Washington vs Illinois Preview by VIPsports Edge

Tommy · 03-18-06, 01:25 PM

Washington is 25-6 and was 13-5 in the PAC-10 during the regular season. The Huskies are also a perfect 12-0 against non-conference foes this year, although the only team of real substance in that group was Gonzaga.

Washington won the majority of those 25 games on its offense, as they are the 4th leading scoring team in the entire country. In the first round of this tourney, they scored 75 points in a 75-61 win over Utah State.

The Huskies are led by the Pac-10 player of the year, Brandon Roy. Roy averages over 20 points, five rebounds and four assists per game. The team has six players that average at least eight points per game, giving them a lot of balance. One more note is that they have won nine out of 10 games since power forward Mike Jenson was inserted in the starting line-up.

Illinois is 26-6 on the year and finished the Big 10 regular season at 11-5. That earned them a four seed in the tournament and a first round match-up with #13, Air Force.

The Air Force may be one the most feared units in battle, but on the hardwood they were no match-up for the Fighting Illini. Illinois had four players in double digits and got an impressive 32 points off their bench in 78-69 win.

The secret to Illinois’ success this year is simple. Their scoring is in the middle of the pack, but they have the number one scoring defense in the Big 10. They also had the top rebounding margin in the conference led by James Augustine’s nine rebounds per game, and over five each by forwards Brian Randle and Shaun Pruitt.

In this game, they are going to need guard Dee Brown to shoot well, but they also need to get the ball inside to Augustine who has a height advantage.

These two teams were both number one seeds heading into last year’s tournament. Washington lost to Rick Pitino’s upstart Louisville team in the Sweet Sixteen, while Illinois lost in the championship game to North Carolina. Neither of these teams is expected to make the final game this year, but the winner will get to face number one Connecticut.

Bet Now: Washington (+2) vs. Illinois

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03-18-06, 01:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tommy Now go get your shinebox Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sportscapper Island Posts: 15,068	Washington vs Illinois Preview by VIPsports Edge Washington is 25-6 and was 13-5 in the PAC-10 during the regular season. The Huskies are also a perfect 12-0 against non-conference foes this year, although the only team of real substance in that group was Gonzaga. Washington won the majority of those 25 games on its offense, as they are the 4th leading scoring team in the entire country. In the first round of this tourney, they scored 75 points in a 75-61 win over Utah State. The Huskies are led by the Pac-10 player of the year, Brandon Roy. Roy averages over 20 points, five rebounds and four assists per game. The team has six players that average at least eight points per game, giving them a lot of balance. One more note is that they have won nine out of 10 games since power forward Mike Jenson was inserted in the starting line-up. Illinois is 26-6 on the year and finished the Big 10 regular season at 11-5. That earned them a four seed in the tournament and a first round match-up with #13, Air Force. The Air Force may be one the most feared units in battle, but on the hardwood they were no match-up for the Fighting Illini. Illinois had four players in double digits and got an impressive 32 points off their bench in 78-69 win. The secret to Illinois’ success this year is simple. Their scoring is in the middle of the pack, but they have the number one scoring defense in the Big 10. They also had the top rebounding margin in the conference led by James Augustine’s nine rebounds per game, and over five each by forwards Brian Randle and Shaun Pruitt. In this game, they are going to need guard Dee Brown to shoot well, but they also need to get the ball inside to Augustine who has a height advantage. These two teams were both number one seeds heading into last year’s tournament. Washington lost to Rick Pitino’s upstart Louisville team in the Sweet Sixteen, while Illinois lost in the championship game to North Carolina. Neither of these teams is expected to make the final game this year, but the winner will get to face number one Connecticut. Bet Now: Washington (+2) vs. Illinois http://edge.vipsports.com/
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