Howdy Friends!

This was not a great game.  They should have won, at least it should
have gone into overtime.  I didn't get to see the whole first half,
but they played decently, but too many fouls and turnovers, as
usual.  They had a decent lead, but at half it ended up as a 6 point
lead.  The refs allowed a 3-pointer that was shot AFTER the buzzer.
The announcers have proof that he still had the ball in his hands
when the buzzer sounded.

Cook didn't get to play too much in the 2nd half due to foul
trouble.  He sat out quite a bit until Augustine got into foul
trouble.  During the 2nd half, they could not get their game
together.  Too many mistakes.  Oh, they did have a few good moments
and good plays, but they weren't enough to get ahead and stay ahead.
They kept leaving guys wide open which allowed them to score.  They
needed better defense and keeping an eye on the guy they were
guarding and not just the ball.

If that shot at the end of the half hadn't counted, the game would
have ended in a tie.

Katie

The little I saw, yes it was a real nail biter.  I got to see the 5
minutes.  They didn't look the greatest, but not bad.  Now it's off
to Michigan State and that's gonna be a tough one.

Katie

--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, "Frank <fw_101@y...>"
<fw_101@y...> wrote:
> A real nail biter.  The first half of basketball, was the probably
> the worst half the Illini can play.  Ugly was not even a good word
> for it.  Could not buy a shot or get a break.  But Brian is the
man.
> What a perfomance in the second half.  I hope this is a boost to
help
> them over the hump of the next few games.  Hopefully it will.
> ILL-INI!!

A real nail biter.  The first half of basketball, was the probably
the worst half the Illini can play.  Ugly was not even a good word
for it.  Could not buy a shot or get a break.  But Brian is the man.
What a perfomance in the second half.  I hope this is a boost to help
them over the hump of the next few games.  Hopefully it will.
ILL-INI!!

Howdy Frank!

Well, I wasn't at home and didn't get to watch or listen to the
game.  From what I heard, Cook got into foul trouble and had a
technical for touching a ref.  They showed it on the news and you
have got to be kidding me.  He went over to talk to him and just
gently touched him on the upper arm.

Luther was also given a technical for hanging on the rim.  Okay, I
have seen other players doing that and never got called a technical.
Yes, he hung on for a second after he dunked the ball, but it was not
in a showmanship way, just until he was able to gain control and not
get injured.

Augustine stepped in and played great while Cook was sitting out.

Katie



--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, "Frank <fw_101@y...>"
<fw_101@y...> wrote:
> Well it sounds like the Illini once again experienced their
recurring
> foul troubles.  The opposing teams seem to realize this now and are
> going after Cook and Augustine to get them into trouble.  And it
> looks like it is working.  Against better teams it will prove to be
> their undoing unless they get it under control.
> The balance from all the players is improving and that is really
good
> news.  There are some key games coming up in the next couple of
weeks
> for the men.  If they can stay focused, they should be able to stay
> in all of the games and have a good chance to win.
>
> ILL - INI!!!!!!!!!!!

Well it sounds like the Illini once again experienced their recurring
foul troubles.  The opposing teams seem to realize this now and are
going after Cook and Augustine to get them into trouble.  And it
looks like it is working.  Against better teams it will prove to be
their undoing unless they get it under control.
The balance from all the players is improving and that is really good
news.  There are some key games coming up in the next couple of weeks
for the men.  If they can stay focused, they should be able to stay
in all of the games and have a good chance to win.

ILL - INI!!!!!!!!!!!

Warren Carter Dallas Lake Highlands,Texas(Signed)

6-foot-9,220-pound athletic power forward who chose the Illini over
offers from Iowa,Oklahoma State,SMU,Texas A&M and Baylor among others.


Richard McBride Springfield Lanphier,Il.(Signed)

6-foot-3,200-pound shooting guard. Considered one of the top three
college prospects in the state of Illinois. Chose the Illini over
interest from Cincinnati,UConn,Louisville and Maryland among others.


Brian Randle Peoria Notre Dame(Signed)

The 6-foot-8,190-pound Randle is considered one of the top small
forward prospects in this year's senior class. Chose the Illini over
offers from Notre Dame,Kansas,Indiana,and Iowa.


Charlie Villanueva Blair Academy,Blairstown,New Jersey

6-foot-9,220-pound forward. Consensus top ten prep in this year's
senior class. Committed to Illinois over Indiana,Villanova and Seton
Hall.




from Rivals.com

Catching up with Charlie Villanueva

By: Ryan Snyder
Date: January 20, 2003


The Orange and Blue News recently had a chance to catch up with 6-
foot-9,220-pound Blair Academy(New Jersey) blue-chip forward/Illini
commitment Charlie Villanueva and talk about a number of things.
Villanueva verbally committed to Illinois last fall but didn't sign a
letter-of-intent.  Below is the interview.

OB: How is your season going?

Villanueva: "It's going really well. We're 15-1 right now."

"I don't really have any idea on my personal stats or anything."

OB: What do you think your strengths and weaknesses are as a player?

Villanueva: "I think offensively I'm pretty strong."

"I really want to work on every aspect of my game though."

OB: Are you getting double or triple-teamed a lot this season?

Villanueva: "Yeah. It doesn't bother me though because it allows me
to get my teammates involved."

OB: What are your thoughts on the current Illini team?

Villanueva: "I've had a chance to watch some of their games and so
far they look really good. They are a very exciting young team to
watch."

OB: What position do you expect to play for Illinois?

Villanueva: "The three spot,small forward."

OB: Who is the toughest team or player that you've ever faced?

Villanueva: "My teammate Loul Deng(Duke recruit)."

OB: Can you compare your game to that of any NBA player?

Villanueva: "I don't really compare myself to people, but a lot of
people think I play like(Los Angeles Clippers forward) Lamar Odom."

OB: If you weren't a basketball standout, what other sport would you
play?

Villanueva: "Baseball. I think I could pitch."

OB: What was the best and worst part of the recruiting process?

Villanueva: "The best part was taking all the trips and meeting new
people."

"I don't really think there was a bad part about it."

OB: How often do you get to talk with Coach Self and the staff at
Illinois?

Villanueva: "Probably about two or three times a week. Every week."

OB: Why did you pick Illinois?

Villanueva: "It just was the best fit for me."

"It felt like home and the fans were really loyal to the team."

"Everyone made me feel welcome at Illinois."

OB: What are your thoughts on declaring for the NBA in the future?

Villanueva: "It's still pretty much the same."

"If I'd be a lottery pick then I'd go."

"I'm not to worried about that right now though."

The Orange and Blue News would like to thank Charlie Villanueva for
his time and insights.



from Rivals.com

Okay, this guy does make some good points on our beloved team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bleeding Orange and Blue

By: Jared Gelfond
Date: January 23, 2003


EXPECTATIONS?...wasn't it just a few months ago when 99% of the
Illini fans across the country were talking about how excited they
were this year to watch a new team develop?

Most Illini fans,myself included, were 'jacked' to watch this young
team grow and see how the freshman progressed throughout the year. We
were all going to just sit back and enjoy...

Well somewhere in the first twelve games of this season (the Missouri
game in my opinion) those realistic expectations went out the window.
Instead of saying, "it will be intereseting to see how far this team
goes" it was changed to "this team can win the Big Ten and make a
major run in the tournament." I am definitely a culprit of that kind
of thinking.

Two weeks ago in Bleeding Orange and Blue, I proclaimed that the
Illini 'train was rolling' and nothing was going to stop it. I
couldn't stop smiling. Maybe I got too far ahead of myself and maybe
as Illini fans we have lost sight of realistic expectations for this
team and the guys on it? I am not one to make excuses for this team,
and I definitely am not...it was this team that decided their motto
this year was going to be "youth is not an excuse" and they will have
to live by that motto.

I still believe the Illini can contend for the Big Ten title and that
when they are playing well are one of, if not 'the', best team in the
Big Ten conference. In the last week and a half, I have realized what
I forgot there for a few weeks--that there still are going to be
bumps in the road and this is a team that is going through these
bumps for the first time. Sometimes we all have to step back and
realize that.

Random Illini Thoughts

I really believe that this team is still trying to adjust to the
difference in style in the Big Ten play. The Illini lived off the 15-
20 fast break points that they were getting in the non-conference
schedule against teams like Missouri and North Carolina who loved
to 'run and gun'. Now they are playing a more physical/slow halfcourt
game and they have struggled with the adjustment. When you are not
getting easy fast break points, it makes hitting your jump shots that
more important.

I would love to see this team take a three- game winning streak into
East Lansing in two weeks. If the team can beat Penn State on the
road and Michigan at home (very possible) they will head into East
Lansing to face the Spartans with 5-2 conference record. We all know
that Michigan State will use the Illinois contest as their "get well
game." We will see how much this team has grown in East Lasing in
early February.

No suprise to me that this team has struggled on the boards. This team
(as it is presently built) will never be a great rebuilding team. If
you think about the lack of rebounding it makes sense, because we
bring in Nick Smith, Roger Powell, and Kyle Wilson off the bench as
our "bigs". All three of those guys are not great rebounders and two
of the three are undersized. Couple the depth problem with the fact
that Brian Cook isn't a great rebounding big man. To Brian Cook's
credit though this year he has become a much better rebounder.

What this team needs is an Andre Hutson-type on the boards and a few
bigger guys to add depth to the bench and I believe the coaching
staff has addressed that need with Warren Carter, Brian Randle,
Charlie Villanueva--and hopefully a guy named Kalen Grimes in the
future.

With all of that said, rebounding the basketball has been the
weakness of this team this year. Extra intensity and hustle can make
them a good rebounding team. They will need to be better on the
boards as the Big Ten goes along.

The Iowa game might be the game that Illini fans can look back at
later in the year and regret. The fact Illinois wasn't able to go
into Carver-Hawkeye and pull out a win against a team that I know we
should be able to beat. (home or on the road) The Illini were
probably a tad overconfident heading into Iowa last two weeks ago and
it came back to haunt them. We all knew going into the year that the
Indiana game would be a brutal road game to win so the real chance to
be 3-1 after the tough big ten stretch was to beat Iowa. It could be
one that the coaching staff and team regret later in the year when
the Big Ten is being decided.

I hate to keep talking about the future, but the future looks so
bright for Illinois it is hard not to look ahead some times. What the
Illini need is a scorer who can create his own shot and fill it up
(like Indiana's Bracey Wright). If the team last year had another
scorer that could take some of the load off Frank Williams and Brian
Cook,I believe they would have been able to beat anybody. The reason
I bring this up is because almost EVERYBODY who has seen Illini
commitment/Springfield Lanphier(Il.) guard Richard McBride
play,thinks he is this type of player. McBride may be a player that
the Illinois basketball program has needed for a long time and I just
pray on two things: that Richard McBride is as good as everyone
thinks he is and that he qualifies.

The Players

Brian Cook: He has become a bonafide star this year for Illinois and
you know as an Illini fan that things are different now with Brian
after he scores over 20 points, grabs ten rebounds, and you still go
away from the game thinking he didn't play that well. BC is now going
through the very tough adjustment period of learning how to score
when the team's first plan is to shut him down. I think he has done a
good job adjusting. Since the Illini have started to struggle, Brian
has put too much pressure on himself to dominate. He doesn't need to
be trying to block an 18-foot fadeaway by Jeff Newton in the first
minute of the Indiana game! He has been called for some chippy fouls,
but he has committed some dumb fouls. All of this has to do with the
adjustment period. The only thing Illini fans need from Brian is to
be on the floor 33 minutes a game,score 20 points and be a monster on
the boards.

Luther Head: It is great to see Luther Head looking healthy on the
court. He is one of the few players we have who can penetrate, beat
his defender, and finish around the basket. Now to the negative in
the last few weeks with Luther...his defense, especially his on-the-
ball defense has been horrid. After watching the tapes, I can't
believe how many times Luther has been left in the dust by his man. I
am sure the coaching staff has been on Luther about this and with his
quickness I would have to assume it will get better.

Deron Williams: From the first time I saw Deron play basketball(at
the ABCD camp). I have been a big fan. It was good to see Deron play
better a few nights ago against Purdue. I think it shows a lot about
his character that he has been aggressive in the last two games
(granted in one of those games he was 0-8 from the field) and looks
to be more sure of himself,more confident on the court. I was
surprised to read the backlash against him after the Indiana game.
Deron is leading the league (at least before last night) in assist-to-
turnover ratio and is the best rebounding guard we have on the team.
He has gone through a tough stretch so far in the Big Ten, but you
can see the ability for him to be top player. In my opinion, it won't
be long before everyone forgets the bad stretch that he has had.

James Augustine: I never thought I would say it, but James fouls more
than Robert Archibald. It doesn't take a basketball genius to see the
improvement in James Augustine's game from the beginning of this
season to the current point. I think he has looked more confident and
comfortable with each game and now the trick is to keep him on the
floor for 25-32 minutes a game. I will say this: If Illinois can go
throw a game and have both Brian Cook and James Augustine on the
floor for over 28 minutes they will be very tough to beat.

Roger Powell: Where has he gone? Roger was a guy that people were
raving about coming into a year. He was guy who by all standards was
the best player on the Big Ten traveling team this summer. It is hard
to believe that Roger's toe is the only reason he hasn't improved as
much as he has over the past few weeks. I have always thought that
the problem with Roger is that he is a 'tweener'--not a good enough
shooter and not quick enough to play the three position and not big
enough to play the four spot. Even if healthy,I just don't know if
Roger will be able to be a major contributor this year. It would be
interesting to find out if the coaching staff has toyed with the idea
of getting him back in the starting lineup? Can Illinois afford to
try and rebuild his confidence that way?

Nick Smith: Nick kept the Illini in the game against Indiana and it
was beautiful to see! It just shows what can happen when he plays
with confidence. The only thing we can hope for with Nick is to keep
improving and work on eliminating the bad stretches more and more.

Altenberger a Traitor! Are you kidding me?

I couldn't believe the amount of people that were killing ESPN+ color
analyst Doug Altenberger after the Iowa game a few weeks back. I know
the situatiion happened a week ago but I had to give my view. There
is absolutely NO WAY anyone should question Doug Altenberger's
loyalty or his love for the University of Illinois because he made
comments during the game about a coach that nobody in Illinois likes
or because he was trying to be professional. I was embarrassed at
some of the labels that people were throwing at Altenberger.

Do I think Steve Alford is classy? Hell no! But am I surprised that
Altenberger said that about a guy he has known on and off the
court?...Not at all! I re-watched the tape of the Iowa game to listen
to what Doug had to say. I honestly think he was victim of trying to
be professional in not favoring the Illini. I know for a fact that if
I had to do an Illinois game, I would try so hard to be professional
and not look like an Illinois alum/former player that I would
probably come across as supporting the opposing team. Doug said some
things in that game that are going to make an Illini fan shake his
head...especially because I am sure all Illini fans feel that since
Altenberger is doing the game, he will favor Illinois.

Well I can say this for sure: I would rather have a guy try to be
professional like Doug Altenberger (and maybe fail at that) than have
a guy like Bill Walton just disregard trying to be fair and outwardly
root for a team. It's amazing at Illinois sometimes--and I know I am
preaching to the choir with many of the people who read this column.
I wish Illini fans would use their energy to criticize the opposition
and not the people who are on their side. Some people go out of their
way to criticize Illinois students/Orange Krush time after time and
now they go out of their way to rip one a former great Illini who
helped bring a ton of victories to the Illinois program?

Does anybody really think that Doug Altenberger doesn't root for
Illinois and doesn't hope like the rest of us that they are raising a
national championship banner in the Hall sometime soon? He might have
said a few things during the broadcast that people didn't like--all
color guys say things that we can all sometimes wonder what they were
thinking. But what was said about Altenberger's character was
uncalled for.

Into the Crystal Ball

The 12-3 Illini finally head out to the East Coast (so that I can go
see a game in person) to face the Penn State Nittany Lions in the
Bryce Jordan Center. On the surface this looks like a very easy game
for the Illini--Penn State is battling hard with Northwestern for the
label of "worst team in the Big Ten" and they don't have the depth,
firepower, and athletes to match up with Illinois.

The only caution I will throw on this game is that I felt almost the
same way a few years ago when the Illini headed into the same arena
and needed a Frank Williams desperation three to send the game into
overtime, which they eventually lost.

If I wasn't going to the game, I wouldn't be worried at all....in all
honesty I think the Illini will struggle early, but eventually pull
away from the Nittany Lions. Brian Cook has a field day...

Prediction: Illinois 81 Penn State- 62

Illini Musings

**On the subject of giving credit where credit is due: Nobody has
done more with less this year than Steve Alford. Coach Alford has
taken a team that only has seven scholarship players and more than
anything he has them playing like a team who doesn't care about stats
and only cares about winning (something he couldn't get them to do in
his first few years there). I personally can't stand Steve Alford and
I think his choice to keep Pierre Pierce on the Iowa Hawkeye team is
nothing short of despicable, but if you want to look at great
coaching jobs so far in the country you have to look no farther than
Steve Alford in Iowa City. (And Yes Illini fans that was difficult to
write!)**

**Moving on to another Big Ten coach who has done a great job so far
this year and that is Tommy Amaker over at Michigan. I don't think
Michigan is going to be able to sustain this type of play throughout
the year. They have done a great job in Michigan when they could have
folded the tent after a disastrous start to the seaon and the "joke
probation" they are on this year. What bothered me this week is to
see an article written on a website talking about the family
atmosphere that Amaker created at Michigan. Can somebody ask the
people at Seton Hall if Amaker creates a family atmosphere? I wonder
if they purposely left out talking to Andre Barrett who Amaker
promised he would be at Seton Hall and see if he thinks Amaker cares
about the family!**

**I have to say this, because it hurts me to see the people who are
sitting in the "new" Orange Krush seats (across from the scorers
table) looking around during the game to see if it is OK to stand up!
Anytime you see an Illini game on television, you can see that
everytime the stand up they are looking around to see if this is
alright. In trying to create the most intimidating gameday atmosphere
you can't have students looking around to see if it is alright to
stand up. Everyone do the math--do you think someone has told them to
sit down?

The Krush can have a major impact from those seats on the court and
yes I do understand that there are donors who want to sit and watch
the game instead of standing up to see over the Krush--and yes I do
understand how important the donors are to the program. But to me
being loud and intimidating is just more important... Ahhh--more
reasons for a new arena which could totally eliminate this problem!**

**Been talking to a few people out here in the New York media about
Illini commitment Charlie Villanueva and not one of them thinks that
CV will ever come to Champaign. Now you shouldn't always believe the
NYC media and anyone who has lived out here knows that---but hearing
this from almost everyone doesn't make me feel good. Here are my
thoughts on the situation: If Charlie stays true to his word--
"lottery pick or college" he will be playing for the Illini next
year. The question remains whether he will get the correct
information on that exact question...My odds (and I have been wrong
before) are 50/50.**

**I just want to know what Coach K would have done in the same
situation that his protege Quin Snyder dealt with last week! It seems
to me that a little more time of investigation was needed in the
Ricky Clemons situation. I laugh at how quick he was back on the team
after they got crushed in a game.**

**Usually I don't like many of the nicknames the Illini fans come up
with for the players, but I do laugh everytime I read or hear someone
call Nick Smith "Slappy"**

**I have already made plans to get back to the Assembly Hall for the
first time as an alum for the February 25th home game against the
Indiana Hoosiers. I know that the Assembly Hall is going to rock that
day and I can't wait! I hope A.J. Moye is in for a rude awakening
that night because Illini fans aren't going to forget him waving
goodbye to Brian Cook when he fouled out.**

As I get fired up to ride out to Happy Valley to see this Illini
basketball team in person for the first time, Still Bleeding Orange
and Blue--Jared Gelfond


from Rivals.com

Illini end two-game losing streak

By: Jeff Johnson
Date: January 22, 2003


The Illini went on an 18-6 run in the last six minutes of the game to
pull away from Purdue and beat the Boilermakers 75-62 at the Assembly
Hall this evening.

Senior forward Brian Cook led the Illini with 22 points,16 of them in
the second half. Sophomore guard Luther Head hit for 15
points,freshman Dee Brown had 13 for the Illini in the victory.

Illini freshman point guard Deron Williams broke out of his slump
with a 11-point,seven rebound,five assist game against Purdue.
Williams outstanding defense on Boilermaker standout Willie Deane was
a big factor in shutting down the explosive guard during crunch time
in the second half.

Deane led the Boilermakers in scoring with 14 points on 3-for-11
shooting.

Illinois shot 49% for the game from the field. Purdue ended up
shooting 33% from the field. The Boilermakers came into the game
shooting 75% as a team but were 21-of-32 shooting from the free throw
line. The Illini were 16-of-22 from the charity stripe. Purdue
outrebounded the Illini 39-36 on the boards.

Illinois led at halftime 33-29.

The Illini improve to 13-3,3-2 in Big Ten play. Purdue falls to 11-
4,3-1 in Big Ten play. Next up for the Illini is an 11:00 a.m.
(central) game at Penn State this Saturday.

Below are Illini head coach Bill Self's post-game comments.

Question:Coach,congratulations on a hard-fought victory over Purdue.
Give us your thoughts on the ballgame?

Self:'Well to me,that was a physical Big Ten game. That was Big Ten
basketball,two teams getting after each other. We played extremely
hard. I thought Purdue played extremely hard.'

'We had control of the game. Then they get in foul trouble the first
half and their bench/our ineffectiveness on offense allowed them to
get back into the game.'

'We go in up four at halftime then we are up twelve,then it was
trading baskets. But we never gave up the lead.'

'I may be wrong on this, but with about six minutes left, we are up
one and we get a four-point play and we go to a five point lead, then
seven and we kept them at arms length the rest of the game. That is a
sign of a good team,being able to do that.'

'We obviously have some weaknesses of course, no question.'

'It sounds easy in principle,but were not tough rebounding the
basketball. We don't have that aggressive mindset and were not big,we
aren't going to play big very often. So we have to do a much better
job in that area.'

'But you take that away,except for some anxious turnovers,guys trying
to make plays early,I thought we played very well.'

Question:Talk a little about the defensive adjustment in the second
half. It seems as though Keady was going to give the ball to Willie
Deane every possession and he was drawing a lot of fouls. You went to
the box-in-one and it really jammed Purdue up offensively. Talk about
that adjustment a little bit?

Self:'We have always played triangle and two. Coach(Illini assistant
Tim) Jankovich said we should try a box-in-one and we put it in on
Monday. So it's not like something we have practiced a lot. We put it
in and the guys did a good job in it,they did a real good job in it.
The guys did a good job adjusting out of it. It wasn't great because
we didn't rebound out of it.'

'Our first shot defense tonight was exceptional. Deane is so
athletic. He is a jet. Lowe is a jet and those two guys drive it as
hard as anybody in our league.'

'We played out of serious foul trouble but we were smart enough early
in the game not to get the cheapies. So that way in at the end of the
game we still had bodies still in there.'

'Staying out of foul trouble early was certainly something that
helped us win the game.'

Question:Coach,Deron Williams,we talked about his confidence,being
aggressive and he certainly was that way tonight.

Self:'Deron bailed us out tonight. We had two possessions with bad
offensive patterns and with time running out he sticks two three's
and bails us out. He shot 3-of-4 from the free throw line.'

'Deron does so many good things. He is our leading rebounder with
seven. He leads our team in assists with seven. He did have some
turnovers tonight which is uncharacteristic of him. I thought we
played well. We have to shoot the ball a little better.'

'Sean never got untracked tonight shooting the basketball. But he did
some good things.'

'James did some good things,especially early.'

'But if I was going to give a player of the game to two guys? I would
certainly give one to Luther. Luther has been fighting it all year
and he was very aggressive tonight and played well.'

'And I would also give one to Brian. Not because his performance was
the best. But because he spun a negative into a positive. He
struggled the first half. I was furious with him the first half,he
would tell you that. The second half,he makes hard plays. Doing that
is a sign of toughness and that will really help us down the road.'

Question:Also,you talked about playing out of foul trouble and James
Augustine didn't get his first foul till the second half.

Self:'He didn't get his first foul till the second half but it didn't
take him long to get the other three. But James did some great
things.'

'The first possession,he catches the ball low,he fakes and then he
drives it. That's what James can do. He did a lot of different
things. He got a foul called when he posted strong and finished with
a dunk. He tried to dunk one but got it blocked but that's what we
try to do,go hard. He did some good things tonight. James is going to
be really good. But he has to make his free throws. He knows that.'

'But the biggest negative and you talk about negatives,there is one
glaring weakness for us and that's rebounding the basketball. We have
to tighten that up big time.'

Question:Coach,you talk about the rebounding,do you have to bring the
guards back in to help the big men on the boards? Is that a way to
adjust and solve that problem?

Self:'When your three guys that are 6-foot-10 or taller combine for
eleven defensive rebounds and play approximately 80 minutes....11
defensive rebounds in eighty minutes for those guys? That's bad. And
they would be the first to say that.'

'The guards have to do a better job of helping out with that,no
question.'

'But we aren't going to be.....I have said this all along. We don't
have to be a great rebounding team. We have to be more efficient then
what we are rebounding.'

'Tonight,they kicked our butts on the glass,no question. If you take
that aspect of the game away,it was one of our better performances of
the year.'



from Rivals.com

Unfortunately, I did not get to watch much of the game.  Only about a
few minutes.  It slipped my mind that it was kinda an early game and
I had company.  What I did see, they looked good.  Yes, it sounds
like there were a few too many fouls and turnovers.  Deron had a good
game.

Katie

--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, "Frank <fw_101@y...>"
<fw_101@y...> wrote:
> Did anyone get a chance to watch the game?  I only heard a few
things
> about it and saw the box score, but it sounds like too many fouls
and
> too many turnovers almost did us in again.  Does sound like Deron
had
> a really good game though.  And hopefully that will spell many more
> good ones to follow.  Still would like to see them play when
everyone
> is having a good game.  They would be most impressive.
> ILL  -  INI  !!!!

Did anyone get a chance to watch the game?  I only heard a few things
about it and saw the box score, but it sounds like too many fouls and
too many turnovers almost did us in again.  Does sound like Deron had
a really good game though.  And hopefully that will spell many more
good ones to follow.  Still would like to see them play when everyone
is having a good game.  They would be most impressive.
ILL  -  INI  !!!!

Well to say that they did not play well as a team is a big reason why
they are having a tough time on the road.  It certainly appears that
we have a home team, and an away team.  Harrington was nowehre to be
found again.  Brian got into foul trouble early, although one of the
calls was questionable.  Same with Augustine.  But they are too
aggressive and too much use of the hands.  Not much passing.  Not
very good shot selection.  More fouls, turnovers.  Less rebounds.
But i thought they might have a hard time in these 2 gyms.  They are
young still and Self really needs to get them to handle the ball
better and take better shots.  We will see how they fare in the home
games coming up and then know.
Frank

Okay, I didn't get to watch the game this afternoon.  When I got home
I started working on restoring my computer (which didn't work) and
didn't want the distraction of the game.

What happened to them?  I was confident that they would be able to go
out there and win.

Katie

Frank:

It was definitely a combination of things.  The freshman are still
not accustomed to playing on the road and need to get used to the
different atmosphere.  And part of it was they didn't play well.

There were too many fouls.  Some were aggressiveness and some were
bad calls.

I don't know where Harrington was.  He was on the floor, but not "out
there".  Neither team seemed to have great offense or defense.

With this loss, they will be more psyched for Indiana.

Katie


--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, "Frank <fw_101@y...>"
<fw_101@y...> wrote:
> Did not get a chance to listen to or watch the game.  It sounds to
me
> like they let the crowd and the arena get to them.  Do they need to
> just play their game, and quit being so out of control and fouling
so
> much?  Or are there other things going on?  Aggressiveness is one
> thing, but bad fouls is another.  Cook will not be able to carry it
> on his own.  Where was Harrington last nite?  Did they guard him
too
> well?  What happened to our defense last night?  They shot the
lights
> out on us.
> They will need to focus now for Indiana.
> Frank

Did not get a chance to listen to or watch the game.  It sounds to me
like they let the crowd and the arena get to them.  Do they need to
just play their game, and quit being so out of control and fouling so
much?  Or are there other things going on?  Aggressiveness is one
thing, but bad fouls is another.  Cook will not be able to carry it
on his own.  Where was Harrington last nite?  Did they guard him too
well?  What happened to our defense last night?  They shot the lights
out on us.
They will need to focus now for Indiana.
Frank

Wish they could have been better than they were.  They did look good,
but they didn't play great.

But with this loss, they should be fired up for Indiana on Saturday.

Katie

--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, Shelleigh38@a... wrote:
> eff iowa lol...
> that was a poor game played.. but dee n brian will looked good ;)
>
> -shelleigh brown-

Was that our beloved Illini out there?  I can't believe how poorly
they played.  They couldn't hit their shots, too many turnovers and
too many fouls.  Just can't believe those are the same guys that have
been doing so well.

Katie

Brian Cook, Illinois forward

January 13: Given that Bill Self has coached a whole bunch of players
who reached the Elite Eight, both during his tenure at Tulsa and at
Illinois, and that two of last season's Illini are rookies in the
NBA, it's quite an honor that Self considers Cook the best ever to
play for him.

That even might be bigger than the Sporting News Player of the Week,
but we'll let Cook decide which he prefers. Cook averaged 28 points
and 10 rebounds last week in victories over Minnesota and Wisconsin,
which propelled the Illini to a 2-0 start in the Big Ten. Cook scored
24 of his team's 33 points in the second half against the Badgers.

Cook always has been an extremely skilled big man, but he is playing
with more intensity and playing more. Foul-prone in previous seasons,
he has topped 30 minutes in every game except one this season.


http://www.sportingnews.com/cbasketball/playeroftheweek.html

Thanks Frank!  Right now the internet is working okay.  I am not able
to download IE 6.0 in order to reinstall MSN 8, but it is being
worked on still.

Yes, there are a couple of tough games and they are away games.  They
will tell us if they will be able to hold their own and win games on
the road.  I'm hoping to be able to watch the game Wednesday, may not
see the whole game, but will see as much as I can.  I've got a 4 yo
nephew that will be coming over for the evening.  And he wants his
aunt Katie to play with him.  He wears me out.  Get tired playing
trains, but I love the little guy to death.  And if he comes over, I
probably won't get to watch much of the game.

ILL - INI


Katie


--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, "Frank <fw_101@y...>"
<fw_101@y...> wrote:
> Hey sorry to hear about the computer problems.  It can be a real
pain
> when it starts doing what you are going through.  Let me know if
> there is anything I can do to help out.
> A tough couple of games this week.  We are capable of winning both
I
> think, but we will have to play good -D-, take care of the ball,
and
> get the ball to Cook a lot.  He is playing very well, and seems to
be
> doing all we have hoped and much more.  We shall see I reckon.
> Have a good one till then and good luck on getting the computer
back
> to normal.
> Frank

Hey sorry to hear about the computer problems.  It can be a real pain
when it starts doing what you are going through.  Let me know if
there is anything I can do to help out.
A tough couple of games this week.  We are capable of winning both I
think, but we will have to play good -D-, take care of the ball, and
get the ball to Cook a lot.  He is playing very well, and seems to be
doing all we have hoped and much more.  We shall see I reckon.
Have a good one till then and good luck on getting the computer back
to normal.
Frank

Welcome Shelleigh!  Glad to have you join the group.  Do you get a
chance to go to any of the games at all?  Have you had a chnace to
watch them play this year?  If so what do you think of how good they
look?  I have only listened to them play so far, and am still waiting
to catch them on TV.  But from what I can tell so far they have great
potential and should continue improve.
Again welcome aboard!!
Frank

Howdy Friends!  I wanted to let you know that I may not be around
much for the next few days.  I am having computer problems at home
after installing a new antivirus program.  It screwed up everything
and took me 3 hours to uninstall the new program.  It kept telling me
that it couldn't uninstall while it was running.  I kept turning it
off and restarting and finally after the 100th time, it worked.  I
then had to reload Windows and it reverted my Internet Explorer back
to 5.5 and it does not support MSN 8.  I removed MSN 8 and reloaded
the older version that came with the computer and downloaded IE 6.0
but it will not completely download.  I spent an hour on the phone
with MSN Tech Support last night and now will have to call Windows
Support tonight.

Will try to post from work, but right now it is a busy time for us
getting ready for the new semester to start.

Katie

Howdy Frank!

I watched the last few seconds of the first half and then the 2nd
half.  It was a great game.  They looked good.  Augustine had a great
first half.  He hit 6 for 6 and got that 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Yes, they had fewer turnovers and fouls.

Dee needs to work on his free-throws.  He wasn't hitting them.

Katie


--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, "Frank <fw_101@y...>"
<fw_101@y...> wrote:
> Good win for the Illini.  Was anyone at the game or did anyone
listen
> to it?  I missed the whole thing and have no idea how well the game
> went.  It sounds like Brian and James were playing great.  But how
> about everyone else?  Looks like less turnovers and fouls too.
Would
> love to hear any comments.
> Iowa up next after beating Michigan St.  Will we see a confident
> Hawkeye team or the team that can be beat at home?  Dee and Deron
> need to get back into the mix in a big way scoring wise.
> We shall see I reckon.
>
> ILL-INI!!!!!!!!!

Welcome Shelleigh38 to Fightin' Illini Fans.  Glad that you joined
us.  Please join in the discussions on the games and players.  If you
have any questions, please post them and someone should be able to
answer them for you!

Katie

Good win for the Illini.  Was anyone at the game or did anyone listen
to it?  I missed the whole thing and have no idea how well the game
went.  It sounds like Brian and James were playing great.  But how
about everyone else?  Looks like less turnovers and fouls too.  Would
love to hear any comments.
Iowa up next after beating Michigan St.  Will we see a confident
Hawkeye team or the team that can be beat at home?  Dee and Deron
need to get back into the mix in a big way scoring wise.
We shall see I reckon.

ILL-INI!!!!!!!!!

Howdy Frank!

Yes, they do have a great defense.  And because of it, their
opponents are not able to rack up the points.

Even though Dee is a small guy, he is doing great on defense and
getting that ball and "flying" to the other end for a basket.  The
guys do need to work on their turnovers and fouls, and making sure
they make their freethrows.

Thanks, I might just email ya!  And you can always email me also and
that goes for anyone.

Katie


--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, "Frank <fw_101@y...>"
<fw_101@y...> wrote:
> I think that Illinois' defense will be what carries them this
season
> over everything else.  The shooting percentage that other teams are
> putting up against the Illini so far is amazingly low.  And I think
> as we continue to work on our miscues, and the freshmen get better,
> the defense will continue to improve and be even more stifling.
> I have to admit, that although I somewhat surprised with the
Illini's
> early success, before the season started I felt that they would be
> good to very good.  Two away games next week will be good
barometers
> as to how good we really can play on the road.
> Katie if you would like to talk more, please e-mail me.  just check
> my profile.
>
> ILL   -   INI   !!!!!!!!!!!

I think that Illinois' defense will be what carries them this season
over everything else.  The shooting percentage that other teams are
putting up against the Illini so far is amazingly low.  And I think
as we continue to work on our miscues, and the freshmen get better,
the defense will continue to improve and be even more stifling.
I have to admit, that although I somewhat surprised with the Illini's
early success, before the season started I felt that they would be
good to very good.  Two away games next week will be good barometers
as to how good we really can play on the road.
Katie if you would like to talk more, please e-mail me.  just check
my profile.

ILL   -   INI   !!!!!!!!!!!

Well, Frank, I didn't get to see much of the game.  IMO, I think it
was kinda both, good 'D' and bad shooting on Minnesota's part.  I
know that a few minutes that I watched at the beginning of the 2nd
half, neither were shooting well.

At the end of the game, the missed free throws did not help.  Glad
that Minnesota wasn't able to take advantage of that.

Dee did not have a great game.  He was not able to get a run for a
shot.

Katie


--- In FightinIlliniFans@yahoogroups.com, "Frank <fw_101@y...>"
<fw_101@y...> wrote:
> I was only able to listen to the game so not sure of all the
> details.  Did we really play good 'D' or did Minnesota just shoot
> terrible?  What was up with all the turnovers and fouls?  It
sounded
> like they really took Dee and Deron out of their games.  The missed
> free throws at the end made it much closer than it should have
been.
> But gotta love Brian and Sean saving the day.
> A great win.
>
> Frank