Scouting: Illinois @ Penn State

Posted January 09, 2011 10:00 pm

By Lindsey Willhite

Illinois (13-3, 3-0) at Penn State (9-6, 2-2)

When: 8 p.m. Tuesday

TV: BTN

Radio: WIND 560-AM

The skinny: Both the Illini and the Nittany Lions load their lineups with four seniors, so each side is well aware Penn State has won four of the seven meetings. Everyone knows how splendid PG Talor Battle (20.5 ppg) has been throughout his time, but 6-foot-8 senior forward Jeff Brooks (13.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.8 bpg) has developed into a consistent menace as well. In Penn State's home win over Michigan State on Saturday, Brooks went off for 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks to outduel MSU's Draymond Green. “He's got length,” said Illinois coach Bruce Weber. “He can do some things on the perimeter, yet he can go post up and he can really rebound. You know, you've got to do a good job on Battle and you can't let him get 30, but you have to do a good job on Brooks and I think on (DJ) Jackson also.”

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