Nice last win of the season. Stoked to have Dawkins and MAAR the next few years.

10 years ago Illinois was the #1 overall seed in the NCAA tourney. Now they are about to miss the tourney for the 5th time in 8 years. Bruce Weber did more damage to the Illinois basketball program than sanctions in the 90s and looking more and more like Groce is not the guy to right the ship. Depressing.

 

Groce can't win without Weber recruits!

 

In all seriousness, the future isn't looking very bright either. Next year you have

 

Abrams - not a great PG, but probably an upgrade

Nunn - looking like a mediocre Big Ten player at best. Totally disappeared the 2nd half of the season. Not a contributor unless he's hitting 3's

Hill - still has potential to be really good, but also disappeared when they needed him most

Black - a dirty player. I love his aggressiveness, but it costs the team too much. He needs to grow up.

Paul - no clue. I don't expect much, so still a position of need.

 

JCL - will undoubtedly not meet the crazy expectations.

Tate - Is who he is. Will only be a Big Ten player deserving of a scholarship if he hits some jump shots.

Jordan - middling contributor, possible redshirt

DJW - middling contributor, possible redshirt

Finke - no clue

Morgan - f***ing atrocious

Colbert - not good, too small for Big Ten or even D1 play

 

 

When in doubt, blame the guy who finished top 5 in the Big Ten 7 of the 9 seasons he coached for destroying the program.

John "NIT" Groce did not have team ready last 2 games.

If only this team had Michael Orris, Jalen James, Ibrahima Djimde, ...

 

 

Try missing 10/15 tourneys when your school had made something like 18/23 prior to that, and the main reason was because the coach had the temerity to never lose a first round NCAA game but consistently had a hard time getting to the Sweet 16 since 1986-87. And some would argue it's 11/15 since the Hawkeyes were relegated to the play-in game after losing 6 of their final 7 and collapsing down the stretch.

 

That said, Iowa is not Illinois (because of Chicago alone). I suppose for the Illini, it's almost ludicrous to miss anything approaching 50% or more.

 

Chicago is so over hyped. Illinois rarely gets Chicago talent, especially since 2000. It's been about Peoria and other random players through the state.

 

And yes, missing the tournament, especially with the expanded field, is just unacceptable. Groce got a pass because he was taking over a roster with little talent after his first few years (although I argue it wasn't as bad as others make it out to be), but at this point it's all on him and his coaching. And both have been pretty suspect thus far.

 

Rice was his best "get." Keeping Nunn and Hill interested was big. Otherwise? A bunch of s*** players. Morgan? Colbert? Tate? Crap, Crap, Crap.

John "NIT" Groce did not have team ready last 2 games.

That's the thing, how can it be Bruce Weber's fault they got blown out today? How can it be Bruce Weber's fault they fell apart after a nice start at Purdue?

If only this team had Michael Orris, Jalen James, Ibrahima Djimde, ...

 

See above. He did such a great job replacing them with Tate, Colbert and Morgan!

 

That's the thing, how can it be Bruce Weber's fault they got blown out today? How can it be Bruce Weber's fault they fell apart after a nice start at Purdue?

Never said a word about Weber.

That's the thing, how can it be Bruce Weber's fault they got blown out today? How can it be Bruce Weber's fault they fell apart after a nice start at Purdue?

 

Or @ Michigan, or against Indiana, or................... the 2nd half collapses have become Groce's trademark.

That's the thing, how can it be Bruce Weber's fault they got blown out today? How can it be Bruce Weber's fault they fell apart after a nice start at Purdue?

 

It's only partially Weber's fault for leaving so many empty recruiting classes and marginal players. Unfortunately, Groce hasn't done much better.

 

 

Chicago is so over hyped. Illinois rarely gets Chicago talent, especially since 2000. It's been about Peoria and other random players through the state.

 

And yes, missing the tournament, especially with the expanded field, is just unacceptable. Groce got a pass because he was taking over a roster with little talent after his first few years (although I argue it wasn't as bad as others make it out to be), but at this point it's all on him and his coaching. And both have been pretty suspect thus far.

 

Rice was his best "get." Keeping Nunn and Hill interested was big. Otherwise? A bunch of s*** players. Morgan? Colbert? Tate? Crap, Crap, Crap.

 

Illinois might not get the top Chicago talent, but the Chicago talent is not over-hyped. Hell after Okafor is picked #1, we are looking at 3 #1 overall picks in about 10 years coming out of Chicago.

Illinois might not get the top Chicago talent, but the Chicago talent is not over-hyped. Hell after Okafor is picked #1, we are looking at 3 #1 overall picks in about 10 years coming out of Chicago.

If they want to cheat, Illinois could be a top 5 program by taking the Chicago talent.

 

And I'm pretty sure most Illinois fans would rather have Weber at the helm than Groce at this point. The results speak for themselves.

Illinois might not get the top Chicago talent, but the Chicago talent is not over-hyped. Hell after Okafor is picked #1, we are looking at 3 #1 overall picks in about 10 years coming out of Chicago.

 

I meant the Univ of Illinois - Chicago connection is always over hyped. Not that Chicago doesn't have talent. Obviously it does.

If they want to cheat, Illinois could be a top 5 program by taking the Chicago talent.

 

And I'm pretty sure most Illinois fans would rather have Weber at the helm than Groce at this point. The results speak for themselves.

 

I don't think that's true. A change was needed and the vast majority of the fan base knows that. But another change may be needed now. The AD can't f*** this up by waiting another 2-3 seasons, making the next rebuild that much harder.

Edited March 12, 201511 yr by Jenksismybitch

Never said a word about Weber.

I agreed with your post and just used it to counter the post saying Weber ruined the program. This is a team that should have made the tournament. Now there is zero chance.

When in doubt, blame the guy who finished top 5 in the Big Ten 7 of the 9 seasons he coached for destroying the program.

 

Lol, he missed the tourney 3 out of his last 5 years after inheriting a fantastic program. He also left no talent in the program other than a good senior class. In year 3 the new coach has to start taking the blame which is why I said it looks like Groce isn't the right guy to turn things around but Groce inherited no players from Weber in the 2012 class and the 2011 class turned out to be bad despite their high school accolades. Weber killed Illinois basketball and it doesn't appear Groce will revive it.

I agreed with your post and just used it to counter the post saying Weber ruined the program. This is a team that should have made the tournament. Now there is zero chance.

Zero chance is right.

If they want to cheat, Illinois could be a top 5 program by taking the Chicago talent.

 

And I'm pretty sure most Illinois fans would rather have Weber at the helm than Groce at this point. The results speak for themselves.

 

Also, at this point, why the f*** not? Do what Syracuse does. Cheat for a few years, get really good, 8 seasons later when you get caught, plan your s***ty year and give yourself a postseason ban, take the slap on the wrist from the NCAA and move on. By that time it won't matter because you'll be winning and the program will be back on top of the league again.

If they want to cheat, Illinois could be a top 5 program by taking the Chicago talent.

 

And I'm pretty sure most Illinois fans would rather have Weber at the helm than Groce at this point. The results speak for themselves.

 

Weber is an awful coach, no thanks. He has run KSU into the ground in 3 years and if Foster transfers which is likely KSU will likely be a trainwreck in year 4.

I meant the Univ of Illinois - Chicago connection is always over hyped. Not that Chicago doesn't have talent. Obviously it does.

Weber didn't want to play the one and done game. It looks like Groce is willing but can't land the big fish yet.

Morgan didn't play even though we cleared the benchmark. Hope he's transferring.

Weber is an awful coach, no thanks. He has run KSU into the ground in 3 years and if Foster transfers which is likely KSU will likely be a trainwreck in year 4.

I mean, Illinois is much worse off now than they were under Weber. I understand he wasnt going to sustain his success, but Groce has been pretty bad.

If they want to cheat, Illinois could be a top 5 program by taking the Chicago talent.

 

And I'm pretty sure most Illinois fans would rather have Weber at the helm than Groce at this point. The results speak for themselves.

They are going to have to do better than Chevy Blazers in this day and age.

Also, at this point, why the f*** not? Do what Syracuse does. Cheat for a few years, get really good, 8 seasons later when you get caught, plan your s***ty year and give yourself a postseason ban, take the slap on the wrist from the NCAA and move on. By that time it won't matter because you'll be winning and the program will be back on top of the league again.

If someone at illinois wants to do this, they can land the Alexander's etc out of Chicago. You really have to be willing to use the middlemen and cheat when needed.