March 11, 2005
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2005 BIG TEN
MEN'S BASKETBALL
TOURNAMENT
Game Four • March 11, 2005 • United Center • Chicago, Ill.
#1 Illinois 68 (30-1), #8 Northwestern 51 (15-16)
Illinois advances to the semifinals at 12:40 p.m. CST Saturday
GAME NOTES
The No. 1 seed improves to 4-3 in games against No. 8 seeds and 4-4 in quarterfinals match-ups. Illinois also improves to 8-0 in BTT quarterfinal games. The Fighting Illini enter tomorrow's game 4-3 in semifinal contests. The Fighting Illini will play the winner of the Indiana vs. Minnesota game tomorrow at 12:40 CST. The top seed is 3-2 in BTT semifinal games.
Illinois improves to 2-0 against Northwestern in BTT games. The Fighting Illini previously defeated the Wildcats (94-65) in the 2003 quarterfinals played in Chicago.
Illinois improves to 14-6 in Big Ten Tournament games. The Fighting Illini improve to 11-4 in BTT contests at the United Center, including winning their last four. Overall, Illinois is 25-6 in contests played in the United Center, including 12 consecutive victories. The Fighting Illini are 3-0 all-time vs. Northwestern at the United Center.
Northwestern falls to 4-8 in BTT games, including 0-4 in quarterfinal contests. The Wildcats drop to 3-6 in BTT games at the United Center. Northwestern finishes its season with a 15-16 overall record.
Illinois won its 30th game today, marking only the second time in the school's history that it has posted 30 wins or more. The Fighting Illini's 1988-89 team won 31 games. In addition, Illinois becomes the 10th Big Ten team to collect 30 wins or more in a single season. The following is a list of past 30-plus win league teams: 1999-00 - Michigan State (32-7); 1998-99 - Michigan State (33-5); 1992-93 - Indiana (31-4); 1992-93 - Michigan (31-5); 1988-89 - Illinois (31-5); 1988-89 - Michigan (30-7); 1986-87 - Indiana (30-4); 1975-76 - Indiana (32-0); 1974-75 - Indiana (31-1).
Illinois assisted on 20 of its 25 field goals and nine players scored at least two points.
Illinois' Deron Williams dished out all of his game-high eight assists in the first half. Williams climbs into a tie for sixth on the all-time BTT career assists list (35), matching Brent Darby of Ohio State.
Illinois' Dee Brown grabbed six rebounds and he climbs to fifth on the all-time BTT career assists lists (37). Brown collected two steals today and now ranks second with 17 career BTT steals. Illinois' Sergio McClain compiled a BTT career-best 21 steals from 1998-01.
Illinois' James Augustine hauled in eight boards, which gives him 47 in BTT contests. He now ranks sixth on the all-time BTT career rebounding chart.
Illinois' Luther Head netted 14 points today and is now tied for 10th with Gyasi Cline-Heard (Penn State, 1998-01) with 96 career BTT points.
Northwestern has scored 59 points or less in 10 of its 12 BTT games. The Wildcats' 51 points equal the second-fewest points Northwestern scored in a BTT contest (51 points vs. Michigan, 3/7/02). The fewest points scored in a BTT game for Northwestern is 41 points vs. Wisconsin on 3/9/00.
Northwestern's Mohamed Hachad netted a game and career-high 23 points (7-16 FG, 2-5 3-PT FG, 7-11 FT), marking the seventh straight game the junior guard posted double figures. The seven free throws made are a career high. Hachad tallied 40 points in both BTT contests; he had amassed 26 total points in his previous four BTT games. His 23 points mark the seventh time a Wildcat player scored 20 points or more in a BTT game. He also pulled down a game and career-high nine rebounds. He collected seven boards in yesterday's first round win over Michigan.
Hachad's 40 points in two BTT games, ranks second among Northwestern players only behind Evan Eschmeyer's 41 points (11 vs. Penn State and 30 vs. Michigan State) in 1999. The native of Montreal, Quebec, now has 66 career points in BTT games, which tops Eschmeyer for first on Northwestern's career BTT scoring list.
Northwestern's T.J. Parker collected two steals today to tie Rod Roberson (1978-81) for seventh place on the Wildcats' career steals list with 116
