but Dmac. However, I can’t be too mad at him, because of a) the BTT last year, b) the NW game, and c) after those 2 horrid shots, Bruce Weber DID NOT scold him during the following time out, leading me to believe that Bruce called Dmac’s number on those possessions and asked him to create something? We take the good with the bad with Dmac. When he tries to take the game into his own hands, he will be successful more often than he fails. This time, he wasn’t so hot. He’ll be back.
I've never seen a game like that one!
It was sad. I really don’t even know how PSU managed to grab the league at the end. Somehow I knew that we weren’t going to pull out too games with a last second shot.
Anyway, I’m a big fan. I’m not a basketball wiz kid, but I love to watch the Illini. Good luck with the new blog. Is this your first blog or was this blog around before SBNation?
Kick it to me... I'm open!
Aww maan, both teams had trouble scoring; fortunately, I had no trouble scoring!!!
Aww maan,
Both those teams had trouble scoring last night. But guess what……Dr. Rockso didn’t have ANY trouble scoring last night!!!! That’s why I’ve been on a 26 hour speedball bender. Haha!! Dr. Rockso’s kickin’ it like John Belushi and Chris Farley!!! That’s what I’m talkin’ about, maan!!
I do cocaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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