Dec. 7, 2005
Champaign, Ill. -
Illinois Men's Basketball Game Notes vs. Georgetown in PDF Format
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FIGHTING ILLINI BASKETBALL
Game #9: #11ap/#10 Illinois (8-0) vs. Georgetown (3-1)
Dec. 8, 2005 • 8 p.m. CT • ESPN
Champaign, Ill. • Assembly Hall (16,618)
On the Air
Television
ESPN: Brent Musburger, play-by-play; Steve Lavin, expert analyst; Erin Andrews, sideline reporter.
Radio
Illini Sports Network - 50 stations: Brian Barnhart, play-by-play; Jerry Hester, expert analyst; Loren Tate, pregame/halftime/postgame interviews.
Probable Starters
#11/10 ILLINOIS (8-0, 0-0)
F - 42 Brian Randle (So.-r, 6-8, 215, 8.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
F - 40 James Augustine (Sr., 6-10, 235, 15.6 ppg, 8.9 rpg. 1.8 apg)
C - 55 Shaun Pruitt (So., 6-10, 240, 5.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg)
G - 33 Rich McBride (Jr., 6-3, 205, 8.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 3.3 apg)
G - 11 Dee Brown (Sr., 6-0, 185, 13.9 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 5.0 apg)
Off The Bench ...
G - 2 Chris Hicks (So., 6-2, 190, 1.7 ppg, 0.0 rpg)
G - 3 Chester Frazier (Fr., 6-2, 190, 1.4 ppg, 2.0, rpg, 2.1 apg)
G - 25 Calvin Brock (Fr.-r, 6-4, 185, 1.3 ppg, 1.2 rpg)
G - 31 Jamar Smith (Fr., 6-3, 175, 10.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.8 apg)
F - 34 C.J. Jackson (Fr., 6-8, 265, intends to redshirt)
F - 41 Warren Carter (Jr., 6-9, 210, 5.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg)
C - 44 Marcus Arnold (Jr.-r, 6-8, 245, 3.5 ppg, 2.6 rpg)
Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber
Overall Record: 174-63/.734 (8th year)
At Illinois: 71-9/.888 (3rd year)
Big Ten: 28-4/.875
Vs. Georgetown: 1-0
Assistant Coaches: Wayne McClain (5th year), Jay Price (3rd year), Tracy Webster (2nd year)
Assistant to the Head Coach: Gary Nottingham (3rd year)
Trainer: Al Martindale (23rd year at Illinois)
Georgetown Head Coach John Thompson III
Overall Record: 90-56/.616 (5th year)
At Georgetown: 22-14/.611 (2nd year)
Vs. Illinois: 0-1
Assistant Coaches: Robert Burke, Kevin Broadus, Sydney Johnson
Series Notes: Georgetown
This is the fifth meeting between Illinois and Georgetown, with the Illini owning a 3-1 advantage in the all-time series. The programs met last season in Washington, D.C., with the Illini defeating the Hoyas 74-59 on Dec. 9. Thursday marks Georgetown's first-ever trip to Champaign.
Another Strong Start for the Illini
Illinois has won its first eight games for the third time in the last four seasons with this year's 8-0 start. Illinois began the 2002-03 season with eight straight wins and won its first 29 games last season.
Orange Krush Donates $50,000 to Jimmy V Foundation
Illinois student section,"Orange Krush" is a charity foundation in addition to a cheering section, donating thousands of dollars each year to the community, University and students. During the past season, the Orange Krush Foundation raised and donated $400,000 for charity to bring its seven-year total to $1 million. Orange Krush donated $350,000 to the University and 35 local charities at its annual check presentation ceremony this past October, and will donate $50,000 to the V Foundation for Cancer Research on Thursday night during halftime of the game vs. Georgetown.
Orange Krush is almost entirely student run and is based on the 3-point program. Students must solicit pledges from the alumni and community in order to gain entry into Orange Krush. In addition to supporting countless charities over the past seven years, the Orange Krush Foundation has created two endowments. Two years ago the Orange Krush formed the Rod Cardinal Sports Medicine Fund honoring Rod Cardinal, who was Illinois men's basketball athletic trainer for 30 years. This endowment benefits all student-trainers at the University of Illinois. This was the second endowment formed by Orange Krush. The first was the Matthew Heldman Memorial Scholarship Fund, which endows a scholarship for an Illini basketball player. The scholarship honors the late Matt Heldman, point guard for the 1997-98 Big Ten Championship Team, who was tragically killed in a car accident in 1999.
Illini By the Numbers Under Weber
Illinois has been a consistent winner during Bruce Weber, a tenure that spans the most successful period in school history. The following is a breakdown of Illinois' success under Weber:
• 71-9: Illinois' overall record under Weber after 80 games, a winning percentage of .888.
• 31-1: Illinois' record at the Assembly Hall under Weber, a winning percentage of .969.
• 47-1: Illinois' record in its last 48 regular season games under Weber (beginning Jan. 31, 2004), a winning percentage of .979.
• 37-2: Illinois' record last season, which tied the record for the winningest season in NCAA history.
• 26-7: Illinois' record in Weber's first season (2003-04), which tied the fourth-winningest season in school history.
• 8-0: Illinois' record so far this season, the second time in three years under Weber that Illinois has won its first eight games.
• 28-4: Illinois' record in Big Ten play under Weber - which incudes back-to-back outright championships in 2004 and 2005 - a winning percentage of .875.
• 59-6: Illinois' record in regular season games under Weber, a winning percentage of .908.
• 16-3: Illinois' record in road games under Weber, a winning percentage of .842.
• 7-2: Illinois' NCAA Tournament record under Weber - which includes a trip to the Sweet 16 in 2004 and the program's first-ever appearance in the national championship game in 2005 - a winning percentage of .778.
• 5-1: Illinois' Big Ten Tournament record under Weber - which includes the 2005 tournament title - a winning percentage of .833.
• 12-3: Illinois' combined postseason record under Weber, a winning percentage of .800.
Illini Enjoy Success in Close Games
Illinois has quickly become accustomed to close games this season, owning a 3-0 record in games decided by five points or less:
Nov. 25 vs. Wichita State W, 55-54
Nov. 29 at North Carolina W, 68-64
Dec. 3 vs. Xavier W, 65-62
This is quite a contrast to last year, when Illinois had a total of just four games decided by five points or less out of 39 games on the season. Last season, Illinois did not play in a game decided by five or less until its 19th game, when it defeated Iowa in overtime on Jan. 20 by the score of 73-68. Illinois went 2-2 in games decided by five points or less last season and is 9-3 in such games under Bruce Weber.
Augustine Named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week
James Augustine was named Big Ten Co-Player of the Week on Monday (Dec. 5) after an outstanding week where he led Illinois to a pair of victories. Augustine recorded his third double-double of the season and 19th of his career with 13 points and 13 rebounds at North Carolina on Nov. 29 as Illinois recorded its first road victory of the season with a win at Chapel Hill. He added three assists and three steals against UNC. Augustine then equaled his career high in scoring in the win over Xavier on Saturday, erupting for 23 points, the most by an Illini player this season. He was 7-of-9 from the field in the victory, while adding a game-high seven rebounds and two steals. For the week, Augustine averaged a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds on a combined 73.3 percent shooting (11-of-15).
This is the third career Big Ten weekly accolade for Augustine, as he was also honored twice last season (Jan. 10 and Jan. 31). He shares this week's award with Indiana's Marco Killingsworth.
Last Time Out: Arkansas-Little Rock
The Illini won its 25th straight game at the Assembly Hall and its 42nd straight over a nonconference opponent with a 75-49 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock on Monday. Jamar Smith scored a career-high 23 points on 8-10 shooting, including 6-8 from 3-point range to lead the Illini. Three other UI players scored in double figures as James Augustine scored 12, Brian Randle added 11 and Warren Carter tied his career high with 11. Dee Brown dished out a season-high 10 assists, tying Iowa's Jeff Horner for the most assists by a Big Ten player in a game this season.
Illinois led by just two, 41-39, midway through the second half before going on a 19-0 run to put the game away. The Illini defense held Ark.-Little Rock to just 49 points and 35.8 percent shooting (19-53), both season lows for a UI opponent.
Home Cookin'
Illinois carries a 25-game winning streak at the Assembly Hall, which is tied for third in the nation among active homecourt winning streaks ...Illinois is 70-2 (.972) at the Assembly Hall over the last five-plus years, with the only losses coming to Michigan State on Feb. 3, 2002 and to Purdue on Jan. 10, 2004 ... The Boilermakers broke a 23-game Illini winning streak at the Hall that at the time ranked fourth in the nation ... Illinois is 82-3 (.965) at the Assembly Hall over the past six-plus seasons, the best home mark in the nation over that period ...The Illini have also won 42 in a row at the Assembly Hall against non-conference opponents ... Illinois has won 43 of its last 45 (.956) Big Ten games at the Assembly Hall ... Below is a look at Illinois' home record the past six-plus seasons:
Year Overall Big Ten
2005-06 4-0 0-0
2004-05 15-0 8-0
2003-04 12-1 7-1
2002-03 14-0 7-0
2001-02 13-1 7-1
2000-01 12-0 8-0
1999-2000 12-1 7-1
Total 82-3 (.965) 44-3 (.936)
Following is a list of the current longest homecourt winning streaks in Div. I:
School Wins Next Home Game
1. Washington 29 Dec. 16
2. Gonzaga 27 Dec. 8
T3. ILLINOIS 25 Dec. 8
T3. Southern Illinois 25 Dec. 10
Doing it with Defense
At the beginning of the season, Bruce Weber challenged his team to build its identity and reputation on defense. Illinois has responded, using defense to spur its 8-0 start. Opponents are averaging just 58.6 points on 41.6 percent shooting for the season. The Illini have not given up more than 65 points in any game, with five of the eight opponents scoring under 60. Illinois has also not had an opponent shoot 50 percent in a game this season, and only three teams have shot better than 45 percent.
The Illini have especially buckled down on "D" in the second half. Illinois' opponents are shooting just 38.4 percent and averaging just 27.1 points in the second half of games this season (76-198), compared to 44.7 percent shooting and 31.5 points in the first half. Illinois has held six of its eight opponents to under 30 points in the second half, with the highest second-half total just 33 points by South Dakota State in the season opener on Nov. 18.
Auggie Taking Over
Illinois is counting on a big year from senior James Augustine, and he is delivering. A four-year starter, Augustine was the Illini's fifth-leading scorer last year, but leads the team in scoring this season at 15.6 points per game. He has reached double figures in all eight games, and tied his career high with 23 points in the win over Xavier on Saturday. This eight-game streak marks the longest stretch of games scoring in double figures in Augustine's career. His previous best was six straight games last season (Northwestern on March 11 through Wisconsin-Milwaukee on March 24).
The leading career field goal percentage shooter in Illinois history, Augustine has made 65.7 percent of his shots this season (46-70). He has shot 50 percent or better in all eight games, highlighted by a pair of 7-9 performances vs. Rutgers (Nov. 26) and Xavier (Dec. 3).
In addition to his increased scoring, Augustine has remained the Illini's top rebounder and has increased his production in that category as well. He is averaging 8.9 boards per game this season to lead the team and rank fourth in the Big Ten. Augustine averaged 7.6 rpg last year and entered his senior season with a career average of 7.0 rebounds.
Augustine has three double-doubles on the season with 18 pts.-14 reb. vs. South Dakota State (Nov. 18), 14 pts.-10 reb. vs. Wichita State (Nov. 25) and 13 pts.-13 reb. vs. North Carolina (Nov. 29).
Dee Does it All
Dee Brown, the "one-man fast break", is doing it all for the Illini this season now that his former running mates Deron Williams and Luther Head are in the NBA. Brown boasts a career-best scoring average of 13.9 ppg to rank second on the team, and he has been Illinois' leading scorer in four games. He has reached double figures six times, led by a pair of season-high 20-point outings vs. Texas-Pan American and Xavier.
Brown's presence can be felt all over the court, as he leads the Illini in four categories: minutes played (32.9 mpg), assists (5.0 apg), steals (2.1 spg) and free throw percentage (20-28, .714). Brown had a season-high 10 assists vs. Arkansas-Little Rock on Monday, his sixth career game reaching double digits in assists.
Jamar "The Microwave" Smith Gives Illini Instant Offense
True-freshman shooting guard Jamar Smith has given the Illini instant offense off the bench. Despite playing just 18.4 minutes per game, Smith is third on the team in scoring, averaging double figures at 10.1 points per game. He is shooting over 55 percent from the field and leads the team in 3-point field goal shooting at 55.3 percent (21-38) while knocking down a team-leading 21 treys.
Smith's coming out party occurred during Illinois' victory over Arkansas-Little Rock. He scored a career-high 23 points, tying James Augustine's 23-point effort vs. Xavier for the highest scoring game by an Illini this season. Smith connected on 8-10 from the field, including 6-8 from 3-point range. His 75 percent shooting from behind the arc vs. Ark.-Little Rock ranks as the best 3-point field goal shooting performance by a Big Ten player this season. On the season, Smith has scored at least nine points in six of eight games.
Randle Hitting Stride
After redshirting last season due to a broken hand, sophomore Brian Randle is back in the UI lineup and has had a pair of breakout performances recently. Randle scored a career-high 16 points against Rutgers on Nov. 26, shooting 6-8 from the field. He then had 12 points on 4-5 shooting against North Carolina on Nov. 29. He came up huge in the clutch, scoring in traffic with 1:06 remaining to give Illinois a 66-62 lead after the team had gone scoreless for five-and-a-half minutes. In his most recent game, Randle had 11 points on 5-7 shooting and six rebounds vs. Arkansas-Little Rock.
Randle has started every game this season and is fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 8.4 points while shooting over 65 percent from the field (28-43). He is also third on the team in rebounding at 4.5 rpg and leads the Illini with seven blocks.
McBride Showcases All-Around Game
Rich McBride was known as a three-point specialist in his first two seasons with the Illini. Now that he has moved from a reserve role to a starter, McBride has strengthened other parts of his game. He worked hard over the summer to improve his conditioning and is now playing nearly 29 minutes per game and has earned a reputation as one of the team's top perimeter defenders. He is still a threat from behind the arc, ranking second on the team with 19 treys. Most impressive has been McBride's ability to take care of the basketball. He is second on the team in assists with 26 and has committed just eight turnovers the entire season, good for an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.25 that ranks fourth in the Big Ten.
Road Warriors
Illinois has received much attention from its homecourt dominance, but the Illini have also enjoyed great success on the road. Illinois is 16-3 (.842) in away games under coach Bruce Weber. The Illini had to win six straight road games to clinch the 2004 Big Ten championship, finishing the 2003-04 season 7-2 in away games. Illinois then compiled an 8-1 record on the road last season. Illinois' 14-game road winning streak was snapped in the 2005 regular season finale at Ohio State, but the Illini began a new road winning streak on Nov. 29 with a 68-64 victory at North Carolina.
Year Road Record
2003-04 7-2
2004-05 8-1
2005-06 1-0
Total 16-3 (.842)
*For complete set of Illinois men's basketball game notes, click on .pdf link at top of this page.
