Illini Open NCAA Tournament Thursday With Western Kentucky
March 18, 2003 | Men's Basketball
March 18, 2003
Tournament Guide, Part I in PDF Format
Tournament Guide, Part II in PDF Format
Tournament Guide, Part III in PDF Format
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Many would say that Nick Anderson's 24-point, 16-rebound performance against Syracuse in 1989 was the finest effort ever by an Illini player in tournament action, since he propelled Illinois into the 1989 Final Four. Anderson was named the Midwest Regional MVP that year. He also had a double-double vs. McNeese State (3/16/89), making him the only Illini to twice accomplish that feat.
Quick Shots
Brian Cook is the first Illini player to win the Big Ten scoring title in league games since Kendall Gill in 1990 ... Cook also swept Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors ... Cook and sophomore Roger Powell were named the to the Big Ten All-Tournament team ... Illinois' Big Ten Tournament title is the school's first in the six-year history of the tourney ... The Illini have topped 20 wins 22 times in school history, including six of the last seven seasons, and each season under Bill Self ... Illinois has won eight of its last-nine games ... Illinois finished the 2003 season a combined 39-1 (.975) at the Assembly Hall under Bill Self's three-year tenure, with the only loss coming to Michigan State in 2002 ... Since then, the Illini have won 17 straight at the Hall ... Illinois is 51-2 (.962) at the Assembly Hall over the past four seasons, the best home record in the nation over that period ... Illini opponents are shooting .376 from the field, which ranks third in the nation and would be the lowest opponent field-goal percentage by UI opponents since 1955-56 (.352) ... Since 1956, the only other Illini squad to hold opponents to less than 40 percent shooting was the 2001 squad under Bill Self (.386) ... Illini opponents are also shooting just .298 from three-point range, which would be the lowest in school history (current low is .308 in 2000) ... Dee Brown's 148 assists this season is tied for 10th in single-season school history ... Brian Cook has scored at least 15 points in 25 of his 28 games this season, including at least 20 points 18 times ... He has scored 20 or more 15 of the last 21 games, including eight in a row prior to Jan. 18 at Indiana, the longest such streak by an Illini player since Kendall Gill tallied 20+ points in the final 10 games of the 1989-90 season.
Brian Cook Big Ten Player of the Year -
Brown and Augustine also earn League Honors
Senior Brian Cook was named Big Ten Player of the Year by both the media and league coaches. He becomes the second Illini in three years to capture POTY honors, joining Frank Williams in 2001.
Cook was also a unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten selection by the media and coaches.
Freshman Dee Brown earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors by the media and was a Third-Team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches.
In addition, Brown and James Augustine were named to the first-ever Big Ten All-Freshman Team as voted on by the league coaches.
Cook, Powell earn Big Ten Tourney Honors
Senior Brian Cook erased any doubt as to whom the top player in the Big Ten was this weekend when he led Illinois to its first Big Ten Tournament title, earning Most Outstanding Player honors and unanimously being named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team. Cook averaged 20 points and 7.7 boards over Illinois' three-game sweep to the tourney title. Sophomore forward Roger Powell joined Cook on the All-Tournament team after averaging 11.6 points on 62 percent shooting.
Twenty-three Seconds of Sweat
Illinois trailed for all of 23 seconds during its run to the Big Ten Tournament title last weekend in Chicago. After jumping to a 5-0 lead in the quarterfinal matchup vs. Northwestern, the Wildcats scored seven straight to take a 7-5 lead at the 16:27 mark of the first half. Dee Brown tied the game at 7-7 at 16:04 and Illinois took the lead on their next posession. Illinois did not trail again for the remainder of the tournament.
Self Naismith Coach of the Year Finalist
For the fourth consecutive year, Bill Self is one of 25 finalists for the Naismith National College Coach of the Year Award. He is the only Big Ten coach on the list of finalists.
Last Time Out: Cook and Co. make Champaign Title Town
In one of the more dominant runs in Big Ten Tournament history, Illinois brought home its first conference tourney title in school history with a three-day run that culminated with a 72-59 win over Ohio State. Illinois opened the weekend with a 29-point win over Northwestern. Illinois led by as many as 40 points, however, as Brian Cook led the way with 20 points and 12 boards.
Outside of his second half performance against Michigan on Jan. 29, there may not have been a more dominant Brian Cook than in the semifinal win over Indiana. Cook scored 25 points on 7-of-12 shooting to will Illinois to a 73-72 win over Indiana. Cook also held Indiana senior Jeff Newton to eight points on just 2-of-6 shooting.
Illinois clinched the title during a balanced attack against Ohio State in the finale. Sophomore Roger Powell led four Illini in double figures as he clinched his spot on the All-Tournament squad with a 16-point, six-rebound performance against the Buckeyes.
Seniors Post Impressive Record
The Illinois senior class of 2003 enters NCAA Tournament play with a four-year record of 99-33 (.750). The 99 wins are tied for the most victories during a four-year period, along with 1986-89. They have been a part of a 51-2 record at the Assembly Hall, the best home record of any team in the nation over the last four seasons.
The six players who are playing their final season include Nick Huge, Clayton Thomas, Blandon Ferguson, Jerrance Howard, Sean Harrington and Brian Cook.
Over the last four years, the group has been a part of a total of 99 wins, two Big Ten regular season championships, one Big Ten Tournament title and four NCAA Tournament appearances.
Cook and Harrington have had the biggest impact on the Illini record book. Cook will finish his career as one of the top scorers and top rebounders in school history. He also stands fourth on the career blocked shots list. Harrington ranks third on the UI career three-point list.
Harrington and Cook stand second and fourth, respectively, in number of wins played in for the Illini. Doug Altenberger is the all-time UI leader having played in 99 wins during his career followed by Steve Bardo and Harrington (98), and Cook (97) entering NCAA Tournament play.
Big Ten Leaders
After the Big Ten regular season (16 games), the Illini had four players lead statistical categories. Brian Cook led the Big Ten in scoring (20.0 avg.), while Roger Powell ranked first in field-goal shooting at .641 (50-78). Deron Williams led the league in assists (4.81 avg.) while Dee Brown was one assist back in second (4.75 avg.). Brown led in steals (1.88 avg.) and assist/turnover ratio (3.04).
In all-game statistics, Illini players are currently leading five Big Ten (all games) categories. Brian Cook leads the Big Ten in scoring (20.1 ppg), Roger Powell leads in field goal percentage (102-168, .607), Dee Brown leads in assists (4.93 apg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.51) and Sean Harrington leads the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.443). Deron Williams is third in assists (4.6 apg) and second in assist-turnover margin (2.46).
Youth is No Excuse
The Illini are 24-6 this season, finished in second place in the Big Ten and won the Big Ten Tournament Champions with a majority of playing time coming from underclassmen. Of a possible 150 starts this season, 84 have come from freshmen and 30 from sophomores, with only 36 coming from seniors.
Self Defense is Tops
After 30 games this season, Illinois opponents are shooting just 37.6 percent from the field, including just 29.8 percent from 3-point range. The Illini rank third in the nation in field goal percentage defense. Only four opponents have shot better than 45 percent from the field on the season.
The 37.8 percent shooting by Illini opponents would be the lowest allowed since 1956, and just the second time since that teams shot under 40 percent. The other was in 2001, also under Bill Self.
The 29.8 percent 3-point field goal percentage defense is the lowest in school history.
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 Big Ten opener, 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. In a 70-40 defeat of Michigan State on Feb. 18, the 40 points scored by the Spartans tied the fewest points allowed by Illinois in Big Ten play in Assembly Hall history.
Illinois has held 17 of its last 24 opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field, and has a total of 19 such defensive efforts entering the NCAA Tournament. Coppin State's 37 points were the fewest allowed by the Illini since defeating Northwestern 63-30 on Feb. 19, 2000.
Illinois leads the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense, is second in 3-point percentage defense and third in scoring defense, allowing opponents an average of just 61.4 points.
In the latest national statistics compiled by the NCAA, Illinois ranks third in field-goal percentage defense and sixth in scoring margin (+14.0), while ranking 18th in scoring defense (61.4).
Un-Self-ish Play
The 2002-03 Fighting Illini season has been trademarked with unselfish play. Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the nation (as of March 10) in assists per game (18.3 avg.), highlighted by a season-high 26 assists vs. Minnesota (3/9), 25 assists vs. Oakland, 24 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff and 23 against Western Illinois, North Carolina and Penn State. In the win over Coppin State, the Illini were credited with 21 assists on 22 made baskets, an amazing 96 percent of shots made and in the regular-season finale, Illinois was credited with 26 assists on 30 baskets (86.7 percent). Illinois has tallied 20 or more assists in 12 games and has recorded assists on over 67 percent of its baskets (548 assists on 813 FG) on the season. Guards Dee Brown and Deron Williams are first and third in the Big Ten (all games) in assists with respective averages of 4.93 and 4.60 per game.
High-Scoring Illini
Illinois leads the Big Ten with an average of 75.4 points per game this season, outscoring its opponents by a league-leading average of 14.0 points per game. Illinois is shooting 48.6 percent from the field, ranking ninth in the nation in field goal percentage (NCAA Rankings as of March 10), and has shot 50 percent or better in 15 of 30 games this season.
Illinois leads the Big Ten in scoring (75.4), field goal percentage (.486), scoring margin (+14.0) and 3-point shooting (.369). Four of Illinois' top eight scorers are shooting 50 percent or better from the field.
Illinois has led the Big Ten in scoring each year under Bill Self.
