Illini pound Penn State into submission

By Greg Taylor      

[JAN. 13, 2005]  Let us paint a scenario for you: Illinois starts the game very sloppy -- even throwing the ball out of bounds twice in the first three minutes; at the first media timeout, the Nittany Lions are even with the Illini -- matching the Boys in Orange shot for shot; Illinois looks a little lost as they attempt to attack the Penn State zone defense early; and Gene Monje is one of the refs. What does that spell in your book? Close victory? A battle down to the very end? How about a 26-point victory that really wasn't that close! Are you kidding us? On a night when they might not be at their best, the Orange Invasion wins by 26? -- This team must really be special!

Before we go much further, we need to let you know the 90-64 victory was pretty exciting from an offensive standpoint. Illinois placed four starters in double figures -- a trend we really would like to see continue. Illinois set an all-time record for outside shooting, making 15 three-pointers, breaking the record they tied earlier with 14 against Gonzaga in November. A 16-0 run midway through the first half helped the Illini break a 12-12 tie and end any doubt about the ultimate outcome. And several reserves, including Nick Smith and Warren Carter shot nicely off the bench. And the highlight of the night in our opinion? Super junior Deron Williams scoring 11 points but dishing out 12 assists -- setting a career high.

Oh, and we forgot to mention that Illinois tied their best start in the history of the program at 17-0, a mark equaled only by the 1988-89 Final Four squad. And, the Illini won the 1,500th game in the history of the program, only the 15th school to ever reach this benchmark. The win also marked Illinois' 13th straight conference win. The last time the team had a streak this long was during the 1951 and 1952 seasons.

Are you getting all of this? If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon, there is still time. As the infamous Spike Lee would say, "Get on the bus!" -- the Illini Championship Bus. We know what the hotshots are saying nationally, "What about North Carolina, what about Kansas, what about a rematch with Wake Forest?" We have a few words for those who still might doubt, "Illinois is the real deal."

Illinois is now 3-0 in the conference and faces a big challenge in the next game, on the road at Northwestern on Saturday. Don't forget, it was the Wildcats who had a nine-point deficit at halftime and turned it into a 10-point victory last season in Evanston. The game was considered by many, including this writer, the low point of the season.

Since that game in Evanston in January of 2004, Illinois has won a ridiculous 33 out of 36 games. Are you kidding us? Thirty-three out of 36 games? Makes us think even our friend Dick Vitale would want to have a heart attack on the air over this incredible run.

Again, Wednesday in Champaign the story was balance. Luther Head, Dee Brown, Williams and James Augustine all scored in double figures. The team dished out 26 assists on 34 baskets made.

And this Illini team is not just winning games by the skin of their teeth -- 15 of the 17 wins have been by double digits.

Illinois is on a roll and we are loving it, but the most impressive comment overheard last night came from personal favorite Roger Powell. When asked about his team and the streak, Powell said, "It all boils down to staying hungry and humble -- that's what this team is all about." If Powell is right, we're pretty sure the first weekend in April should be pretty special in the Show-Me State!

[Greg Taylor]

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