Southern Illinois vs. Illinois Preview
The last time Illinois played Southern Illinois, Bruce Weber’s team nearly pulled off a stunning upset.
He probably hopes his team doesn’t receive such a scare this time.
Weber, who coached the Salukis in the last meeting, looks to get another strong performance from his seniors when the 13th-ranked Illini host Southern Illinois on Saturday night.
Oddsmakers from online sportsbook SBGGlobal.com have made the Illini –14.5 point spread favorites for Saturday’s game against Southern Illinois. Current College Basketball Public Betting Information shows that 56% of more than 1,400 bets for this game have been placed on Southern Illinois +14.5.
Illinois (2-0) is coming off an impressive 84-45 win over Toledo on Wednesday in the second round of the 2K Sports Classic. The tournament benefiting coaches vs. cancer resumes Thursday with the Illini playing Texas at Madison Square Garden.
After a sluggish start to the second half in Monday’s season-opening 79-65 win over UC Irvine, Weber wanted his team to come out with more energy after halftime against the Rockets. Despite leading 47-18 at the break, the Illini responded quickly, opening up a 40-point advantage 5 minutes into the second half.
“We won the last 5-minute war of the (first) half, and we won the first 5-minute war of the second half,” Weber said. “Then, pretty much you knock them out and they don’t have a thought of making a run at you.”
Weber, who said before the season the Illini will go as the seniors go, received solid contributions from his upperclassmen. Senior Demetri McCamey led the way with 13 points and seven assists in 18 minutes, while fellow seniors Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale combined for 22 points.
“As seniors, we have to come out and set the tone and not give up,” said McCamey, a preseason all-Big Ten selection. “We were up, I don’t know how many points at halftime, but we treated it as 0-0 and came out like we were down and kept fighting and getting turnovers.”
With McCamey leading the way, the Illini are hopeful of making their deepest run in the NCAA tournament since advancing to the title game in 2005, Weber’s second season at Illinois.
Before taking over in Champaign, Weber coached at Southern Illinois for five years, compiling a 103-54 record while winning two Missouri Valley Conference championships. He nearly led the Salukis to one of the biggest upsets in school history in 2001, but his team squandered a late lead and lost to then-No. 2 Illinois 75-72 in the Las Vegas Invitational.
Southern Illinois went on to reach the regional semifinals that season, the first of six straight trips to the NCAA tournament. The Salukis haven’t made the tournament in three years since, however, and return two starters from last season’s 15-15 team.
Senior forward Carlton Fey is the top returning scorer with an average of 12.0 points in 2009-10, while senior guard Justin Boot averaged 9.1 points.
“We don’t have any expectations – we want to get back to playing hard,” coach Chris Lowery said. “Last year we did not play hard, we did not play together, and those are things that need to be seen because when we do those things we have a chance.”
Lowery was an assistant under Weber in his final two years at SIU before moving with him to Illinois. He spent one season in Champaign before being named coach of the Salukis prior to the 2004-05 season.