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Sporting News, The, Feb 4, 2005 by Kyle Veltrop, Benson Taylor

YES--The real question: Will the Illini lose a game this season?

Nobody has been able to beat the Illini on the floor, so the alternative has been to try to take them down with questions such as this one.

Why is it so hard to grasp that this is the best team in the country? Illinois will win the Big Ten, and if it were transplanted to another conference, it would win the ACC, the Big East, the Big 12, the Pac-10 and the NBA's Atlantic Division. Illinois has steamrolled practically every opponent, including Gonzaga, Cincinnati, Oregon and Wake Forest. (Oh, and what conference do the Deacs play in again?)

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The Illini bring it every night, which is the key to sustaining seasonlong success and claiming a league title. Want to know how well this team shares the ball? Entering the week, four starters were shooting at least 51.6 percent from the field. Guard play rules in college basketball, and no backcourt is better. The mini have three point guard-quality passers in Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head.

The ACC is the best conference in the nation, but the Big Ten has the best team. If Illinois had to make trips up and down Tobacco Road, it would endure a loss or two, but it still would emerge with a better record than everyone else.

Can Illinois finish the season unbeaten? Probably not. But people should be asking that question about the Illini more than any other team.--Kyle Veltrop

NO--The guards wouldn't be as dominant as they are in the Big Ten

Yeah, I know. Illinois is the greatest basketball team to hit the state since Michael Jordan's Bulls. The way some are talking, maybe even better. But let's get serious. The Big Ten ain't the ACC.

Illinois' strength, without question, is its backcourt. But guess where the rest of the best collection of guard talent resides? Try North Carolina, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and Duke. Even Miami has dynamite guard play.

Going against that type of talent would neutralize the difference Illinois guards make for their team. And although Illinois has a decent frontcourt, it's not good enough to carry the team.

The mini have dusted some top teams, including ACC co-favorite Wake Forest. But facing elite competition once every few games is a lot different than facing it every game, especially on the road.

There's a reason Illinois didn't look dominant in its first two Big Ten road games: It's tough to win on the road in the conference. And you better believe playing at Cameron or the Dean Dome is a lot tougher than at Welsh-Ryan Arena (Northwestern). That's why Georgia Tech was humiliated at North Carolina, North Carolina was humbled at Wake Forest and Wake couldn't escape Florida State.

Look, the Illini will make an impressive NCAA Tournament run. But the competition they'll face in the NCAAs won't be as good as what they'd face during the ACC regular season.--Benson Taylor

2005 Ad

Sporting News, The, Feb 4, 2005 by Kyle Veltrop, Benson Taylor

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