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 Yes, it is true that the Illini showed balanced scoring. Michael
Finke had 12 points, Tracy Abrams tallied 13, Malcolm Hill hit for
21 points, and Jalen Coleman-Lands finished with 9 points. However,
Maverick Morgan led the way with 16 points for the balanced attack.
Why do I say he led the way? It wasn’t just his 8-for-8 accuracy
from the field. He attacked the basket. He attacked the boards. He
attacked on put-backs and if Illinois gets anything close to the
production he gave in this game and as he did the last half of last
season, Illinois will at the least be a little stronger in the
paint.
But lest you think that Illinois was only balanced in their scoring,
try these numbers on for size. Take rebounding for example. Hill had
8 rebounds, Finke pulled down 7, and Thorne and Williams had 5 and 4
respectfully and the latter two did so in less than twenty minutes
of action. That sounds pretty balanced to me. Or, how about assists?
Tate had 6, Hill had 4, and Abrams finished with 3. Again, that
sounds balanced to me.
 I could go on with all the examples of balance we saw in this game,
but I think you see the point. Our analysis is that for Illinois to
be successful this season, they will need to stay balanced game to
game. IF different players can pick this team up and a new cast of
heroes can emerge in every different game, it will give this team
the best possible chance to improve their fortunes.
What we liked:
Seeing Tracy Abrams back on the court
Stellar effort from our ‘bigs’
57 percent shooting for the game
41percent 3-point shooting in the 2nd half
Mixing up defenses-confused the opponents
Still concerned about:
Too many soft turnovers (that area really needs to be cleaned up)
A few too many defensive breakdowns (we play ‘matador’ defense &
chase too much)
The good news:
Or maybe the best news of the night…this is a lot better than last
year. We’re 1-0 coming out of the opener instead of 0-1. It might
sound trite, but good starts are imperative. This non-conference
season is critical for Illinois to have a lazar fast start to build
up positive momentum for the season!
Though lots of fans refuse to attend the non-con season, we heartily
encourage them to re-consider. This is when the journey and the
adventure begin. It’s the birth of the ball club. If you wait till
the league season you miss the growth, the pains and the gains that
it took to produce the team that it has become. In all my years of
Illini basketball…that is one of the funnest aspects!
Three Stars:
Maverick Morgan-16 points on 8-for-8 shooting!, 3 reb. & 2 blocks
Michael Finke-12 points, 7 rebounds
Malcolm Hill/Tracy Abrams-21 points, 8 rebounds [to top of second column] |
Note to the State
Farm Center:
We got to the game early and some Illini fans were taking in the
Hall of Fame and were promptly and rudely ushered out until the
gates officially opened. Really??? That’s a perfect time for
fans to see it and there were plenty of State Farm staffers on
hand to monitor the situation. This is why so many people have
had bad experiences in this facility. I witnessed this and so I
implore you - let the fans enjoy this and if you need to open it
earlier, then please do so. I saw what season ticket holders pay
for their tickets, this would be a small gesture to say thank
you to them. I will monitor this situation and report back to
you loyal LDN readers as to what action is taken or not taken.
Game #2
Illini Ride 2nd Half Surge to Overcome Northern Kentucky
The Illinois Fighting Illini rode a 48-31second half advantage
including a 29-point outburst by senior Malcolm Hill to win for
the second time in as many outings over Northern Kentucky,
79-64. Hill’s explosive effort had him finish the night with a
double-double going for 40 points and 12 rebounds! It was one of
the 6th highest point totals ever recorded by an Illini player
in that building!
Also joining the double-double fun was Michael Finke who tallied
10 points to go along with 11 rebounds.
Illinois trailed at halftime 33-31. The Illini shot okay at 44
percent, but struggled from the foul line only connecting on
20-of-30 charity tosses. Illinois also forced 18 turnovers that
led to 21 points and cut their own turnover total down to 9 for
the game.
Three Stars: (In many ways a case could be made in this one for
one star!)
Malcolm Hill 40 points, 12 rebounds
Michael Finke 10 Points, 11 rebounds
Maverick Morgan 8 Points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocked
shots
Next up:
McKendree Tuesday Night @ the State Farm Center 7 p.m. Tip [By JEFF MAYFIELD]
Respond to the writer at
jeffqmay@gmail.com.
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