Big Ten at the NCAA Tournament Sunday Recaps: Support Group Session

So. Uh. Yeah.

Big Ten Recaps

[8] Loyola-Chicago Ramblers 71, [1] Illinois Fighting Illini 58

Hi, I’m He was a high school quarterback and I have a problem.

Illinois really can’t have nice things.

Screw. It. All.

Everything. Is. Pain.

I want to be an adult and celebrate what was mostly a great season, but I’m a fan, so maturity is nowhere to be found. We did win our most recent game against 10/13 B1G foes, so there’s that.

Underwood and staff didn’t make a single adjustment to a game plan that wasn’t working for 35 minutes. I played (sat on the bench) high school ball and I could’ve made the adjustment to have Ayo screen for Curbelo rather than Kofi for Ayo. That doesn’t bring a 6’9” guy for the double and gets Ayo heading toward the rim with our best passer getting him the ball. On defense, the drop coverage was getting eaten alive so zone maybe or try hedging. Kofi moves better than you expect for a man that size and we hedged screens early in the year.

Anyway, I’m sad and I hope your team loses.

This was all we heard from Thump:

[1] Baylor Bears 76, [9] Wisconsin Badgers 63

I don’t think we have any wisconsin writers. Sorry.

[2] Houston Cougars vs. [10] Rutgers Scarlet Knights

RU in VA: This one is fresh. My better half even said to me “I’m sorry your team lost” (she went to Western Michigan, there is no joint fan interest here) before we went to bed.

I’ve been beating this drum all year, but I don’t think Pikiell is a good in-game tactician. Great recruiter, great motivator, and a great role model. But man, are there some dumb ass decisions in that game. Up by 7-10 points with three minutes left you decide to run an ISO 1-4 set every possession? Continue to take Houston to the woodshed like you did the entire second half. Nothing has changed, there are no new players - and their best player is ONLY MORE HURT. THE OTHER TEAM HAS NO CENTER. LAYUPS. LANE. DRIVE.

Reminded me of the Iowa game and Pikell’s insistence on having Ron Harper guard Wieskamp off the pick and roll:

You don’t even have to go 20 seconds in. Yuck. Make the coaching correction and execute.

All in all, it was a great season. We’re going to miss Geo and Jacob as they move on, but I’m excited about Omoruyi coming into his own next year, Jaden Jones getting solid minutes, and a Mulcahy Point Guard-ed team for maximum headband annoyance of the B1G.

Probably for the best. Syracuse is rolling and I would have had trouble waking up in the AM if they lost in the Sweet Sixteen to the fighting Boeheims.