I guess there was an offer to extend this series but the Big Ten turned it down, possibly because they have 4 more teams coming in and needed room in the conference schedule.

I had no idea that Shaka Smart was coaching Marquette.

Hawkins is a turnover machine.

A bit of a frustrating game to watch. The usual Illini calling cards were there most notably the turnovers and streaky shooting. They have to keep the turnovers into the single digits. Shannon and Hawkins with 5 each... ugh. Just don't have a reliable scorer on this team that can fill it up from the outside yet. I thought they played tough D and that will help them in the Big Ten but this teams issue will be filling up the score sheet. The point guard from Marquette Kolek just exposed them all over the place. Was pleasantly surprised with Domask who appears to be a nice pickup from the portal and some veteran experience. They have a couple of games to try to shore things up and pick up some victories but FAU and Tennessee back to back games looming in early December will be very telling. Appears it is going to be another season of being a bubble team.

He does a lot of good things . . . but he makes so many mistakes. Then he'll play like a star against mediocre teams.

Illini can't finish

He had several big blocks down the stretch last night when things were tight and the Illini were hanging tough, but I gotta tell you, when you need a big shot to go down, he is not the guy I want shooting the ball. When he first got to Champaign I used to think he was going to be a scoring threat that commanded the ball, but he really seems to just be taking up space in the offense. There were a few times last night he could have made big shots and you just knew they weren't going down, its like he forgot how to shoot.

Didn't tune into the last two games but looked like a couple of ho hum wins against some smaller schools. Looking at the box scores what I found most interesting is that I didn't see Hawkins play in either matchup. Apparently, he has an injury and been getting treatment for a knee. Quote from coach below....

“Leadership," Illinois coach Brad Underwood said he wants to see from Hawkins. "I’ve got no problem with what he’s doing defensively. He’s an initiator offensively and he’s helping us create those things. We’re putting the ball in his hands a lot, asking him to make the right plays and screen and play a lot of minutes. I’ve got no problems with the way Coleman’s playing. He’s doing a good job. He just can’t turn it over five times."

Defensively, he is pretty good, and he has had so much playing time over his career, he knows what to do.

But those late-game fadeaway seven-foot shots that innocuously bounce off the front of the rim into the welcoming hands of the man who was guarding him have simply got to go.

Was this meant for the Justin Fields thread?

He's one of those guys who is an athlete but not a basketball player. You look at him (LOOK AT HIS BODY!) and think he should be way better than he is. The man looks like a statue of a Greek God but he sucks.

Only ph@gs watch basketball on championship Saturday.

Looked much better offensively. 17 turnovers though,

Hope they get that under control...three tough games before Christmas....including against FAU in New York.

Underwood seems to be able to live with the turnovers. Killed them against Marquette.

And if we look at the replay, we can clearly see that this is Caller Bob. A misplaced insult? An obsession with gay men? Butting into a conversation that does not involve him? From here, I can confidently say that that's Caller Bob.

5:30 tip Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden. Opening game of a nice double dip. #20 Illini vs #13 Florida Atlantic. #9 UNC vs #5 UConn tips off after they finish.