Remember 2004-05: UI 87, Delaware State 67

Remembering 2004-05: UI 92, Lewis 61

Remembering 2004-05: UI 78, Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 58

Remembering 2004-05: N-G front pages

Remembering 2004-05: Midnight Madness

Remembering 2004-05: Orange & Blue Scrimmage

EACH WEEK, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK BACK AT A MEMORABLE MOMENT IN ILLINI HISTORY, THANKS TO THE WORDS OF THE NEWS-GAZETTE

This week: In our continuing series on the five-year anniversary of the 2004-05 Final Four Illini, a look at the first game when fans thought 'This Could Be The Year!' — a rout of Gonzaga at the Wooden Tradition in Indianapolis.

Date: Nov. 27, 2004

Headline: Wooden it be nice: Illini pass the ball — and first test

By BRETT DAWSON

INDIANAPOLIS - Maybe it was when Illinois' Roger Powell Jr. stepped backward, glanced at the three-point line, then calmly buried his first triple of the season.

Maybe it was when Gonzaga big man Ronny Turiaf, stifled all afternoon, began berating his teammates out of frustration.

Maybe it was the way Luther Head sped downcourt for a layup to beat the halftime buzzer.

Whatever sign you choose, it became apparent early that Illinois' supposed first test of this basketball season was nothing more than a pop quiz, an 89-72 rout of Gonzaga at the Wooden Tradition in Conseco Fieldhouse that was over by the half.

The Illini popped jumpers, popped the ball from Turiaf and popped the Bulldogs on the jaw in what ultimately proved to be nothing more than one last study session for Wednesday's exam against Wake Forest.

"I think we were ready," Deron Williams said in the semester's biggest understatement. "It was our first time to play a team in the Top 25, and I think we came out to make a statement that we're for real."

How real?

Real enough to hang 58 first-half points on Gonzaga.

Real enough to sink a school-record-tying 14 three-pointers.

Real enough to hold Turiaf - averaging 31 points a game entering the day – to an uneventful dozen on 4-of-10 shooting.

"I don't think they have a weakness at all," Bulldogs coach Mark Few said, and if they do, Gonzaga couldn't seem to find it.

The next team to take a crack is the top-ranked Demon Deacons, 5-0 and fresh off a Preseason NIT title.

Wake Forest visits the Assembly Hall on Wednesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, and though the Illini took apart Gonzaga on Saturday, the Deacons seem to have it all together this preseason.

"We're going to find out how good we are on Wednesday," Weber said. "We controlled Gonzaga, but now can we control a game where the other team has great guards? It's a great test for us."

He says it like he means it.

Of course, Weber also predicted Saturday would be a stern challenge for his fifth-ranked Illini (4-0).

It turned into Gonzaga's most lopsided regular season loss since 1996.

By halftime, it was a laugher, Illinois having buried 10 three-pointers - and the Zags - en route to a 58-27 lead.

"I love being up 30 at half," Weber said. "It's much easier to coach and much easier on the blood pressure."

But Weber admits he wasn't just expecting a test from Gonzaga, he was hoping for one.

Though the Zags closed the game on a 32-15 run to make what once was a 38-point margin reasonably respectable, Illinois never was threatened. The Illini's average margin of victory dropped only slightly, to 24.7 points a game.

By contrast, Wake Forest had to escape Arizona 63-60 on Friday to win the Preseason NIT title at Madison Square Garden in New York.

George Washington gave the Demon Deacons a game for a half in their season opener, and Providence fought hard in a 79-67 NIT semifinal result.

"They've had some challenges," Weber said. "And they've got veteran guys. They've been to Duke. They've been to (North) Carolina. So they're accustomed to going on the road and playing in big games. Part of you wishes we'd had a tougher game under our belt."

Gonzaga was supposed to provide that game.

But Turiaf, who scored 40 points in a game last week against Idaho, never was a factor, and the Illini guards put the clamps on the Zags' inexperienced backcourt. In a fast-breaking, three-point-swishing first half, the Illini had leads of 18-4, 38-18 and 45-20.

Weber couldn't have predicted the lopsided margin, but the Illinois coach had a feeling his team was ready.

They were "cut in" - a favorite Weberism for focused - during Thursday's and Friday's practices, and after routs of Delaware State, Florida A&M and Oakland, they were itching to play against a name opponent.

"They are gamers," Weber said. "Dee (Brown) loves the limelight. Deron, too. And now Luther (Head). They're veterans now, and they've been through it. So now, they're more ready to play in big games because they understand not to get too high and not to get too low. It's part of the maturation process."

Weber's guard trio looked much too mature for Gonzaga's fresh-faced backcourt, combining for 57 points (the highest combined point total of their careers), 20 assists and eight steals.

When Gonzaga tried to play man-to-man, Few's inexperienced backcourt of sophomore Derek Ravio and Texas Tech transfer Nathan Doudney couldn't keep up with Illinois' fleet-footed guards.

When Few went to a zone, Illinois got in one from three-point range.

"We knew they could shoot the ball from three," Few said. "But they're so good at moving in their man-to-man that you're chasing them around and chasing them around. So you either get beat by the twos or you get beat by the threes."

Wake Forest won't rely on zone alone, Weber said, instead sticking to Skip Prosser's preferred method of shifting defenses.

With a guard tandem comparable to Illinois' – Chris Paul and Justin Gray are considered by many analysts the nation's top combo – the Deacons will be better equipped to match the Illini stride for stride.

"They're going to chase us (man-to-man), but they'll still mix," Weber said. "They'll gotriangle-and-two, they'll go box-and-one. That's Skip's style, and they'll do that."

They'll also give Illinois its toughest test yet.

At least, that's the expectation.

"I think we're ready for the challenge," Williams said. "I know the Assembly Hall's going to be packed and rocking. Everybody's excited about this game. You've got people you don't even know asking you for tickets. You know it's a big game when that happens."