I'm not a huge college basketball guy. I do all my scouting of college players through a scouting tool that gives me access to the full season of video, so I watch plays more than games.
So that being said, someone has to tell me, were the Illini screwed?
I have to think they were.
How many teams in the NCAA tourney have as
many quality wins this year as Illinois? I mean they have 5 wins vs
the top 25, and they took Ohio State to double OT in the big 10 tourney
(and quite frankly if the reffing wasn't heavily favored towards Ohio
State they would have won that game too).
For that matter, how many teams have ever had five wins against the top 25 and then not made the tournament (in the 64 team format). There can't be many.
I'm not a huge Illini fan or anything, so it's not really a big issue to
me. I wasn't crying myself to sleep or anything. I know Illinois also came up small too many times in games they should have won, but I still think they did enough.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Tags: chicago bulls, illini, nba, ncaa tournament, snubbed, university of illinois
i dont know but i do know this ..
the bulls will play noah inhope to knock out the raptors.. if that happens.. =) chris bosh looks to move in the offseason because of their struggle & wanting to be the guy with a team & market thats suitable.. cb4 & drose looks like a really good chance now..
& one more thing .. if we land bosh.. its by a sign & trade.. which means hinrich or deng is gone =) .. most likely ..hinrich
Chicagoland teams can take a valuable lesson from Virgina Tech. How to go 23-8 and not get in? Schedule non division 1 teams and beat them by 40! Tech was 17-1 and the ACC is no slouch! How do teams like Loyola ever expect to dance in March if they schedule "Cupcake" teams and play in a non competetive league? Coaches for Loyhola, DeFaul, UIdon'tC need to fire their coaches or get busy to breed some success. I live out here in Maryland and everywhere you turn there is Maryland, Georgetown, George Mason, Richmond, American, UMBC, making a splash in March.
Trivia for the day? When was the last time a Chicagoland area team went to the dance (ND does not count)?
Answer:DePaul Men's '99-00, 03-04,
UIC Men's '01-02, '03-04
Loyola Men's '84-85
DEPAUL WOMEN'S every year since 2003
KEY TO SUCCESS - no surprise - Doug Bruno!
Bulls will probably be picking around the 16th or 17th and with those picks I would look at James Anderson SG OSU, Craig Brackins PF/SF/C? Iowa State (was consider a possible lottery player last year), Gani Lawal PF Georgia Tech, Paul George SG/SF Georgia (if he stays at school, he could be top 10 next year)
And ya a sign and trade for Bosh would be a good idea. Grab Bosh through trade and then you still have money for the summer for a top notch player with your free agency money. Will it happen? Probably not.
Another guy to watch for is Ed Davis from North Carolina. His season ended early this year but last year he was consider a top 5 player. He has tons of potential and he might just go for the money this year, seeing what happened to him this year. I would be surprised if he fell to us though.
james anderson - osu .. is mocked everywhere to go to us.. no matter whats the pick .. 11th or 18th ..
guard / foward who can fill it up ..
rose
?(defender/shooter)?
deng
bosh
noah
taj,anderson,johnson,miller,murray
Doug-
I dont think so. Illinois had 14 loses, I believe? The simple fact is I think it was down to them and Minnesota, and Minnesota literally won one more game than Illinois.
If dude makes that layup, they are probably in. They are the #1 overall in the NIT which means they were literally the last team on the bubble...
Doug-
Thats just it, they won head to head and won one more game in the Big Ten tourny...
I haven't been paying much attention to college basketball either, but I was shocked they didn't make it as well. Especially considering that some people had them as having a chance even if they didn't beat Wisconsin. I thought the win over Wisconsin and how they played OSU would get them in.
Still, I usually don't let myself feel bad when the 5th best team in a conference doesn't make it. I mean, it sucks for the Illini, but at the end of the day you have to play well enough to make it, and if you only play well enough to be maybe considered, then you might not make it. You can look at them versus other teams that are in and make arguments, but I think everyone accepted that the Illini were on the bubble.
I don't feel too bad for them, though. My understanding is that this was a rebuilding year that ended up going better than expected for them, and next year is supposed to be a big year for Illinois.
BTW, how awesome would a Minnesota-Illinois final had been? Talk about drama!
(from a guy who went to a Div III school but had all his siblings go to UIUC)
With ya on Donatas but it's unlikely he'll be around for our pick.
Then we're basically of the same mind.
Doug Sam Smith says he has such a service available(to look at players/prospects) to him as well Synergy is the one? I use the old fashioned DVR, and record in non-HD so I can keep a pretty good short term library until I'm done with them.
It really doesn't take me that long to watch a game. I fast forward through commercials of course and free throws, and some of the dead ball/time out banter. On exceptional/telling plays I will rewind, and check them out in slow-mo.
I was liking Elliot Williams(Memphis). On one play against UAB at FedEx/home, Elliot took his last dribble outside the three point line, leaped, bounded and flew in for the dunk. I thought that was pretty amazing to take your last dribble outside the line, and end up with a dunk. But after his last performance, I'm just worried his right hand is way weaker then I thought it was improving/showing signs in games past.
Right now I like Dominique Jones(limited and a bit undersized but a sure bet to contribute in the NBA), James Anderson(weak with his right also to a fault and verbally/comm. and charisma really seems lacking, but undeniably talented as a shooter and lefty scorer/contortionist around the basket), Ekpe Udoh(a dude who's legit 6'10 plus with wide shoulders/arms as long as air craft carriers, a real if burgeoning post game, and shoots a decent almost 70% FT's this season plus boards and blocks in a dominant fashion), Luke Babbitt(I'm trying to recall the most recent white dude other then guys from Europe/outside the U.S. who were offensive stars, Nash and then..?, but this guy is no Adam Morrison, an offensive freak but lacking strength or huge hops - imagine that! Anyway that's my top four who might be available when the Bulls pick. And my darkhorse though I have not watched him enough personally yet to endorse him is LaceDarius Dunn(over 200 three point attempts and shoots 42%) something Bulls could use from a SG.
I still wish we could buy a No.1 with cash(considerations), but I guess will have to settle for one chance in what seems a deep class, No.17-18(?), and hope for the best. I still don't think there's any way we land one of the big three unless we make a statement, and hire a name coach preferably Byron Scott to work with Derrick, and possibly keep Bobby O. and Pete as defensive asst's.? Though I'm sure Scott will likely want to pick/help choose his guys.
By the way who knows if he(Scott) even wants to coach next year. These guys, Van Gundy etc. seem to becoming enamored with the easier, less demanding life of T.V.(ESPN etc.) gametime flippant, cerebral player analysis/critique show off.