In case you hadn't heard, the Illinois Fighting Illini are the No. 1 team in the country, and until recently, were undefeated.  Without giving away too much of the secret recipe that made them the nation's top-team, Illinois has a triumvirate of guards on the Big Ten's first team.  The three, senior Luther Head and juniors Deron Williams and Dee Brown, the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year, have all increased their scoring and assists from last season.

Unlike another famous trio, the Three Tenors, with these guards, there is no "other guy".  All three averaged in double-figures this season and did there part to get their teammates involved in the scoring.  Head went for 16.1 points and 3.8 assists, Brown 14.2 and 4.6, and Williams 12.4 and 6.6.  All three also averaged around 32 minutes per game and started all 30 contests of the year.  The importance of the guards to their team's much-heralded "March to the Arch" has been staggering.  The guards finished the regular season as the team's top-three in points, assists, and steals. 

While a run at Bob Knight's 1976 undefeated Indiana team was not in the cards, the opportunity to match Tom Izzo's 2000 Michigan State team, the Big Ten's last national champion, is still viable.  While the trio, possibly the best since Snap, Crackle, and Pop, were held relatively in-check while playing fewer than normal minutes in the team's 68-51 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal victory over Northwestern, they have the ability to go the distance. 

The three starting guards combined for a below-average 27 points (Head 14, Brown five, and Williams eight) in the first game of Friday's action.  However, the team's quarterfinal performance more importantly displayed an invaluable skill that the three guards have exhibited this year, the ability to provide their teammates with opportunities.  Led by Williams' eight, the trio combined for 17 assists, highlighted by Head's falling out of bounds-off the backboard-fastbreak-alley-oop to Williams with 9:00 left in regulation.  "I didn't know it was coming. I slowed up.  I thought Dee was going to lay it up," Williams confessed.  "I would have dunked it, but I didn't know it was coming"

For the Illini, three is most definitely not a crowd.  Illinois led the Big Ten in all of the traditionally guard driven categories; field goal percentage, assists, turnovers, and assist-turnover ration.  In addition, all-three guards are in the top-five in the league in assists (Williams leads the way) and Brown was the best three-point shooter the Big Ten had this year. 

The three amigos ability has not been lost on the league's coaches.  "They have so many weapons," Indiana coach Mike Davis said.  "Their guards are going to be consistent, I don't care what defense you run or what you try to do. Those three guards are terrific," Iowa's Steve Alford noted.  "They are so guard-dominant. They do a great job of sharing the basketball. I just love the way they play. They really exemplify team basketball," Ohio State's Thad Matta adds. 

While the goal of an undefeated season might have faded for the Fighting Illini, the ultimate goal of a national championship is still with in reach and the hopes of the Orange Krush are riding on the backs, shots, and passes of this special group of guards.

The Fighting Illini's next challenge will be against the winner of Indiana/Minnesota's quarterfinal match-up.  The first semifinal game will be on Saturday at 12:40 p.m. CST.