Illini Prepare For Wisconsin
January 9, 2003 | Men's Basketball
Jan. 9, 2003
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#10ap/11 Illinois (11-1, 1-0 Big Ten) vs. Wisconsin (10-3, 0-1 Big Ten)
Television
- ESPN+ Regional
3:37 p.m. * Jan. 11, 2003 * Champaign, Ill.
Assembly Hall (16,500)
Series History - Wisconsin
Illinois owns a 100-65 advantage over Wisconsin in the all-time
series. Illinois also holds a 63-17 edge in games played in
Champaign. The two teams split the season series last year as the
Badgers posted a 72-66 win in Madison on Jan. 5, but the Illini
answered less than three weeks later with an 80-48 victory in
Champaign on Jan. 23. Wisconsin has not won in the Assembly Hall
since 1997.
Illinois Head Coach Bill Self
Overall Record: 193-99 (10th year) Big Ten: 25-8
At Illinois: 64-18 (3rd year) Vs. Wisconsin: 2-1
Associate Head Coach: Norm Roberts (3rd year)
Assistants: Tim Jankovich (1st year) & Wayne McClain (2nd year)
Trainer: Rod Cardinal (30th year).
Wisconsin Head Coach: Bo Ryan
At Wisconsin: 29-16 (2nd year) Vs. Illinois: 1-1
Overall: 412-119 (18th year)
Assistant Coaches: Rob Jeter, Tony Bennett & Greg Gard
On the Air
Television
ESPN+ Regional - Wayne Larrivee play-by-play; Bob Ford, expert analyst.
Radio
Illini Sports Radio Network -- 43 stations
Brian Barnhart, play-by-play; Steve Bardo, expert
analyst; Loren Tate pregame/halftime reports.
Quick Shots
Illinois and Wisconsin were two of four Big Ten schools that tied for
the Big Ten title last season ... Brian Cook needs three points to
move into 15th place on the UI career scoring list ... Cook has
scored at least 17 points in all 10 of his games this season,
including at least 20 seven times ... Sean Harrington has averaged 20
points per game in his three starts for the Illini this season ...
Harrington is shooting 65 percent (17-26) from three-point range over
the last three games, and 61 percent (26-43) in seven games at the
Assembly Hall this season ... Illinois' current eight-game Big Ten
winning streak is it longest since an eight-game streak in 1988 and
1989 when the Illini won four to end 1988 and four to begin 1989.
Last Time Out --
Illinois 76, Minnesota 70
Illinois opened Big Ten play with a gut-wrenching 76-70 win at
Minnesota. Sean Harrington sank three three-pointers in the span of
61 seconds to take the Illini from a four-point deficit to a
five-point lead midway through the second half. Illinois never
trailed after that point and held on despite some shaky free-throw
shooting down the stretch. Brian Cook posted a double-double with 25
points and 11 rebounds, while Harrington scored a career-high 22
points after making six-of-nine three pointers. Illinois held
Minnesota to just 30.5 percent field-goal shooting on its home floor.
Self Defense
After 12 games this season, Illinois opponents are shooting just 36.1
percent from the field, including just 29.7 percent from 3-point
range.
Against Coppin State on Dec. 30, Illinois held the Eagles to just 12 field goals, the fewest made shots in the 40-year history of the Assembly Hall, and to just 29 percent shooting from the field, the second Illini opponent this season to shoot under 30 percent. In the last outing, Illinois held Minnesota to 30.5 percent shooting on its home floor, as the Gophers made just 19.2 percent (5-26) from three-point range.
Illinois has now held its last six opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field for the game, and has a total of eight such defensive efforts this season. Coppin State's 37 points were the fewest allowed by the Illini since defeating Northwestern 63-30 on Feb. 19, 2000.
Illinois ranks second in the league in scoring defense, allowing opponents an average of just 58.9 points, and first in field-goal percentage defense at .361. The Illini also rank fourth in the Big Ten in rebounding margin (+5.6) and fifth in steals per game (7.3).
In the latest national statistics compiled by the NCAA, Illinois ranks ninth in field-goal percentage defense and third in scoring margin (+22.5), while ranking 11th in scoring defense.
Howard Says 2003 Final Season Guard Jerrance Howard has said that the 2003 season will be his final campaign as a player at Illinois. Howard, who would have one season of eligibility remaining in 2003-04 after redshirting as a freshman in 1999-2000, will graduate in May and plans to possibly enter the coaching field. He will be listed as a senior for the remainder of his Illinois career.
Illini Injury Update
Sophomores Luther Head and Roger Powell sat out Illinois' games vs.
Coppin State and Oakland last week. Head is suffering from a
pelvic/groin injury and returned to play 24 minutes Tuesday at
Minnesota. Powell sprained his right big toe in the game at Memphis
Dec. 28 and could play just two minutes.
Un-Self-ish Play
The Fighting Illini have begun the 2002-03 season with unselfish
play. Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the nation in
assists per game (19.7 avg.), highlighted by a season-high 25 assists
vs. Oakland, 24 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and 23 against both Western
Illinois and North Carolina. In the win over Coppin State, the Illini
were credited with 21 assists on 22 made baskets, an amazing 96
percent of shots made. Illinois has tallied 20 or more assists in
seven games and has recorded assists on over 67 percent of its
baskets (236 assists on 350 FG) on the season. Guards Dee Brown and
Deron Williams rank third and fifth, respectively, in the Big Ten in
assists with averages of 4.7 and 4.5 per game.
Hot Start
Illinois' eight straight wins to open the 2002-03 season tied the
10th-best start in the 98-year history of Fighting Illini basketball
and was the Illini's best start since beginning the 1995-96 season
9-0.
Illinois' current 11-1 record is its best since the 1995-96 season when the Illini entered January with an 11-1 mark. A win over Wisconsin on Jan. 11 would give Illinois its best start since also beginning the 1989-90 season with a 12-1 mark.
Bench Play
The Illinois bench has begun the season very productive, averaging
22.7 points and 10.9 rebounds, while limiting the opponents' bench to
15.3 points and 9.4 rebounds. Illinois' bench is outscoring the
opponents' by 7.4 points per game and is outrebounding the opponents
by 1.5 boards per game. Eastern Illinois and Minnesota have the only
two opposing benches to outscore Illinois.
Top 25 Streak Continues
Illinois began last week ranked No. 11 in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches'
Poll, extending its streak to 47 consecutive polls in which the
Illini have been ranked, including every poll during Bill Self's
tenure. Illinois is also ranked No. 10 in the AP Top 25.
The Illini had a school record-streak of 30 straight polls in
the Top 10 snapped last January, but has never dropped out of the Top
25.
The Book on Cook
Senior Brian Cook, a preseason Big Ten Player of the Year selection,
is proving the recognition was deserved. He leads the Big Ten in
scoring at 20.8 points per game, while ranking fourth in rebounding
at 8.3 boards per contest. He also ranks sixth in the league in
field-goal shooting (.543) and seventh in free throw percentage
(.838).
Cook's streak of consecutive made free throws came to an end at 32 on Jan. 4 against Oakland, tying Rob Judson for second place in school history for consecutive free throws. Cook enters the Wisconsin game with 1,357 career points, 16th on the UI career scoring list.
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, Cook returned and immediately established himself in the Illini lineup. Cook has scored at least 17 points in all 10 games he's played, reaching 20 points seven times. He's also had at least eight rebounds seven times and has averaged 9.8 boards over the last six games.
Cook's best scoring games have come against Minnesota and Temple with 25 points, while scoring 22 against North Carolina, 22 vs. Oakland, 21 against Eastern Illinois and Memphis, and 20 vs. Coppin State.
In the win over No. 11 Missouri, Cook scored 17, making all 10 of his free-throw attempts, and pulled down a game-high nine rebounds. In his most recent outing vs. Minnesota, Cook recorded the 11th double-double of his career with 25 points and 11 boards.
Dee - Lightful, Dee-Pendable ... No Dee-Bate, Dee Can Play Who is the best freshman point guard in college basketball? It's hard to find a rookie guard that has made more of an impact than Illinois' Dee Brown. Brown has started every game and leads the Illini in minutes played (33.0 avg.). He has scored in double figures in eight of 12 games and is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.3 points. Brown exploded for a career-high 25 points against Eastern Illinois on Dec. 10, hitting 10-of-14 shots, including a career-high five 3-pointers.
In two December performances in front of national television audiences, Brown first had a game-high 21 points with seven assists and five rebounds in Illinois' victory over No. 11 Missouri to earn Big Ten Player of the Week honors on Dec. 21. He then followed with 19 points, including five 3-pointers, with three assists and three boards with no turnovers in 37 minutes against Memphis. Brown ranks third in the Big Ten in assists with 4.6 per game and ranks fourth in the league with an assist/turnover ratio of 2.00. He also ranks 18th in the Big Ten in scoring at 13.3 points per game. One of the quickest guards in America, Brown's 1.6 steals per game ranks eighth in the Big Ten.
Among the top freshmen in the League, he ranks among the top three in assists (first), points (third) and steals (first) per game.
Brown Becomes First Illini Freshman to Earn Big Ten Player of the Week honors. Dee Brown became the first freshman in Illinois history to earn Big Ten Player of the Week honors, when he was honored on Dec. 23 after pouring in a game-high 21 points in the Illini's victory over No. 11 Missouri. The first-year point guard connected on a trio of 3-pointers, recorded a game-high seven assists and added five rebounds, including four on the offensive glass, in the win. Brown broke the 20-point barrier for the second time on the season against Missouri, while his seven assists against the Tigers also ranked as the second-best output of his career. Brown was the second Illini to earn League Player of the Week accolades this season, as teammate Brian Cook was honored on Dec. 9.
Twice as Nice - Williams Joins Brown in All-Freshman Backcourt Deron Williams and Dee Brown make up perhaps the best freshmen backcourt in the nation. The two rank second and fourth, respectively, in the Big Ten in assist-to-turnover-ratio and have the Illini leading the Big Ten in team assists and assist-to-turnover ratio. Brown leads the team in minutes at 33.0 per game, but Williams is third at 24.6 minutes. Williams is averaging 7.1 points, is second to Brown for the team lead in assists with 54, and is second on the team in steals with 16. Williams is shooting 46 percent from the field. He ranks second in the Big Ten in assist-turnover ratio at 2.45 and is fifth in assists with an average of 4.5.
