Fri Feb 10 2012
National Invitation Tournament
Second-Round Matchup: Kent State (24-9) at No. 1 Illinois (20-14)
When: Tonight, 8 p.m., Assembly Hall, Champaign, Ill.; TV: ESPNU
Illinois point guard Demetri McCamey
No. 32 | 6-foot-3 | 200 pounds | Junior
vs.
Kent State point guard Rodriquez Sherman
No. 32 | 6-foot-2 | 185 pounds | Junior (redshirt)
Analysis: McCamey is the guy who makes Illinois go. He scores at a 15.5-per-game clip and also dishes out a Big Ten-best 6.9 assists per game. With eight points tonight, McCamey will become the first player in Illinois history to post 1,200 points and 500 assists in just three seasons. Everything play Illinois runs on offense is either with McCamey having the ball or for him after he gives it up. Sherman (10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds per game) will have his work cut out for him. KSU will need to force McCamey into difficult shots from the perimeter while trying to take away his drives.
Edge: Illlinois
•••
Illinois shooting guard D.J. Richardson
No. 1 | 6-foot-3 | 185 pounds | Freshman
vs.
Kent State shooting guard Tyree Evans
No. 0 | 6-foot-3 | 210 pounds | Senior
Analysis: Richardson is the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Year. His 10.6 points per game arrive primarily on the perimeter, where he is a 39-percent shooter from 3-point range. He likes to shoot jumpers coming off curls or setting up for 3s from the corners. Richardson’s matchup with Evans could be a key to the game. After a nearly month-long slump, Evans (9.8 points per game) erupted in the second half of KSU’s first-round win over Tulsa. The Flashes hope the run of eight unanswered points has Evans clicking again. When Evans gets hot from the perimeter, they are hard to beat.
Edge: Even
•••
Illinois small forward Bill Cole
No. 30 | 6-foot-9 | 215 pounds | Junior
vs.
Kent State small forward Chris Singletary
No. 2 | 6-foot-4 | 220 pounds | Senior
Analysis: This may be KSU’s biggest matchup advantage. Cole has a five inches on Singletary, but Singletary is the bigger threat in the paint. While Cole only averages 4.4 points per game, he is a threat as a spot-up shooter. Of his 115 shots, 71 have come from beyond the 3-point arc, where he shoots 40 percent. Look for Singletary to try to force Cole to put the ball on the ground on one end, then challenge him by attacking the basket and creating for others on the other. While Cole is a scrappy all-around player and a good defender, he is one of several Illinois bigs who can be out-muscled around the basket.
Edge: Kent State
•••
Illinois power forward Mike Davis
No. 24 | 6-foot-9 | 220 pounds | Junior
vs.
KSU power forwards Frank Henry-Ala/Anthony Simpson
Nos. 30/21 | 6-foot-5/6-foot-8 | 210/215 pounds | Seniors
Analysis: Illinois’ athletic 4-man has a similar game to KSU’s Anthony Simpson. While he’ll open up against Henry-Ala, Davis will end up going head-to-head with Simpson most of the night. Like Simpson, Davis (10.6 points, 9.0 rebounds per game) loves to pick and pop and slip ball screens and he is a very good shooter from 15-to-17 feet. The big difference is Simpson will hit the occasional 3-pointer for KSU while Davis does not venture out beyond the 3-point arc. Henry-Ala will need to box out and play and give his usual workmanlike against one of the best offensive rebounders the Flashes have faced this season.
Edge: Illinois
•••
Illinois center Mike Tisdale
No. 54 | 7-foot-1 | 235 pounds | Junior
vs.
Kent State center Justin Greene
No. 34 | 6-foot-8 | 225 pounds | Sophomore
Analysis: When you think of Tisdale, think of college basketball’s version of the Cavs’ Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Tisdale may be the best jump-shooting center in the country. He is great from 17 feet, especially at the top of the key, and he’s shown the ability to hit the occasional 3-pointer in recent weeks, finishing 5-for-6 (83.3 percent) from the arc this season. Tisdale’s 20 points — most coming on a second-half string of jumpers from the left baseline — were the difference in the Illini’s come-from-behind 69-63 overtime win over Kent State on South Padre Island last season. The Flashes didn’t have a post like Greene to make Tisdale work on defense in that previous meeting. Greene was a little-used freshman last year. Now he is KSU’s top scorer at 13.6 per game. Greene may give up 5-inches to Tisdale, but he had no trouble scoring against a better 7-footer in last week’s win over Tulsa.
Edge: Even
•••
The Bench
Analysis: Kent State’s depth could be a major asset against Illinois. The Illini go at most eight deep. In fact, in their win over Stony Brook, only six players played double-digit minutes with athletic freshman guard Brandon Paul playing 21 minutes while 6-foot-7 Dominique Keller and 6-foot-9 freshman Tyler Griffey seeing just two and eight minutes of floor time, respectively. Illinois doesn’t have an impact player off its bench like the 6-foot-9 Simpson (9.0 points, 5.9 rebounds per game). True freshman point guard Randal Holt also provided some bench-scoring with 11 points in the win over Tulsa. The Flashes will need some good minutes from 6-foot-10 backup center Brandon Parks to help match Illinois’ size.
Advantage: Kent State.
•••
OVERALL ADVANTAGE: Illinois
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