The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

The Daily Illini

    Illini hold heads high as they head to the Hoosier state

    With a definitive win against Iowa and the defense beginning to come together, things seem to be falling into place for the Illini. They can’t stop now, though. Illinois needs to take another step forward against Indiana on Saturday to improve on its 2-0 conference record.

    Big men Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis need to be more aggressive, and freshmen Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson must translate their sharp shooting at home to games on the road.

    As for the defense, things are looking up.

    “You hope maybe it’s starting to click,” head coach Bruce Weber said.

    It can only help the Illini that freshman standout Maurice Creek, the Hoosiers’ leading scorer, went down with a knee injury on Dec. 28 and will most likely be out for the rest of the season.

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    “Obviously it hurts with Creek going down, their leading scorer, their leading 3-point shooter. It doesn’t help them,” Weber said. “But they used it against Michigan to as a motivator to go without him with high energy and found a way to win.”

    Indiana will thus try to get the ball in the hands of sophomore guard Verdell Jones III, a Champaign native and the team’s second-leading scorer. Weber said his two main goals are for the Illini to go inside on the offensive end and block the Hoosiers up the middle because they like to drive to the basket.

    If his players don’t do that, he will recognize that as he has done in past games.

    “When we had guys break down or not make the hustle plays, we took them out,” Weber said.

    Illinois defeated Indiana in both of their matchups last season, and Weber’s squad will aim to keep second-year head coach Tom Crean from getting his first win against the program.

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