Illinois presents true challenge for IU

After the way IU played against Ohio State on Wednesday, it had to feel good to return home.

But it was not as much about playing on the road against a likely NCAA Tournament team as it was the Hoosiers simply defeating themselves – Value City Arena was anything but a hostile environment and most of IU’s mistakes were unforced.

That’s why, although the Hoosiers will be the home team for Saturday’s tilt with Bruce Weber’s Illinois Fighting Illini, things might not be much easier.
While the Illini have had a few head-scratching defeats and have yet to play to their full potential, there is plenty of reason to believe they could give IU major fits on its home court.

Weber’s team presents IU with a tough matchup on several fronts, one that the Hoosiers struggled with a year ago.
Last January, IU dropped a 76-45 contest at the “other” Assembly Hall in a fashion not entirely different from Wednesday’s Ohio State blowout.  

In mid-February, when the Illini visited Bloomington, they eased into a 13-point win. But it could have been much worse for the Hoosiers, who trailed by 21 twice during the first half.

Aside from some production in the paint from freshman Christian Watford, IU has struggled offensively in the interior. On the other side of the ball, the Hoosiers have not played well against teams with a lot of size.

Illinois boasts 6-foot-9 junior Mike Davis at power forward, who averages 12.4 points and a Big Ten-best 10 rebounds per game. 7-foot-1 center Mike Tisdale, meanwhile, has the ability to create some havoc in the post, and he likes to step out and shoot.  
The junior big man, who scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds versus Northwestern on Dec. 30, is shooting 59 percent from the floor and has hit 86 percent of his foul shots. Additionally, Tisdale has recorded two or more blocks in eight of the team’s 15 games.

But the potential problems aren’t limited to the front court, as the Illini have a talented backcourt as well.

Freshmen D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul – the top scoring freshmen in the Big Ten outside of Watford and the injured Maurice Creek – have teamed up with junior Demetri McCamey. All three are averaging double-digit point totals, while the trio has combined to shoot a stellar 38.9 percent from behind the arc.

As we will see throughout much of the Big Ten season, IU might need a near-perfect effort to seriously contend in these types of matchups.

Illinois is not the most talented team in the league, but it is athletic, has a solid starting five – though Weber shook things up a bit in their last game versus Iowa, sitting Richardson and McCamey to start the game – and can put the ball in the basket.

But the Fighting Illini have been a bit vulnerable at times defensively and have become almost notorious for starting out sluggishly and falling behind early. And, if it were not for a 23-point turnaround at Clemson on Dec. 2, it could look worse.

Like all games, this one is certainly winnable, but don’t expect it to be easy for the Hoosiers.

Prediction:

It’s been an up-and-down season for Illinois, including late November losses in Las Vegas to Utah and Bradley, both of which share IU’s same 7-7 record. The Fighting Illini have looked good at times and a bit mediocre at others.

Yet their guard play and post presence does not favor IU. The students will be back and will heckle Weber from start to finish, but it seems unlikely that they will witness a home win for the Hoosiers.

Illinois 79 - IU 67