Nice coming-out party for Mr. Smith

'Freshman from Peoria leads Illinois to victory'         

By Greg Taylor

[DEC. 6, 2005]  CHAMPAIGN -- Illinois beat a good Arkansas-Little Rock team on Monday night at the Assembly Hall behind a great performance from freshman Jamar Smith. Illinois won 75-49 and ran its season record to a perfect 8-0 behind 23 points from Smith.

Seniors Dee Brown and James Augustine also had strong games, as Brown dished out 10 assists and grabbed five rebounds, while Augie, the reigning Big Ten Conference Player of the Week [see related article], scored 12 points and grabbed seven boards. Brian Randle and Warren Carter were both in double figures as well, each scoring 11 points in the victory and each connecting on alley-oop dunks.

Little Rock, which gave Michigan State a scare on Saturday in East Lansing, hung with the Illini for most of the game. The Trojans trailed by just four at the break and closed within 41-39 at the 13-minute mark of the second half. However, this version of the Illini proved they are capable of great runs and promptly went on a 19-0 run to put the game out of the reach. The final score of 75-49 was not indicative of the close score for a vast majority of the game. Illinois outrebounded Little Rock 41-28 and outscored them at the free-throw line 16-6.

But the story of this game was the freshman from Peoria who shot the ball like a seasoned veteran. Smith was 8-for-10 from the field on the night, including an amazing 6-of-8 from beyond the arc. Smith's 23 points are the most for an Illinois freshman since Dee Brown scored 25 in December of 2002 against Eastern Illinois.

Illinois will return to action on Thursday night at the Assembly Hall against Georgetown. Game time is set for 8 p.m.

Illinois is now more than halfway through the nonconference portion of the schedule and has passed every test up to this point. While not always winning with the style of last season's record-setting squad, the Illini are still doing what matters most -- winning games. Whether hanging on in Chapel Hill, or rallying in Chicago or South Texas, or winning blowouts in Champaign, the Illini are getting it done -- and that is really all that matters.

Illini tidbits

• Illinois has now won 59 of its last 63 games -- an unheard of streak in Illinois basketball history.

• Springfield's Rich McBride struggled Monday night, scoring just two points.

• Junior Warren Carter seemed to play much better than in previous games, making the most of his 13 minutes by scoring 11 points.

• Brian Randle continues to impress with his all-around game. His defense is solid and his dunks are posterlike.

• Dee Brown did a great job running the show on Monday night -- shooting less and getting others open looks.

• Freshman Chet Frazier sat out the game with a deep thigh bruise. He should return to action Thursday against Georgetown.

• Official Rick Hartzell ejected Little Rock's athletic director at about the 11-minute mark of the second half for arguing from the official scorers table. Hartzell, whose day job is serving as athletic director at Northern Iowa, seemed rather animated during the exchange.

[Greg Taylor]

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