Column: Scouting the Illini

WHO  Illinois (16-7, 5-5)
WHAT A Whiteout. All fans are expected to wear white.
WHEN 8 p.m. today
WHERE Assembly Hall
HOW Big Ten Network (Gus Johnson, Jim Jackson), IU Radio Network, Live Audio on IUHoosiers.com

Scouting Illinois
Head coach Bruce Weber, ninth season
Leading scorer Junior guard Brandon Paul, 15.1 points per game
Leading rebounder Sophomore forward Meyers Leonard, 8.0 rpg
Best win Home against Ohio State, 79-74
Worst loss At Penn State, 54-52
What they do well Block shots — The Fighting Illini have the third-most blocked shots in the Big Ten with 104, an average of 4.5 per game.
What needs work Illinois’ assist/turnover ratio ranks 11th in the Big Ten during conference play. The Illini have the second-most turnovers in the conference with 318.

Projected starters

Indiana
G Jordan Hulls 12.1 points per game
G Victor Oladipo 10.5
F Derek Elston 4.9
F Christian Watford 12.1
F Cody Zeller 15.1
Illinois
G Brandon Paul 15.1 points per game
G D.J. Richardson 12.2
G Tracy Abrams 3.0
G Joseph Bertrand 7.0
F Meyers Leonard 13.3

My take
William Buford, Trey Burke, Tim Frazier, Bo Spencer, Jordan Taylor and now Brandon Paul. The Hoosiers will continue to face the Big Ten’s best point guards Thursday as they take on Illinois, one of the most puzzling teams in the Big Ten.

Ranked at one point, the Fighting Illini have defeated the Big Ten’s two best teams, Ohio State and Michigan State, at home, while losing to bottom-dwellers Northwestern in Champaign, Ill., and Penn State on the road.

Bruce Weber’s Illini are powered primarily by powerful, 7-foot-1 forward Meyers Leonard and Paul, who has scored in double figures in 12 straight games, including every conference contest.

Against Ohio State on Jan. 10, Paul scored 43 points, more than half of Illinois’ total, to upset the Buckeyes in Champaign.

While I expect a combination of sophomore guard Victor Oladipo and freshman guard Remy Abell to try to contain Paul, I’ll have my eye on the matchup in the post.

Freshman forward Cody Zeller will have his hands full with another young center brimming with potential.

Leonard has the third-most rebounds and most blocks of any player in the Big Ten. This season, he has seven double-doubles compared to Zeller’s two.

I’m going to pick the Hoosiers in this crucial conference game by less than 10. Matchups and numbers aside, the result of this game really comes down to the fact that it is a rivalry game in Assembly Hall.

The edge that IU gets by playing at home is immeasurable.

Then again, the “Law of Gus” will be in effect Thursday, so who knows what could happen?