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Illinois entered the game on a three-game win streak in the
series with the Spartans, and all three wins were by double digits.
Illinois won games at the Assembly Hall in 2003 and 2004 by scores
of 70-40 and 75-51 respectively. Last season, Illinois took down
Michigan State at the Breslin Center by the score of 81-68.
Illinois came into the game with a perfect record at 14-0, while MSU
entered with a 12-2 mark. MSU was on an 11-game winning streak.
Thursday marked the sixth annual Paint the Hall Orange night and
the fourth time in those six years that Illinois played Michigan
State for the celebration. It was a beautiful sight to see
16,000-plus wearing orange and screaming for the Illini. This was
Illinois' fifth win on Paint the Hall Orange night.
Early on, the game was a back-and-forth track meet, as both teams
tried to deliver early knockouts. Dee Brown made two long bombs for
the Illini to help them jump out to an early 8-2 lead, but Michigan
State star Paul Davis chipped in six early points, including a
monster jam on the break, to help the Spartans go up 13-10. Davis
picked up his second foul midway through the first half, at the 8:11
mark, and sat for the remainder of the half. Davis had scored eight
of MSU's first 17 points at the time of the foul. Illinois led 19-17
at that point in the game.
The officiating crew of Steve Welmer, Ted Valentine and J.D.
Collins had their hands full Thursday, as both head coaches had
animated "conversations" with the men in stripes. Coach Bruce Weber
seemed to asking Collins how Christmas was many times during the
first 20 minutes, while Izzo wondered with animation if Welmer
received his holiday greeting card on time. This intensity grew and
culminated when Weber received the first technical of his Illinois
career at the 2:00 mark of the first half. It was a bizarre
situation that unfolded, as James Augustine was shooting the first
of two free throws. Immediately after the miss by Augie, Collins,
from all the way across the court, whistled the T, and the Assembly
Hall was up for grabs.
Dee Brown was the story of the first half (and of the game), as
he exploded out of the gate from long range and led Illinois with 23
points for the half. Dee was 8-for-12 from the field in the first 20
minutes and made six of eight 3-pointers, along with a free throw.
Brown's heroics paced Illinois to a seven-point lead at 35-28.
Brown's dominance was further defined by the fact that no other
Illini had more than three points in the half. Brown's shooting
reminded many on press row of last season's home game against Purdue
on senior night, a game in which Dee scored a career-high 27 points.
Michigan State was led in the first half by Shannon Brown and
Paul Davis, who each chipped in eight points. Illinois' largest lead
of the half was 10 at 31-21, while State's largest lead was three at
13-10. Illinois did a great job on MSU's leading scorer, Maurice
Ager. He came into the game averaging 22 points a game, but he
scored just four through the first half and didn't score a point in
the first 10 minutes of the second. Brian Randle guarded him for
much of the game and did a great job shutting him down. Ager would
finish the game with just nine points, well below his average.
[to top of second column] |
 Senior James Augustine had a tough night from the field,
struggling to get touches in the paint and making just one of his
first four shots. He also had five turnovers in the first 25 minutes
of the game. He did fight down low on defense, however, and grabbed
several important defensive boards at key points in the game. Augie
finished the game with nine boards.
Rich McBride hit two key shots down the stretch, the biggest at
the 1:00 mark to seal the win for Illinois. McBride finished with
eight points on the night.
Another huge key for Illinois was the stellar defense played
throughout the game. Michigan State was held to just 50 points on
the night and scored just 22 in the second half. A total team effort
on the defensive end made the difference for the Illini. Dee Brown
said it best in the post-game press conference: "Down the stretch in
the Big Ten it is all about defense, free throws and rebounds."
Illinois sealed the deal late with strong rebounding and defense.
The win was huge for the Illini, as they begin a brutal first
four games of the conference season. Trips to Iowa and Indiana will
be difficult at best, but Illinois continued its recent dominance
over Michigan State, winning for the sixth time in eight games
beginning with the 2001 season. Illinois will travel to East Lansing
to close out conference play on March 4.
Post-game gems from the press room:
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Dee: "I just told coach to calm
down -- that everything would be OK."
(after Weber received the first technical of his Illinois
career)
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Weber: "I think everyone travels
on the other team."
(when asked who he thought traveled during the exchange that led
to the T)
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Izzo: "Congratulations to Vince
Young Brown -- he's the Heisman!"
(speaking after the game about Dee Brown )
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Augie: "I'm not sure what I was
doing on those travels -- I guess I'll have to figure it out."
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Great stat: MSU's top three
scorers netted 38 points, while Dee Brown scored 34 by himself.
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Izzo: "Dee's shot at the end of
the half was huge. There is a big difference between being down
seven and being down four at the half."
[Greg
Taylor] |
