FIGHTING ILLINI BASKET B A L L #7 Illinois (11-2) vs. Minnesota (7-4) Jan. 2, 2002 • 7 p.m. CT (ESPN Plus-Local) Champaign, Ill. • Assembly Hall (16,500) 2001-02 Schedule/Results Probable Starters #7 ILLINOIS (11-2) 11-7 Illinois All-Stars (Exh.) W, 104-81 11-12 Lincoln University (Exh.) W, 111-60 F – 34 Brian Cook (Jr., 6-10, 240, 11.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg) 11-16 Gonzaga W, 76-58 (1-0) C – 45 Nick Smith (Fr., 7-2, 245, 5.9 ppg, 2.8 rpg) OR 11-19-24 Las Vegas Invitational C – 21 Robert Archibald (Sr., 6-11, 250, 10.3 ppg, 4.3 rpg) 11-19 Eastern Illinois W, 93-53 (2-0) G – 24 Sean Harrington (Jr., 6-3, 185, 6.9 pgg, 2.3 rpg) 11-22 vs. Penn W, 78-71 (3-0) G – 13 Cory Bradford (Sr., 6-3, 200, 11.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg) 11-23 vs. Georgia Tech W, 105-66 (4-0) G – 30 Frank Williams (Jr., 6-3, 205, 19.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg) 11-24 vs. Southern Illinois W, 75-72 (5-0) OffThe Bench ... 11-27 at #5 Maryland L, 63-76 (5-1) G – 00 Brett Melton (So., 6-5, 195, 2.4 ppg, 0.4 rpg) 12-1 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi W, 80-56 (6-1) G – 4 Luther Head (Fr., 6-3, 170, 4.5 ppg, 2.2 rpg) 12-4 vs. #7 Arizona (Phoenix) L, 82-87 (6-2) F – 22 Lucas Johnson (Sr., 6-8, 230, injured) 12-8 vs. Arkansas (Chicago) W, 94-91 (7-2) F – 23 Blandon Ferguson (Jr., 6-3, 220, 2.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg) 12-16 Western Illinois W, 98-62 (8-2) G – 25 Jerrance Howard (So., 6-1, 190, 0.7 ppg, 0.6 rpg) 12-18 Illinois State W, 87-73 (9-2) G – 31 Nick Huge (Jr., 6-3, 170, elig. spring semester) 12-22 vs. #8 Missouri (St. Louis) W, 72-61 (10-2) F – 33 Damir Krupalija (Sr., 6-9, 230, 9.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg) 12-29 Loyola-Chicago W, 87-72 (11-2) F – 43 Roger Powell (Fr., 6-6, 215, 3.3 ppg, 2.0 rpg) 1-2 Minnesota 7 p.m. 1-5 at Wisconsin 1:30 p.m. Series History - Minnesota 1-9 at Purdue 7 p.m. 1-12 Michigan 3:30 p.m. Illinois leads the all-time series by a 98-60 margin, including 1-15 Iowa 8 p.m. 62-16 at Champaign. The Illini have won five in a row over 1-23 Wisconsin 7 p.m. the Gophers, including both matchups last season. Illinois 1-26 at Indiana Noon posted an 80-64 victory at the Assembly Hall on Jan. 3, and 1-29 at Ohio State 6 p.m. in the final game of the conference regular season on March 4, 2-3 Michigan State Noon the Illini clinched a share of the Big Ten Championship with a 2-7 at Michigan 6 p.m. 67-59 victory at Minnesota. 2-9 Purdue 4 p.m. 2-12 at Michigan State 6 p.m. 2-16 at Seton Hall TBA The Head Coaches 2-20 Penn State 7 p.m. Illinois Head Coach Bill Self 2-23 at Northwestern 1:30 p.m. Overall Record: 167-91 (9th year) 2-26/27 Indiana 6 p.m./7 p.m. At Illinois: 38-10 (2nd year) 3-2/3 at Minnesota 7 p.m./3 p.m. Assistants: Billy Gillispie (2nd year), Wayne McClain (1st year), 3-7-10 Big Ten Tournament (Indianapolis) Norm Roberts (2nd year). (Associated Press rankings) Trainer: Rod Cardinal (29th year). Minnesota Head Coach Dan Monson: 89-51 (5th year) www.fightingillini.com At Minnesota: 37-34 (3rd year) On the Air Media Information • What’s Coming Up Television Illinois Basketball Media Teleconferences/Luncheons with Bill Self: ESPN-Plus -- Jim Kelly, play-by-play; Steve Bardo, expert analyst. • Thursday, Jan. 3, 10 a.m., Media Teleconference (217-265-8030) Radio •Monday, Jan. 7, Noon, Media Luncheon/Teleconference Illini Sports Radio Network -- 45 stations (217-265-8030) Jim Turpin, play-by-play; Men’s Basketball Contacts: Kent Brown & Derrick Burson Loren Tate, expert analyst. UI Sports Information: 217/333-1391 FIGHTING ILLINI HOOP NOTES Illini Head Coach Bill Self high 25 points while adding seven reb o u n d s Illinois in the Big Ten Rankings Bill Self is in his second season at the and three steals. Re d s h i rt - f reshman Ni c k Illinois ranks among the top three in helm of the Illini program following three Smith came up huge for the Illini, nearly the Big Ten as a team in the following years at Tulsa where he earned National rec o r ding a double-double in the first start of categories (as of Dec. 31): Coach of the Year honors from the John & his career in place of the injured Rob e r t Nellie Wooden Foundation and T h e Ar chibald. Smith finished with 17 points and 1st in scoring offense (83.8 ppg) Sporting News in 2000. a team-high nine rebounds. The Illini held the 3rd in scoring margin (+14.8 ppg) After leading Tulsa to a 32-5 record and Ramblers to 35 percent shooting for the game. 2nd in field goal percentage (.469) into a Regional Final appearance in 2000, 3rd in rebounding offense (40.6 rpg) Self became the first coach to lead two dif- Home Court Streakin’ 3rd in rebounding margin (+6.8 rpg) ferent schools to a Final Eight appearance Illinois enters the Minnesota game with a 24- 1st in assists (17.31 apg) with the Illini in 2001. Prior to his stop at game winning streak at the Assembly Hall, the 2nd in assist/turnover ratio (1.17) Tulsa, Self spent four years at Oral Roberts longest home-winning streak by the Ill i n i 2nd in defensive rebounds (27.00) where he built a program from 6-21 his since winning 28 straight from Feb . 11, 1988 making a career-high 18, just one shy of the first season to 22-6 in his fourth year. to Jan. 15, 1990. Last yea r , Illinois completed school rec o r d. Williams scored 17 points A 1985 graduate of Oklahoma State, its first unbeaten home season since the 1988- against Wes t e r n Illinois on Dec. 16 and fin- Self has worked under Larry Brown at 89 season (17-0). The current 24-game win- ished just one shy of his career high with 29 Kansas and Leonard Hamilton and Eddie ning streak ranks ninth nationally. points in the win over Illinois State Dec. 18. Sutton at Oklahoma State. Ill i n o i s ’ 14-game winning streak in con- Williams tied his career high with 11 field In his first season at Illinois, Self led the fe r ence games at the Assembly Hall ranks 10th goals, including a career-high four three - Illini to 27 victories, the second-most in in the nation entering the 2001-02 season. pointers to fuel his scoring spree against the school history and became just the fourth Red b i r ds. In the win over Missouri Dec. 22, Big Ten coach since 1950 to defeat every Illini Prevailing Despite Injuries Williams scored a game-high 22 points, with conference school in his first season. He With the number of players on the Illini ros - 13 coming in the game’s final 10 minutes. In also became just the sixth coach in Big Ten ter battling injuries, trainer Rod Cardinal has the most recent game vs. Lo yol a - C h i c a g o , history to win a Big Ten title in his first been doing almost as many media intervi ew s Williams had a game-high 25 points, tying his season. as Bil l Self the last few weeks. Lucas Johnson is ca r eer high with four 3-pointers. Over the past Self was a finalist for the Associated cu r r ently rehabing his surgically-rep a i r ed right six games, his scoring average has risen from Press National Coach of the Year, finishing knee after successful ACL su r g e r y. He will be 14.6 to the current 19.2 ppg. fourth in voting, and a was a nominee for fitted for a knee brace this week and will begin the Naismith College Coach of the Year. practice (non-contact) and continue condi- Top 10 Matchups Self Career Record tioning once the brace arrives. Brett Mel t o n When No. 9 Illinois defeated No. 8 Mis s o u r i Oral Roberts, 1994-97 . .55-54 has missed the last six games and is still on Dec. 22, it marked Ill i n o i s ’ third Top 10 Tulsa, 1998-2000 . .74-27 un a v ailable after suffering a sever e ankle sprain sh o wdo wn of the young season. On Nov. 27, Illinois, 2001-present . .38-10 (.792) against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec . No. 2 Illinois fell at No. 5 Mar yland 63-76 Total . .167-91 (.647) 1. Damir Krupalija missed the Western Ill i n o i s and on Dec. 4, the No. 5 Illini lost to No. 7 (D ec. 18) and Loyola-Chicago (Dec.