Random thought, re: Illinois 2005 game / 2008 tourney

by CardsFan922 on Mar 4, 2008 10:56 PM EST Comment 15 comments

Has anyone watched the Illinois final four game from 2005 recently?

I was there and have not watched a replay, and I've tried to block it out of my memory, but there are three things I do remember:

MOVING SCREENS OMGCALLTHEFOUL!!!
Roger Powell, Jr's video-game follow up dunk on his own missed 3
Illinois kept running a play against our zone to get a guy open in the corner for a 3. My memory is that this play destroyed us, and involved getting 2 guys close together in the corner, one to set a pick on the forward who was supposed to guard 3 point line, the other guy to catch and shoot. I might be hazy, but didn't they run this like 100 times, and used a moving screen every time, and it destroyed us?

I only ask because it seems like we'll see that play again against a team with a good coach in the tourney and I'll probably throw up (I'm looking at you, Ben Howland).

I'm also terrified of Kansas, but only if we play them somewhere within driving distance from Lawrence because they are only average on the road and have lost their close games.

Maybe thinking too far ahead?

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Yes, your memory is pretty close, I was there too

but we came out tentative in that game.

But, yes, f-ing moving screens/picks.

However

we have the 2005 NC-style monsters this yr--if they all just play

God

by frankpos on Mar 4, 2008 11:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The moving screen in the corner play

Is the same thing Butler and Darnell Archie used to kill us in '03. He hit about 50 from the left wing and maybe two from other spots on the court.

The Roger Powell follow-up dunk was the biggest momentum crusher ever, and still haunts me. Pitino did the whole "the better team won" (which was true) routine afterwards, but this was a game that we had a real shot to win...at least from what I remember, since I haven't been able to bring myself to watch past the O'Bannon three that ties it at the beginning of the second half.

This team is leaps and bounds ahead of the '03 and '05 teams from a defensive standpoint, and I can't see a single, repetitive set leading to our demise in the tourney.

by Mike Rutherford on Mar 4, 2008 11:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I thought...

...they were running the "picket fence" over and over and had like three guys standing at the hook of the 3-point line and ran that same play over and over again? I of course haven't seen a second of that game in ~5 years (omg) so my memory is very hazy on that one.

Either way, I think your are right that our '07 defensive system and personnel will not be beaten by the same play over and over again. You'd think by now someone would have tried it against us.

Hopefully JTIII doesn't do a daily technorati search for his name/likeness and happen upon this! Because I'd hate to see him try something that so clearly won't work and cost his team a chance to win the big east.

by CardsFan922 on Mar 5, 2008 8:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

That Powell dunk

heck, we were either tied or down just like 2-3 points w/ like 9-10 min to go..it was anybodies game...then that damn follow dunk happened....ack!

by jerb2 on Mar 5, 2008 12:30 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

2005

My main memory was of Garcia being eerily non-existent after dominating the West region games up to that point.

by Quinn1979 on Mar 5, 2008 8:53 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well, Deron Williams...

had a lot to do w/ Garcia's dissapearance.

by jerb2 on Mar 5, 2008 9:02 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

What I recall

was Illinois putting 4 three point shooters on the perimeter and us staying in a 2-3 zone, and not matching up nearly enough. We never made an adjustment to have Palacios (or Myles) follow Powell to the top of the key, until someone could switch onto them.

Garcia if I remember correctly was hounded the entire tournament by every team which allowed O'Bannon to be Regional MOP and Dean to score 20+ against Washington and Georgia Tech.

My biggest beef with the Illinois game was Pitino's comments about how they were just so good we had to play the 2-3, yet they killed us on the perimeter, while a 2-3 is usually played against a team with a large inside presence. Illinois had a really weak inside game and was dominated by small guards, much like Marquette is this year. They also had virtually no bench.

I thought we should have manned them up. Dean had 5 inches on Dee Brown, O'Bannon was even with Deron Williams, and Garcia was 3 inches taller than Luther Head. We owned them inside, too. I think Myles had 20 points that game. I even think our bench was better, as Otis George was playing some of his best basketball, and we had an extra player in the backcourt in Brandon Jenkins that they didn't have.

Our players were so tight in the first half, too. I remember Dean going down the left baseline once in the first half and missing a wide open layup.

In short, I thought Pitino really threw in the towel before that game by choosing to go 2-3, and didn't make enough adjustments during the game to play to our advanages.

by CKYCardFan on Mar 5, 2008 12:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

They had

three or four NBA players on their team. We had one. They had one NBA allstar. We had Otis George.

You win some, you lose some but you never stop trying to do your best.

by DANCARD on Mar 5, 2008 7:52 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yes, I was eye witness to them simply being better

and more efficient

by frankpos on Mar 5, 2008 9:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly 3 on their team

Washington had 2 NBA players by the way, Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy (may have been an all-star this year) and slam dunk champ Nate Robinson, and we handled them with ease. Besides, if Dean had gone out that year he probably would've been picked as well. Whoever went on to play in the NBA really has no bearing on NCAA bball. If that were the case, Marquette would have killed us those years when Gaines was playing against Wade.

by CKYCardFan on Mar 6, 2008 9:30 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Memories

All I remember about the game was arguing with an Illinois fan throughout the 2nd half while he drooled on himself drunk at the Hilton Sports book in Vegas. His drunk ass made it hard to enjoy the gambling and the free beer served by Miller Lite girls.

He Hate UK

by orlandocard on Mar 5, 2008 10:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

You look at any NCAA Champ

from the last 15 years I bet they all have at least 3-4 NBA player on them. It does make a big difference. Dean just got done washing my car by the way.

You win some, you lose some but you never stop trying to do your best.

by DANCARD on Mar 6, 2008 12:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

That's bad

man, he might not be in THE league, but he's getting paid to play. What constitutes "NBA player" BTW? Exactly how many years do you have to play, or points averaged to be considered a player? i.e. Dee Brown sat on the bench for a year and now plays Euro ball like Dean.

by CKYCardFan on Mar 6, 2008 5:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs