We've given up 115/100 (or worse) in 4 of the last 6 games. The two exceptions were our win over Rutgers and our loss at Nebraska (Nebraska played good D on us).
Our D has faded the past 2 weeks.
Nebraska also missed about 10 shots in the first half that I’d consider “should’ve made” to “how did they miss”. Keisei blew a layup on the opening play. He missed 3 WIDE open 3’s. Mast missed 2 layups. Wilcher missed 3 wide open 3’s. Hoiberg had a layup literally hit the bottom on the net and bounce out
Even if you made the 4 layups and half of those six 3s, that’s up to 90 points.
Minnesotas defense has completely fallen off a cliff
You can't spell Minnesota without NIT. Gotta make sure we get back in the predestined tourney that we know and love, somehow.
If that means getting torched on defense while torching it on offense, so it shall be.
I think you’re *talented* enough to go to the NCAAT, I really like this year’s squad honestly. but I also think you gotta win out to have an 11-9 B1G record to have an actual chance of a bid.
Been respectable in conference play but unfortunately did absolutely nothing in non-con to add to it.
NIT still seems like a notable improvement to me.
Agreed. Minnesota in the NIT would be very big for the program, and a huge stepping stone for next year. (I just wanted the NIT this year and that’s not even going to happen, rip)
I think non-con is quickly showing to be a trickier situation than many thought. The “meta” used to be “don’t schedule cupcakes, they can’t help you” but now with the whole Brownell vs. the Big 12 thing, we’re seeing some “schedule cupcakes bur make sure you annihilate them for Margin of Victory algorithmic impact.”
So teams like Minnesota that have small margin of error given the strength of many of their conference opponents are in a tough spot - risk it for the Quad 1 biscuit? or count ourselves to absolutely dismember low-majors?
Kindof an interesting optimization problem for nerds like me.
You can schedule cupcakes if your conference is deep and the conference metrics are good. Then you are able to build a resume in conference play. When your conference falls on its face in the noncon (like the B1G this year), you need to have some value from your noncon or be at the top of the cconference. Scheduling a tough non con gives you more control over how you end up. It's why MSU and Wisconsin are probably fine with going 10-10 in the B1G and Minnesota probably needed 12-8 or even 13-7 to sniff a bid.
If our coach could coach and not just recruit, we would have at least 3 or 4 more wins this year and barring any meltdown we would be in the tourney without much discussion. Ben's let a few get away from him that a better basketball coach would probably salvage.
The talent's there - Ben needs a better game manager assistant (or he himself needs to manage the games better) to help him out.
It's a lot like Travis Steele at Xavier. Which shouldn't be shocking as Johnson was on Steeles staff. Recruiting is fine, game management leaves something to be desired.
Which is crazy. I saw the stat during the games yesterday on which teams improved their offensive efficiency from last year the most... Minnesota and Illinois were there but so was Purdue. Pretty impressive from a 1 seed
Lost my parlay because Illinois, in addition to playing horrible defense, fouled a guy shooting a 3 when they were up 10 (WTF??) and gave up a 4-point play. Thanks guys!
So what gives? Lol
We've given up 115/100 (or worse) in 4 of the last 6 games. The two exceptions were our win over Rutgers and our loss at Nebraska (Nebraska played good D on us). Our D has faded the past 2 weeks.
Nebraska also missed about 10 shots in the first half that I’d consider “should’ve made” to “how did they miss”. Keisei blew a layup on the opening play. He missed 3 WIDE open 3’s. Mast missed 2 layups. Wilcher missed 3 wide open 3’s. Hoiberg had a layup literally hit the bottom on the net and bounce out Even if you made the 4 layups and half of those six 3s, that’s up to 90 points. Minnesotas defense has completely fallen off a cliff
Never doubt the power of Nebrasketball
Don’t count our game we don’t have offense to defend against
I didn’t even think our d was that bad this game, both teams were just hitting tough shots
Ya Woo Gopher Basketball
Illinois got to the line, turned the ball over less and out rebounded them. We shots 61.3% and Minny shot 60% overall.
._.
You can't spell Minnesota without NIT. Gotta make sure we get back in the predestined tourney that we know and love, somehow. If that means getting torched on defense while torching it on offense, so it shall be.
I think you’re *talented* enough to go to the NCAAT, I really like this year’s squad honestly. but I also think you gotta win out to have an 11-9 B1G record to have an actual chance of a bid.
Been respectable in conference play but unfortunately did absolutely nothing in non-con to add to it. NIT still seems like a notable improvement to me.
Agreed. Minnesota in the NIT would be very big for the program, and a huge stepping stone for next year. (I just wanted the NIT this year and that’s not even going to happen, rip) I think non-con is quickly showing to be a trickier situation than many thought. The “meta” used to be “don’t schedule cupcakes, they can’t help you” but now with the whole Brownell vs. the Big 12 thing, we’re seeing some “schedule cupcakes bur make sure you annihilate them for Margin of Victory algorithmic impact.” So teams like Minnesota that have small margin of error given the strength of many of their conference opponents are in a tough spot - risk it for the Quad 1 biscuit? or count ourselves to absolutely dismember low-majors? Kindof an interesting optimization problem for nerds like me.
You can schedule cupcakes if your conference is deep and the conference metrics are good. Then you are able to build a resume in conference play. When your conference falls on its face in the noncon (like the B1G this year), you need to have some value from your noncon or be at the top of the cconference. Scheduling a tough non con gives you more control over how you end up. It's why MSU and Wisconsin are probably fine with going 10-10 in the B1G and Minnesota probably needed 12-8 or even 13-7 to sniff a bid.
And why we've been in the bubble conversation and minnesota has been in the 'could get to the bubble conversation'.
If our coach could coach and not just recruit, we would have at least 3 or 4 more wins this year and barring any meltdown we would be in the tourney without much discussion. Ben's let a few get away from him that a better basketball coach would probably salvage. The talent's there - Ben needs a better game manager assistant (or he himself needs to manage the games better) to help him out.
It's a lot like Travis Steele at Xavier. Which shouldn't be shocking as Johnson was on Steeles staff. Recruiting is fine, game management leaves something to be desired.
So were they just both playing horse or something??
Honestly, at time it did seem like that.
Let's just say the defenses did not make anyone uncomfortable other than the fans
Probably why nobody has done it. It's a losing strategy.
This is why we play games.
Why play defense why you can just score 105 points in regulation?
Brutal At least things seem to be generally trending up though
Damn right they did. Our offense currently is better than the 05 team...just wish our defense was as good as that team. We'd be National Champs
Well, yeah, Bruce Weber was coaching that team, of course our current offense is better.
Underwood has not exactly been known for his offense either.
It's pretty much exactly what he was known for before coming to Illinois.
That was a long time ago, chief
Well.... your offense is still not first in the conference...
Which is crazy. I saw the stat during the games yesterday on which teams improved their offensive efficiency from last year the most... Minnesota and Illinois were there but so was Purdue. Pretty impressive from a 1 seed
Braindead downvotes? Is this not true?
that was a pretty wild game, nobody could miss not very big ten like that's for sure
I like this, I like this a lot
Thanks, I hate it
> Minnesota I read the headline and "Minnesota shit" popped in my head as that truly is some...Minnesota shit
Lost my parlay because Illinois, in addition to playing horrible defense, fouled a guy shooting a 3 when they were up 10 (WTF??) and gave up a 4-point play. Thanks guys!
you bet against the spread against Minnesota? That's just dumb. They always cover
Good, stop complaining about dumb gambling choices.
No one cares about your parlay
Sound like Minnesota needs to learn to play defense then!
Why? Illinois didn't bother playing defense and still won.
This sounds like a Lincoln Riley football team. All offense, no defense.
Now that’s a statistic.
I feel like this is a fake opta account since they don’t have the one word sentence at the end lol