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James Augustine led the way with 15
points and eight rebounds, while Roger Powell chipped in 11 points
and seven boards. Senior Chicago native Luther Head threw in 14
points, while three-time conference assist leader Deron Williams
dished out eight assists.
The game was the first of the day at
the United Center, and Illinois seemed to be sleepwalking early.
Neither team seemed focused on basketball at the start, and a bevy
of turnovers was the early result.
Illinois' three-guard attack of
Williams, Head and Dee Brown provided the first 12 points of the
game for the Illini as the Boys in Orange shot out to a 12-7 lead at
the 14-minute mark of the first half. The first-half bulge grew to
11 at 24-13 after Springfield's Rich McBride made three straight
free throws after he was fouled on a long-range bomb.
Inside dominance by Augustine and
Powell helped Illinois extend the lead to 16 at the break, 38-22.
And while many fans were surely excited with the double-digit lead,
a 20-point-plus lead should have been the score, as the Illini
missed seven free throws in the first frame. Few were worried about
a loss during halftime, but, at the same time, this was not vintage
Illinois basketball.
The second half began with a 7-2
Wildcat run to get the lead down to 11 at 40-29, and visions of
Sunday and Ohio State began to emerge. However, Illinois put a quick
end to any thought of losing as they blew away the 'Cats with a 15-2
run to lead by 24 at 55-31. Any thoughts of an upset were no more,
and the focus quickly became on getting minutes for key bench
players Warren Carter, Nick Smith and McBride. The game ended rather
sloppily for the Illini, but in the end, a 17-point win is nothing
to be ashamed of.
Illinois will move into semifinal
action on Sunday against the Minnesota Golden Gophers, who beat
Indiana 71-55 in Friday's second game. The semifinal is set for
12:40 p.m., and it will be a national CBS game, seen locally on WCIA.
Illini
positives
- Defense: Offense excites the fans
-- defense wins championships. If the Illini are going to bring
this effort during the NCAAs, they will be in pretty good shape
night in and night out. Illinois held the 'Cats to just 22
first-half points, and Northwestern had only 31 points at the
eight-minute mark of the game.
- James Augustine: He was huge down
low and looked ready to play from the beginning. Augie could be a
force in the postseason as teams focus on the Illini's three-guard
attack first.
- The Bench: The numbers may not
seem spectacular, but Smith, McBride and Carter all gave good
minutes and each had positive contributions. Jack Ingram also
played but was saddled with foul trouble for much of the game.
Illini
areas of concern
- Free throws: Illinois made just
14 of 29 for the game, and 50 percent F.T. shooting will get you
an early exit in the NCAAs.
- Three-point shooing: The Illini
were just 4-for-18 for the game from long-range and only 1-for-10
in the second half.
- Turnovers: 16 turnovers against
Northwestern are way too many, and several of the turnovers were
the result of sloppy play. Illinois didn't seem ready to go early,
and this translated into turnovers for the Illini.
[to top of second column in this article] |
 On a personal note, the LDN sends
out our thoughts and prayers to Illinois coach Bruce Weber and his
family. Coach's mother was in attendance at the game Friday, and due
to shortness of breath, was taken to an area hospital and eventually
into surgery. Coach Weber left the United Center immediately after
the game to be with his mother and family during this medical
emergency.
Too often, fans and media alike are
guilty of expecting too much from the players and coaches we follow.
It is easy at times to forget they are human beings who have
children and parents as well. Our hope for Coach Weber is a quick
recovery for his mother and peace of mind for him as he continues in
his role as leader of the Fighting Illini.
Dawn Weber, the 81 year old
mother of Illini coach Bruce Weber, passed away at approximately 6pm
on Friday evening at Rush University Medical Center while undergoing
surgery for a torn aorta. Mrs. Weber arrived at the United Center
Friday morning planning to watch Illinois match up with Northwestern
in the Big Ten quarterfinals. However, shortly after arriving, she
complained of chest pains and was taken to the hospital and
ultimately into surgery.
Coach Weber's status for the
remainder of the weekend is unknown as of late Friday evening. If
he is unable to coach on Saturday, the most likely scenario involved
Assistants Jay Price and Wayne McClain leading the team against
Minnesota. McClain was the assistant coach with scouting
responsibilities involving Minnesota and Price is Weber's most
trusted aide.
Outpourings of love and
support were heard non-stop Friday night at the United Center. Iowa
coach Steve Alford began his press conference with a statement of
support for Coach Weber from the entire Hawkeye family. Junior
James Augustine offered support on behalf of his teammates and
stated the team would dedicate their remaining games to their coach
and the memory of Mrs. Weber.
The Sports Staff at the
Lincoln Daily News extend our heartfelt sympathy to Coach Weber and
his entire family. His older brother Dave Weber, coach of Glenbook
North High School, was originally scheduled to coach Friday night in
a sectional final basketball game. Dawn Weber, a widow, was the
mother of five children and was still living in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin.
[Greg
Taylor] |
