Dave in Green Posted January 30, 2013 Author Report Posted January 30, 2013 I thought CBS Sports was going to acknowledge Cooper's ability to commit technical fouls. He finished #3 in the country in number of technicals last season and is currently #2 this season. Quote
Sergeant Zip Posted January 30, 2013 Report Posted January 30, 2013 OU's game tonight has been canceled. An armed robbery occured earlier today near campus. Quote
ZippyRulz Posted February 9, 2013 Report Posted February 9, 2013 Groce looked ridiculous last night. When he sticks out his lower lip, he looks like an angry 4-year-old. I was never a fan. He's got a serious talent deficiency in Champaign, from what I saw last night. So Groce & Co. got a big win over #1 Indiana I see.. Quote
RootforRoo44 Posted February 9, 2013 Report Posted February 9, 2013 Groce looked ridiculous last night. When he sticks out his lower lip, he looks like an angry 4-year-old. I was never a fan. He's got a serious talent deficiency in Champaign, from what I saw last night. He sure must be a good coach then, because he has a few big wins against top competition....Not bad when you have no talent. Quote
Zipmeister Posted February 9, 2013 Report Posted February 9, 2013 Only 13 days till the Illinois Lady Linksters tee off their season in the Westbrook Spring Invite. Quote
Bubba4three Posted February 9, 2013 Report Posted February 9, 2013 OU without Groce still has many more tournament wins than the Akron men's basketball program has. Quote
LZIp Posted February 9, 2013 Report Posted February 9, 2013 OU without Groce still has many more tournament wins than the Akron men's basketball program has. sick burn bro. You came up with that all by yourself? Quote
Bubba4three Posted February 10, 2013 Report Posted February 10, 2013 sick burn bro. You came up with that all by yourself? Quote
zippy5 Posted February 10, 2013 Report Posted February 10, 2013 OU without Groce still has many more tournament wins than the Akron men's basketball program has. Haha that's funny. Good idea, we can list all the things OU has without Groce. 0 wins against us since he left. 2 red lights in town.. You guys can add to the list. Quote
FearTheRoo Posted February 10, 2013 Report Posted February 10, 2013 Haha that's funny. Good idea, we can list all the things OU has without Groce. 0 wins against us since he left. 2 red lights in town.. You guys can add to the list. ...got Bitch-slapped by Akron last week. Quote
Dave in Green Posted February 11, 2013 Author Report Posted February 11, 2013 OK, I admit that I'm fascinated with the Groce-OU equation. I'm really intrigued by how much success Groce has taken with him to Illinois, and how much of what he helped build is left in Athens. Illinois started the year with 12 straight wins, then took a dump when the Big Ten season started. Sports pundits started talking about how the style of play Groce brought to Illinois was unsustainable, and their 2-7 Big Ten start had them on the bubble for making the NCAA tournament. So what do they do this week? Upset #1 Indiana at home and then tonight #18 Minnesota on the road. So even though they're still only 4-7 in the Big Ten, they have wins over top 20 teams Butler, Gonzaga, tOSU, Indiana and Minnesota. The NCAA selection committee is probably going to give the Illini an at-large bid on the basis of all their quality wins no matter where they finish in the Big Ten. In the meantime, the Kitties have an 8-1 start in the MAC -- their best start since way back in the '80s. But they really have no big wins to date. They've mostly beaten weaker teams and lost to stronger teams. I'm still trying to figure out if this is a characteristic of Jim Christian coaching vs. Groce coaching. Is it possible that the Kitties' ability to win the big ones and make the tournament run was more a Groce characteristic than a quality of the players? The first hint will come when the Kitties visit Belmont and the second will come when the Zips visit Athens. The ultimate truth will be revealed at the Q. I'm starting to lean toward the theory that Groce has some kind of magic potion formula that makes his teams overperform against tough competition, and that the Illini are now a team that would be more likely to make a deep NCAA tournament run than the Kitties. Stay tuned for updates. Quote
odhgibo Posted February 12, 2013 Report Posted February 12, 2013 OK, I admit that I'm fascinated with the Groce-OU equation. I'm really intrigued by how much success Groce has taken with him to Illinois, and how much of what he helped build is left in Athens. Illinois started the year with 12 straight wins, then took a dump when the Big Ten season started. Sports pundits started talking about how the style of play Groce brought to Illinois was unsustainable, and their 2-7 Big Ten start had them on the bubble for making the NCAA tournament. So what do they do this week? Upset #1 Indiana at home and then tonight #18 Minnesota on the road. So even though they're still only 4-7 in the Big Ten, they have wins over top 20 teams Butler, Gonzaga, tOSU, Indiana and Minnesota. The NCAA selection committee is probably going to give the Illini an at-large bid on the basis of all their quality wins no matter where they finish in the Big Ten. In the meantime, the Kitties have an 8-1 start in the MAC -- their best start since way back in the '80s. But they really have no big wins to date. They've mostly beaten weaker teams and lost to stronger teams. I'm still trying to figure out if this is a characteristic of Jim Christian coaching vs. Groce coaching. Is it possible that the Kitties' ability to win the big ones and make the tournament run was more a Groce characteristic than a quality of the players? The first hint will come when the Kitties visit Belmont and the second will come when the Zips visit Athens. The ultimate truth will be revealed at the Q. I'm starting to lean toward the theory that Groce has some kind of magic potion formula that makes his teams overperform against tough competition, and that the Illini are now a team that would be more likely to make a deep NCAA tournament run than the Kitties. Stay tuned for updates. I don't think Christian is a perfect fit for the players he inherited and vice versa. Judge him in a couple years. Groce's inherited a situation that wasn't as bad at is might have appeared at first glance. Illinois had good recruiting classes in 2010 and 2011, and the 2011-12 team was nice enough to lower expectations before he arrived. The Illini will be tough the next couple of years (and beyond if Groce recruits Chicago the way that's expected). Quote
GoZips88 Posted February 21, 2013 Report Posted February 21, 2013 ... just fine without Groce tonight at home against EMU. Final - OU 73 EMU 50. Fairly even in the second half after 20-point half-time difference (36-16). No help from EMU tonight (a guy can hope can't he?). Quote
RootforRoo44 Posted February 21, 2013 Report Posted February 21, 2013 ... just fine without Groce tonight at home against EMU. Final - OU 73 EMU 50. Fairly even in the second half after 20-point half-time difference (36-16). No help from EMU tonight (a guy can hope can't he?). I was actually rooting for OU to win. I want them to be as high as possible in RPI when we beat them next week. If this Akron team is even half as good as we all seem to think they are, they'll get it done in Athens and have nothing to worry about in terms of winning the MAC regular season title. We don't want/need help. Quote
Dave in Green Posted March 26, 2013 Author Report Posted March 26, 2013 Final results: Without Groce but with the same players who made it to the Sweet 16 last season, OU fizzled out and lost in the first round of the NIT. Illinois, in Groce's first season as head coach, came within a questionable officiating call of upsetting #2 seed Miami and making it to the Sweet 16 after not qualifying for post-season play a year ago. Quote
Dave in Green Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Posted April 14, 2013 Special thanks to Zipmeister for reminding me in another thread that I haven't been reporting enough on Illinois basketball recently. John Groce gets raise, extension Quote
Zipmeister Posted April 14, 2013 Report Posted April 14, 2013 Special thanks to Zipmeister for reminding me in another thread that I haven't been reporting enough on Illinois basketball recently. John Groce gets raise, extension Other notable Illinois sports news: Women's Tennis drubs OSU 5-2. Groce gets endorsement deal with Hair Club for Men. Quote
Sergeant Zip Posted November 19, 2013 Report Posted November 19, 2013 John Groce gets raise, extensionGroce keeping his head up after a fakeout and back out. Quote
Sergeant Zip Posted January 27, 2014 Report Posted January 27, 2014 Picking up DiG's slack here and following up on the latest Groce outburst Quote
RootforRoo44 Posted January 28, 2014 Report Posted January 28, 2014 Picking up DiG's slack here and following up on the latest Groce outburst I don't blame him for the outbursts... it was Bo Boroski who blew several of those calls. How does that guy still have a job?! Quote
MaxZIP Posted January 29, 2014 Report Posted January 29, 2014 FYI Groce and the Fighting Illini are on a 6 game losing streak with Iowa and Wisconsin on tap. The wheels are officially off! Quote
Dr Z Posted January 29, 2014 Report Posted January 29, 2014 FYI Groce and the Fighting Illini are on a 6 game losing streak with Iowa and Wisconsin on tap. The wheels are officially off!So who wants to start guessing what MAC team he will eventually end up with? Quote
Dr Z Posted September 25, 2014 Report Posted September 25, 2014 The Illini have landed their first big-name recruit during the Groce era.Groce has long shown signs of being able to reel in the big fish — coming just short time and time again. Illini fans have been starving for signs of optimism for years now. While being teased by the likes of Alexander, Brunson and others, it has been clear that Groce has the wherewithal to bring this program to another level. He just needed one prospect to set off the avalanche.Jalen Coleman Quote
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