NCAA basketball 2015-16 thread

[Buehrle>Wood]

As much as I've lost faith in Groce, I think it's pretty clear that he is coming back next year.

 

Getting Williams was a huge step though, there's still a chance he turns this around. Will Groce ever reach the potential we saw after his first year? Chances are real slim, but this at least gets us 1 step closer to being good again whether Groce survives or not.

Don't mean to direct this at you specifically because unforunately I agree he's probably coming back. It's just the wrong decision. He's done so well at burying this program that a point guard ranked around 50ish who is the legacy child of a program legend from the schools biggest pipeline in Peoria is somehow a huge accomplishment. Groce success is now becoming the product of his own failure.

 

I don't mean to sound like we shouldn't be excited for the player specifically or anything. Just that we should win that recruiting battle 95% of the time.l say that no matter who the coach is.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Buehrle>Wood

[gatnom]

Don't mean to direct this at you specifically because unforunately I agree he's probably coming back. It's just the wrong decision. He's done so well at burying this program that a point guard ranked around 50ish who is the legacy child of a program legend from the schools biggest pipeline in Peoria is somehow a huge accomplishment. Groce success is now becoming the product of his own failure.

 

I don't mean to sound like we shouldn't be excited for the player specifically or anything. Just that we should win that recruiting battle 95% of the time.l no matter who the coach is.

 

The good news is it looks like recruiting won't completely bottom out this year, so if Groce gets fired, hopefully there's enough talent still around for the next guy to build off.

 

 

[RockRaines]

So THATS why the Minn players were suspended. Wow

[cabiness42]

So THATS why the Minn players were suspended. Wow

 

So Louisville and Minnesota have sex scandals break in the same year. What two seemingly random and unconnected programs to have that happen to.

[illinilaw08]

Don't mean to direct this at you specifically because unforunately I agree he's probably coming back. It's just the wrong decision. He's done so well at burying this program that a point guard ranked around 50ish who is the legacy child of a program legend from the schools biggest pipeline in Peoria is somehow a huge accomplishment. Groce success is now becoming the product of his own failure.

 

I don't mean to sound like we shouldn't be excited for the player specifically or anything. Just that we should win that recruiting battle 95% of the time.l no matter who the coach is.

 

Couple things here:

 

1) I'm uncomfortable with the idea of a great recruiting class in '17 - even a top 5 class nationally - saving Groce's job. Basically that gives Groce a free pass next season, because those kids won't even be on campus until the season after.

 

2) Frank Williams is a legacy recruit - in the sense that he played at Illinois. But he doesn't have any connections to the current staff, and my understanding is that Frank hasn't been very involved with the university since he left like 15 years ago. I mean, I'm not sure what Kansas thought of Damonte, but Frank has more connections to the Kansas staff than the current Illinois staff. So it's a little different than the Tim Finke recruitment in my mind.

 

3) Groce has had his share of failings here, and I'm definitely not sold on his coaching abilities, but if the answer to why Illinois is a bad basketball team is because Groce hasn't effectively recruited the PG position (ie, if Quentin Snider doesn't flip on signing day, this is a good basketball team), then he's solved that with Lucas and Williams in back-to-back classes. I'm not sure it's that simple, but between the injuries this year and the shored up PG recruiting, I can understand why Groce would get some additional time.

 

 

[Balta1701]

So Louisville and Minnesota have sex scandals break in the same year. What two seemingly random and unconnected programs to have that happen to.

Can someone add a link?

[LittleHurt05]

So THATS why the Minn players were suspended. Wow

 

It's pretty dumb to post that on social media if you are just a regular Joe Schmo college student. It's extra extra dumb if you are a B1G basketball player too. I know they did nothing illegal, but what good could possibly come from posting that??

 

[LittleHurt05]

Can someone add a link?

 

http://deadspin.com/minnesota-suspends-thr...ex-t-1761925904

[farmteam]

BIG TEN CHAMPS!

[cabiness42]

This could end up being quite a year for the state. IU is BIG champs. Purdue and ND are locks to make the tournament. Butler should get in. Valpo will be an overwhelming favorite to win their conference's autobid. Evansville, Ball State and IPFW will all be 1 or 2 seeds in their tournaments. Outside shot at 8 teams in this year. Evansville clearly the least likely to make it.

[LittleHurt05]

BIG TEN CHAMPS!

 

So that's good news for the rest of the Big Ten, right? Crean can't get fired for a few years now.

[farmteam]

So that's good news for the rest of the Big Ten, right? Crean can't get fired for a few years now.

I was generally non-plussed by Crean the past few years. Lived up to his "great recruiter, poor coach" stereotype.

 

But this year, he's really coached. Definitely the best coaching job he's done at IU, possibly of his career.

[zenryan]

Miami really starting to peak right now. But just like about a dozen other teams, they can make a Final Four run or flame out in the first weekend.

 

Should be an entertaining ride atleast.

[RockRaines]

I was generally non-plussed by Crean the past few years. Lived up to his "great recruiter, poor coach" stereotype.

 

But this year, he's really coached. Definitely the best coaching job he's done at IU, possibly of his career.

He did a good job this year, however I do believe that the conference in total isnt as elite as it has been during his tenure so part of it was great timing.

[He_Gawn]

Still no fan of Crean, but he did a fantastic job this year. He's quit being so stubborn, and finally weened back on practices and his pre-game extravaganza shows... And it's worked. Couple that with Yogi having an unreal year. Still lining up the recruits too.

[Balta1701]

He did a good job this year, however I do believe that the conference in total isnt as elite as it has been during his tenure so part of it was great timing.

While the conference may not have had an elite team with Valentine being hurt for a while, there are what, 5 ranked teams, any of which you could say has a shot to get hot and make a final 4 run?

 

You don't get the "obvious loss" of Wisconsin last year unless you have to play at Assembly Hall, but that's still a grueling schedule.

[whitesoxfan99]

While the conference may not have had an elite team with Valentine being hurt for a while, there are what, 5 ranked teams, any of which you could say has a shot to get hot and make a final 4 run?

 

You don't get the "obvious loss" of Wisconsin last year unless you have to play at Assembly Hall, but that's still a grueling schedule.

 

The Big 10 is bad as a whole this year. While there are 4 or 5 teams that could potentially make final 4 runs that is also probably true about 20-25 teams this year since there isn't a single team that is remotely close to being a great team around the country this year.

[RockRaines]

While the conference may not have had an elite team with Valentine being hurt for a while, there are what, 5 ranked teams, any of which you could say has a shot to get hot and make a final 4 run?

 

You don't get the "obvious loss" of Wisconsin last year unless you have to play at Assembly Hall, but that's still a grueling schedule.

The middle of the big ten is waaaaay down from what it's been. The conference schedule as a whole is much easier than it has been.

 

And I think one or two teams can make a final four run.

Edited March 4, 2016 by RockRaines

[Boogua]

Whitman confirms that Groce will be back next year. He better get a commitment from Tilmon.

[GGajewski18]

Whitman confirms that Groce will be back next year. He better get a commitment from Tilmon.

 

And Goowin

[fathom]

It's beyond pathetic that Richard Pitino is likely going to keep his job.

[Buehrle>Wood]

Hill with 39 and Illinois still loses to Penn State, lol. Just awful. Hope they rightfully put Hill on 1st team all B1G though. He deserves it.

[maggsmaggs]

Whitman confirms that Groce will be back next year. He better get a commitment from Tilmon.

This is probably about not looking like a control freak for Whitman, immediately, because Groce simply does not deserve to stay. Illinois has gotten worse every single year with him:

 

2012–13 Illinois 23–13 8–10

2013–14 Illinois 20–15 7–11

2014–15 Illinois 19–14 9–9

2015–16 Illinois 13–17 5–12

 

 

[RockRaines]

Evansville is tough.

[RockRaines]

Bad timing on that post. Yikes.