Dec. 10, 2004
Champaign, Ill. -
Illinois Men's Basketball Game Notes vs. Oregon in PDF Format
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FIGHTING ILLINI BASKETBALL
Game #9: #1 Illinois (8-0) vs. Oregon (4-0)
Dec. 11, 2004 •1 p.m. CT •ESPN
Chicago, Ill. • United Center (21,711)
Probable Starters
#1 ILLINOIS (8-0)
F - 43 Roger Powell, Jr. (Sr., 6-6, 235, 13.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg)
F - 40 James Augustine (Jr., 6-10, 230, 9.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg)
G - 4 Luther Head (Sr., 6-3, 185, 15.5 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 5.3 apg)
G - 5 Deron Williams (Jr., 6-3, 210, 12.3 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 6.9 apg)
G - 11 Dee Brown (Jr., 6-0, 185, 13.9 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.5 apg)
Off The Bench ...
G - 15 Calvin Brock (Fr., 6-4, 185, plans to redshirt)
G - 33 Rich McBride (So., 6-3, 215, 5.1 ppg, 1.8 apg)
F - 34 Fred Nkemdi (Sr., 6-5, 235, 0.3 ppg, 0.5 rpg)
F - 41 Warren Carter (So., 6-9, 210, 4.9 ppg, 1.9 rpg)
C - 45 Nick Smith (Sr.-r, 7-2, 250, 3.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg)
C/F - 50 Jack Ingram (Sr.-r, 6-10, 245, 2.6 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
F - 55 Shaun Pruitt (Fr., 6-8, 245, 2.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg)
Injured
F - 42 Brian Randle (So., 6-7, 210, 1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg in 2004)
Illinois Head Coach: Bruce Weber
Overall Record: 137-61/.692 (7th year)
At Illinois: 34-7/.829 (2nd year)
Big Ten: 13-3/.813
Vs. Oregon all-time: 0-1
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)
Oregon Head Coach: Ernie Kent
Overall Record: 229-161/.587 (14th year)
At Oregon: 139-81/.632 (8th year)
Vs. Illinois: First meeting
Assistant Coaches: Scott Duncan, Fred Litzenberger, Kenny Payne
On the Air
Television
ESPN - National - Brent Musburger, play-by-play; Steve Lavin, expert analyst; Erin Andrews, sideline reporter.
Radio
Illini Sports Network - 47 stations: Brian Barnhart, play-by-play; Stephen Bardo, expert analyst; Loren Tate, pregame/halftime/postgame interviews.
Series Notes: Oregon
This is the first game in 20 years and just the third meeting all-time between Illinois and Oregon. The Illini are 2-0 versus the Ducks, with both previous match-ups coming at neutral sites. Illinois won 86-80 on Dec. 29, 1977 in the Far West Classic at Portland, Ore., and 75-72 in triple overtime on Nov. 25, 1984 in the Great Alaska Shootout at Anchorage.
Quick Shots
• For the third time in school history, the Illini are ranked No. 1 in the nation. Illinois last stood atop the national polls the week of January 23-29, 1989. Illinois' first tenure at No. 1 came the final week of January, 1952.
• Illinois' victory over Chicago State on Monday marked the first time in school history that the Illini have won their first game after earning the No. 1 ranking. In 1989, No. 1 Illinois lost at Minnesota and in 1952, the No. 1 Illini lost at DePaul. The Illini are now 4-2 all-time when ranked No. 1, with wins over Indiana in 1989 and at Purdue in 1952, in addition to Monday's win over Chicago State and Thursday's victory at Georgetown.
• Illinois defeated a No.1-ranked team for the second time in school history and the first since 1979 on Dec. 1 when the Illini cruised past No. 1 Wake Forest 91-73.
• Illinois has won all eight games by double figures, and is outscoring its opponents by an average of 20.4 points per game on the year.
• After eight games, the Illini are shooting an eye-popping 52.2 percent (252-483) from the field and 43.1 percent (78-181) from 3-point range. Illinois ranks seventh in the NCAA in field goal percentage and 17th in nation in 3-point field goal percentage as of Dec. 7.
• In the first half of games this season, Illinois is averaging 48.1 points (385 pts.) on 55.3 percent shooting (140-253), and enjoys an average halftme lead of 18.0 points.
• Illinois has trailed in the scoring column for just 21:32 out of 320 minutes of play on the season, and has held the lead the entire second half of every game this year. Illinois trailed Delaware State for a total of 7:01, all in the first half, Florida A&M for the first 50 seconds of the game, Arkansas for 1:34 of the first half, Chicago State for the first 47 seconds of the game, and Georgetown for a total of 11:20, all in the first half. The Illini held the lead the entire way in three consecutive games against Oakland, Gonzaga and Wake Forest.
• Playing against ranked teams in consecutive games (No. 24 Gonzaga and No. 1 Wake Forest), Illinois combined for an amazing assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.92. The Illini had 24 assists with only seven turnovers against Gonzaga and tallied a season-high 27 assists with a season-low six turnovers against top-ranked Wake Forest.
• Four of Illinois' five starters are averaging in double-figure scoring after eight games.
• Illinois has led the Big Ten in scoring each of the last four seasons. The Illini currently rank 16th in the nation in scoring (as of Dec. 7), averaging 83.4 points this year through eight games.
• Illinois has been credited with assists on 69.8 percent of its baskets this season (176 assists on 252 field goals). The Illini lead the nation in assists (as of Dec. 7), averaging 22.0 per game.
• The Illini have three players - Dee Brown, Luther Head and Roger Powell - shooting over 40 percent from 3-point range.
• The Illini are averaging 9.8 three-pointers per game this season, which ranks fifth in the NCAA (as of Dec. 7). Illinois tied its school record for 3-pointers in a game with 14 vs. Gonzaga on Nov. 27.
• In its win over Gonzaga, Illinois set a number of Wooden Tradition team records, including points (89), assists (24), steals (13), three-pointers (14), as well as individual records, including assists (Luther Head, 9), steals (Luther Head-tied, 4), and 3-pointers (Deron Williams-tied, 5).
• In the season opener on Nov. 19, Illinois and Delaware State combined to set the Illinois all-time and Assembly Hall records for combined field goal percentage. The teams joined to shoot 60.8 percent (59-97), with the Illini making 35-of-55 attempts and the Hornets connecting on 24-of-42 shots.
The United Center: Home Away from Home
While games played at the United Center count as neutral site in the record book, for the Illini the UC is a home away from home. Saturday's game against Oregon marks the 30th game the Illini have played in the UC, dating back to the 1994-95 season. Illinois owns an all-time record of 23-6 (.793) at the United Center, including 10 straight wins.
Past Illinois Games at the United Center
Dec. 4, 1994 Duke L, 65-70
Dec. 23, 1995 California W, 83-69
Dec. 21, 1996 UCLA W, 79-63
Dec. 13, 1997 Clemson W, 71-61
March 6, 1998 Wisconsin W, 66-61
March 7, 1998 Purdue L, 47-68
Dec. 5, 1998 Bradley W, 53-48
March 4, 1999 Minnesota W, 74-67
March 5, 1999 Indiana W, 83-66
March 6, 1999 Ohio State W, 79-77
March 7, 1999 Michigan St. L, 50-67
Nov. 30, 1999 Duke L, 69-72
Dec. 18, 1999 Kansas W, 84-70
March 10, 2000 Indiana W, 72-69
March 11, 2000 Penn State W, 94-84
March 12, 2000 Michigan St. L, 61-76
Dec. 16, 2000 Arizona W, 81-73
March 9, 2001 Purdue W, 83-66
March 10, 2001 Indiana L, 56-58
Dec. 8, 2001 Arkansas W, 94-91
March 15, 2002 San Diego St. W, 93-64
March 17, 2002 Creighton W, 72-60
Dec. 14, 2002 Temple W, 70-54
Feb. 22, 2003 Northwestern W, 73-61
March 14, 2003 Northwestern W, 94-65
March 15, 2003 Indiana W, 73-72
March 16, 2003 Ohio State W, 72-59
Dec. 6, 2003 Arkansas W, 84-61
Dec. 29, 2003 Ill.-Chicago W, 75-60
Illini Move to No. 1
For just the third time in school history, Illinois is the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. Illinois moved up from third to first this week in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll and all the way from fifth to first in the Associated Press Poll. The Illini moved past an undefeated Kansas team in the Coaches Poll and moved ahead of three undefeated teams - Kansas, Syracuse and Georgia Tech - to claim the top spot in the AP Poll.
This marks the first time since the week of Jan. 23-29, 1989 that the Illini have stood atop the national polls. The Illini were 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.
Powell Earns Big Ten Weekly Honor
Roger Powell, Jr. was named Big Ten Player of the Week on Dec. 6 following his performance in a pair of Illini victories. Powell scored a game-high and season-high 19 points in the win over No. 1 Wake Forest. He connected on 8-of-10 shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, while grabbing seven boards. Powell then registered the third double-double of his career in the win over Arkansas, leading the Illini with 19 points and a career-high 11 rebounds. On the week, Powell averaged 19 points and 9.0 rebounds while shooting 67 percent from the field (14-21). This is the first Big Ten Player of the Week accolade of Powell's career.
Last Time Out: at Georgeotwn
Illinois won its first road game of the season in convincing fashion, defeating Georgetown 74-59 at the MCI Center in Washington D.C. After trailing for much of the first half, the Illini went on a 14-2 spurt to end the half with a 31-24 lead. Illinois then took over in the second half, shooting over 65 percent to lead by as many as 20 points before settling for a final margin of 15. The 3-pointers weren't falling for the Illini in this one, so they went to work inside. Post players Roger Powell, Jr., James Augustine, Jack Ingram and Nick Smith combined for 44 points, with most of the damage coming from Powell and Augustine. Powell made 8-of-11 shots en route to a seaon-high tying 19 points, while Augustine had a season-high tying 15 points on 6-of-10 from the feild.
Taking Down No. 1
Illinois' victory over No. 1 Wake Forest on Dec. 1 marked the second time in school history that the Illini have defeated an opponent ranked atop the Associated Press poll. The last time came on Jan. 11, 1979, when Illinois defeated Michigan State 57-55. Illinois is now 2-19 all-time against No. 1-ranked opponents.
Williams Fifth-Straight Illini Chosen Preseason Player of the Year Pick
Junior guard Deron Williams became the fifth straight Illini to be named Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year at the recent Big Ten Media Day in Chicago. Williams, also named to the All-Big Ten First-Team last season, is just the third Big Ten player ever to lead the league in assists in each of his first two seasons, joining Michigan State's Magic Johnson (1978-79) and Illinois' Bruce Douglas (1983-84). Williams has also earned Preseason All-America honors from Playboy Magazine and is among 50 preseason candidates for the Wooden, Naismith and Rupp Awards.
Williams is fourth on the team in scoring this season, averaging 12.3 points. He leads the Big Ten and ranks 12th in the nation in assists (as of Dec. 7), averaging 6.9 apg. Williams tied his career-high vs. Wake Forest on Dec. 1, dishing out 11 assists. He boasts an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.2 through eight games. Williams is also third on the team in rebounding with 4.1 boards per game.
Two Illini Earn Preseason All-Big Ten Honors
Junior guards Deron Williams and Dee Brown were both named to the Preseason All-Big Ten First Team at the recent Big Ten Media Day in Chicago. Brown was a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2004 after being named the preseason Player of the Year prior to his sophomore season.
Backcourt Earns National Rep
Junior guards Deron Williams and Dee Brown are both listed on the preseason lists for the Naismith Award and Wooden Award All-America teams.
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 comprise three of Illinois' top four scorers and steals leaders as well as the top three assists leaders. The trio has accounted for 50 percent of Illinois' scoring and 77 percent of its 3-pointers. They have also totaled 80 percent of Illinois' assists and 53 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 2.23. Below is a statistical look at Illinois' starting backcourt.
PPG APG RPG ST 3FG
Head 15.5 5.3 3.1 14 25
Brown 13.9 5.5 2.6 9 21
Williams 12.3 6.9 4.1 5 14
Total 41.7 17.7 9.8 28 60
Sharing the Wealth
One reason why Illinois is shooting 52.2 percent from the field through eight games 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 176 assists on its 252 baskets, an impressive 69.8 percent assist-to-made field goals percentage. Illinois leads the nation in assists (as of Dec. 7), averaging 22.0 apg, and has recorded at least 20 assists in seven of eight games on the year. The Illini recorded a season-high 27 assists against Wake Forest on Dec. 1.
First-Half Dominance
Illinois' play has been especially crisp in the first half of games this season. The Illini have shot 50 percent or better in six of the eight first halves so far, and are averaging 55.3 percent shooting in the first half of its games. Illinois has scored 45 or more points in six of the eight first halves and is averaging 48.1 points in the first half. Illinois has also taken a double-digit lead into halftime six of eight times this year and goes into the locker room with an average lead of 18.0 points. Below is a breakdown of Illinois' dominance in the first half:
UI UI UI
Opponent FG% POINTS LEAD
Delaware St. 64.5 50 13
Florida A&M 58.8 58 29
Oakland 60.0 47 19
Gonzaga 55.0 58 31
Wake Forest 60.0 54 21
Arkansas 48.4 40 9
Chicago St. 54.5 47 15
Georgetown 41.9 31 7
Avg. 55.3 48.1 18.0
The Head of the Class
Guard Luther Head entered the season as one of the most underated players in the nation, and has been playing like an All-America candidate to begin his senior year. Head leads the Illini in scoring at 15.5 points per game and steals with 14, and is also contributing 5.3 assists per game. He is shooting 50.6 percent (45-89) from the field, and 46.3 percent (25-54) from 3-point land with a team-leading 25 treys. Head opened the season by scoring in double figures in five straight games - a career-best streak - with 15 points vs. Delaware State, 13 vs. Florida A&M, a season-high 22 points vs. Oakland (which also marked the second highest total of his career), 20 points vs. Gonzaga and 16 points vs. Wake Forest. After his streak ended with eight points against Arkansas, Head responded with a game-high 17 points vs. Chicago State and 13 at Georgetown.
Head has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.63 on the year to lead the team. In consecutive games vs. Gonzaga and Wake Forest, he combined for 14 assists with only two turnovers. He tied his career-high in assists with nine dimes apiece in back-to-back games vs. Oakland and Gonzaga.
Dee Lighting it Up
Dee Brown has had a hot shooting hand to start the season. Through seven games, the junior guard is shooting 58.8 percent (40-68) from the field. That percentage is even more impressive when considering that nearly 62 percent of his shots have come from 3-point range. And Brown is dialed in from downtown as well, shooting 50 percent (21-42) from behind the arc. Brown's 58.8 field goal percentage ranks 25th nationally, and stands second among NCAA Div. 1 guards (as of Dec. 7).
He is second on the Illini in scoring at 13.9 points per game.
Brown broke into Illinois' Top-50 career scoring list Nov. 24 against Oakland, becoming the first player on the current UI roster to join the elite list. Brown currently stands 42nd on the Illini all-time scoring chart with 935 points.
Like his backcourt teammates, Brown has also been taking care of the ball and making good decisions. He has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.0 on the season and in the two games vs. Gonzaga and Wake Forest, Brown combined for 15 assists without a turnover. In two games so far this week he has combined for 15 assists with just three turnovers (season-high nine assists with one turnover vs. Chicago State on Monday and game-high six assists with two turnovers on Thursday).
The Rev Rises to the Occasion
Senior forward Roger Powell, Jr., is averaging 13.8 points and 5.1 rebounds after eight contests, while shooting 70.8 percent from the field (46-of-65). His field goal percentage leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally (as of Dec. 7). Standing 6-foot-6 and playing the power forward position, Powell is often undersized against his opponent. But he causes a match-up problem for the defense with his ability to step out and face the basket and either drive or hit the outside shot. Powell began the season as a career 59-percent shooter from the field.
Powell had his best game of the season Dec. 1 vs. Wake Forest, scoring a season-high 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting, which included a pair of 3-pointers. He followed that performance with a team-high 19 points and career-high 11 rebounds in a victory over Arkansas. Powell was named Big Ten Player of the Week for his performance in those two games.
In his most recent game vs. Georgetown, Powell led the Illini with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
Powell is scheduled to graduate with his bachelor's degree in speech communications in December. He is a licensed minister in the Pentecostal church.
Augie Off to Strong Start
Junior James Augustine is off to a strong start by shooting 63 percent from the field (29-46) and averaging a team-high 6.8 rebounds, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten. He grabbed 11 rebounds vs. Oakland on Nov. 24 - the highest total by a Big Ten player this season - which was Augustine's 13th career double-digit effort on the boards. After eight games he is fifth on the team with an average of 9.5 points per game and leads the Illini with 14 blocked shots.
* For complete set of game notes, click on .pdf link at the top of this page.
