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 Indiana is batting Iowa and Maryland for the Big Ten regular-season
title and committed a season-low four turnovers during Saturday's
impressive 77-73 home win over Purdue. The Hoosiers made 12
3-pointers against the Boilermakers to mark the 21st time this
season they have made at least nine in a game. Illinois has lost
five of its last seven games and sits in 12th place in the 14-team
Big Ten. The Fighting Illini appear on track to miss the NCAA
tournament for the third straight season and may need a strong
finish to get coach John Groce another year at the helm.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN
ABOUT INDIANA (22-6, 12-3 Big Ten): Junior forward Troy Williams
averaged 18.5 points and shot 75 percent from the field last week to
share Big Ten Player of the Week honors and he also became the 49th
player in school history to reach 1,000 career points. "Troy was
incredibly committed on the defensive end this week," Hoosiers coach
Tom Crean said at a press conference. "It's amazing what happens to
your offense. You try to get these guys to understand all the time,
when you focus on the defense and the rebounding, making simple
plays with the ball, it's amazing how well you play." Williams, who
has 1,008 points, is averaging 12.8 points and team-best six
rebounds while Ferrell leads the team in scoring (16.9), assists
(5.5) and 3-point baskets (59).
ABOUT ILLINOIS (12-15, 4-10): Junior guard Malcolm Hill has been
superb for the Illini and leads the squad in scoring (18.6) and
assists (3.4) and also averages 6.7 rebounds. Hill is the only
Illinois player to start every game and he has scored 30 or more
points on three occasions while scoring in single digits just once.
Junior guard Kendrick Nunn is averaging 16.4 points and has made 62
3-pointers, three behind freshman guard Jalen Coleman-Lands (9.6
average) for the team lead.
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TIP-INS
1. Indiana has won the last two meetings after Illinois won eight of
the previous 12.
2. Coleman-Lands is averaging just 6.5 points over the past two
games after averaging 18.3 points and making 15 3-pointers over the
previous three contests.
3. Farrell needs seven assists to surpass former Michigan State G
Eric Snow (599 from 1991-95) and move into 10th place in Big Ten
history.
PREDICTION: Indiana 88, Illinois 72
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