Wayne Larrivee, play-by-play; Jim Jackson, expert analyst.
The Illini have scored at least 70 points in each of their last four home
games. Illinois is averaging 74.8 ppg on 49.3 percent shooting (104-211) over
its last four appearances at the Assembly Hall.
Illinois three Big Ten wins have each been by 18 or more points.
Illinois’ average margin of victory in conference wins is 25.0 ppg.
Nine of Illinois’ 10 Big Ten losses have been by 10 points or less.
Illinois’ average margin of defeat in conferences losses is 6.8 ppg.
Demetri McCamey is averaging 15.5 points (62), 4.3 rebounds (17) and 5.0
assists(20) over the last four games.
McCamey nearly made history at Minnesota last Tuesday, falling two rebounds
shy of recording a triple-double, which would have been the third triple-double
in school records. McCamey scored 10 points, grabbed a career-high eight boards,
and dished out a career-best 11 assists against the Gophers. It is the most
assists by an Illini since Chester Frazier had 11 last season vs. IUPUI (Dec. 6,
2006).
Trent Meacham is averaging 15.0 points (30) on 58.8 percent shooting from
the field (10-17)and 61.5 percent from 3-point range (8-13) over the last two
games.
Meacham shot a perfect 5-for-5 from behind the arc at Minnesota last
Tuesday, tying the best 3-point field goal percentage by a Big Ten player
this year (Wisconsin’s Jon Leuer also made 5-of-5 treys vs. Michigan).
Wednesday’s game vs. Wisconsin is the Illini’s lone home contest during
a stretch of playing four out of five games on the road. The swing began last
week at Minnesota and at Penn State. After hosting Wisconsin, Illinois returns
to the road for games at Michigan (Saturday) and at Iowa (March 1).
Illinois is the only Big Ten school that twice plays four of five games on
the road during the conference schedule. In fact, Penn State is the only other
Big Ten Team that has a stretch of four out of five league games away from home.
When including Wednesday’s match-up with Wisconsin, nine of Illinois’
conference games will have come against teams in the top five of the current
standings.
Illinois’ strength of schedule ranks 17th in the nation and second among
Big Ten teams. The Illini have played 10 games vs. the RPI Top 50, tied for the
third-most games nationally against the current RPI Top 50.
Demetri McCamey is averaging 14.8 points in Big Ten play at home (89),
compared to an average of 6.3 points in conference play on the road (44).
McCamey is shooting 49.2 percent from the floor (29-59) and 47.1 percent from
3-point range (16-34) at the Assembly Hall through six Big Ten games.
Illinois ranks fifth in the conference and 48th in the NCAA in scoring
defense, allowing an average of 62.1 points per game.
Only seven teams have scored more than 70 points against the Illini this
year.
Illinois has had only four opponents shoot better than 46 percent from the
field on the season.
Illinois has outrebounded its opponent in 18 games and ranks fourth in the
Big Ten and 51st in the NCAA in rebounding margin at +4.4 rpg.
Illinois bench is contributing 20.8 points per game and has outscored the
opposing bench in 18 games.