Illini Seal Deal
Earn Top No. 1 Seed, Will Face Fairleigh-Dickinson
The Associated Press - Sunday March 13, 2005
Deron Williams said it all as he dribbled out the clock, holding his finger high in the air to signify what the polls have said most of the season -- Illinois is indeed No. 1. The top-ranked Illini dominated defensively to build a big lead and then held on Sunday to beat No. 23 Wisconsin 54-43 in the Big Ten tournament finals for their school-record 32nd win. Illinois (32-1) passed its final test before the NCAA tournament, withstanding a late 10-0 run by the Badgers and capping an emotional weekend, two days after head coach Bruce Weber's mother died. In front of a loud orange-clad following on its favorite home-away-from-home court at the United Center, the Illini got 15 points and 12 rebounds from Roger Powell and 12 points each from Luther Head and James Augustine, who was voted tournament MVP. When Augustine, whose long-armed defense made a tough day for Wisconsin's leading scorer Alando Tucker, got his fourth foul with just over 9 minutes to play. When he left, the Badgers got back in the game. Tucker, whose 3-point buzzer-beater in the semifinals carried the Badgers (22-8) over Iowa, managed just nine points on 4-of-14 shooting but was instrumental in Wisconsin's comeback. Mike Wilkinson, Wisconsin's second-leading scorer, also struggled, scoring eight points on 1-for-7 shooting as the Badgers made only 14 of 54 field goal attempts (26 percent). Top reserve Zach Morley, who had 40 points in the first two Wisconsin wins, managed five on Sunday. With Illinois nursing a five-point lead early in the second half, Williams started an 8-0 spurt with a 3-pointer, Augustine blocked a shot by Tucker and after Powell made two free throws, Rich McBride took a pass from Williams and hit a 3-pointer for a 35-23 lead. The Illini increased it to 16 when Head and Powell hit 3-pointers and then Head raced ahead on a fastbreak for a dunk on a pass from Dee Brown with 8:42 left. But Wisconsin, which lost for the third time to Illinois this season after beating the Illini in the tournament finals a year ago, had one run left. Tucker, scoreless in the first half, hit a basket and a 3-pointer, Kammron Taylor made a 3 and two free throws and the Badgers got within 46-41 with 4:41 to go. Still trailing 48-43, the Badgers then missed five straight shots that could have cut into the lead, including a 3-point miss by Tucker with just over a minute to go. Powell, fouled on the rebound, then hit two free throws to make it 50-43. Augustine dropped in two from the line with 36 seconds left and Powell two more 9 seconds later as the Illini hung on. Illinois' defense smothered the Badgers in the first half, forcing Wisconsin into 6-for-25 shooting and no field goals from Tucker and Wilkinson, who combined for two points and 0-for-7 shooting. The Illini took a 26-18 when Williams did a nifty crossover dribble and hit a jumper with 2 seconds left in the Illini's lowest-scoring half of the season. Illinois improved to 27-6 at the United Center -- where it has won 14 straight games -- and won despite a dismal shooting performance from Brown, who went scoreless on 0-for-8 shooting.
The Associated Press - Sunday March 13, 2005
Deron Williams said it all as he dribbled out the clock, holding his finger high in the air to signify what the polls have said most of the season -- Illinois is indeed No. 1. The top-ranked Illini dominated defensively to build a big lead and then held on Sunday to beat No. 23 Wisconsin 54-43 in the Big Ten tournament finals for their school-record 32nd win. Illinois (32-1) passed its final test before the NCAA tournament, withstanding a late 10-0 run by the Badgers and capping an emotional weekend, two days after head coach Bruce Weber's mother died. In front of a loud orange-clad following on its favorite home-away-from-home court at the United Center, the Illini got 15 points and 12 rebounds from Roger Powell and 12 points each from Luther Head and James Augustine, who was voted tournament MVP. When Augustine, whose long-armed defense made a tough day for Wisconsin's leading scorer Alando Tucker, got his fourth foul with just over 9 minutes to play. When he left, the Badgers got back in the game. Tucker, whose 3-point buzzer-beater in the semifinals carried the Badgers (22-8) over Iowa, managed just nine points on 4-of-14 shooting but was instrumental in Wisconsin's comeback. Mike Wilkinson, Wisconsin's second-leading scorer, also struggled, scoring eight points on 1-for-7 shooting as the Badgers made only 14 of 54 field goal attempts (26 percent). Top reserve Zach Morley, who had 40 points in the first two Wisconsin wins, managed five on Sunday. With Illinois nursing a five-point lead early in the second half, Williams started an 8-0 spurt with a 3-pointer, Augustine blocked a shot by Tucker and after Powell made two free throws, Rich McBride took a pass from Williams and hit a 3-pointer for a 35-23 lead. The Illini increased it to 16 when Head and Powell hit 3-pointers and then Head raced ahead on a fastbreak for a dunk on a pass from Dee Brown with 8:42 left. But Wisconsin, which lost for the third time to Illinois this season after beating the Illini in the tournament finals a year ago, had one run left. Tucker, scoreless in the first half, hit a basket and a 3-pointer, Kammron Taylor made a 3 and two free throws and the Badgers got within 46-41 with 4:41 to go. Still trailing 48-43, the Badgers then missed five straight shots that could have cut into the lead, including a 3-point miss by Tucker with just over a minute to go. Powell, fouled on the rebound, then hit two free throws to make it 50-43. Augustine dropped in two from the line with 36 seconds left and Powell two more 9 seconds later as the Illini hung on. Illinois' defense smothered the Badgers in the first half, forcing Wisconsin into 6-for-25 shooting and no field goals from Tucker and Wilkinson, who combined for two points and 0-for-7 shooting. The Illini took a 26-18 when Williams did a nifty crossover dribble and hit a jumper with 2 seconds left in the Illini's lowest-scoring half of the season. Illinois improved to 27-6 at the United Center -- where it has won 14 straight games -- and won despite a dismal shooting performance from Brown, who went scoreless on 0-for-8 shooting.
posted by MaximumBob | 7:00 PM
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