Illinois at Minnesota: Both Teams Look To Get Back On Track
by BT Hoops on Feb 10, 2011 6:00 PM CST
in Game Previews
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PrintWhen Illinois and Minnesota face each other tonight at 9:00ET on ESPN both teams will be looking to get their seasons back on track.
Minnesota(16-7, 5-6) is coming off three straight losses to Purdue, Indiana and Ohio State. They look to get a win at home against Illinois. Minnesota is now ranked 25 in the latest ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll.
Illinois(15-8, 5-5) is coming off a loss to Northwestern on the road. They have now lost their last five of seven games. They have dropped out of the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll this week.
Both of these teams have the chance to be thrown on the NCAA Tournament bubble depending on how they do in the final stretch of their schedule. Both teams are not locks for the NCAA Tournament at this point in the season. That is part of what makes this game so important.
Minnesota and Illinois will also be duking it out for fourth place in the Big Ten and that four seed in the Big Ten Tournament. Right now Illinois trails Minnesota by one game in the Big Ten. If Minnesota can get this win, they will have a good shot at the four seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
(More after the jump)
Illinois only has two player that average double digit scoring at this point. Those players are Demetri McCamey, who averages about 14 points a game and Mike Davis who averages 10. Illinois players averages have been falling in the last seven games. Their players are capable of much more scoring, we just have failed to see it in the last seven games. That is really what is hurting this Illini squad.
Minnesota is lead by duo Blake Hoffarber and Trevor Mbakwe who both average between 14 and 16 points per game. They also have a great scorer in Ralph Sampson III who averages 11 points per game.
Minnesota is favored in this game by two. I wouldn't be surprised if Minnesota wins by more than that. When they play in the barn, it isn't the easiest to beat them, and with the way the Illini have been struggling, it is possible for Minnesota to run away with it, if they get firing on all cylinders. Minnesota is coming off that Ohio State loss at home, and I think they will rebound from it.
This game is big, as it could decide the tie breaker if the two tie in the Big Ten due to this being the only matchup between the two this year.
Rebounding will be a key in the game, as will second chance opportunities. The turnover battle will be another key. Illinois and Minnesota both cannot afford to play bad defense.
These teams need to get on track. The Big Ten doesn't need to lose anymore teams in the NCAA Tournament.
It doesn't get any easier for either after this, as Illinois faces Purdue at home and Minnesota travels to Iowa. The Iowa game no longer looks like it will be a cake walk, as Iowa almost upset Wisconsin at home and looks to be getting better.
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If the gophers win a close one
(Which is what I see happening) I think both teams can still get in easily. If the gophs lose they’ll have an uphill battle.
"If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be." - Yogi Berra
Illinois leads by 1 at the half...
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 8:59 PM CST reply actions
I didn't see who missed that dunk...
but the ball absolutely took off and Illinois got the defensive board. Then the Illini drove back down the court and got dunk of their own.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:22 PM CST reply actions
Hoffarber with a huge 3 to put the Gophers up by 4.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:27 PM CST reply actions
Hoffarber with two more threes, both off the rim and no good.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:27 PM CST reply actions
Davis with a tough shot inside, manages to bank it in.
41-39 Minnesota.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:28 PM CST reply actions
That shot should NOT have gone in, but Davis somehow managed to make it roll...
Ugly shot, but good result. Tie game.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:32 PM CST reply actions
Hoffarber misses another 3.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:32 PM CST reply actions
McCamey 3 is no good.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:32 PM CST reply actions
Sampson with a huge 2 to take the lead.
And then a magical foul on Minnesota. 0 contact whatsoever and Iverson gets his 3rd foul of the game.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:33 PM CST reply actions
Minnesota has missed their last 3 shots from beyond the arc.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:34 PM CST reply actions
Make that their last 4...
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:35 PM CST up reply actions
Illinois has taken 12 threes but only made 2.
Ugly.
Trevor Mbakwe already has a double-double going with 12 points and 14 rebounds.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:37 PM CST reply actions
Sampson makes a 2.
46-45 Illinois.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:38 PM CST reply actions
Richardson hits a 3 to give Illinois a 49-45 lead.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:39 PM CST reply actions
McCamey steals a bad pass.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:41 PM CST reply actions
Easy layup by McCamey off another steal
and he’s hobbling. Not good for the Illini at all.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:41 PM CST reply actions
Offensive foul on Tisdale, Illini turnover.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:42 PM CST reply actions
McCamey gets to the line and bricks both free throws.
1 for 4 from the line. Brutal.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:45 PM CST reply actions
Mbakwe with a huge and-1 for the Gophers.
Gets the crowd right back into the game…
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:45 PM CST reply actions
Mbakwe gets the free throw.
51-49.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:48 PM CST up reply actions
Tie game, Hoffarber hits a short 2.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:48 PM CST reply actions
Davis then gives the Illini the lead with a huge 3...
Just the 4th that the Illini have gotten.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:49 PM CST reply actions
Make that a 2.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:50 PM CST up reply actions
Kicked ball on the Illini.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:49 PM CST reply actions
Tisdale takes away a bad pass.
Not what the Gophers need offensively…
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:50 PM CST reply actions
McCamey to the line, where he's been brutal tonight.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:50 PM CST reply actions
McCamey converts the 3 point play, and leaves the game.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:50 PM CST up reply actions
Huge shot by the Gophers to get them within 3.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:51 PM CST reply actions
Tisdale then gets a huge inside play to take a 5 point lead...
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:51 PM CST reply actions
And then Mbakwe with a HUGE dunk to get the crowd back in the game.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:52 PM CST reply actions
58-55 Illinois lead with 5:00 to go.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:53 PM CST reply actions
Turnover by the Illini, Minnesota might very well tie the game.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:53 PM CST reply actions
No such luck. Hoffarber misses another 3.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:54 PM CST reply actions
And Richardson hits a 3 to extend the lead to 61-55.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:54 PM CST reply actions
And Sampson draws a foul and hits the basket.
4 fouls on Mike Davis.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:54 PM CST reply actions
Sampson misses the free throw,
Minnesota gets the ball back, and then they miss the ensuing shot.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:55 PM CST reply actions
Mbakwe has 16 rebounds. Just unreal today….
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:56 PM CST reply actions
Hollins misses a 3.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 9:56 PM CST reply actions
No points for the Illini on that possession. Not good for them...
Can’t waste possessions in the Barn…
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:00 PM CST reply actions
Mike Davis with a 2.
Minnesota down 63-57. And they lose the ball; Illinois uses up its possession arrow.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:01 PM CST reply actions
In 7 of their 8 losses, Illinois has led or tied in the final minute.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:04 PM CST reply actions
Rodney Williams with a giant 3 to close the game to 5...
65-60 Illinois.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:05 PM CST reply actions
Mbakwe fouls McCamey...
8 team fouls for the Gophers.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:06 PM CST reply actions
McCamey hits the first...
and the second.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:06 PM CST reply actions
Illinois leads 69-60.
Under a minute to go in Williams Arena.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:08 PM CST reply actions
71-62 Illinois lead.
Bruce Weber calls timeout.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:09 PM CST reply actions
Illinois wins 71-62.
Minnesota will not be ranked the rest of the year.
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by OBrienSchofieldismyHero on Feb 10, 2011 10:11 PM CST reply actions
