Game 5: vs. University of Illinois
Dec. 9, MCI Center
Game Notes
Thursday's game may be one of the only remaining opportunities for Illini fans to see their team without a season ticket. Al but one home game is sold out, and most Big Ten road games are sold out.
Illinois was last ranked #1 on Jan. 24, 1989. The #2 team that week was Georgetown. In the two previous years Illinois made it to #1, they advanced to the Final Four.
All three prior meetings between the schools have been on neutral courts. Georgetown will travel to Champaign, IL for the return game next season, where the Illini are 68-3 since the 2000 season.
Preview
A couple of years ago, Princeton football coach Roger Hughes echoed a sports quote attributed to longtime wrestler Ric Flair. "To be the man, you've got to beat the man, and the man's coming to town," said Hughes.
And in college basketball right now, Illinois is The Man.
For only the third time in its 100 seasons of competition, the Fighting Illini are #1-ranked, and arrive at MCI Center with as a deep and consistent a team that Georgetown may see all year. Though it lacks a star player along the likes of a Patrick Ewing, the Illinois team that will meet the Hoyas shares a number of traits with the Georgetown clubs of the late 70's and early 1980's--defensively strong, efficient on offense, and a team that simply shuts down its opponents. In fact, since the middle of its first game, Illinois has trailed in only three minutes of play since.
The Illini will be especially difficult at guard, where the trio of Dee Brown, Deron Williams, and Luther Head led UI to 27 assists and just six turnovers against Wake Forest on December 1. Here's a look at some potential matchups which await the Georgetown five on Thursday:
Dee Brown vs. Jonathan Wallace: A big mismatch, at least on experience. Brown, a pre-season Naismith Award finalist, enters the game with 47 career double digit scoring games and shooting 63% from the field. Wallace has to play within himself and not over-commit to Brown in the front court.
Deron Williams vs. Ashanti Cook: Cook may match up well against Williams, who despite 13 ppg has been streaky on offense. Williams has the fewest steals of the three Illini guards, which should help Cook with ball control, but he also leads the team with 50 assists.
Luther Head vs. Darrel Owens: Owens has faded from view in recent games, something that he cannot afford to do against Head. Head shoots 50% from the field and 45% from three. If Owens doesn't rise to the occasion, Head could rip apart the GU outside defense.
Roger Powell Jr. vs. Brandon Bowman: Bowman represents one of Powell's toughest matchups to date--Bowman owns a height advantage on the 6-6 Powell and matches up in quickness and scoring ability. Though Powell was named Big Ten player of the Week following the Wake Forest and Arkansas games, Bowman's style will give Powell a difficult assignment.
James Augustine vs. Jeff Green: Augustine enters the game with experience but Green has been on a roll, albeit against generally smaller opponents. How Green will fare against the 6-10 Augustine will give GU fans an idea of what they can expect inside during Big East play. Roy Hibbert may also see extended time to battle in the middle.
Illinois bench vs. Georgetown bench. Unfortunately for Georgetown fans, there's a big disparity here. Illinois is 28-2 since 2003 when their bench outscores the opposition, and it's likely that the Illini bench, averaging almost 21 ppg, will get their points. A pair of sophomores, guard Rich McBride (5.6 ppg) and forward Warren Carter (5.6 ppg) can be valuable resources off the bench, while senior centers Nick Smith (7-2) and Jack Ingram (6-9) are capable of providing valuable minutes in reserve. If foul troubles force the Hoyas to go down the bench, it's not clear what they'll find. So little has been seen of Georgetown's reserves to date (outside of Roy Hibbert and RaMell Ross, the remaining bench is a combined 2 for 13 this season) that it's tough to gauge any measure of effectiveness, which is not a good outlook when facing the top-ranked team.
Dec. 9, MCI Center
Game Notes
Thursday's game may be one of the only remaining opportunities for Illini fans to see their team without a season ticket. Al but one home game is sold out, and most Big Ten road games are sold out.
Illinois was last ranked #1 on Jan. 24, 1989. The #2 team that week was Georgetown. In the two previous years Illinois made it to #1, they advanced to the Final Four.
All three prior meetings between the schools have been on neutral courts. Georgetown will travel to Champaign, IL for the return game next season, where the Illini are 68-3 since the 2000 season.
Preview
A couple of years ago, Princeton football coach Roger Hughes echoed a sports quote attributed to longtime wrestler Ric Flair. "To be the man, you've got to beat the man, and the man's coming to town," said Hughes.
And in college basketball right now, Illinois is The Man.
For only the third time in its 100 seasons of competition, the Fighting Illini are #1-ranked, and arrive at MCI Center with as a deep and consistent a team that Georgetown may see all year. Though it lacks a star player along the likes of a Patrick Ewing, the Illinois team that will meet the Hoyas shares a number of traits with the Georgetown clubs of the late 70's and early 1980's--defensively strong, efficient on offense, and a team that simply shuts down its opponents. In fact, since the middle of its first game, Illinois has trailed in only three minutes of play since.
The Illini will be especially difficult at guard, where the trio of Dee Brown, Deron Williams, and Luther Head led UI to 27 assists and just six turnovers against Wake Forest on December 1. Here's a look at some potential matchups which await the Georgetown five on Thursday:
Dee Brown vs. Jonathan Wallace: A big mismatch, at least on experience. Brown, a pre-season Naismith Award finalist, enters the game with 47 career double digit scoring games and shooting 63% from the field. Wallace has to play within himself and not over-commit to Brown in the front court.
Deron Williams vs. Ashanti Cook: Cook may match up well against Williams, who despite 13 ppg has been streaky on offense. Williams has the fewest steals of the three Illini guards, which should help Cook with ball control, but he also leads the team with 50 assists.
Luther Head vs. Darrel Owens: Owens has faded from view in recent games, something that he cannot afford to do against Head. Head shoots 50% from the field and 45% from three. If Owens doesn't rise to the occasion, Head could rip apart the GU outside defense.
Roger Powell Jr. vs. Brandon Bowman: Bowman represents one of Powell's toughest matchups to date--Bowman owns a height advantage on the 6-6 Powell and matches up in quickness and scoring ability. Though Powell was named Big Ten player of the Week following the Wake Forest and Arkansas games, Bowman's style will give Powell a difficult assignment.
James Augustine vs. Jeff Green: Augustine enters the game with experience but Green has been on a roll, albeit against generally smaller opponents. How Green will fare against the 6-10 Augustine will give GU fans an idea of what they can expect inside during Big East play. Roy Hibbert may also see extended time to battle in the middle.
Illinois bench vs. Georgetown bench. Unfortunately for Georgetown fans, there's a big disparity here. Illinois is 28-2 since 2003 when their bench outscores the opposition, and it's likely that the Illini bench, averaging almost 21 ppg, will get their points. A pair of sophomores, guard Rich McBride (5.6 ppg) and forward Warren Carter (5.6 ppg) can be valuable resources off the bench, while senior centers Nick Smith (7-2) and Jack Ingram (6-9) are capable of providing valuable minutes in reserve. If foul troubles force the Hoyas to go down the bench, it's not clear what they'll find. So little has been seen of Georgetown's reserves to date (outside of Roy Hibbert and RaMell Ross, the remaining bench is a combined 2 for 13 this season) that it's tough to gauge any measure of effectiveness, which is not a good outlook when facing the top-ranked team.
