Illinois Post Game Thread

[dennismenace]

Here it is, folks. Started and finished by Diarra. Plenty of transition buckets against a team who said they wanted to run and put up 100 on us. Beautiful stretch of basketball. As good as I’ve ever seen.

When Cam goes crazy punching the sky look at the faces of the guys sitting at the table.

 

[dennismenace]

View attachment 98550

Felt like this was good mojo when I saw it. Let that be a lesson: keep your shirt on!

That's what bad mojo looks like.

 

[dennismenace]

I think their strategy was highly dependent on getting help from the stripes. Let’s run at Clingan and do what we can to get 2 fouls on him early.

When they didn’t get bailed out from the refs, and Clingan was having none of it they fell apart. Also they highly underestimated Johnson when he came in.

I knew we would be okay when I saw Illinois not really playing as team - trying to go ”one of one” and when that didn’t work, launching 3s.

One thing I know for sure is that will never beat us in a neutral court (without home cooking from refs) is the strategy Illinois came with tonight.

Special, special TEAM. The pass from Clingan to Spencer was executed perfectly. I'll be sad to see this group play their last game, even if it's a huge W. This 2 year run of lopsided wins is unprecedented. It's like we have a 6th starter in Diarra, he has been that good.

Amen! And sometimes the passing makes it seem like we have six guys on the floor on offense.

 

[blkknight1]

I saw a great quote on the Michigan State board:


These dudes play like someone is holding their family hostage

They do have are a very particular set of skills. Skills they have acquired over a very long preseason and regular regular season. Skills that make them a nightmare for everyone. If you dont poke the husky that'll be the end of it. They will not look for you, they will not pursue you, but if you do, they will look for you, they will find you and they will kill you.

 

[dennismenace]

So strange as I’ve been a fan for 40+ years, but Castle is one of my favorite players ever. Love just how he quietly goes about his business and does whatever his team needs. His demeanor and game are both amazing.

Agree. He walks on the court as a freshman like a complete grown up. Very special young man. Reminds me a lot of Ray. "Play hard - stay calm". Easy to say but so few can do it and so young.

 

[willie99]

Illinois fans, like Northwestern fans before them, seem to think their best player just picked the game against UConn to have their worst game. The defense these last few games has been un-be-lievable. Castle and Clingan specifically have been otherworldly.

We've always been lucky like that. Started back in 89/90, teams always shoot poorly against us

I'm OK with that

 

[dennismenace]

There were a few that some refs might have called a foul and I could have lived with. But there were also a few drives Newton and Castle had in the first half in which they were hammered at the rim and no foul was called. Fair is fair.

Newton has taken a legendary amount of uncalled fouls since he came to Uconn. He manages to take it all with that smile on his face. On this team when some seem off the others show up stronger. Amazing. Their unselfishness is something to behold. Very special coaching staff and kids. What an
unbelievable season.

 

[dennismenace]

Saw a bit of this on Twitter too. The complaint is that Shannon and Domask got hit all night and barely got calls

It’s true. They did. So did Newton, Castle, and Clingan

Everyone was getting beat up and the officials consistently let them play through it. Kudos to the refs for that

If Illinois got twice as many FTs, and then shot 100% instead of 71%, they lose 77-74. What are we doing here?

Almost like " a rockfight" !!

 

[RedStickHusky]

Ok now where are 6, 7, 8 and 9.

I think at least one was recorded a steal because the ball never left the shooters hand.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Change our name from Boneyard to Obnoxious As S? Tom can make that happen?

 

[Chin Diesel]

And the stats will not even come close to telling the whole story. Clingan was brilliant.

Oh, the statmeisters have had a field day with the domination stats with Clingan on the floor.

 

[Bomber36]

Here it is, folks. Started and finished by Diarra. Plenty of transition buckets against a team who said they wanted to run and put up 100 on us. Beautiful stretch of basketball. As good as I’ve ever seen.

I could watch this all day. And I just might.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Not sure if anyone posted this, but if they did, it's worth posting again...

Terrance Shannon scored eight points and this was his first single-digit point game since January 28th, 2022!

Thank you Stephon!

 

[pj]

I’m smiling like an idiot when coach underwood said “ we are going to keep going at him (Clingan)”


Is there a dumber coach? I mean, no time out im any stretch of 30-0 run? No half time adjustments at all?

On the surface it seems stupid to run your offense into the best defender in college basketball, like having your army the enemy's strongest fortifications instead of his weak points.

But hey, no one else's game plan has worked either, might as well think out of the box.

 

[CL82]

Dan Hurley, UConn fueled by ‘asinine’ March Madness social media posts

A lot, according to Dan Hurley, was said and written about on social media between the Sweet 16 results and Saturday night’s Elite Eight matchup between top-seeded Connecticut and No. 3 Illinois. H…

nypost.com

“We saw them getting to the Elite Eight and shooting water guns at [each other]. We saw on [X] people at their school were chanting, ‘We want UConn,’ ” point guard Tristen Newton. “We played all kinds of teams. We played Big Ten teams: Northwestern, we beat them bad [in the second round]. We feel like we’re just not going to go home. We’re rolling right now. We’re not worried about what kind of game they think got. Obviously, they weren’t physical enough and we just outplayed them.”

 

[Dooooooomed]

 

[Stinger92860]

I didn't watch either Illinois-Purdue game, but Underwood's game plan must've worked against Edey to some degree, otherwise why would he do it vs DC?

Eddy and DC are both great players and great teammates. However, DC is more athletic, especially now that he is healthy.

 

[navery12]

I missed it, I hope @navery12 @husky4 or @auror can find it.

Tom Moore is the man!

Tried to post a clip of the video, but it's at 1:30 of this one

 

[SoFla Steve]

Tried to post a clip of the video, but it's at 1:30 of this one

I think I've watched this about 7 times already!

 

[WhereistheDove?]

 

[The Yakk]

Does this qualify as a Quad 1 win?

 

[RichCTBB]

Dan Hurley walked on some hotel carpet with the bare feet, so had the guys cleanse him.

I was walking on the beach this morning. When I turned around I saw 2 sets of foot prints and said, “Great game, coach!!!!”

 

[mauconnfan]

Unbelievable run. You can’t explain how they take the will out of the other team when they get on these rolls. Illinois likes to “run” but they don’t like to “rush and scramble” our guys took away any sort of hope they had in 10-15 minutes of almost perfection on both ends. DC was out of his mind sensational and all after starting with a complete Easter Bunny of a miss to open the game up. After that he was masterful. Everyone contributed and we won by 25 rather easily and still haven’t shot well yet.

Lost a lot of respect for Brad Underwood. Seriously you wait until Danny throws in the subs to press us? I mean if you want to try to win you should’ve done that to our starters when down 30 not when you just want to make the score respectable against our other guys. Very strange coaching move with 4 minutes left is all I will say!

We are alive and can’t wait for Bama Saturday now.

 

[AdamaNation]

FINAL FOUR, BABY!!!

First time in the last 30 years for a defending national champion to get this far, Absolutely dominating performance. Men against boys.

????
2006-2007 Florida?

 

[maple]

????
2006-2007 Florida?

I was already corrected by 2 other people. I can’t edit my original post.