COMPLETE ILLINOIS-SOUTHERN GAME NOTES (PDF)CHAMPAIGN, Illinois — After a month and a half of practices, scrimmages and exhibitions, this time it counts.
The first game of the season kicks off Friday as the Illini host Southern at State Farm Center. It’s the start of a new era of Illinois basketball under first-year coach Brad Underwood.
“I’m very excited to throw it up and have it mean something in terms of winning and losing,” Underwood said. “It’s time. We have been battling each other now for 42 days and roughly 30 practices.”
In the span of time since the official start of the season on Sept. 30, the Illini have competed beyond the practice floor in two “secret” scrimmages and one exhibition game.
Illinois went 1-2 in its preseason dress rehearsals with a win over Vanderbilt and a loss to Indiana State in the closed-door scrimmages. The Illini most recently lost 80-67 in an exhibition game to Eastern Illinois. Last season Indiana State finished 11-20 and Eastern Illinois went 14-15.
The Illini shot 40 percent from the field and were outscored 42-25 in the second half of the loss to Eastern Illinois. Five different players scored in double figures for the Panthers.
Underwood said he was bothered with his team’s lack of pursuit on simple hustle plays.
CONTINUE READING
No comments:
Post a Comment