Preview: Western Carolina at Illinois

[December 05, 2015]  Illinois looks to pick up its first win under the newly-christened Lou Henson Court when it hosts Western Carolina in a non-conference matchup on Saturday. The Illini played their first four home games in nearby Springfield, Ill., before opening the refurbished State Farm Center with a loss to Notre Dame on Wednesday.

Injuries have hurt John Groce's squad, with the latest hit taking big man Mike Thorne (13.4 points per game, 8.4 rebounds) out of the lineup indefinitely with a knee injury. Still, the Illini have a pair of explosive scorers in guards Malcolm Hill (17 points, 4.1 assists) and Kendrick Nunn (16.7 points), making them a dangerous team against any opponent. The Catamounts come off an easy win over Warren Wilson Thursday night, making them undefeated at home but winless on the road. Senior guard Mike Brown must take care of the ball against the Illini defense, and at least replicate his team-best 16.1 points a game.

TV: 3 p.m. ET, ESPN3

ABOUT WESTERN CAROLINA (3-4): The Catamounts would love to see forward Justin Browning play like he did against Warren Wilson, when he had a zero in a crucial column in the box score. Browning played 15 minutes without picking up a foul, just the third game of his career in which he's played 10 or more minutes and didn't commit a foul. A starter, Browning has 219 career fouls in 72 games and has fouled out 17 times during his career, including twice this season, but if he can avoid that trouble, he could give Western Carolina more of an interior presence going forward.

ABOUT ILLINOIS (3-5): While the Illini have shown an ability to score points, it's defense where the team needs to improve in Groce's estimation. That was shown against Notre Dame, when Illinois allowed the Irish to shoot 57 percent from the field in the second half in a five-point decision. "When you give up 50-plus points in the second half, I don't know how many times that's been done in the four years here," Groce told reporters. "I just told the guys in the locker room this is unacceptable and it will be addressed. It's not good enough."

TIP-INS

1. Western Carolina is 1-17 against current members of the Big Ten, with its lone victory coming over Nebraska in December 1999.

2. Illinois is getting 30.5 points a game from its bench, outscoring the opposing reserves in all but one contest.

3. Hill ranks 31st nationally in percentage of minutes played (.909).

PREDICTION: Illinois 78, Western Carolina 64

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