- No. 25/20 Illinois (4-0) vs.
Arkansas (1-3)
- 11:30 a.m., Dec. 7
- Alltel Arena (17,600), North
Little Rock, Ark.
- ESPN2 television
Probable
starters for Illinois
F - 34
Brian Cook (senior, 6-10, 240,
19.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg)
F - 43 Roger Powell (sophomore, 6-6,
220, 13.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
C - 45 Nick Smith (sophomore, 7-2, 240,
6.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
G - 11 Dee Brown (freshman, 6-0, 175,
11.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.5 apg)
G - 5 Deron Williams (freshman, 6-3,
210, 8.8 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 4.3 apg)
Off the
bench
C - 1 Aaron Spears (freshman, 6-9, 250,
3.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
G - 4 Luther Head (sophomore, 6-3, 175,
11.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg)
F - 23 Blandon Ferguson (senior, 6-3,
205, 4.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg)
G - 24 Sean Harrington (senior, 6-3,
185, 11.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
G - 25 Jerrance Howard (junior, 6-1,
200, 0.0 ppg, 0.0 rpg)
G - 31 Nick Huge (junior, 6-4, 215, 0.7
ppg, 0.3 rpg)
F - 32 Kyle Wilson (freshman, 6-8, 230,
6.3 ppg, 1.8 rpg)
F - 40 James Augustine (freshman, 6-10,
220, 8.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg)
F - 42 Clayton Thomas (senior, 6-7,
240, 2.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg)
Coaching
staff
Illinois
Head coach: Bill Self
Overall record: 186-98 (10th year); Big
Ten: 24-8
At Illinois: 57-17 (third year); vs.
Arkansas: 1-1
Associate head coach: Norm Roberts
(third year)
Assistants: Tim Jankovich (first year)
and Wayne McClain (second year)
Trainer: Rod Cardinal (30th year).
Arkansas
Head coach: Stan Heath
Overall record: 31-9 (second season)
At Arkansas: 1-3 (first season); vs.
Illinois: 0-0
Assistant coaches: Byron Boudreaux, Rob
Flaska, Oronde Taliaferro
On the air
Television
ESPN2 -- Bob Carpenter, play-by-play;
Jimmy Dykes, expert analyst.
Radio
Illini Sports Radio Network -- 43
stations
Brian Barnhart, play-by-play; Steve
Bardo, expert analyst; Loren Tate, pre-game and halftime reports.
Last time
out
Illinois
92, North Carolina 65
No. 25 Illinois recorded its first
victory in four tries in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, as the Illini
defeated No. 12 North Carolina 92-65 at the Assembly Hall on
Tuesday. A tight seven-point game (64-57) turned lopsided when the
Illini finished on a 28-8 run over the final 7:41, giving North
Carolina to its first loss of the season.
Brian Cook scored a game-high 22
points, grabbed eight rebounds and had five assists, while Sean
Harrington came off the bench to score a career-high 20 points,
making six of eight 3-pointers. Dee Brown scored 12 points and had
six assists, four steals and no turnovers in 35 minutes of action.
The 27-point margin of victory was
Illinois' largest over a team ranked in the top 15 since the Illini
defeated No. 15 Notre Dame by 34 points, 91-57, on Jan. 25, 1969.
Bench
play
The Illinois bench has begun the season
in a very productive manner, averaging 35.8 points and 12.5
rebounds, while limiting the opponents' bench to 11.0 points and 5.5
rebounds. Illinois' bench is outscoring the opponents by nearly 25
points per game and is out-rebounding the opponents by seven boards
per game.
[to top of second column in this
article] |
Bench
numbers
(points-rebounds)
Illinois 32-9, Lehigh 9-7
Illinois 40-18, Arkansas-Pine Bluff
14-8
Illinois 32-9, Western Illinois 14-6
Illinois 39-14, North Carolina 7-1
Total Illinois 143-50, opponents 44-22
Unselfish
play
The Fighting Illini have begun the
2002-03 season with unselfish play. Illinois has combined for a Big
Ten-leading 85 assists over four games (21.3 avg.), including a
season-high 24 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and 23 against both Western
Illinois and North Carolina. On the season, Illinois has recorded
assists on over 61 percent of its baskets (85 assists on 139 FG).
Guards Dee Brown and Deron Williams rank second and fourth,
respectively, in the Big Ten in assists, with Brown averaging 5.5
and Williams averaging 4.3. In three of the four games, all nine
Illini players who have played in the first half have scored.
That’s a
three
Senior Sean Harrington has been hot
from behind the arc this season. He has made 14 of 22 treys, ranking
second in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage at 63.6
percent. Harrington nailed a career-high six 3-pointers in Illinois'
win over North Carolina on Tuesday en route to a career-high 20
points.
Cook
keeps on cookin'
After sitting out the first two games
of the season (along with teammate Jerrance Howard) as an NCAA
penalty for playing in an unsanctioned summer basketball tournament,
senior Brian Cook has returned and immediately established himself
in the Illini lineup. In his first game back, vs. Western Illinois
on Sunday, Cook scored a game-high 17 points and grabbed six
rebounds. He was Illinois' top scorer and rebounder in the win over
North Carolina on Tuesday, scoring a season-high 22 points on
eight-of-12 shooting and pulling down eight boards. Cook is
averaging 19.5 points and 7.0 rebounds while shooting 60 percent
from the field (15-25 FGs).
Dee does
it all
Who is the best freshman point guard in
college basketball? While it's far too early in the season to begin
that debate, it's hard to find a rookie guard who has made more of
an impact than Illinois' Dee Brown. Brown has started every game and
leads the Illini in minutes played. He has reached double figures in
three of four games and is third on the team in scoring, averaging
11.8 points. He ranks second in the Big Ten in assists with 22, an
average of 5.5 per game. Brown has turned the ball over just seven
times, ranking second in the league with an assist-turnover ratio of
3.14. One of the quickest guards in America, Brown's mark of 2.5
steals per game ranks second in the Big Ten.
Powell
makes the most of his playing time
Roger Powell has been one of Illinois'
most productive players on the court this season. He has scored in
double figures in three of four games and ranks second on the team
in scoring behind Brian Cook, averaging 13.5 points. Powell is
shooting nearly 60 percent from the field, having connected on
22-of-37 FGs. He is also Illinois' second-leading rebounder,
averaging 6.8 boards per game. Powell's lofty numbers come despite
averaging under 22 minutes per game.
High-scoring Illini
Illinois has opened the 2002-03 season
by averaging 90.8 points in four wins, shooting a combined 54.1
percent from the field. Illinois has outscored its four opponents by
an average of nearly 36 points per game (363-to-220). Illinois leads
the Big Ten in scoring average (90.8), scoring margin (plus 35.8)
and field goal percentage (.541), while ranking second in 3-point
field goal percentage (.425).
Defense,
defense
After four
games this season, Illinois opponents are shooting just 36.8 percent
from the field, including just 26.7 percent from three-point range.
Illinois leads the league in scoring defense, allowing opponents an
average of just 55 points. The Illini also lead the Big Ten in
rebounding margin (plus 15.5) and steals per game (8.74).
[Kent Brown,
assistant
athletics director
and
sports information director,
University of Illinois] |
|
Chicago fought valiantly but came up
short 30-20 north of the cheese curtain.
But what is going on with the St. Louis
Rams? The one good thing about them is that they're now starting
Lincoln's Andy King. The Eagles did win 10-3, but without McNabb do
they have enough firepower to go far in the postseason? We think
not…
* * *
The Illini will have to play much
better against North Carolina on Tuesday than they did against
Western Illinois yesterday. Give WIU some credit, as they were
gritty and scrappy. Illinois, on the other hand, looked pretty
sloppy at times.
[Photos by Tom Seggelke]
Brian Cook led the way with 17 points
and six rebounds. Cook also tallied his 1,166th point, which helped
him pass two former Illini greats, Kevin Turner (1,150) and Skip Thoren (1,164). In addition it was
the 87th start he has recorded in his illustrious career and the
60th time he's hit for double figures.
The Illini are now 28-1 at the Hall
under Bill Self and now have an all-time record of 98-12 against
in-state rivals.
The Illini honored the Hall's
seven-millionth fan, Dale Trulock. Basketball has been played in the
Hall since March of 1963. Last year Illinois sold out all of their
games for the first time in 30 years!
* * *
How 'bout those Railers? The Lincoln
squad went a sparkling 5-0 to win their own Turkey Shootout! Next up
for Lincoln is a road contest versus SH-G in Springfield.
* * *
No word on any of the area teams in
girls basketball…
* * *
[to top of second column in this
article] |
We did catch most of the Carroll
Catholic-Lincoln Junior High contest last week. What a barnburner
that one was! Great coaching by LJHS' Donnie Aeilts and CC's Todd
Lowman, who was filling in for Brian Brackney.
The Brackneys were a little busy
coaching their new little girl into the world. Rachel Ann Brackney
hit the scales at 9 pounds, 13 ounces and measured 21 inches long.
Congratulations to the Brackneys from the LDN!
* * *
The ISU Redbirds are struggling out of
the gate a little bit this year, falling to UIC 65-78. Gregg
Alexander was second in scoring with 12, but the 'Birds could not
find consistent scoring to get over the hump. Next up is a Monday
night contest with Chattanooga. (See
pre-game notes.)
* * *
"FANdamonium" is hoping to have some
very special guests on tonight' show. We're hoping that during our
middle, local segment we will have Mount Pulaski night! That's
right!
We're awaiting final confirmation even
now, but we hope to have state volleyball finalist coach Donna Dulle
and new Hilltopper coach Jim Jumper on tonight's show. If for any
reason that doesn't happen, we hope to have them both very soon.
Mount Pulaski has always had loyal and faithful fan support, and now
we understand that they're hooked up to our local cable system as
well. See you at 6 tonight!
Have a great
week, everybody!
[Jeff
Mayfield]
|
