NU Heads Downstate to Take On Illinois

3/1/2019 4:48:00 PM | Men's Basketball

NORTHWESTERN BASKETBALL: GAME DAY INFORMATION
DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	LOCATION	TELEVISION	LIVE STATS
Saturday, March 3	Illinois	5:30 p.m.	State Farm Center Champaign, Ill.	BTN	Sidearm
Radio: WGN Radio AM-720 (Dave Eanet and Joey Meyer) Social: Twitter (@NUMensBball) \| Instagram (@numensbball) \| Facebook Notes: Northwestern \| Illinois

EVANSTON, Ill. — Northwestern will head down to Champaign on Sunday to take on Illinois. Tip-off is set for 5:30 p.m.

This is the Wildcats' last road game of the regular season before they return to Evanston for their final two Big Ten contests. In the Wildcats' last matchup, a home affair against Minnesota, senior Dererk Pardon recorded his seventh double-double of the season and 16th of his career with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Senior Vic Law added a career-high seven assists along with 13 points, his 23rd game with double-figure scoring this season.

When Northwestern and Illinois faced off earlier in the season, the Wildcats prevailed, 68-66, thanks to a game-winning three-pointer by A.J. Turner with 11 seconds left. Turner's 12-point effort combined with Law's double-double was just enough to grab NU their second consecutive win over their in-state rivals.

The Fighting Illini come into the matchup 10-18 on the campaign and 6-11 in conference play. They will be looking to bounce back after dropping their last three games.

STORYLINES TO WATCH

DEFENDING THE ARC: The Wildcats are ranked No. 2 in the Big Ten for three-point field goal defense, holding their opponents to 29.6 percent. The last time Northwestern played Illinois, they held the Illini to zero made three-pointers on 11 attempts.

ROCK-SOLID DOWN LOW: Dererk Pardon has anchored the 'Cats in the post all season. The senior has averaged 14.7 points and 7.1 rebounds since conference play began. He also owns the third-highest field goal percentage in the Big Ten, helping him maintain his position as the player with the highest career field goal percentage in Wildcat history.

DISH TO PASS: The Wildcats rank highly in the Big Ten in numerous statistical categories relating to passing the basketball. They sit at second in the conference with an assist rate of 61.8 percent. The 'Cats also own the fourth-lowest turnover percentage at only 16 percent.

QUOTABLES

"To be thrown in late in the year in a high-level game with these kinds of players especially on the front line, I thought he did a lot of good things. Obviously, his game legs are a little rusty, but to be able to play him 21 minutes and we need to keep getting him back out there. That's what was so upsetting to me about his sickness was that he needs that experience, he needs those games and we have to throw him out there and see what he can do."
-Sullivan-Ubben Head Men's Basketball Coach Chris Collins on Pete Nance's return from illness

"The thing that I respect about our guys is they come every day and their attitudes have been good. I don't see anybody laying down, I don't see any quit in our guys. We've had our struggles but it's not because of effort and it's not because of attitude."
-Collins on the team's perseverance

"We still believe in him, it happens. Sometimes you don't score, sometimes it's just not your night. We just have to make sure he gets the ball in the right spots … he'll knock them down."
-Senior Dererk Pardon on teammate Ryan Taylor

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