GAME 32

UI men vs. Wisconsin, 1:30 p.m. Friday

LINEUPS

ILLINOIS (18-13 overall, 10-8 Big Ten)

Probable starters

P Name HT. YR. PPG

G Demetri McCamey 6-3 Jr. 14.9

G D.J. Richardson 6-3 Fr. 10.3

F Bill Cole 6-9 Jr. 4.6

F Mike Davis 6-9 Jr. 10.3

C Mike Tisdale 7-1 Jr. 11.6

Top reserves

G Brandon Paul 6-3 Fr. 8.1

F Tyler Griffey 6-9 Fr. 3.0

G Jeff Jordan 6-1 Jr. 1.4

WISCONSIN (23-7, 13-5)

Probable starters

P Name HT. YR. PPG

G Trevon Hughes 6-0 Sr. 15.4

G Jordan Taylor 6-1 So. 10.2

G Jason Bohannon 6-2 Sr. 12.0

F Jon Leuer 6-10 Jr. 14.9

F Keaton Nankivil 6-8 Jr. 8.7

Top reserves

G Tim Jarmusz 6-6 Jr. 2.8

G Rob Wilson 6-3 So. 3.3

G Ryan Evans 6-6 Fr. 3.3

FACTS & FIGURES

Site: Conseco Fieldhouse (18,345), Indianapolis.

Radio: Brian Barnhart and Jerry Hester call the action on WDWS 1400-AM, WHMS 97.5-FM, WDAN 1490-AM, WDNL 102.1-FM and WPXN 104.9-FM.

TV: ESPN. Dave O'Brien is on play-by-play duties, and former Big Ten assistant Steve Lavin provides the analysis.

Series: Illinois leads 107-76. Wisconsin has a 3-2 edge against Illinois in the Big Ten tournament. Their most recent postseason matchup was Wisconsin's 61-48 win in the 2008 championship game at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Badgers have won seven of their last nine meetings overall, including a 72-57 win Sunday at the Assembly Hall. As the coach at Illinois, Bruce Weber is 7-9 against Wisconsin.

Coaches: Weber (170-70 in seventh season at Illinois, 273-123 in 12th season overall); Bo Ryan (216-80 in ninth season at Wisconsin and 599-193 in 26th season overall).

PAUL KLEE'S STORYLINES

1

Making adjustments

In the days after Wisconsin's 72-57 win Sunday at Illinois, the Illini studied what has to change in Friday's matchup to win. Illinois actually was respectable on defense. Wisconsin only made 43 percent of its two-point shots, as Basketball Prospectus guru John Gasaway pointed out. "So if you're watching the tape and looking at first-shot (defense), yeah, you might think Illinois did OK," added Gasaway, an Illinois alum. The difference-maker? "Rebounding," forward Bill Cole said. How bad was it? The game featured only 58 possessions – yet Wisconsin cracked the 70-point barrier by rebounding 44 percent of its missed shots. That's a damning number for Illinois because Wisconsin was a below-average offensive rebounding team during the rest of the season, Gasaway said. "We have to rebound better," Weber said. "That's a big obvious one." Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said he doesn't anticipate major changes on either side. Both coaches acknowledged the result probably comes down to which team hits shots. "I know Bruce Weber is a great teacher and coach," Ryan said. "He's trying to get his team to play as well as they can."

2

Oil and water

Some things have changed since Demetri McCamey, as a freshman, busted onto the Big Ten scene with a riveting, 26-point effort against Purdue in the 2008 Big Ten tournament. He's now a first-team All-Big Ten selection and is tied with Deron Williams for the Illini's single-season assists record (6.77 per game). "We had three point guards last year. This year I'm the guy with the ball 99 percent of the time," McCamey said. Other things haven't changed. In that Purdue game two years ago, Weber hollered from the sideline: "Demetri! Stop making excuses and be a player!" As the basketball world saw in an ugly-looking sideline encounter with Weber on Sunday, that hasn't changed. Weber and McCamey downplayed the sideline clash, but it was yet another example how their personalities are oil and water. Still, Weber has been more complimentary of McCamey of late, perhaps because they both need each other. "He's not perfect, either, and we remind him of that. That's part of a true leader. You help the other guys. You don't get frustrated with him," Weber said. "If he was perfect on both ends of the court, he would have the total right to do that. That's one thing he's got to realize: He's got to pick up both ends of the court and play well, then he can get after people."

3

Big man, big problems

Illinois won't know until Sunday if its wins against Michigan State (without Kalin Lucas) and Wisconsin (without Jon Leuer) will carry as much weight with the NCAA selection committee. What it does know is that Wisconsin is an entirely different team with Leuer, the versatile and powerful 6-foot-10 forward from Minnesota. The Badgers are 3-0 since Leuer returned to the starting lineup after battling a wrist injury, with an average margin of victory of 24.7 points. He made like Tim Duncan against Illinois, scoring 20 points in 26 minutes. "It's the same way me and Mike Davis are difficult to guard," Mike Tisdale said, when asked why Leuer is a tough matchup. "He can score inside and outside." Thing is, Leuer is stronger than both, so Weber said the Illini must focus on keeping the ball away from Leuer. "We talk a lot about playing defense before your man catches the basketball," Weber said.

PREDICTION

Wisconsin 67, Illinois 60

Really, March elsewhere hasn't been that bad to Illinois. There weren't any shocking upsets in mid-major leagues that would have stolen NCAA tournament bids from bubble teams. Siena won. Butler won. Old Dominion won. So that's a plus for the Illini, who picked a great season to be on the bubble. But as the Illini themselves are concerned, the turning calendar has smacked them in the face. Illinois is only 8-9 in March – the most important month of the basketball season – since Dee Brown skipped town. And that includes a 5-2 March mark in 2008. As for Friday's matchup, Illinois has the best player on either team – "I still say we go as Demetri goes," Weber said – and he gives them a chance against a superior Wisconsin team. But not enough of a chance. Badgers win, Illini sweat Selection Sunday. (News-Gazette prediction record: 21-9)