*** Official #10 Illinois vs #4 IOWA STATE Game(Day) Thread ***

[Die4Cy]

Yeah, as much as it hurts to lose. They kept playing and made Illinois work for it. Gotta love that.

We need someone to step up and be that tough as old shoe leather like guy, like Shead for Houston or Kane for us from years back.

Tamin does this. And Gilbert has shown flashes of it, just needs to do it more consistently.

 

[cdface]

Just once I'd like to get a solid 5 that doesn't require playing at most 50% of the minutes because they'll foul out otherwise. Ward is great physically, but just doesn't use his head sometimes.

so many dumb fouls on our bigs. other teams don't seem to have that problem, at least when it counts.

 

[Darius Bieber]

Man, I know we overperformed expectations.

But it would be nice just one year to have a deep run to at least the elite 8. We've seen so many other big 12 teams do it. So many random directional schools do it. But we're now 0-4 in sweet 16s in recent memory. Multiple times performing below seed expectations (including, now, this year). And this one largely because we pretty much gave that game away.

There's just a cumulative frustration to it.

Seeing teams like Clemson, NC State, FAU, Loyola Chicago etc make these deep runs and us just never getting that high just doesn’t make sense. You’d figure a deep run would happen SOMETIME

 

[cyfanbr]

Man, I know we overperformed expectations.

But it would be nice just one year to have a deep run to at least the elite 8. We've seen so many other big 12 teams do it. So many random directional schools do it. But we're now 0-4 in sweet 16s in recent memory. Multiple times performing below seed expectations (including, now, this year). And this one largely because we pretty much gave that game away.

There's just a cumulative frustration to it.

Agreed, but on the bright side this is two sweet sixteens in three years for this coaching staff.

 

[rochclone]

Also just want to shout out that imo Tamin has been playing through an injury for quite a while now.

Tamin is an f’ing warrior. Coleman Hawkins length really disrupted him tonight.

 

[qwerty]

Good, overachieving year. Talent needs to get better, apparent after that game. And it will.

Also need to get away from such a heavy turnover-reliant defense and grow the offense. A step slow all night strategy-wise.

TJ learns.

Milan was a scared freshman out there. ONE point

 

[twincyties]

3 plays. That fluke tip in by them in the first half, Keshon missing a wide open layup to tie it, and Tre botching one late to cut it to two.

I want to throw up.

 

[demoncore1031]

I'm not too upset that we lost. We had one of the best seasons in school history. But I am upset that we lost to a team that I hate. I hope UCONN destroys Illinois.

 

[caulkasian]

Tamin is an f’ing warrior. Coleman Hawkins length really disrupted him tonight.

Swinging elbows also disruptive

 

[HoustonClone]

We have some big time recruits just waiting in the wings and a true freshman that was just baptised in fire. Hopefully the bench guys (Rock and Omaha) are developing and not misses that transfer out. If they develop up to their potential, watch out! This team could be legit final 4 material. We are only for sure losing our current 5s, I think.

I hope so....I really do. Games like tonight take a hit on my optimism that the "legit Final Four material" teams will really happen at Iowa State. But I'll get it back. I trust TJ and love my Cyclones.

 

[quasistellar]

Yeah! How about Rob Jones making 2 down the stretch!! After a steal.layup too! Not his best game. But he sure showed us why we love him down the stretch. Was doing everything he could to win

Not the most physically gifted 5, but no one can ever doubt his effort and dedication. He played smarter every season and even developed some offensive moves. Every season I think he's hit his ceiling, but he just raises it.

He improved soooooo much over these 3 seasons. Hope he gets paid to play some euro ball or something.

 

[ClubCy]

I subscribe to the Greg gard philosophy... you get to enough s16s, you will get ti some e8. You get to some e8, you will get some ff. I'll absolutely take what tjnhas done in 3 years.

Greg Gard? I like the philosophy but he’s the last guy who should be using that example. Haha

 

[AlCyJim]

Iowa State was 17/21 at the free throw line. That's outstanding. But they only made 6 three pointers.

Gave up 17 offensive rebounds. That needs to be addressed.

the offensive rebounds just seemed to either go long or ISU did not box very well. illinios seemed to stick a hand in and knock the ball loose at times also. still a good fight.

 

[tim_redd]

I'm not too upset that we lost. We had one of the best seasons in school history. But I am upset that we lost to a team that I hate. I hope UCONN destroys Illinois.

That's like hoping the sun will come up tomorrow.

 

[KCyclone2010]

Legit how is Shannon allowed to play, and how do Illinois fans cheer him on?

 

[madguy30]

I subscribe to the Greg gard philosophy... you get to enough s16s, you will get ti some e8. You get to some e8, you will get some ff. I'll absolutely take what tjnhas done in 3 years.

Well let's not follow Greg Gard's actual results trend at least.

 

[CycloneVet]

Curtis Jones needs to be a starter next season. Momcilovich can come off the bench.

I love Curtis off the bench , comes in and usually something positive happens, especially helpful when it’s not going well

 

[AuH2O]

Being honest I can only think of two plays that were sure things that we missed. Keshon’s layup after the steal and King’s missed layup when he had time to catch, land, and go back up and the end of the game.

Agree. Illinois is not a great defensive team, but they are tall and athletic and I think it was affecting several of these close looks.

 

[Dgilbertson]

Said early in the year didn’t think this team could do anything to disappoint me and it held true.

Wish Milan wasn’t a freshman. The back door was there a lot tonight with how they were jumping the lanes.

Shots weren’t falling in the first, but they battled. Hard to leave pts on the table but they overachieved and displayed a ton of heart and grit.

This is 2/3 years reaching S16, with R32 talent. Increase scoring talent and we have a national contender.

 

[t-noah]

I'm proud of our guys! We had our chances and just didn't make enough shots, had some costly TO's. Hats of to Illinois. We could not recover from the 1st half, and credit to Illinois coming out of the box strong.

Learn from it, build on it, come back next year and get it going again. We had a great year!! It was a lot of fun.