FIGHTING ILLINI BASKET B A L L #7 Illinois (12-2) at Wisconsin (7-7) Jan. 5, 2002 • 1:30 p.m. CT (ESPN Plus-Regional) Madison, Wis. • Kohl Center (17,142) 2001-02 Schedule/Results Probable Starters #7 ILLINOIS (12-2) 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, 11.7 ppg, 6.9 rpg) 11-16 Gonzaga W, 76-58 (1-0) C – 21 Robert Archibald (Sr., 6-11, 250, 10.6 ppg, 4.4 rpg) 11-19-24 Las Vegas Invitational G – 24 Sean Harrington (Jr., 6-3, 185, 7.1 pgg, 2.2 rpg) 11-19 Eastern Illinois W, 93-53 (2-0) G – 13 Cory Bradford (Sr., 6-3, 200, 11.5 ppg, 3.6 rpg) 11-22 vs. Penn W, 78-71 (3-0) G – 30 Frank Williams (Jr., 6-3, 205, 18.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 4.0 apg) 11-23 vs. Georgia Tech W, 105-66 (4-0) OffThe Bench ... 11-24 vs. Southern Illinois W, 75-72 (5-0) G – 00 Brett Melton (So., 6-5, 195, 2.4 ppg, 0.4 rpg) 11-27 at #5 Maryland L, 63-76 (5-1) G – 4 Luther Head (Fr., 6-3, 170, 4.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg) 12-1 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi W, 80-56 (6-1) F – 22 Lucas Johnson (Sr., 6-8, 230, injured) 12-4 vs. #7 Arizona (Phoenix) L, 82-87 (6-2) F – 23 Blandon Ferguson (Jr., 6-3, 220, 2.6 ppg, 1.6 rpg) 12-8 vs. Arkansas (Chicago) W, 94-91 (7-2) G – 25 Jerrance Howard (So., 6-1, 190, 0.7 ppg, 0.6 rpg) 12-16 Western Illinois W, 98-62 (8-2) G – 31 Nick Huge (Jr., 6-3, 170, elig. spring semester) 12-18 Illinois State W, 87-73 (9-2) F – 33 Damir Krupalija (Sr., 6-9, 230, 9.4 ppg, 6.9 rpg) 12-22 vs. #8 Missouri (St. Louis) W, 72-61 (10-2) F – 43 Roger Powell (Fr., 6-6, 215, 3.2 ppg, 1.8 rpg) 12-29 Loyola-Chicago W, 87-72 (11-2) C – 45 Nick Smith (Fr., 7-2, 245, 5.9 ppg, 3.1 rpg) 1-2 Minnesota W, 76-53 (12-2) 1-5 at Wisconsin 1:30 p.m. Series History - Wisconsin 1-9 at Purdue 7 p.m. 1-12 Michigan 3:30 p.m. Illinois and Wisconsin are meeting for the 164th time in series 1-15 Iowa 8 p.m. history with the Illini holding a 99-64 advantage. Wisconsin, 1-23 Wisconsin 7 p.m. however, owns a 47-36 advantage in games played at Madison. 1-26 at Indiana Noon Illinois has won five of the last seven in the series, including 1-29 at Ohio State 6 p.m. the only meeting between the Illini and the Badgers last year–a 2-3 Michigan State Noon come-from-behind 68-67 win at the Assembly Hall on Marcus 2-7 at Michigan 6 p.m. Griffin’s game winning basket with 0.8 seconds left. 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: 168-91 (9th year) 2-26/27 Indiana 6 p.m./7 p.m. At Illinois: 39-10 (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). Wisconsin Head Coach Bo Ryan: 390-110 (18th year) www.fightingillini.com At Wisconsin: 7-7 (1st year) On the Air Media Information • What’s Coming Up Television Illinois Basketball Media Teleconferences/Luncheons with Bill Self: ESPN-Plus -- Wayne Larrivee, play-by-play; •Monday, Jan. 7, 9 a.m., Big Ten Teleconference Shon Morris, expert analyst. (646-862-1016) •Monday, Jan. 7, Noon, Media Luncheon/Teleconference (217-265-8030) Radio • Thursday, Jan. 10, 10 a.m., Media Teleconference Illini Sports Radio Network -- 45 stations (217-265-8030) Jim Turpin, play-by-play; Steve Bardo, expert Men’s Basketball Contacts: Kent Brown & Derrick Burson analyst; Loren Tate, pregame/halftime analyst. UI Sports Information: 217/333-1391 FIGHTING ILLINI HOOP NOTES Illini Head Coach Bill Self Last Time Out : Minnesota Illinois in the Big Ten Rankings Bill Self is in his second season at the Illinois extended its current winning streak Illinois ranks among the top three in helm of the Illini program following three to six games with a 76-53 victory over the Big Ten as a team in the following years at Tulsa where he earned National Minnesota Wednesday night at the categories (as of Jan. 4): Coach of the Year honors from the John & Assembly Hall. For the first time in the win- Nellie Wooden Foundation and T h e ning streak, Frank Williams was not Illinois’ 1st in scoring offense (83.3 ppg) Sporting News in 2000. leading scorer.Williams took only six shots 3rd in scoring margin (+15.4 ppg) After leading Tulsa to a 32-5 record and and finished with eight points (all in the first 2nd in field goal percentage (.470) into a Regional Final appearance in 2000, half), but Illinois’ big men picked up the 3rd in rebounding offense (39.9 rpg) Self became the first coach to lead two dif- scoring slack. Brian Cook had a game-high 3rd in free throw percentage (.734) ferent schools to a Final Eight appearance 16 points and eight rebounds, while Robert 1st in assists (17.64 apg) with the Illini in 2001. Prior to his stop at Archibald added 14 points, five rebounds, 3rd in turnover margin (+1.71) Tulsa, Self spent four years at Oral Roberts two blocks and two steals. Cory Bradford 1st in assist/turnover ratio (1.21) where he built a program from 6-21 his also finished in double figures with 14 2nd in defensive rebounds (26.71) first season to 22-6 in his fourth year. points. A 1985 graduate of Oklahoma State, Duke is No. 1 (96.43), followed by Self has worked under Larry Brown at Illini Prevailing Despite Injuries Cincinnati at No. 2 (94.79) and Oklahoma Kansas and Leonard Hamilton and Eddie With the number of players on the Illini ros- State an No. 3 (93.84). Kansas is fifth Sutton at Oklahoma State. ter battling injuries, trainer Rod Cardinal (90.42) behind the Illini. In his first season at Illinois, Self led the has been doing almost as many media inter- Illini to 27 victories, the second-most in views as Bill Self the last few weeks. Lucas Illini Strong in the Second Half school history and became just the fourth Johnson is currently rehabing his surgically- Throughout the season, Illinois has fine- Big Ten coach since 1950 to defeat every repaired right knee after suffering a torn tuned its performance in the second half. conference school in his first season. He ACL. He will be fitted for a knee brace on T h rough 14 games, The Illini have also became just the sixth coach in Big Ten Jan. 7 and will begin practice (non-contact) outscored opponents by 132 points (613-to- history to win a Big Ten title in his first and continue conditioning once the brace 481) in the second half, compared to a scor- season. arrives. Brett Melton has missed the last six ing advantage of 83 points (553-to-470) in Self was a finalist for the Associated games and is still unavailable after suffering the first half. In recent games, Illinois’ field Press National Coach of the Year, finishing a severe ankle sprain against Texas A&M- goal shooting has also been better in the sec- fourth in voting, and a was a nominee for Corpus Christi on Dec. 1. Damir Krupalija ond half. The Illini have shot better in the the Naismith College Coach of the Year. has missed the last three games and has prac- second half compared to the first half for the ticed just twice since mid-December due to past six games. Self Career Record a deep bruise on his left foot. Ro b e rt Oral Roberts, 1994-97 . .55-54 Archiabld missed the Loyola-Chicago game Williams Running the Show Tulsa, 1998-2000 . .74-27 and has also missed practice time to rest his All-America candidate Frank Williams was Illinois, 2001-present . .39-10 (.796) ailing back. Archibald returned to the court one of the most productive players in the Total . .168-91 (.649) and was pro d u c t i ve Wednesday against nation in the month of December.Williams, Minnesota, earning a start and registering 14 second in the Big Ten in scoring at 18.4 ppg, averaged 24.7 points in six of Illinois’ last For Openers… points, five rebounds, two blocks and two steals in 26 minutes of action. seven games on combined 48 percent shoot- Illinois enters the Wisconsin game with a ing from the field (44-91). He was finally six-game winning streak, its longest streak slowed down in the Big Ten opener against since winning seven in a row (all in Big Ten A Look at Illinois’ RPIand SagarinRatings Illinois currently ranks No.