Western Kentucky figures to test Illini with long-range shooting

Here's how rapidly - and how much - Western Kentucky needed to rebuild its empire after last year's stirring run to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16.

The Hilltoppers bring four double-figure scorers into Thursday's South regional opening-round game against Illinois.

That quartet (A.J. Slaughter, Orlando Mendez-Valdez, Steffphon Pettigrew and Sergio Kerusch) combined for just seven starts on last year's 27-win team.

Mendez-Valdez, a senior guard who developed into this season's Sun Belt player of the year, never started in 2007-08 and averaged just 19 minutes per game.

He was nowhere to be found among the 15 players on this year's preseason all-Sun Belt team - similar to the way the Hilltoppers (24-8) were predicted to finish in the middle of the pack.

But as first-year coach Ken McDonald took over for Darrin Horn (who moved up to South Carolina), he spoke of nothing but upholding Western Kentucky's lengthy tradition and winning everything in the Sun Belt.

"We're borderline cocky and we like to be in that position," McDonald said. "We liked going into the Sun Belt tournament as the 1 seed. We didn't look at it as pressure - we looked at it as opportunity."

If anyone wants to describe 12th-seeded Western Kentucky as a long shot, it needs to be in reference to its offense and not its chances.

The Hilltoppers utilize a three-guard offense as well as a 6-foot-5 power forward who doesn't hesitate to step outside.

Western Kentucky ranks 11th among NCAA Tournament teams with 7.7 3-pointers per game and hits 37 percent from long range. Mendez-Valdez owns 91 3-pointers while all-Sun Belt guard Slaughter (67 3s) and Pettigrew (40 3s) provide balance.

"Very perimeter-oriented," said Illinois coach Bruce Weber. "Got a lot of different weapons, a good transition and rebounding defense.

"It seems like we're going to have to be ready to guard multiple ball screens. (They're) spreading you out and shooting the '3' ball. They're an impressive team."

While McDonald says the Hilltoppers are peaking at the right time - as evidenced by winning 11 of their last 12 games - the Illini are preparing to remain shorthanded.

Senior guard Chester Frazier, the Big Ten's assist leader and all-defensive team stalwart, visits the doctor this morning to learn how much his injured right hand healed with five days in a cast.

"A decision will be made if we can move forward and get him involved," Weber said. "If he did play, it would be minimal."

On Monday, Frazier did his first cardio work since injuring the hand during practice on March 11.

"We're hoping," Weber said. "It's probably a little bit of a long shot, but I also know Chester has played through a lot of pain and definitely wants to play."

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