Last night the #23 Illini lost at home to a Northwestern team that has their coach squarely on the hot seat, is reeling from injuries and without their best player in Drew Crawford. The loss was the third in a row by double digits for the Illini, and the three defeats have been even more lopsided than the scores indicate. This shouldn't be happening to a team that was ranked in … [Read more...] about 9 things really wrong with Illini basketball right now
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Illini guard D.J. Richardson can’t seem to find his shot
After starting 12-0 the Illinois Fighting Illini are 2-3 in their last 5. And one of those wins was rather ugly. A big reason for their recent struggles is the ramped up level of competition as Big Ten play has begun. But it's also they fact the team lives and dies by the three, and no one was more so than senior guard D.J. Richardson. Of all his field goal attempts on the … [Read more...] about Illini guard D.J. Richardson can’t seem to find his shot
#11 Illini crush #8 Ohio State, rebound literally and figuratively
This is what it's like to rebound: both winning the battle on the glass and coming back from a loss. In their last three games (Mizzou, Auburn and Purdue) the Illini got owned on the backboards and went 1-2. In their Big Ten opener Illinois got upset by a .500 Purdue team. The loss was shocking, but the #11 Illini recovered nicely, CRUSHING the #8 Ohio State Buckeyes 74-55 in … [Read more...] about #11 Illini crush #8 Ohio State, rebound literally and figuratively
#12 Illini struggle too often in beating bad teams
The 12th ranked Illinois Fighting Illini have struggled this pre-conference season in blowing out/closing out teams that are supposedly very inferior to them. When you're a top 15 ranked team, with very solid signature wins over #13 Gonzaga and #18 Butler, you should handle the mid-major and low-major scrubs very easily. But the Illini don't do that. They let bad teams hang … [Read more...] about #12 Illini struggle too often in beating bad teams
Illini Brandon Paul wins national player of the week award
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Illinois guard Brandon Paul as its Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Dec. 9. The USBWA's weekly honor is presented by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and will be handed out each Tuesday through Feb. 19 this season. … [Read more...] about Illini Brandon Paul wins national player of the week award
