Northwestern University Athletics
In-State Rivals Clash as Wildcats Travel to Illinois Sunday
1/26/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Jan. 26, 2008
EVANSTON, Ill. -
Northwestern and Illinois face off Sunday at Assembly Hall during their only regular season meeting in 2007-08. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. with the Big Ten Network providing television coverage. Wayne Larrivee and Shon Morris are on the call.
WGN Radio (720 AM) is also broadcasting the game with Dave Eanet and Bob Hildebrand.
The Fighting Illini is the only Big Ten team the Wildcats will not host this season. The game tips off a stretch during which Northwestern will play three of its next four Big Ten games on the road.
Series History: Illinois leads, 124-34. The Illini has won the last eight meetings.
Last Meeting: Northwestern trailed by just one at the half, but managed only 15 points after the break in falling 48-37 at Champaign Feb. 18, 2007.
Last Time Out
Craig Moore scored a career-high 28 points and tied a school record by knocking down seven 3-pointers, but it wasn't enough as Northwestern dropped a 78-62 decision to 10th-ranked Michigan State at Welsh-Ryan Arena Thursday evening. Raymar Morgan scored 23 points and Drew Neitzel added 20 for the Spartans who used some hot shooting from 3-point range to jump out to an early lead. Kevin Coble chipped in 17 points and a team-high six rebounds for Northwestern. Michigan State was unstoppable from 3-point range in the opening half, hitting eight of nine attempts as it led by as many as 21 points before the break at 36-15 with five minutes left. Despite the large deficit, the Wildcats rallied back with a 16-2 run behind eight points by Moore to climb back within seven. The Spartans eventually led by 10 at the break and then opened the second half on a 12-0 run. The closest NU would get the rest of the way would be 10 points with just under two minutes remaining.
Gimme Some Moore
Junior guard Craig Moore has been a threat from 3-point range all season. After making six shots from beyond the arc against Arkansas State Dec. 3 and at Chicago State Jan. 16, Moore tied his own school record with seven treys Thursday against Michigan State. He first tied the mark originally set originally set by Winston Blake against Miami (Fla.) Nov. 28, 2006. Moore leads the Big Ten with an average of 3.4 made 3-pointers per game this season and ranks third on NU's career list for attempts with 467 and fourth with 167 3-point makes.
Scouting Illinois
• After tying for fourth place in the Big Ten last season, the Illini (9-11, 1-6) has won just one of its first seven conference games so far this year.
•Illinois is coming off a 64-58 loss Tuesday at Ohio State. Rodney Alexander came off the bench to lead the Illini with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
•Senior center Shaun Pruitt leads the team with averages of 12.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, but sat out the Ohio State contest. He paces the Big Ten with an average of 3.6 offensive rebounds per game.
• Senior forward Brian Randle ranks fourth in the conference in field goal percentage (.625) and rebounding (7.4) in Big Ten games.
Up Next...
The Wildcats play their final non-conference game of the regular season Wednesday when they host Texas-Pan American at 7 p.m.
