Last year Illinois slugged its way past Kansas into the regional final of the NCAA Tournament, using 12 players to outmuscle the Jayhawks, whose bench wasn’t nearly as deep or strong.
This time around, the depth and expectations are with Kansas.
The Illini won’t be favored as they were a year ago when they face the top-seeded Jayhawks on Friday in Madison, Wis. It will be the second straight year the two schools have met in a regional semifinal.
“They have proven to be the best team in the country over the course of the season so far. We’re definitely going in there with a predator mentality, that we’re the team that has something to prove,” Illinois center Robert Arch-ibald said.
Illinois rotated bodies in and out of the lineup last year in its 80-64 tournament win over Kansas, outscoring the Kansas bench 28-0. Using a thinner lineup, the Jayhawks couldn’t keep up in the game or at the foul line, as they made just 18 of 35 free throws and were outrebounded 45-33.
However, depth is no longer a strength for Illinois.
The Illini lost bangers Sergio McClain and Marcus Griffin and haven’t found any big bodies to replace them. Bill Self relies on an eight-player rotation, using holdover forwards Lucas Johnson and Damir Krupalija and junior guard Sean Harrington off the bench.
Kansas coach Roy Williams says the Illini may have lost some depth, but doubts they have lost their bruising style of play.
“They have lost a couple of those guys, but I still think they are a very physical team,” Williams said. “They beat us in every aspect of the game (last year). They just dominated us.”
Illinois is looking a lot like that dominant team after a midseason slide in which it lost three in a row and five of eight. The Illini have won 11 of their last 12 games, including double-digit tournament wins over San Diego State and Creighton last weekend in Chicago.
The key, as it has been all season, is Frank Williams. The flashy guard has been as good down the stretch as he was bad during the midseason slide, scoring 25 in the win over the Aztecs and 20 against Creighton.
The junior, who is leaving Illinois after the season to go pro, says he isn’t ready to end his college career just yet.
“Guys have been playing good for over a month now. That’s how we’re going to continue to play. We’re going to try and make it a fair game, but we know that’s a good team that’s a great team,” Williams said.
“They’re not going to bow down to us and we’re not going to bow down to them.”
Defending Williams likely will be Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich if he’s healthy.
Hinrich sprained his left ankle in Kansas’ opening-round win over Holy Cross.
He wore a brace on the ankle on Saturday and stunned doctors and fans by coming off the bench and scoring 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the 86-63 win over Stanford.
“I don’t think it’s completely behind him. There still is a lot of discoloration. If we had to play a game today, then yes, he would play. But the good news is we don’t have to play so we’re going to give him some rest,” Williams said.
With a healthy Hinrich, Kansas will be the favorite. And that doesn’t bother Illinois’ Williams a bit.
“It’s not going to be like we’re supposed to win. Now we’re the underdogs. That’s how we’ve go to approach every game,” he said.
Last year Illinois slugged its way past Kansas into the regional final of the NCAA Tournament, using 12 players to outmuscle the Jayhawks, whose bench wasn’t nearly as deep or strong.
This time around, the depth and expectations are with Kansas.
The Illini won’t be favored as they were a year ago when they face the top-seeded Jayhawks on Friday in Madison, Wis. It will be the second straight year the two schools have met in a regional semifinal.
“They have proven to be the best team in the country over the course of the season so far. We’re definitely going in there with a predator mentality, that we’re the team that has something to prove,” Illinois center Robert Arch-ibald said.
Illinois rotated bodies in and out of the lineup last year in its 80-64 tournament win over Kansas, outscoring the Kansas bench 28-0. Using a thinner lineup, the Jayhawks couldn’t keep up in the game or at the foul line, as they made just 18 of 35 free throws and were outrebounded 45-33.
However, depth is no longer a strength for Illinois.
The Illini lost bangers Sergio McClain and Marcus Griffin and haven’t found any big bodies to replace them. Bill Self relies on an eight-player rotation, using holdover forwards Lucas Johnson and Damir Krupalija and junior guard Sean Harrington off the bench.
Kansas coach Roy Williams says the Illini may have lost some depth, but doubts they have lost their bruising style of play.
“They have lost a couple of those guys, but I still think they are a very physical team,” Williams said. “They beat us in every aspect of the game (last year). They just dominated us.”
Illinois is looking a lot like that dominant team after a midseason slide in which it lost three in a row and five of eight. The Illini have won 11 of their last 12 games, including double-digit tournament wins over San Diego State and Creighton last weekend in Chicago.
The key, as it has been all season, is Frank Williams. The flashy guard has been as good down the stretch as he was bad during the midseason slide, scoring 25 in the win over the Aztecs and 20 against Creighton.
The junior, who is leaving Illinois after the season to go pro, says he isn’t ready to end his college career just yet.
“Guys have been playing good for over a month now. That’s how we’re going to continue to play. We’re going to try and make it a fair game, but we know that’s a good team that’s a great team,” Williams said.
“They’re not going to bow down to us and we’re not going to bow down to them.”
Defending Williams likely will be Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich if he’s healthy.
Hinrich sprained his left ankle in Kansas’ opening-round win over Holy Cross.
He wore a brace on the ankle on Saturday and stunned doctors and fans by coming off the bench and scoring 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the 86-63 win over Stanford.
“I don’t think it’s completely behind him. There still is a lot of discoloration. If we had to play a game today, then yes, he would play. But the good news is we don’t have to play so we’re going to give him some rest,” Williams said.
With a healthy Hinrich, Kansas will be the favorite. And that doesn’t bother Illinois’ Williams a bit.
“It’s not going to be like we’re supposed to win. Now we’re the underdogs. That’s how we’ve go to approach every game,” he said.
Last year Illinois slugged its way past Kansas into the regional final of the NCAA Tournament, using 12 players to outmuscle the Jayhawks, whose bench wasn’t nearly as deep or strong.
This time around, the depth and expectations are with Kansas.
The Illini won’t be favored as they were a year ago when they face the top-seeded Jayhawks on Friday in Madison, Wis. It will be the second straight year the two schools have met in a regional semifinal.
“They have proven to be the best team in the country over the course of the season so far. We’re definitely going in there with a predator mentality, that we’re the team that has something to prove,” Illinois center Robert Arch-ibald said.
Illinois rotated bodies in and out of the lineup last year in its 80-64 tournament win over Kansas, outscoring the Kansas bench 28-0. Using a thinner lineup, the Jayhawks couldn’t keep up in the game or at the foul line, as they made just 18 of 35 free throws and were outrebounded 45-33.
However, depth is no longer a strength for Illinois.
The Illini lost bangers Sergio McClain and Marcus Griffin and haven’t found any big bodies to replace them. Bill Self relies on an eight-player rotation, using holdover forwards Lucas Johnson and Damir Krupalija and junior guard Sean Harrington off the bench.
Kansas coach Roy Williams says the Illini may have lost some depth, but doubts they have lost their bruising style of play.
“They have lost a couple of those guys, but I still think they are a very physical team,” Williams said. “They beat us in every aspect of the game (last year). They just dominated us.”
Illinois is looking a lot like that dominant team after a midseason slide in which it lost three in a row and five of eight. The Illini have won 11 of their last 12 games, including double-digit tournament wins over San Diego State and Creighton last weekend in Chicago.
The key, as it has been all season, is Frank Williams. The flashy guard has been as good down the stretch as he was bad during the midseason slide, scoring 25 in the win over the Aztecs and 20 against Creighton.
The junior, who is leaving Illinois after the season to go pro, says he isn’t ready to end his college career just yet.
“Guys have been playing good for over a month now. That’s how we’re going to continue to play. We’re going to try and make it a fair game, but we know that’s a good team that’s a great team,” Williams said.
“They’re not going to bow down to us and we’re not going to bow down to them.”
Defending Williams likely will be Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich if he’s healthy.
Hinrich sprained his left ankle in Kansas’ opening-round win over Holy Cross.
He wore a brace on the ankle on Saturday and stunned doctors and fans by coming off the bench and scoring 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the 86-63 win over Stanford.
“I don’t think it’s completely behind him. There still is a lot of discoloration. If we had to play a game today, then yes, he would play. But the good news is we don’t have to play so we’re going to give him some rest,” Williams said.
With a healthy Hinrich, Kansas will be the favorite. And that doesn’t bother Illinois’ Williams a bit.
“It’s not going to be like we’re supposed to win. Now we’re the underdogs. That’s how we’ve go to approach every game,” he said.
Last year Illinois slugged its way past Kansas into the regional final of the NCAA Tournament, using 12 players to outmuscle the Jayhawks, whose bench wasn’t nearly as deep or strong.
This time around, the depth and expectations are with Kansas.
The Illini won’t be favored as they were a year ago when they face the top-seeded Jayhawks on Friday in Madison, Wis. It will be the second straight year the two schools have met in a regional semifinal.
“They have proven to be the best team in the country over the course of the season so far. We’re definitely going in there with a predator mentality, that we’re the team that has something to prove,” Illinois center Robert Arch-ibald said.
Illinois rotated bodies in and out of the lineup last year in its 80-64 tournament win over Kansas, outscoring the Kansas bench 28-0. Using a thinner lineup, the Jayhawks couldn’t keep up in the game or at the foul line, as they made just 18 of 35 free throws and were outrebounded 45-33.
However, depth is no longer a strength for Illinois.
The Illini lost bangers Sergio McClain and Marcus Griffin and haven’t found any big bodies to replace them. Bill Self relies on an eight-player rotation, using holdover forwards Lucas Johnson and Damir Krupalija and junior guard Sean Harrington off the bench.
Kansas coach Roy Williams says the Illini may have lost some depth, but doubts they have lost their bruising style of play.
“They have lost a couple of those guys, but I still think they are a very physical team,” Williams said. “They beat us in every aspect of the game (last year). They just dominated us.”
Illinois is looking a lot like that dominant team after a midseason slide in which it lost three in a row and five of eight. The Illini have won 11 of their last 12 games, including double-digit tournament wins over San Diego State and Creighton last weekend in Chicago.
The key, as it has been all season, is Frank Williams. The flashy guard has been as good down the stretch as he was bad during the midseason slide, scoring 25 in the win over the Aztecs and 20 against Creighton.
The junior, who is leaving Illinois after the season to go pro, says he isn’t ready to end his college career just yet.
“Guys have been playing good for over a month now. That’s how we’re going to continue to play. We’re going to try and make it a fair game, but we know that’s a good team that’s a great team,” Williams said.
“They’re not going to bow down to us and we’re not going to bow down to them.”
Defending Williams likely will be Kansas guard Kirk Hinrich if he’s healthy.
Hinrich sprained his left ankle in Kansas’ opening-round win over Holy Cross.
He wore a brace on the ankle on Saturday and stunned doctors and fans by coming off the bench and scoring 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the 86-63 win over Stanford.
“I don’t think it’s completely behind him. There still is a lot of discoloration. If we had to play a game today, then yes, he would play. But the good news is we don’t have to play so we’re going to give him some rest,” Williams said.
With a healthy Hinrich, Kansas will be the favorite. And that doesn’t bother Illinois’ Williams a bit.
“It’s not going to be like we’re supposed to win. Now we’re the underdogs. That’s how we’ve go to approach every game,” he said.
