Scouting: Illini vs. UIC

Posted December 16, 2010 10:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

Illinois (10-1) vs. UIC (4-7)

When: 1 p.m. at United Center

TV: BTN

Radio: WIND 560-AM, WMVP 1000-AM

The skinny: Illini coach Bruce Weber has told his players to shoot for rising into the top 10 by the time the Big Ten season opens Dec. 29. That means the 12th-ranked Illini need to win this game as well as Wednesday's Border War with Missouri. The former shouldn't be too much of an issue because the Flames have the size to match up with Illinois but not the quickness or the depth. UIC's best chance would be for senior guard Robo Kreps (15.5 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 3.7 rpg), who grew up in an Illini-loving family with connections to the Lou Henson era, to deliver one of his occasional hot streaks from 3-point range. Kreps isn't a stranger to the Illini as Weber says he scrimmaged occasionally with his guys during summer runs at Illinois' practice facility.

The number: Through Monday's games, Illinois ranked 12th nationally in 3-point shooting (42.1 percent). UIC ranks approximately 300th at 28.7 percent.

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