Earl Richardson/Journal-World PhotoSAN ANTONIO ? In the NCAA Basketball Tournament, the past is not prologue. At least not to Illinois guard Frank Williams.
Asked to compare this year’s Kansas team to the one the Fighting Illini whipped, 84-70, last season at Chicago’s United Center, Williams paused momentarily on Thursday, then said: “Actually, I don’t remember last year’s game.”
If Williams could have remembered, the 6-foot-3 sophomore from Peoria, Ill., would have known he scored 15 points, was credited with eight assists and three steals. However, he was guilty of five turnovers, too, because he was, in essence, a loose cannon.
A year later, Williams is more like a six-shooter.
“He’s like carrying a loaded pistol,” IU coach Bill Self said. “What we’ve tried to do is give him his parameters, and told him to try to operate within those parameters, but still be creative and imaginative.”
Under first-year coach Self, Williams evolved into the Big Ten Player of the Year. Williams, a former Illinois Mr. Basketball, leads the Illini in scoring (14.9), assists (128) and minutes played (32.4). Williams also leads in free throws (120) and free throw attempts (150). That’s right, he’s shooting 80 percent at the foul line, although he’s just a 41.4 percent shooter from the field.
As talented as Williams is, Self stressed the Illini have struggled when Williams’ teammates adopt the motto: Let Frank Do It.
“We’re much better when Frank is one of five,” Self said, “and we don’t stand around and watch him.”
Williams seems to have taken more to Self’s philosophy than to predecessor Lon Kruger’s, now coach of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.
“He lets us make mistakes and he gives us time to correct them,” Williams said of Self. “The adjustment wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t hard. Everybody wants to play run and gun, and he lets us play that way.”
How Williams and backcourt mate Cory Bradford, Illinois’ all-time leading three-point scorer, compare to KU’s Jeff Boschee and Kirk Hinrich could determine tonight’s outcome, according to Self.
“I love Boschee,” Self said. “To me, Boschee and Bradford are a lot alike. They can both score 12 points in four minutes and both have a quick release. But Hinrich is the guy. He makes great decisions, he defends and he shoots well.”
Self also uttered coach-speak to describe the Jayhawks’ Drew Gooden, Nick Collison and Eric Chenowith. He even mentioned seldom-used big man Jeff Carey.
“Chenowith, Gooden and Collison are longer than our big guys,” Self said. “Our guys are built like Carey.”
Nobody questions that Illinois has a deeper bench than Kansas. The Illini go nine deep with little dropoff.
“We take a lot of pride in our bench,” back-up guard Sean Harrington, a 47 percent three-point shooter, said. “We like to wear teams down a little bit.”
Yet, as Lucas Johnson, a 6-8 junior frontline reserve, pointed out: “Kansas must be doing something right with the six or seven guys they use. I’m sure some other teams thought they were going to wear them down with their depth, and that hasn’t worked. But I think our depth with help us in the long run.”
