Feb. 15, 2005
Illinois Men's Basketball Notes vs. Penn State in PDF Format
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FIGHTING ILLINI BASKETBALL
Game #26: #1 Illinois (25-0, 11-0) at Penn State (7-16, 1-9)
Feb. 16, 2005 •7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET •ESPN+ Local
University Park, Pa. •Bryce Jordan Center (15,261)
Probable Starters
#1 ILLINOIS (25-0, 11-0)
F - 43 Roger Powell, Jr. (Sr., 6-6, 235, 12.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg)
F - 40 James Augustine (Jr., 6-10, 230, 10.1 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
G - 4 Luther Head (Sr., 6-3, 185, 16.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.8 apg)
G - 5 Deron Williams (Jr., 6-3, 210, 12.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 6.8 apg)
G - 11 Dee Brown (Jr., 6-0, 185, 13.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 4.6 apg)
Off The Bench ...
G - 15 Calvin Brock (Fr., 6-4, 185, plans to redshirt)
G - 33 Rich McBride (So., 6-3, 215, 3.4 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
F - 34 Fred Nkemdi (Sr., 6-5, 235, 0.6 ppg, 0.3 rpg)
F - 41 Warren Carter (So., 6-9, 210, 2.9 ppg, 1.6 rpg)
C - 45 Nick Smith (Sr.-r, 7-2, 250, 3.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg)
C/F - 50 Jack Ingram (Sr.-r, 6-10, 245, 3.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg)
F - 55 Shaun Pruitt (Fr., 6-8, 245, 1.5 ppg, 0.9 rpg)
Injured
F - 42 Brian Randle (So., 6-7, 210, 1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg in 2003-04)
Illinois Head Coach: Bruce Weber
Overall Record: 154-61/.716 (7th year)
At Illinois: 51-7/.879 (2nd year)
Big Ten: 24-3/.889
Vs. Penn State: 3-0
Assistant Coaches: Wayne McClain (4th year), Jay Price (2nd year), Tracy Webster (1st year)
Assistant to the head coach: Gary Nottingham (2nd year)
Trainer: Al Martindale (22nd year at Illinois)
Penn State Head Coach: Ed DeChellis
Overall Record: 121-128 (8th year)
At Penn State: 16-35 (2nd year)
Vs. Illinois: 0-3
Assistant Coaches: James Johnson, Kurt Kanaski and Hilliary Scott
On the Air
Television
ESPN+Local: Mike Adamle, play-by-play; Brian Allen, expert analyst.
Radio
Illini Sports Network - 47 stations: Brian Barnhart, play-by-play; Loren Tate, expert analyst & pregame/halftime/postgame interviews.
Series Notes: Penn State
Illinois owns a 17-6 lead in the all-time series over Penn State, including a 7-3 advantage in game played at University Park. The Illini have won five in a row and nine of the last 10 meetings. The last Penn State victory was a 98-95 overtime win at University Park on Jan. 31, 2001.
Undefeated Illini
Illinois is the only remaining NCAA Div. I team in the country to boast a perfect record, and with 25 victories has the most wins in the nation.
Illini Own Pair of Nation's Longest Winning Streaks
Illinois sits atop the NCAA Div. I charts with two winning streaks. The Illini's 25-game winning streak is the longest winning streak in the nation, and Illinois' 12-game road winning streak is the longest road winning streak in the nation. Illinois won its last six road games last year and has won its first six road games this season.
Hot Start
Illinois' current 25-0 record has set a school record for the best start to a season in the 100-year history of Fighting Illini basketball, ranks as the longest single-season winning streak in school history, and ties the longest winning streak in school history, along with the 25-game winning streak that included parts of three seasons from Feb. 21, 1914, through Feb. 9, 1916.
Illinois' 25-0 mark also ranks as the fourth best start ever by a Big Ten team, and is the best start by a Big Ten team in 29 years, since Indiana went a perfect 32-0 during the 1975-76 season. The following is a list of the all-time best starts by Big Ten teams.
School Start Year
1. Indiana 32-0 * 1975-76
2. Indiana 31-0 1974-75
3. Ohio State 27-0 1960-61
4. Illinois 25-0 2004-05
5. Ohio State 22-0 1961-62
6. Iowa 18-0 1986-87
T7. Ohio State 17-0 1990-91
T7. Illinois 17-0 1988-89
* Indiana went undefeated during the 1975-76 season.
Big Ten Streakin'
Illinois has won a school-record 21 straight Big Ten games - its final 10 conference games last season and the first 11 this season. Illinois' 21-game Big Ten winning streak broke the school's previous best mark of 17-straight Big Ten wins from Feb. 21, 1914 through Feb. 9, 1916. The following are the Illini's all-time best Big Ten winning streaks:
•21 - Feb. 3, 2004 - CURRENT
•17 - Feb. 21, 1914 through Feb. 9, 1916
•15 - Jan. 20, 1951 through Feb. 2, 1952
•14 - March 7, 1942 through Jan. 3, 1944
•13 - Feb. 26, 1955 through Feb. 20, 1956
•13 - Feb. 23, 1924 through Feb. 21, 1925
Illinois has also set a school record with its current streak of 11 straight Big Ten road victories - its final six conference away games last season and its first five this season. This broke the previous school-record streak of eight straight Big Ten road wins, which happened twice. The Illini won eight straight conference road games from Feb. 21, 1914 through Feb. 9, 1916 and again from Feb. 5, 1951 through Feb. 2, 1952.
Hot Big Ten Start
At 11-0 in conference play, Illinois has put together its third best Big Ten start in school history and is off to its best conference start in 62 years, since going a perfect 12-0 in 1943. The Illini are just one away from tying the best Big Ten start in the history of the program. The following are the Illini's all-time best Big Ten starts:
Start Year
T1. 12-0 * 1942-43
T1. 12-0 * 1914-15
3. 11-0 2004-05
4. 10-0 1955-56
T5. 7-0 1941-42
T5. 7-0 1924-25
T7. 6-0 1962-63
T7. 6-0 1951-52
T9. 5-0 1969-70
T9. 5-0 1919-20
*Illinois went unbeaten in Big Ten play during the 1942-43 and 1914-15 seasons.
Illini Reach 25-Win Marker for Fifth Straight Season
Illinois' victory over Wisconsin on Saturday was its 25th of the season, marking the fifth straight year that the Illini have recorded at least 25 wins. Illinois is the only team in the nation to accomplish this feat in each of the last five seasons (beginning in 2000-01). Duke has won at least 25 games each of the past four years and has 18 wins this season.
With a combined record of 129-31 (.806) over the last five years, this marks Illinois' winningest five-year stretch in school history.
Big Ten Road Warriors
It took a total of just 13 conference road games in just his second season for Bruce Weber's Illini to win at every Big Ten arena. Illinois won at Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State and Purdue last season and completed the conference run with wins at Northwestern, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Michigan this season.
Weber is just one of three current coaches in the Big Ten to win at every opposing arena - joining Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Purdue's Gene Keady. Weber has accomplished the feat the fastest. Below is a breakdown of how long it took the three to win at every arena.
Coach School Games Season
1. Bruce Weber ILL 13 2nd
2. Tom Izzo MSU 33 4th
3. Gene Keady PUR 36 4th
Illini Sweep Big Ten "Single" Games For Second Straight Year
For the second straight year, the Illini are the only Big Ten team to defeat all four conference opponents it played just once. This marks the fourth time in eight seasons (since inception of the Big Ten Tournament) that the Illini have swept the four "single" games. The previous times came in 1998 and 2001 when the Illini won shares of the Big Ten title and last year when the Illini won the outright Big Ten championship.
Illini Remain No. 1
For just the third year in school history - and for the 11th straight week - Illinois is the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. This marks the first time in school history that the Illini have been ranked first for more than one week in the same season. Illinois' first tenure at No. 1 came the final week of January, 1952. Illinois' 11 straight weeks at No. 1 is the longest streak by any team in eight years, since Kansas owned the top spot for the final 15 weeks of the 1996-97 season.
Prior to this year, the last time Illinois was ranked No. 1 was the week of Jan. 23-29, 1989. The UI was also ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for a week during the final week in January, 1952. In each of the previous two seasons when the Illini achieved a No. 1 ranking, they went on to advance to the NCAA Final Four.
Illini Nation's Third-Winningest Team over Past Five Seasons
Illinois ranks as the third-winningest team in the nation over the past five seasons, in terms of total wins, and ranks fourth in winning percentage. Illinois has reeled off 129 victories since the beginning of the 2000-01 season, which trails only Duke and Kansas. Below is a list of the six winninest teams (by total wins) over the past five years (list provided by Stats, Inc.):
School Wins Record Pct.
1. Duke 141 141-24 .855
2. Kansas 133 133-30 .816
3. ILLINOIS 129 129-31 .806
4. Gonzaga 126 126-27 .824
T5. Kentucky 124 124-31 .800
T5. Pittsburgh 124 124-34 .785
Weber Becomes Fastest UI Coach to Reach 50 Wins
With Illinois' win at Michigan on Feb. 8, Bruce Weber became the fastest coach in UI history to reach 50 wins. It took Weber a total of just 57 games in just his second season to reach the 50-win marker. Weber broke the previous school record by Ralph Jones, who recorded his 50th victory in his 64th game overall. Below are the four Illini coaches to reach 50 wins the fastest.
Coach Games Season
1. Bruce Weber 57 2nd
2. Ralph Jones 64 5th
3. Bill Self 65 2nd
4. Harry Combes 67 3rd
Williams Racks Up Assists at Record Pace
Deron Williams is on pace this season to shatter various school, as well as Big Ten, assists records. He has 169 assists, which is on pace to break the Illinois school record for assists in a season (200 by Bruce Douglas in 1985). His average of 6.8 assists per game (eighth in the NCAA as of Feb. 7) is on pace to break the Illinois record for assists average in a season (6.4 apg by Tony Wysinger in 1987). In Big Ten games only, Williams is averaging 7.1 assists per game. That is on pace to challenge the Big Ten record for assists average in conference games (7.8 apg by Michigan State's Eric Snow in 1995).
Just midway through his junior campaign, Williams already ranks third all-time at Illinois with 499 career assists. At his current pace, Williams will finish this season No. 2 on the UI career assists chart.
1,000-Point Club
Illinois is on pace to have four members of its current roster join the school's 1,000-point club this season:
• Roger Powell, Jr. recorded his 1,000th career point against Indiana on Feb. 6, becoming the 38th 1,000-point scorer in Illini History. Powell currently ranks 37th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,011 points.
• Powell joins Dee Brown and Luther Head as current Illini in the 1,000-point club. Brown recorded his 1,000th career point against Cincinnati on Dec. 31 and currently ranks 26th on the school career scoring chart with 1,153 points.
• Head, meanwhile, recorded his 1,000th career point against Wisconsin on Jan. 25 and currently ranks 34th on the school's all-time scoring list with 1,095 points.
• A fourth Illini player, Deron Williams, is on pace to score his 1,000th career point this season. With 935 career points, Williams is 65 points away from 1,000.
3-Point Attack
With the outstanding play of the Illini guards this year, it's no surprise that Illinois is enjoying one of its best seasons ever from behind the arc. The Illini rank second in the Big Ten and 11th in the NCAA (as of Feb. 7) with 8.7 three-pointers per game. The Illini have made 10 or more threes in nine games this season (12 vs. Delaware State, 12 vs. Oakland, 14 vs. Gonzaga, 11 vs. Wake Forest, 10 vs. Longwood, 11 at Purdue, 15 vs. Penn State, 10 vs. Minnesota and 13 at Michigan State), highlighted by a school-record 15 treys vs. Penn State on Jan. 15. Illinois' average of 8.7 three-pointers per game is on pace to break the school record, with the current record of 7.5 per game set during the 1995-96 season.
The Illini have been accurate as well as prolific from behind the arc, leading the Big Ten and ranking 15th in the nation (as of Feb. 7) with a 3-point field goal percentage of 40 percent.
Luther Head leads the way with a Big Ten-leading 2.9 treys per game on 42.4 percent accuracy from 3-point range (7th in Big Ten). Dee Brown is next with 2.4 threes per game (4th in Big Ten) on 44.8 percent accuracy (4th in Big Ten). Deron Williams is averaging 1.7 threes per contest. Illinois' three starting guards have accounted for 80.3 percent of Illinois' 3-pointers this season (175-of-218).
Last Time Out: vs. Wisconsin
The Illini backcourt provided the firepower once again in a 70-59 victory over No. 20 Wisconsin on Saturday at the Assembly Hall. The trio of Luther Head, Dee Brown and Deron Williams combined for 57 of Illinois' 70 points (81 percent), which included 39 of Illinois' 43 second-half points. Luther Head tied his season high with 26 points to lead all scorers. Dee Brown had 16 points and Deron Williams added 15. The Illini led by five points (54-49) with under five minutes left when Brown hit a pair of deep 3-pointers as part of an 8-2 UI run to give the Illini an 11-point advantage. Illinois then hit 8-8 free throws over the final 1:30 to seal the victory. Illinoisshot a season's best 94.7 percent from the free throw line, making 18-19 for the game.
Great Guard Play
Illinois has what many believe is the top backcourt in the country in the three-guard lineup of senior Luther Head and juniors Dee Brown and Deron Williams. They are Illinois' top three scorers as well as top three assists and steals leaders. The trio has accounted for 53.8 percent of Illinois' scoring and 80.3 percent of its 3-pointers. They have also totaled 80.1 percent of Illinois' assists and 59.5 percent of its steals. Perhaps most impressive is that despite playing the most minutes and handling the ball for the majority of the game, the three guards boast an incredible combined assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.33. Below is a statistical look at Illinois' starting backcourt.
PPG APG RPG ST 3FG
Head 16.9 3.8 3.8 45 72
Brown 13.2 4.6 2.7 49 60
Williams 12.5 6.8 3.8 22 43
Total 42.6 15.2 10.3 116 175
Sharing the Wealth
One reason why Illinois ranks 12th in the nation in field goal percentage (as of Feb. 7) at 49.6 percent is unselfish play. The Illini have been moving the ball well and making the extra pass to set up an open shot. Illinois has been credited with 473 assists on its 723 baskets, an impressive 65.4 percent assist-to-made field goals percentage. Illinois ranks third in the nation in assists (as of Feb. 7), averaging 18.9 apg, and has recorded at least 20 assists in 13 games on the year. The Illini recorded a season-high 27 assists vs. Wake Forest on Dec. 1.
* For complete set of Illinois men's basketball game notes, click on .pdf link at the top of this page.
