1998-99 BAi TBALL MEDIA G\^'^E w ^ nv ^U1W»% lllHOl^ 44 SS«' 'CO-I IIAMlMONSli, ,~^^ universit; OF ILLUJ^/rf^ \imil 1 9'9 o jJ i 'm't ^ft. I v*H ,,»- ^^ ' f';' M-vJ 'M-- ^ v^r.-> ia< 1 n u ® THIS IS ILLINOIS THE OPPONENTS ON THE COVER; BASKETBALL Pictured clockwise are 72 Coaches vs. Cancer returnees Rich Beyers, Sergio 73 Bradley '^J§^ McClain, Carvell Ammons, 4 1998 Big Ten 74 Clemson Arias Davis, Victor Championship Season Chukwudebe and Cory 6 Academics 75 Eastern Illinois 76 George Washington ^''^f-^9-p Bradford alongside the 1 998 8 Facilities i 77 Indiana Big Ten Championship 10 IlUni off the Court 78 Iowa trophy and ring. 12 NCAA Highlights 79 Kansas 13 Exposure 80 Michigan 14 The Coaching Staff 81 Michigan 16 Travel State 153 Top 50 Career Scorers 82 Minnesota Individual 17 Campus Life 158 Records 83 Missouri 164 Team Records 18 Illini News & Notes CREDITS 20 Orange Krush 84 Northwestern 166 Assembly Hall Records 85 Ohio State 170 Illinois in the Postseason The 1998-99 Illinois 86 Peiui State Basketball Media Guide is THE UNIVERSITY 87 Purdue BASKETBALL a publication of the OF ILLINOIS 88 Saint Louis 89 Tennessee-Martin TRADITION Illinois Athletic Public 22 The University 90 Texas-Pan American Relations Office, written 172 Histor)' 24 Board of Trustees 9 Valparaiso to assist the media in 178 Ail-Americans 25 Administration 92 Wisconsin their coverage of Illinois 179 Academic All-Americans 25 TheDIA 93 Big Ten Conference athletics. 180 All-Big Ten 27 Advisory Board 94 All-Time Series Scores 28 Director of Athletics 181 Academic All-Big Ten Executive Editor: 29 DIA Administration 182 Illini Honors 184 Illini in the Pros Barbara Butler 30 Illinois Athletic Excellence 187 All-time Letterwinners 192 the 33 Notable Illinois alums By Numbers Interior Design: 34 Chief Illiniwek Cassie Arner Fight Songs MEDIA INFORMATION Cover Design: COACHING STAFF Cassie Arner 196 Media Information 36 Head Coach Lon Kruger 199 Media Outlets Editorial Assistance: 41 Robert McCuUum 200 Illini Sports Network Dave Johnson 42 Rob Judson 201 Big Ten Tournament Michelle Warner 43 Mike Shepherd 1997-98 IN Bracket Dave Brauer 44 lilini Basketball Family 202 NCAA Tournament REVIEW Brandon Dybala 45 Support Staff Bracket Mike Layman 203 Media Calender 1 02 Season in Review 208 Restaurant Guide Kara Stachowiak THE 1998-99 103 1997-98 Statistics Matt Herrmann FIGHTING ILLINI 106 Highs and Lows Jennifer Green 107 Big Ten Statistics 50 1998-99 Outlook 110 Game-by-Game Recaps Photography: 52 Roster Mark 53 TV/Radio Roster THE RECORD Jones, 54 CarveU Ammons BOOK Barbara Butler 56 Rich Beyers 58 Cory Bradford Photos: 122 Year-by-Year Records Cover 60 Victor Chukwudebe 122 Coaching Records Mark Jones 62 Arias Davis 123 All-Time Results 64 Sergio McClain 140 Records vs. Opponents Printed by: 66 Fighting Illini 142 Year-by-Year Individual Multi-Ad Printing 69 Player Game-by-Game Leaders Services, Peoria, III. Statistics 144 Year-by-Year Team Statistics . fighting Ittini ^ask^tbatt [LO^Eite^^toj^ Ticket Manager Men's Golf Quick Facts Mike Hatfield 333-3470 Ed Beard 333-8604 Founded: 1867 Head Trainer Women's Golf Al Martindale 333-6718 Paula Smith 333-8610 Opened: March 2, 1868 Location: Urbana-Champaign Basketball Trainer Men's Gymnastics Enrollment: 36.000 Rod Cardinal 333-6718 Yoshi Hayasaki 333-7973 President: James Stukel J. Team Physicians Women's Gymnastics Chancellor: Michael T. Aiken Dr. Robert Gurtler Lynn Brueckman 333-1683 Conference: Big Ten Dr. Stephen Sohoroff 333-6718 Women's Soccer Arena: Assembly Hall (16.450) Strength & Conditioning Coordinator JiUian Ellis 333-0004 Nickname: Fighting lllini Pat Mooter 244-5989 School Song: "Illinois Loyalty" Women's Swimming & Diving Colors: Orange & Blue Equipment Manager Jim Lutz 333-7670 General Mailing Address Sam Trusner 333-2063 Men's Tennis Bielfeldt Athletic Administation Building Basketball Equipment Craig TUey 333-7971 1700 South Fourth St. Jesse Radiff 333-1926 Women's Tennis Champaign. IL 61820 Academic Counselor Sujay Lama 333-8622 Tom Michael 333-9530 Volleyball Don Hardin 333-8606 ADMINISTRATION Wrestling BASKETBALL STAFF Mark lohnson . 244-9722 (all area codes 21^ except as noted) Office (217) 333-3400 Director of Athletics RonGuenther 333-3630 FAX (217) 333-2120 ATHLETIC PUBLIC Associate Director of Athletics Head Coach RELATIONS STAFF Dan.i Brenner 333-3630 Lon Kruger Associate Director of Athletics Assistant Coaches Office (217) 333-1391 Terry Robert McCuUum Cole 333-2240 Fax (217) 333-5540 Rob Judson Associate Director of Athletics Press Row (217) 333-1227 Mike Shepherd Karol Kahrs 333-0171 Associate Director of Communications Administrative Assistant Associate Director of Athletics Dave Johnson (home) 352-2477 Jeff Guin Kellv Lindr)- 2^4-7061 Assistant Director for Basketball Secretary Associate Director of Athletics Barbara Butler (home) 359-5422 Cind\' Butkovich Tom Porter 244-0016 Assistant Directors Associate Director of Athletics Mailing Address Marty Kaufmann (home) 359-5910 Harriet Wearherford 244-4286 LJbben Basketball Complex Cassie Atner (home) 356-9434 Assistant Director of Athletics/Compliance 1750 South Fourth Street Erich Bacher (home) 278-0454 \ incc llle 333-5~31 Champaign. IL 61820 Jim Christman (home) 355-8864 Assistant Director of Athletics/Business Manager Tim Trac>' 333-3630 Intern DIA HEAD COACHES Michelle Warner Assistant Director of Athletics Graduate Assistant Warren Hood 333-2474 (all area codes 217) Scort Chipman Assistant Director of Athletics Baseball Secretary Lenny Willis 244-6518 Richard Ttch" Jones 244-8138 Marsha Goldenstein Director of Facilities Women's Basketball Mailing Address Allen Heinze 333-2303 Theresa Grentz 333-8612 Bielfeldt Athletic Administradon Building Director of Development, FISF Women's Cross Country/Track & Field 1700 South Fourth Street Ken Zimmerman 333-6595 Gar>- Winckler 333-7970 Champaign, IL 61820 Director of Development, FISF Men's Cross Country/Track & Field Steve Greene (312) 575-7852 Gary Wieneke 333-7968 Executive Director Varsity "I" Football Shawn Wax 244-9277 Ron Turner 333-1400 2 :F[qhtinff Iffini (Bas^etMf Jigfiting itlini ^asketbatt It was a stor)' that couldn't have been anchored by seven seniors, five of whom 76-64, in written any better than it played out. ^All started ever)' Big Ten game. The seniors Iowa Cit)'. those who picked the Illini to go through provided 84 percent of the team's scoring Four Illini the Big Ten in all games and 87 percent in Big Ten score in season quietly games. The starting five played 78 double fiigures had a big percent of the minutes in 16 Big Ten led by Jerry surprise games. In the course of winning the Big Hester's 20 waiting for Ten title, Illinois was undefeated against points. them. Illinois Indiana, Iowa and Michigan, a first in Freshman rolled through school histor)'. The Illini also picked up Sergio the Big Ten their first double-digit win at Iowa since McClain Conference 1964. From January 3 until February 24, turned in a schedule with here is a sampling of highlights from the season high a 13-3 record, championship season. 14 points to the best since go along with his five rebounds, three Jan. 3 — Illinois bounces back from two 1989, and assists and a blocked shot. straight losses (Missouri, UCLA) and captured its defeats Indiana 74-72, marking two Jan. 10 — Illinois holds Northwestern to 13th straight victories over the Hoosiers. 44 total points in a 59-44 win. It was the conference Kevin Turner turned in a career-high lowest point total by an opponent since tide. scoring effort with 35 points. 1993. Chicago native Jarrod Gee paced Illinois fielded the team with 20 points, while anchoring Jan. 8 — Illinois downs No. 1 1 Iowa, a team the Illini post play which held Wildcat o®®@ BD® ffsra (sra/i\EflPD®ra8raDP ca^ifflBBB s\ fighting Ittini ^aske^tbait- led the Iliini in the first game against the Hawkeyes, had their number again. He scored 20 points and drained four 3- pointers. Feb. 24 — The final game of the regular season was a must-win for Illinois to have any chance at tide hopes. The obstacle was Indiana in Bloomington, no easy task. In picking up Big Ten win No. 13 the Iliini had five players hit double figures and used the hot hand of Arias Davis to spark the offense which was stagnant earh- in the game. He made 3-of-5 from 3-point land and his second trey gave the Iliini a 13-12 lead at the 1 1:25 mark, a lead the Evan Spartans for first in the league standings. team would not relinquish. Jerr\' Hester Eschmeyer to ' also drained three from behind the arc Feb. 12 — In, by tar, the most exciting 2-of-4 and scored 15 tor the team. Matt game ol the season unranked Illinois shooting from Heldman and Kevin Turner were blasted by No. 13 Michigan State, 84- the floor. unwavering from the line, combining to 63, and grabbed a share of the lead in lUinois, at 3-0, shoot 17-of 22 trom the stripe. for the Big title. In front ol a was the only race Ten lUini posted undefeated sold out Assembly Hall, five double figures and the team shot an team in the from the floor in the Big Ten. amazing 63 percent — second half The Iliini were 9-of-l~ from Jan. 21 three-point range with Turner, Heldman rvvo-straight lUinois bounces back from and Arias Davis each draining three, 3- losses (Purdue, Michigan State) and pointers. broke a four-game losing streak to the Feb. 22 It was Senior Dav at Illinois Badgers with a 62-48 decision. Matt — and the seniors did not disappoint.