Illinois vs. the Mildcats

Illinois vs. Northwestern
Tonight @ 7 p.m.
Meet me at Joe's Brewery!

Mailbag

This year, your responses to the Illini Game Preview have been overwhelmingly positive. Everyone is so worked up about the Illini that the IGP mailbag is pretty darn boring. Still, I've found a few gems that I'd love to share with you. The first is from Illini Loyalist Marc Pinsof.


Netter-

On my 23rd Birthday, I stumbled out of a Lincoln Park Tavern and one of my buddies from High School mockingly pointed at Lucas Johnson who was hanging out outside, "Pinz, Lucas is such a crybaby. I can't believe you ever rooted for that guy." In my extreme drunken state, the only way I was able to defend such a comment was to proceed to do the chief dance in front of Lucas while humming the melody of “The Three-In-One” out loud. Lucas laughed, a crowd gathered, and my friends grabbed me and pulled me away from the “B” celebrity.

Pinzy

That's my boy Pinz. I love it when Illini fans do crazy stuff out of love for their home team. Here is an email from HC, BC's sister, who is currently a senior at Illinois and a member of the Orange Krush.

Last saturday i got in line at 5:30 am to get onto the floor
for the Wisconsin game. when i got there at 5:30am
there were alrady 45 other people before me. :( I got on the
floor anyways!! here's the picture of a determined orange
krusher who would do anything to get on the floor to see the
#1 illini play :).

Heather

Great picture HC…and thanks for those "other" pictures you sent as well…keep 'em coming! Here's one from my boy Parkman.

nice..i've been waiting all day for the IGP!!!! yeah
baby!!!!

rock and roll... there's trouble in MSU land!!!

Parkman

Parkman graduated from Loyola and, like me, resides in the South (Austin, TX). I've granted him an honorary Illini Degree for his ardent support of our team.

This next letter shows why you should not let your girlfriend/wife determine your favorite team

Mike-

The IZZone will be rocking tonight. My wife went to MSU so I have a tie to them. Let's put down a wager my friend. Give me 8 points and I'll take the Spartans!!

Stew

Thanks for the cash homey!!!! And thanks for the great wallpaper sent in the following email.

Nett...u like? pass it on! -Dave

Dave is a new reader but an old friend. Check out the awesome background he sent me. If you want to set this as the background of your desktop, then follow these directions. First, save this picture to your computer. Second, right click your desktop and choose properties. Third, select the desktop tab and click the Browse button. Fourth, navigate to the picture you just saved and click OK. Fifth, choose the 'march_arch' choice that was just added to the list and click OK. Sixth, show all your coworkers how cool you are. Seventh, when you coworkers start talking about UNC and Duke, tell them to jump aboard the Illini Bandwagon and commence arguing about how over-rated the ACC is.

This last email was the best of the season, and it was the greatest compliment ever paid to the Illini Game Preview.

Netter-

Whenever I get the IGP, I print it up and take it to the can. It's the best bathroom reading material ever.

Ander


I have arrived!

Preview

If I could revoke Green Cards from anyone in the U.S., then it would definitely be Northwestern's European big men who seem to go unconscious from 3-pt range whenever they play the Illini. Vedran Vukosic and Davor Duvancic each start their last name w/the same initial as their first, and each has killed the Illini during the last 2 games in Evanston. Fortunately, tonight we'll play at Assembly Hall where Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber will probably extend his defense to prevent being hurt by the long ball.

The Mildcat match up zone will be in full effect. You better believe that coaches around the country will be basing their game strategies in the tourney on how effective NU is tonight. Likewise, if the Illini struggle on offense, then predictable columnists everywhere will write about their 'formula' for beating Illinois. However, the Illini will not provide fodder for any second rate newspapers and prove how good they are…again.

James Augustine will start the game, as he always does, by winning the tip. A combination of long range shooting and dizzying teamwork for the first 15 minutes will crescendo in a fast break dunk by Dee Brown to end the half. Yes. Yes. Dee Brown can dunk…I've seen video. Here's how it will go down: After picking T.J. Parker clean, Dee will blur down the court for a one-handed jam. No he won't cover his eyes like another famous hoopster of the same name, but he will bring all of Assembly Hall to their feet. Illini Nation will be in a tizzy. The dunk will energize his play and his team's. Dee is the prime performer tonight using a combination of shooting, passing, stealing, and dunking to lead the Illini to a late season victory.

Illinois - 70
Northwestern - 56

Sincerely,
The Anti Vitale

Illinois vs. PSU

Illinois vs. Penn State
Tonight @ 7 p.m.

I'll remember the 89-72 shellacking of Gonzaga when I realized that this Illini team was really good.

I'll remember the 91-73 destruction of Wake Forest when I realized that this Illini team was really, really good.

I'll remember Luther Head's 25 point, 42 minute performance against Iowa in an overtime win.

I'll remember Ingram's two three-pointers that helped snap Wisconsin's 38 game home winning streak.

I'll remember Dee Brown tossing the ball over his head to Deron Williams who punched the ball to James Augustine for a monstrous dunk in the opening minutes of our win over Indiana.

And I'll most definitely remember Dee Brown's refuse to lose attitude in the second half of the Michigan game.

Reader, these moments will be filed away next to some other special Illini memories that I've gathered over the years. I’d like to share one with you now.

[Cue cheesy music]

It all started like bad 80's movie. Dimitry called me from Australia where he was visiting his girlfriend who was studying abroad.

"The bitch dumped me," he said dumbfounded.

"What?! How did that happen?" Dimitry started to explain how it went down, but his words faded as I hatched the greatest idea I’d ever had.

"Let's go to Dayton," I interrupted.

"Huh? You want me to fly half way around the world so that we can go watch Illinois in the first round of the NCAAs?"

"Yes."

"That's a great idea," his voice quivered

Thirty-six hours later, I picked up D at O’Hare and we drove to Dayton to watch Illinois vs Northwestern State in the first round of the 2001 NCAA Tournament. On the way I called up my friend Jared. He was President of the Orange Krush at the time and is the Co-Author of 100 Years of Illinois Basketball. We booked a room, bought tickets, and prepared for the deepest Illinois tourney run in 10 years

Friday’s game was a laugher, and after we watched the games all day Saturday, we decided to celebrate St. Patrick ’s Day in downtown Dayton. We were drinking green beer at a tented block party when I hatched my second greatest idea ever. "Fellas," I said. "Each hotel that is housing a team has an NCAA basketball banner on display. I think we need some decorations for our houses. A sparkle twinkled their eyes. At that, we were off like Dee Brown on a fast break.

We snuck into a parking garage in downtown Dayton where we untied and stole a 10 foot long NCAA banner. We stuffed it into Jared's car and Dimitry wondered aloud, "who gets to keep it?" Jared and Kevin lived together, while Dimitry and I resided at the Cottage, a huge 8-man mansion we called home. "Well, let's go get another one offered up Jared.

At our second stop, the four of us swiped a low hanging sign, and we started the hi-fiving each other as we walked back to the car. All of a sudden we heard footsteps and then, "You, you there. Stop where you are."

We took off.

I dropped the sign, and we jumped into Jared's car. He threw it into reverse when we heard a sickening THUD. Our heads snapped around to see a lanky man in cowboy boots flying in slow motion through the air. 'Oh Shit' should have been stamped on all of our foreheads as we looked at each other dumbfounded. The hotel security guard had tried to jump on the car as we were making our getaway

We got out and saw that the man was OK. We knew that he was OK because he picked himself off the payment and screamed, "Get your asses inside. I'm calling the cops and charging you four w/trespassing." We contemplated another escape, but Zed (that's what we'll call him for dramatic purposes) said, "Don't even think about it. I have your license plate number."

We sat in the hotel lobby waiting for the police when Jared started to plead our case. "Sir, we're just fans who wanted a souvenir. It's not like we got drunk and decided to go steal something." I nearly lost it.

The police strode in and things immediately started to look up. "I hear that you boys have been very naughty," said one of the cops trying to contain his laughter. The police let us off with a warning, and as we left they said, "Go have some fun,"

We were all pretty pleased until Jared saw the trunk of his car. There was a huge dent from where Ned had jumped on trying to do his best MacGyver impersonation. We called over the police and Jared showed them what had happened.

"Pop the trunk and let’s see the damage. You might be able to file charges against the hotel."

At that point, we all realized that the first sign we stole was stashed in the trunk. We were about to be caught red handed.

"Uh, Uh...let's just forget it. I don't want to push our luck," Jared told the officers.

We drove back to the hotel relieved that there would not be any jail time and happy about the story we had to tell from our trip to Dayton.

The next day, Illinois defeated Charlotte to earn a trip the Sweet Sixteen and a meeting w/Kansas.

A month after the tournament was over, we were still telling our story to anybody who would listen, when Dimitry and I received a strange package in the mail with no return address. When we opened it, we found the very banner we tried to steal in Dayton. Attached to the sign was a note from the police.

Guys,

Sometimes its better to ask then to steal.

Officer Johnson and Officer Nadel.

I know that many of you have some great Illini memories, so please send them my way. I’d love to read them, and I may even publish them in my annual IGP Mail Bag Edition.

Game Analysis

The Nittany Lions - bad .

The Fighting Illini - good

Illinois - 79
Penn State - 60


Sincerely,

The Ghost of Illini Past

Illinois vs. Fichigan

Illinois vs. Fichigan
Tonight @ 6 p.m.

There are two undefeateds left in all of college basketball, and both will see action tonight as Illinois heads to Ann Arbor and Boston College takes on Notre Dame in South Bend. If you get a chance, flip over at the commercials because BC vs. the Fighting Irish should be a good one. Notre Dame has some phatty beads and they're going to expose BC like a college girl on Bourbon Street. And as all the sinners pass out from a night of booze and debauchery, Illinois will be the only team left w/a chance to run the table in the regular season.

Michigan

After last year's "championship" run in the Not Important Tournament (NIT), Michigan looked strong earlier this season and was poised to surprise a few teams and maybe even earn a birth in the NCAA. Unfortunately, injuries to Lester Abram (shoulder - season ending) and Graham Brown (hernia), combined w/Daniel Horton's indefinite suspension for allegedly choking his girlfriend (how many felons are we going to play this year?), the Wolverines are flat on their backs and looking up at the champ.

Abram and Horton were the team's top players, but without them Michigan has dropped their last 6 games in a row. Dion Harris (6'3" 205) has tried to fill the void at point guard, but his 9 turnovers against tOSU show his inexperience handling the rock. As a team, Michigan recorded 29 turnovers in Saturday's loss, and they have tallied 88 turnovers in the last 4 games. That has to be a record. Keep your eye on Sophomore Brent Petway (6'8" 205), the kid has big league hops and is fun to watch.

Illinois

From what I've read, the mood in the Illini locker room following Sunday's game against Indiana was so somber that you would have thought the team lost by 13 instead of won by 13. Bruce Weber said earlier in the season that Illinois doesn't have to lose in order to learn. A blow out win over Michigan should prove that tonight.

The Illini will come out w/intense 3-quarter court pressure to take advantage of Fichigan's inexperienced backcourt. They'll want to play like they did in the first five minutes of the Indiana game. Deron Williams collected 7 of his 11 assists in that opening sequence Saturday. The kid collects dimes like everyone's favorite Champaign bum "Spare Anything" on Green Street. Deron's scoring average took a hit as he only had 1 point Saturday, but I think he'll break out tonight w/a double-double…20 pts 10 dimes.

Illinois - 87
Fichigan - 69


Sincerely,

Dee's 'Fraids

Illinois vs. Sparty

Illinois vs. MSU
Tonight @ 6 p.m.

OK everyone, please move to the center of your aisles. Get a little cozier w/the person next to you, and please, please refrain from smoking. Our Illini Bandwagon is filling up on its way to the Final Four, and we will probably need to pick up a few more peeps after tonight. Everyone is welcome aboard, w/the exception of Bruce Pearl, Duke fans, and Tom Coverdale. Coach Self tried sneaking on twice already, and we had to beat the bastard back w/a stick.

I've stocked the wagon w/plenty of thrills, fast breaks, and enough cans of 'Whup Ass' to last about 18 more wins. The beer is on chill, and we will be stopping for a giant block party at the Breslin Center tonight (please don't burn any couches). I know it's game day, but try to get your work done so that you can cut out a few minutes early. You'll need some extra time to put on your orange, find a seat, and grab a Brewski for the 6 o'clock tip-off. Oh,… and in case of an accident, your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device.

MSU

I hate Steve Alford, I hate Mike Davis, I hate Bo Ryan, I hate Tommy Amaker, and I hate Gene Keady; Ed Dechillis, Dan Monson, Thad Matta, and Bill Carmody do not win enough to be worthy of my hate. However, I do not hate Tom Izzo…I actually kind of like him. Our rivalry w/MSU has been one of the best in the Big10 for the past 8 years or so. It's different than the others. When we beat up our other Big10 opponents, I like for us to kick them in the ribs a few times while they are down…maybe even rub their faces in the mud or use their own arms to hit themselves and ask, "Why are you hitting yourself, why are you hitting yourself?" But our MSU rivalry is more along the lines of Arturo Gatti vs. Mickey Ward than Tupac vs. Biggy. These two pugilists fought three times totaling over 30 epic rounds of Rocky like action. Each fighter respected the other, but when the bell sounded those two went to battle.

Ding Ding

MSU is almost a mirror image of the Illini this year, they start 3 guards and their power forward is a 6'6" 'tweener. However, the Spartans are a little different from the rough and tumble teams of recent memory; they like to run and probably will not try to slow Illinois down like previous opponents. Maurice Ager stole 3-year starter Kelvin Torbert's job this season w/stellar scoring numbers 14.5 ppg and lock down defense. Expect a 40 minute battle between him and Luther Head or Deron Williams. He teams up w/hi-flyer Shannon Brown (Dee's former high school teammate) and sharp shooter Chris Hill to form a poor man's version of the Illinois backcourt.

Paul Davis is a load inside, but he sat out MSU's last game w/an ankle sprain. He reminds me of a more skilled Robert Archibald the way he uses positioning to score. He has terrific body control, but at any moment he looks like he might start to cry. My inside sources say that Weber is going to have Roger Powell guard the 6'10" Davis even though Alan Anderson seems like a perfect match-up. Anderson could give Augustine problems on the perimeter if he is aggressive in driving to the hoop.

Illinois

While MSU's home court advantage has not received the same media attention as the Kohl Center did, MSU is 95-6 at the Breslin Center over the last six seasons. They are planning a White Out for tonight's game - a knockoff of Illinois' Paint the Hall Orange - and the atmosphere should be electric. But Illinois has already proven that they are a bunch of ducks…the pressure rolls off their backs like water.

James Augustine has been awesome in the last 2 games and earned Big Ten Player of the Week for his efforts. We need a strong showing from him in the post to offset Davis' scoring for MSU. Keep racking up the dunks big man!

While Jack Ingram has been garnering some well deserved ink lately, Rich McBride has stepped up w/his own strategically placed three's and increased intensity on defense. While Jack helped to put the game away against the Badgers, it was McBride's three that start Illinois on their run I think McBride busts loose for some bombs like he did against Memphis last year. This Prime Performer will go for 11 points on 3 three-pointers tonight.

MSU is 5-1 in the Big Ten and we are 7-0, so a win tonight gives us a two game cushion and puts us in the drivers seat for the conference championship.

Illinois - 83
MSU - 79


Sincerely yours,

Fess Hawkins