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I think we really need to take care of business at home. If we take care of business at home, we will be fine.
What do you think are the MUST wins for the remainder of this season?
Quote from: chum1 on February 18, 2015, 08:57:50 PMI think we really need to take care of business at home. If we take care of business at home, we will be fine.we have a good home record, if we can keep that going, it'd mean a lot to the team and community.
There are none. None of the remainder of the schedule matters, at least winning them. I want it to end, so I don't have to watch this anymore. We've got some MUST lose games if we want to push oscar out though.
The Illini appear beyond consoling after Saturday's 80-57 collapse at Nebraska against the Big Ten's worst team."We hit rock bottom," guard D.J. Richardson said. "We looked the worst we could look."Instead of battling their way into NCAA tournament consideration, Illinois has made a bid nearly inconceivable and seemingly put coach oscar Weber's job in further jeopardy.What can be salvaged in the final four regular-season games and the Big Ten tournament is probably minuscule, save a miraculous run."I think it's off now," Weber said. "The pressure is done." The Illini (16-11, 5-9 Big Ten) have lost eight out of nine games, including five in a row. But this one hit the hardest."Everyone's sad," said Richardson, who scored a team-high 15 points. "A lot of people cried. It hurts."Leonard was not made available to reporters after the game.Said Weber: "The weight of the world kind of caved in our guys. Our kids kept fighting and battling and didn't quit."Illinois came out inspired, feisty and effective for a nine-point lead, appearing ready to exorcise its demons. Instead, it tortured its fans, including the 150 members of the Orange Krush who rode three buses here to the Devaney Center.But a few turnovers and a few Nebraska baskets turned into a landslide.The Cornhuskers (12-13, 4-10) strung together a 36-4 run as the Illini struggled against their zone and turned the ball over 14 times. Nebraska built a 32-point lead in the second half as it finished the game shooting a blistering 55.6 percent."The whole thing piled up and the wheels came off," Weber said. "For the most part all year, we've competed with everybody. Most of (the losses) have been very very close."
"You have to develop a culture and I think maybe the last three years all I did was worry about winning instead of developing a culture and a toughness," Weber told reporters. "That's my fault."
Weber said he has "coached not to lose all year" following a 67-62 defeat to Purdue Wednesday in Champaign, Ill.Illinois (16-10 overall, 5-8 Big Ten) dropped its fourth consecutive game and seventh of its past eight."The sad thing about the whole thing I guess is it's my fault," Weber said Wednesday. "Instead of creating toughness and developing a team, I coached not to lose all year. It's sad to be honest, but it is what is."On Thursday, Weber issued a statement through the school expanding on Wednesday's postgame comments."I spoke out of frustration following another difficult loss. I am disappointed in myself, as I said, for not developing a culture of toughness with our team up to this point in the season," Weber said in the statement. "The difference between winning and losing is toughness and having the will to win, and that is something we will continue to try to instill in our team."We have a young group that has now been involved in 13 games decided by five points or less, which I believe is the most of any program in the country this season. Our players, our staff, and I know our fans are frustrated because we are so close to putting it together. As I told our team last night, we have a lot to play for over these last five regular-season games as well as the Big Ten tournament."We still have an opportunity to make the NCAA tournament, and I'm looking forward to practice today and working with our players to help us reach that goal."
If they'd taken care of business at home in 2012, they would have been fine.
Who Cares
Quote from: Cire on February 19, 2015, 05:47:14 AMWho CaresI've pretty much reached this point. I'm dumb enough that I'd even look forward to an NIT game, but that is very unlikely. This season is pretty much done.
