Saturday, January 14, 2006

Illinois 79, Michigan 74

I saw this game as a source of hope, for lots of different people:

• If you are a Brian Randle fan, there is hope:  He made another three-pointer.
• If you are blind, there is hope:  You can probably get a job as a Big Ten basketball ref.
• If you are James Augustine fan, there is hope:  He looked great in this game.
• If you are a player elsewhere, competing with Jamar Smith for the best 3-point shooting percentage, there is hope:  Jamar shot 50% from the arc in this game.  That brings his overall average down.  :-)
• If you are another team competing for the Big Ten title this year, there is hope:  The Illinois defense isn't always working very well.
• If you have been worried about the Illini's free throw shooting, there is hope:  They shot 83% in this game, over 90% in the first half.
• If you have been worried about the Illini offense, there is hope:  79 points, only 9 turnovers.
• If you are simply an Illini fan, there is hope:  With the students still in break, Illinois packed the Hall with orange shirts and lots of noise.
• If you are a Michigan fan, there is hope:  Most people think Amaker doesn't know how to coach, but this game showed clear evidence to the contrary.  Michigan's players clearly know how to foul without getting caught, and I don't think that kind of knowledge comes without very specific teaching from their coach.
• If you are concerned about the overall state of the Illini basketball program, there is hope:  This team is in a slump.  For the last three games, they haven't really had their game together.  And yet, there is a remarkable statement here about where our program is:  We play poorly for three games in a row and win two of them.
• If you are hoping for Illinois to win the Big Ten title again, there is hope:  We won this one.  Take them one game at a time.