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GAME TIME: 12:40 p.m., C-U time

Lineups

Illinois (19-13)

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. 4.5

F Mike Davis 6-9 Jr. 10.3

C Mike Tisdale 7-1 Jr. 11.9

Top reserves

G Brandon Paul 6-3 Fr. 7.9

F Tyler Griffey 6-9 Fr. 2.9

G Jeff Jordan 6-1 Jr. 1.4

OHIO STATE (25-7)

Probable starters

P Name HT. YR. PPG

G Evan Turner 6-7 Jr. 19.5

G William Buford 6-5 So. 14.3

G David Lighty 6-5 Jr. 12.5

G Jon Diebler 6-6 Jr. 12.6

F Dallas Lauderdale 6-8 Jr. 7.1

Top reserves

C Jeremie Simmons 6-2 Sr. 4.9

F P.J. Hill 6-1 Sr. 3.4

F Kyle Madsen 6-9 Sr. 2.6

Facts & Figures

Site: Conseco Fieldhouse (18,354), 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: CBS. Jim Nantz is on play-by-play duties, and Clark Kellogg provides the expert analysis.

Series: Illinois leads 99-61. When Ohio State is nationally ranked, the Buckeyes have won eight straight meetings with Illinois, a streak that dates back to the Flyin' Illini in 1989. Ohio State swept the regular season series with 19- and 16-point wins. As the coach at Illinois, Bruce Weber is 5-7 against the Buckeyes.

Coaches: Weber (171-70 in seventh season at Illinois, 274-123 in 12th season overall); Thad Matta (152-53 in sixth season at Ohio State and 255-84 in 10th season overall).

Paul Klee's Storylines

Make him Clark Kent

How to contain Evan Turner? Don't give him open looks from 37 feet. His buzzer-beater at the Big Ten tournament notwithstanding, defenders take different approaches to try to limit the Wooden Award frontrunner. "You've got to make him a jump shooter," said Purdue guard Chris Kramer, the league's Defensive Player of the Year. "He's going to make some shots; he's the best player in the country. But you've got to make him make shots." Illinois guard D.J. Richardson estimated he defended Turner for all of his 35 minutes in the Illini's loss at Ohio State. He also spent the majority of the time on Turner in their loss at the Assembly Hall and expects to draw the assignment today. "He's a great player and he's going to get his," Richardson said. "You've got to make him take tough shots. We've got to make sure he's contained and not let the other guys go off."

Doing work on 'D'

The first half against Wisconsin, when the Badgers shot 18.8 percent, arguably was the Illini's finest defensive effort of the season. "I told Demetri (McCamey), Mike Davis, they needed their best defensive effort of the year," Bruce Weber said. "For most of it we did." The challenge is greater against Ohio State. And it's not you-know-who the Illini are most worried about. In their two meetings, Jon Diebler has made 13 three-pointers. Guard David Lighty, who has a favorable matchup as a quicker 4-man, has averaged 16 points. It's "the other guys," as Weber said, that whipped Illinois this season. Purdue and Minnesota are the only Big Ten teams that beat Ohio State with Turner in the lineup. And he played well in those games, scoring 19 and 29 points. But it's the unusual suspects that concern Illinois. "There's only so much you can do with Evan. He's by far the best player in the country," said assistant Jerrance Howard, who has the Ohio State scouting report. "You can't let the other guys have career games."

Underdogs, again

Illinois entered Friday's game against Wisconsin as an eight-point underdog in at least one online sports book. Ohio State is a seven-point favorite today. "It's happened to us before," Mike Tisdale said. "No one picked us to beat Michigan State, Clemson, Vanderbilt. So you know, we've been there before. Hopefully we come out with an attitude." The laid-back attitude in the locker room actually is an advantage in games like this one. It's usually when Illinois hosts a team like Minnesota, when the Illini are favored, that they play poorly. "We're not going to be intimidated," Weber said. Illinois wasn't intimidated by Wisconsin. During one stoppage in play, Demetri McCamey actually pushed power forward Jon Leuer out of the way as the Illini prepared to throw the ball in-bounds. The team's floor leader is tight with Turner, but it's not the lovey-dovey relationship like it's often portrayed. There's a distinct, sometimes heated competition between the two, and McCamey would love to have the final say on Turner's stay in the Big Ten.

PREDICTION

Illinois 64, Ohio State 63

Seated in the second row behind one basket, Mike Tisdale's mother had her eyes closed in the final minutes against Wisconsin. "Sometimes I can't watch; I get too nervous," Robin Tisdale said earlier this season. Mike added, "It was probably for the last 20 minutes (of the game), just because I know her. She's just nervous. I can't blame her. I got a little nervous, too, when they started hitting those threes." Illini nerves will get another workout if Ohio State makes it 3 for 3 against Illinois today. It would seem Illinois is in the NCAA tournament as it is. But strange things happen – take Illinois' win against Wisconsin, for example – and the Illini would prefer to lock up a bid on their own. The key is Mike Davis; not on offense, but on defense. If the forward can stay with the swift wings of Ohio State – such as David Lighty – Illinois will play for its third Big Ten tournament title. (News-Gazette prediction record: 21-10).