Illinitalk

Yes, we at Illinitalk realize that the college basketball season is underway, even though I'm giddy over the football team.

Weber and the Illini are off to a strong 3-1 start. The loss came tonight to Duke, ranked 10 in the country. Because they are playing in Hawaii, it hasn't been easy to get a good look at Bruce's team. There are lots of questions marks, but we got some answers against a very talented team.

Here are a few reasons my optimism is growing:

• Rebounding. The Illini can jump, and they go after the ball. Their rebounding numbers are great -- especially on the offensive end (we won't think about what that means for shooting percentage).
• Passing. Although it's early, I've seen some beautiful ball movement. With time, I expect this to get even better.
• Athleticism. This description for Illini players is going to get old very quickly this season -- because it's true. We've got great athletes who are in great condition, and it shows. Weber can coach skill, build strength, and push conditioning, but he can't coach vertical jump, wingspan or natural coordination. This team should be fun to watch.
• Motion. It's pretty. Not always completely effective thus far, but these boys are moving well, and they look like they understand the plays.
• Depth. The way Weber asks for motion offense and tight man-to-man defense, fresh legs will be a huge plus. Finding a starting line-up may be a challenge, but the competition in practice will benefit the entire team.
• Confidence. Randle is becoming a go-to guy, Brock has improved, Chester is running the team, Pruitt is dominating in the post, and even the many freshman seem to be pretty confident when they are on the floor. I may not know what to expect from this team, but these guys expect to win.

I would like to see shooting improve, but it seems that free-throw shooting is slightly better than last year. Although they handled the Arizona State zone well, the Duke zone was tough to break, and shooting went cold. Fouls will be a problem, but again, depth will help.

The Big Ten will be tough, but I think the Illini will be more competitive than expected. Weber consistently overachieves with the talent he has, and this year should be no different. Boys, let's eliminate off-court issues this season, and focus on class and basketball.

Overall, this season should be very interesting, but I'm excited to see what will happen. Go Illini!

By the way...MJ looks pretty good in orange. I'm sure it wasn't easy for him to watch his son lose to Duke.

Labels: Illini basketball