Game Day Essentials: Game #29 at Illinois

[hhcmatt]

Nebraska Cornhuskers (20-8) vs Illinois Fighting Illini (12-15)

Date: Sunday, Feb 18th, 2017

Time: 2:30 pm CST 
Arena: State Farm Center

TV Broadcast:  BTN

Radio: Husker Sports Network, including 590 AM (Omaha), 1400 AM (Lincoln) and 880 AM (Lexington)
  Play-by-play: Kent Pavelka 
  Analysis: Jake Muhleisen

Illinois Info

Head Coach: Brad Underwood

Location: Champaign, IL 
Conference: B1G
Nickname: Fightin Illini

Mascot: Chief Illiniwek They got rid of Chief Illiniwek in 2007

Shirt not to wear: Orange, Blue

Last time out: Lost to Indiana
Typical Rotation Depth: 9+
Line: Illinois by 1 

Tempo: Fast paced

Defense: West Vriginia-esque pressrue

Style: Middle assist % / Low 3pa%

 

Conference only

Four Factors
Effective FG%:	48.9 10	45.1 2	51.0
Turnover %:	20.2 14	16.4 8	18.6
Off. Reb. %:	31.0 3	34.1 14	28.8
FTA/FGA:	31.0 9	29.6 5	33.6

Illinois turning the ball over and not protecting their glass. They will chase their misses for offensive rebounds. Kipper Nichols and Leron Black need a body on them at all times.

 

 

 

 

Most Frequent Lineups over the last 5 games

 

Nebraska

PG	SG	SF	PF	C	Pct
1	5 Glynn Watson 6-0  173  Jr	13 Anton Gill 6-3  195  Sr	24 James Palmer 6-6  210  Jr	15 Isaiah Roby 6-8  225  So	14 Isaac Copeland 6-9  221  Jr	27.4

Illinois

PG	SG	SF	PF	C	Pct
1	1 Trent Frazier 6-1  170  Fr	24 Mark Alstork 6-5  190  Sr	23 Aaron Jordan 6-5  210  Jr	2 Kipper Nichols 6-6  225  So	12 Leron Black 6-7  230  Jr	6.8

 

Michael Finke has been out the last two games and didn't practice on Saturday. Last time out he broke out of a slump to put up 16 against Nebraska.

 

Players to watch:  Trent Frazier

Underwood teams tend to have a few guys who dominate the shots and dynamic freshman guard Trent Frazier has stepped into that role for the Illini. Look for him along with Leron Black and Kipper Nichols to dominate the touches when on the court.

 

The Skinny

It's been a rough 2018 for the Illini who currently sit in 14th place in the B1G after losing 4 straight.  The last time these two teams met in Lincoln the Huskers needed a last second shot to pull out a game in which both teams could rarely hit from outside.  Anyone who can get it going from 3 today is going to have a big advantage in this one.

 

Nebraska doesn't really need the 3 as much as Illinois though. Illinois pressure defense essentially gives you free run at the rim and when you're not getting layups there is a lot of potential for FTs.  Keep at the rim, block out on defense, and the Huskers are walking out of Champaign with a victory.  Illinois sure could put together a game today but you have to wonder if that teams has much more fight left in them.

 

Prediction: Nebraska 82 - Illinois 74

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[Handy Johnson]

I've got a hunch Watson goes for 20+ today

[hhcmatt]

30 minutes ago, Handy Johnson said:

I've got a hunch Watson goes for 20+ today

 

Last time he was in Illinois as a freshman he put up 24

[tcp]

i love reading these after a game. 

 

you called a couple of these pretty good, M. The body on Black especially prescient. 

 

We just have struggled with this Illini club this season. Have played some of our worst ball against them. 

 

[Handy Johnson]

On ‎2‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 2:20 PM, hhcdimes said:

 

Last time he was in Illinois as a freshman he put up 24

Whoops...