Illinois vs. Michigan scouting report

Posted March 09, 2011 11:00 pm

Illinois (19-12) vs. Michigan (19-12)

When: 1:30 p.m. at Conseco Fieldhouse

TV: ESPN

Net: ESPN3.com

Radio: WIND 560-AM

The skinny: Though Illinois coach Bruce Weber said he’d be “dumbfounded” if his team hasn’t already done enough to make the NCAA Tournament field, there’s no way to know what the NCAA Tournament committee members are thinking in their nearby hotel. The Illini and Wolverines have the same record overall and against top 50 RPI teams (3-8), so maybe they’re looking at this Big Ten quarterfinal as a play-in game. Illinois edged Michigan 54-52 when they met Feb. 16 at Assembly Hall. Neither team shot well (a combined 41 percent), but both teams have looked much better offensively since that game. Weber believes his squad has improved defensively as well. This could well come down to which third-team all-Big Ten point guard (Michigan’s Darius Morris or Illinois’ Demetri McCamey) does a better job of penetrating and breaking down defenses.

Advancement: The winner plays the Northwestern-Ohio State winner at 12:40 p.m. Saturday

— Lindsey Willhite

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