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Illinois vs Providence Thread


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I dont know about everyone else, but I'm thinking we are going to put on a show for a national crowd that will be watching this game, expecially with everyone waiting for the Arizona/Texas game to be on, there will be a lot of viewers. ESPN says that Providence is the country's best kept secret(http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/story?columnist=katz_andy&id=1681437) ... Hopefully, our defense can hold that secret to a minimum. Deron is playing so awesome right now, and here's hoping that Dee can play better than he did last time he was on ESPN(NC game in the challenge). Providence is 3-1, and their loss came to the hands of a good Rhode Island team... Im thinking we will start off hot, this team is going to start to gel, why not start now before the Memphis + Missouri games.

 

My prediction---> Illinois 78 Providence 64

 

Go Illini!

 

PS---> No comments on how you hate ILLINOIS this time Heather!

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Providence looks like an interesting squad.  They shoot almost 40% from 3 pt range as a team, and they have a good front line.  Their one weakness on paper seems to be a lack of depth.

One thing Illinois has had in the last 5 years is depth.... we seem to always have an 8 to 9 man deep squad... What should be interesting is whether McBride will get eneugh playing time to get comfortable before the big 10 season, because his first game was this past saturday, and the big 10 schedule is coming up, not sure if Weber will have eneugh trust in him to play in bigger games...

 

Go illini!

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If Illinois does not win by more than 15, it will be a joke.

Sorry, this isnt your typical big 12 game when 100 points is the usual with no defense to speak of. Big 10 and Big East basketball has always been about defense, but that 1st half was just plain sloppy. Looked like most of the players were nervous, but the last 5 minutes they seemed to slow it down. This zone is really causing some bad passes, im hoping the 2nd half they can open it up more.

 

Go illini!

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It confounds me when a ranked team -- one thats comprised of elite players -- acts like they have never seen zone defense before. Last year Syracuse tore through the NCAA Tournament using exclusively a zone defence and destroyed three straight ranked teams from the big 12....

 

I could run the point and break a zone defense.... IT's THE DEFENSE YOU USE WHEN YOU HAVE INFERIOR ATHLETES. Any team that Loses a game simply because they look confused when faced with 5 guys only guarding a spot on the floor should automatically be dropped from the top 25.

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It confounds me when a ranked team -- one thats comprised of elite players -- acts like they have never seen zone defense before.  Last year Syracuse tore through the NCAA Tournament using exclusively a zone defence and destroyed three straight ranked teams from the big 12....

 

I could run the point and break a zone defense.... IT's THE DEFENSE YOU USE WHEN YOU HAVE INFERIOR ATHLETES.  Any team that Loses a game simply because they look confused when faced with 5 guys only guarding a spot on the floor should automatically be dropped from the top 25.

No one can shoot the basketball anymore. If you can run an effective zone you will be very successful with it. In fact, I'm surprised more teams don't try running matchup zones. If it is taught properly and you have guys willing to work it can be very effective because there are very few players who shoot the basketball at a high level anymore.

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No one can shoot the basketball anymore.  If you can run an effective zone you will be very successful with it.  In fact, I'm surprised more teams don't try running matchup zones.  If it is taught properly and you have guys willing to work it can be very effective because there are very few players who shoot the basketball at a high level anymore.

passing is the MOST imporant thing to breaking a match up. you have to move the ball quickly and catch an empty gap somewhere. Usually the baseline J is the weakest and most vulnerable spot. Plus the Illini have very little inside game to make the D respect and stop them from jumping out at the 3 point shooters. You have to have balance to beat a zone.

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passing is the MOST imporant thing to breaking a match up.  you have to move the ball quickly and catch an empty gap somewhere.  Usually the baseline J is the weakest and most vulnerable spot.  Plus the Illini have very little inside game to make the D respect and stop them from jumping out at the 3 point shooters.  You have to have balance to beat a zone.

Yeah, you're right. There were two things that concerned me coming into this year: one is the lack of a big man to go along with Augustine. The second thing was good zone defenses.

 

There is a big difference between the matchup zones used by Syracuse and Providence than the typical zone you see at the high school and junior high level.

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Yeah, you're right.  There were two things that concerned me coming into this year: one is the lack of a big man to go along with Augustine.  The second thing was good zone defenses. 

 

There is a big difference between the matchup zones used by Syracuse and Providence than the typical zone you see at the high school and junior high level.

The match up is much more effective at the collegate level because of the difference in athleticism and basketball IQ. In HS the zone is mostly played to rest players or protect someone in foul trouble, so people just stand in their little area. At the college level you have to hustle and adjust to what the other defenders have openned up trying to cover spots and players.

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