Illinitalk

With finals in full swing on campus, the Illini looked a bit shaky against Coppin State Sunday evening. The final score didn't reflect how the Eagles fought back from a 17-point deficit to pull within 2 points of the Illini about halfway through the second half.

Although the Illini won comfortably, their "review" games before finals weren't that impressive. Both the St. Bonaventure and Coppin State games highlight that while the Illini are a strong team, they have lots of room to improve. And they need to focus on those improvements while taking exams, because the rest of the non-conference season will be as tough as those classroom tests. Next up: UNLV and Mizzou, both teams playing very well.

With all the youth on the team, here's a progress report to help them track where they are and where they need to go if they want end up near the top of the Big Ten.
Achieves expectations:

• Rebounding - The Illini don't always win rebound battles like they should given their size, but individual players look good when they jump for the ball, pull it down with authority, and then protect it. This is a skill that will be critical for conference play.
• Passing - With Sam Maniscalco leading at point, the Illini are playing classic Weber motion offense, where the extra pass leads to wide-open looks. They have quite a few assists, and the whole team does a great job finding open guys most of the time. Watching Meyers Leonard pass when double-teamed...that's a beautiful thing.
  
• Free throw shooting - What a relief to know that the Illini can make free throws. Consistently. There are plenty of clutch shooters who can spark comebacks or ice a game from the free throw line. Keep up the good work!
  
• Chemistry - The 2011-2012 edition of the Fighting Illini seem to be having fun playing together, and that will help them go farther than they can on individual talent alone. These boys appear to get along, and it's fun to watch whoever is on the bench cheering for their teammates on the floor.

Needs improvement:

• Getting to the paint - Whether passing to Leonard or the other big guys, or driving into the lane, this is something the Illini have the ability to do very well. But often they don't. Against Coppin State, getting the ball to Leonard triggered much of the Illini success. But The Eagles came back when the Illini stuck to the perimeter. Guys, please note that future opponents will watch that tape and exploit that tendency. Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson should drive a bit more, and either go strong to the basket or kick the ball out. See: Maniscalco. His driving shots are a bit unconventional, but he can get in there and make things happen.
• Strong starts - Much like the Illini football team, the basketball team tends to start games a bit on the sluggish side. With their talent and chemistry, there is no reason to still be in single digits eight minutes into a game. Starting strong will set a great tone for the rest of the game, build confidence, and help intimidate opponents. The schedule really just gets tougher from here on out, guys.
• Getting to the free throw line - This team can make free throws. But they need to get there more often. Go strong to the basket. Be aggressive. Make other teams stop you. And then take the free points.
  
• Avoiding cheap fouls - The Illini defense has been very good, but it's still a bit sloppy. Cleaning up the D and minimizing off-ball or non-shooting fouls will help key players stay on the floor longer.

All that aside, the Illini deserve props for being 10-0 as they head to the United Center and then to St. Louis.

So, boys, study hard, take your tests, and rest up a bit this week. Because after these two tough games, the conference grind will begin.

Go Illini!

Labels: Illini basketball