Illinitalk

Dear Coach Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers,

Thank you for your impressive performance in East Lansing tonight. Your road win let a quality Michigan State team feel what it's like to skid -- something the rest of the Big Ten teams are familiar with.

You also played a critical role in allowing the Illini to enjoy a few days tied for the lead in the Big Ten. Yes, the Illini had an easier schedule for the first half of the conference season, but as they head into a very tough stretch of games, which includes you, it's encouraging to see them at the top of the standings.

So for this, for tonight, thank you.
Alma Mater, on behalf of Illini Nation

Labels: Big Ten basketball, Illini basketball

The Illini are off to a strong start in the Big Ten, at least according to the win column. Their games so far have been adventurous, with an overtime win against Northwestern, an ugly but dominating win over Iowa, and what may be this season's signature, a come-from-behind win at Indiana.

While there is lots of room for improvement, the Illini have quite a bit going for them -- young talent, seasoned conference veterns, the ability to shoot free throws (at least compared to a couple years ago), a stronger Mike Tisdale who can hold his own in the Big Ten paint, team chemistry that allows the leading scorer/point guard to come off the bench, solid minutes from a guy also values his college education, and much more. [Note to team: For our health and blood pressure level, your fans would appreciate it if the double-digit trailing thing doesn't become a habit.]

But the Illini have also gotten a close-up look at the rebuilding process and progress of 3 Big Ten programs.

Ok, so maybe calling the Northwestern Wildcats a rebuiling project is a bit of a stretch, since they've never played in the NCAA tournament, but there's no question that Bill Carmody is certainly building a program in Evanston. Now in his 10th season, Carmody slowly but surely laid a strong foundation for a tough basketball team. The Wildcats and their Princeston-style offense have become a tough opponent both at home and on the road in the conference, and Carmody has taken them from a perennial gimme-game to the brink of entering the Dance.

How? Well, he's relied on smart kids who love basketball (after all, he is at Northwestern), internationaly recruiting and a system that helps equalize talent differences between his team and others. He's got a great story going.

But the last two Illini opponents, Iowa and Indiana, truly are programs working to rise from the ruins of recent seasons past. Todd Lickliter and Tom Crean are both very good coaches with very different challenges in front of them.

Crean, in just his second season at Indiana, has already equaled the win total from his first season. But Lickliter, in his third season in Iowa City, still is struggling to put a Big Ten-calibur team on the floor. Why the difference?

In my opinion, Crean has a much stronger foundation to build on. The Bobby Knight legacy is strong, and (despite the opinion of many Hoosier fans) Mike Davis continued to build on it with character and quality teams. Plus, the Kelvin Sampson era was short enough to prevent too much damage to that foundation. And so, Crean can recruit both on the strength of Hoosier basketball and his own reputation for excellence at Marquette, etc. And so, he has been able to quickly find players with the talent and character to fit his program. Although the Hoosiers will still likely struggle in conference play this year, their quality of play has increased immensely, and that will pay off soon. Probably sooner than a loyal Illini fan like me would like to see. Crean will have the Hoosiers in the Big Ten title hunt in a couple years, if not sooner.

For Todd Lickliter, the job is much bigger, as the ruins are older. Iowa basketball doesn't have the kind of foundation that Lickliter wants to build on, so he is truly starting from scratch. Steve Alford, for all he accomplished as a collegiate player, built his program using something of a Bob Huggins mentality -- it doesn't matter who they are, as long as they can play. And while thugs may be good basketball players, they don't make the best student-athletes/role models/teammates. Lickliter has a history of a different kind of program. At Butler, he had an 82% graduation rate of players. He found talent with character that could excel at that level.

But his philosophy apparently hasn't sat well with existing players, as he's faced with transfers even as he struggles to recruit his kind of player with the talent to compete at the Big Ten level. Somehow, playing basketball in Iowa City just doesn't have the same wide draw that playing basketball in Bloomington, Ind., has. For these reasons, among others, Lickliter will need a few more years to build the type of program he wants to have in Iowa City. If the Hawkeyes give him time, he has the ability to build a very competitive basketball program (as much as this Illini fan hates to admit it). But he will need a few more years to recruit and instill his basketball and character values on the program. On the bright side for the Illini, that means that Iowa will be a slightly easier Big Ten game over the next couple years...and given the talent and familiarity in the conference, that's a good thing.

Given the success of the Golden Gophers and Wolverines, the Big Ten could be considered the poster-conference for the rebuilding of ruined programs. Find a talented coach, preferably with quality character and give him the time and support he needs to succeed.

Oh, and as the 7th-winningest program of the previous decade, we really can't consider our Illini as part of that group...

Up next, Penn State, another one of those programs that is steadily improving over the years...

Labels: Big Ten basketball, Illini basketball, Todd Lickliter, Tom Crean

The Big Ten men's basketball season is underway. Although some of the teams have stumbled in non-conference play, conference play will likely be grueling. Despite tough losses, I still think the conference is improving.

A few quick notes on what to expect...

Illinois: The Illini will have moments of brilliance and moments best forgotten. But they should be very competitive in the conference, and if they stay on track, they could be among the top 3 or 4 in the conference.

Indiana: Tom Crean had his work cut out for him when he came to the Hoosiers, and he is slowly but surely laying a foundation for his program in Bloomington. The Hoosiers will still likely be toward the bottom of the conference, but expect the Hoosiers to play tougher. They may even sneak up on a couple teams.

Iowa: Believe it or not, Todd Lickliter's team is (slowly) improving, IMO. And their performance against Purdue in their conference opener is evidence of this. The Hawkeyes will get seriously beat up during conference play, and his program will take longer to build than Coach Crean's. This will be another tough year in Iowa City, but again, a foundation is being laid for a much more respectable program.

Michigan: John Beilein has some of the top players in the conference on a team that will be really tough in conference. The Wolverines have lost to teams that they may have been able to beat, but they also have gained good experience for the conference season and beyond.

Michigan State: The Spartans played a relatively meaty non-conference schedule, and 2 of their 3 losses are road games at North Carolina and Texas, games that will only help Tom Izzo work his magic in March. This team, as always, will be one of the best in the conference and in the post-season.

Minnesota: The Golden Gophers look good coming into the conference season, despite the light non-conference schedule Tubby Smith's boys faced. Tubby is a good coach, as his work over the last couple years has proved. Another tough team that will be in the conference mix.

Northwestern: Improving constantly, even without their top scorer, the Wildcats have convinced many talking heads ands and coaches they are for real this season. Bill Carmody's trademark Princeton offense has consistently improved, and could give the conference fits this season. And their first NCAA Tourney bid is a very real possibility come March.

Ohio State: The Buckeyes' loss to Butler was a stumble, but they have talent and quality coaching with Thad Matta. And, as usual, his team will be tough. They played UNC well in an early loss on the season.

Penn State: Ed DeChellis and his Nittany Lions had hoped for a stronger start to their season, building on a great season last year. But they struggled more than anticipated in a relatively soft non-conference schedule. But don't count this team out yet. They have been improving for years, and they will again play tough in conference.

Purdue: Expected to be the class of the Big Ten, the undefeated Boilermakers are set for a great season. However, they will find that the familiarity of conference play will challenge them, as their first game at Iowa showed. However, expect Matt Painter's boys to maintain control of the conference...

Wisconsin: The Badgers and Bo Ryan will, as always, play better than the national talking heads expect. Yes, they stumbled in their loss to UW-Green Bay, but that's not likely to be the norm for this team. They showed what they are capable of against Duke at the Kohl Center, and the Big Ten will likely see more of that play when in Madison this year.

All this to say that there will not be any gimme games for anyone in Big Ten Conference play this season. Even Iowa and Indiana will push teams. I won't try to predict seeding for the conference tourney, but I will predict plenty of good games and a strong showing in the Big Dance in a couple months...

Enjoy the season!

Labels: Big Ten basketball

Big Ten basketball has surprised many on the national level with the overall strength and improvement within the conference. And the recruiting classes headed to the Midwest appear likely to continue this trend.

Much of the credit for the improvement in the conference goes to the coaches. The league has welcomed many newcomers in the past couple season, and they have raised the competitive level of Big Ten basketball. At the same time, the coaches who have been around a bit longer continue to build their reputations.

Consider:

• Tom Crean hasn't won many games, but he's done a lot with almost nothing in an effort to rebuild Indiana basketball. And his teams will be competitive soon.
• Ed DeChellis has made Penn State a serious threat to any team -- at home or on the road.
• Tom Izzo has led his team to a perfect conference road record (so far).
• Bruce Weber has engineered the biggest improvement over last season with a very similar roster.
• John Beilein's team has faded, but don't forget that his team knocked off two #4 teams during the non-conference season.
• Tubby Smith has developed one of the conference's biggest surprise teams.
• Although Northwestern has let a few games get away, Bill Carmody built a quality team and coached them to a road with in East Lansing.
• Matt Painter has led his team through serious injuries and helped them maintain national ranking.

So, if the season ended now, who would you vote for as Big Ten Coach of the Year?

Labels: Big Ten basketball

Big Ten conference play begins Dec. 30 with 5 teams in the top 25, and a 6th, the Illini, receiving votes. It's gonna be a tough year, and the conference champs will need to protect their home court and win as many on the road as possible. And although the Illini are looking much, much better than last year, the entire conference appears to be much improved, despite the loss in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Here's a quick overview...

Illinois: Off to a 12-1 start, the Illini looked great against Mizzou and I was pleasantly surprised by their play in the Clemson loss. Yes, most of the wins are against teams the Illini were expected to beat -- and they did not look good against Eastern Michigan. And although the Illini are hovering just short of the AP Top 25, they open Big Ten play on the road against Purdue and Michigan. Those will be very, very tough games. However, finishing in the top half of the league is a realistic possibility, as is a tourney invite. But expect shooting percentage to drop as the level of defense they face improve.

Indiana: Tom Crean has his work cut out for him in his first year at Indiana. Already at just 5-7, his season will probably look a bit like what Rich Rodriguez just survived in Michigan. But Crean is good, and in a couple years, he will have Indiana back where they expect to be. So enjoy their down time while it lasts -- and expect to see a much better team at the end of February than we've seen in non-conference play. The Illini will face the Hoosiers twice, and should be able to win both games.

Iowa: At 10-3, the Hawkeyes have had a fairly good non-conference run, although the Drake loss was ugly. Todd Lickliter is in his second season in the Big Ten, and is still probably a year or two away from the level of play he would like to reach. But he has the program headed in the right direction, and playing in Iowa City will be a challenge for the rest of the conference. Iowa is only on the schedule once during conference play, and that game will be in Champaign, so the Illini should come out on top.

Michigan: The Wolverines have surprised many so far this year -- especially powerhouses UCLA and Duke. (Although I don't understand how losing to an unranked team caused Duke to fall only from 4 to 7 in the rankings...but that's a whole different topic.) They are now ranked, and John Beilein has his team at 10-2, with his only losses against Maryland and Duke. (Yes, for those just tuning in, the Wolverines have played Duke twice.) The Illini only play the Wolverines once, and that game is in Ann Arbor. That will be an incredibly tough game to win, but hopefully it will help the young starters learn to handle Big Ten road games.

Michigan State: Tom Izzo and the Spartans are 9-2, ranked #10 in the AP poll, and look to be one of the top teams in the conference this year. Their losses, however, were big ones to Maryland and North Carolina. One note of interest -- the 2008-09 Spartans are shooting only 65% from the free throw line. That is very atypical for an Izzo-coached team. The Illini will face Michigan State twice. The road game will be a huge challenge, and the Illini will need to be on their game to protect their home court.

Minnesota: One of the biggest surprises of the young season, Tubby Smith and the Golden Gophers are 12-0 as they head into Big Ten play. Their marquis win came over Louisville, and they will be tough all year. And Tubby has some good classes coming to the Twin Cities in the near future. After years of struggling, this program will become one to watch for. The Illini will be doing good to split the season series with the Gophers.

Northwestern: At 8-2, the Wildcats and Bill Carmody are also off to a strong start this year. Their non-conference schedule wasn't that tough, but they still navigated it well, and they won't be a pushover in conference play, either. The Illini will only play the 'Cats once -- in Evanston. This would be a nice game to steal on the road, but that will happen only if the Illini are clicking that night.

Ohio State: Thad Matta has proven to be a master at recruiting freshman that head straight to the draft instead of back to school, but his record impresses. The Buckeyes are 9-1. However, that one loss was a big one to West Virginia just before they tip off conference play. Matta's boys aren't expected to dominate like they have the past couple years, especially with the temporary loss of leader (and upperclassman) David Lighty. But they are in the AP Top 25, and will likely gain steam as the season progresses. The Illini will need to work hard to split the two games against the Buckeyes this year.

Penn State: Ed DeChellis and the Nittany Lions will start the Big Ten season with the most wins ever in their 17 seasons since joining the conference. This program has been slowly improving, and DeChellis, now in his 6th year, is finally seeing his program gain momentum. The Nittany Lions will be one of the many teams fighting in the middle of the conference, but the Illini should be able to split this 2-game series.

Purdue: The Boilermakers are expected to be at the top of the Big Ten, as Matt Painter and company have been the highest ranked Big Ten team throughout most of the non-conference season. Purdue has an experienced, talented team, and at 11-2, their only losses are in overtime to Oklahoma and the Duke loss in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Illini open the Big Ten against Purdue in West Lafayette, a game that will be a huge stretch to win. The Illini will need to fight hard late in the season to hold serve at home against Weber's former assistant.

Wisconsin: Bo Ryan and the Badgers are 9-3, and played a top 10 Texas team really tough in Madison. The Badgers also won a close game against Virginia Tech on the road in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. They also expect to be in the thick of the mid-conference fight, and the Illini will have to play well to split the Badger series this year.

If the Illini play well and come out of conference play with a .500 record or slightly better, they will be doing well. That record, plus respectable play in the Big Ten Tournament, may be enough to get them into the Big Dance. And, that type of play will strengthen the foundation for the 2009-10 team that will welcome a very talented recruting class to Champaign.

If you like college basketball, the Big Ten should be fun to watch this year. Teams will beat each other up, but that should make for a strong showing come March.

Go Illini!

Labels: Big Ten basketball, Illini basketball

Dear Coach Amaker,
I was sorry, if not surprised, to hear that you are leaving Ann Arbor. You deserve credit for bringing solid teams out of a program under the dark cloud of NCAA sanctions. I understand that consistent appearances in the NIT just didn't live up to expectations, but you handled a tough situation with class. All the best as you begin your job search.
Sincerely,
Alma Mater

Note to Illinitalk readers: At least one group of dedicated college basketball entertained a (very brief) moment of silence Saturday afternoon in honor of Amaker and other high-profile head coaches from this coaching tree who didn't live up to expectations.

Dear Big Ten ADs Bill Martin (Michigan) and Joel Maturi (Minnesota),
You've got your work cut out as you seek to fill the vacancies at the top of your men's basketball programs. On behalf of Big Ten basketball fans, let me encourage you to consider all angles as you make your offers.

We are passionate fans who love to support our schools and fan the flames of conference rivalries. We want to see the Big Ten established as a great basketball conference with respect for the game (and we'd like to win the ACC/Big Ten Challenge). But we prefer to cheer for/against classy coaches who build the conference reputation, like this Big Ten veteran, rather than those who join our conference with a questionable background.

You have the opportunity to build not only your programs, but the conference as a whole. Please choose wisely.
Sincerely,
Alma Mater

Labels: Big Ten basketball, Tommy Amaker