Illini hope to replicate formula

Illinois played in Las Vegas as the nation's No. 1 team on New Year's Eve 2004. It was one step on a journey that ended in the NCAA championship game.

Five years later the Illini are no longer a juggernaut, but they remain nationally relevant. They are ranked No. 20 and have the makings of a team that could have a long NCAA Tournament stay, thanks largely to talented freshmen and young veterans who have grasped the concept of team defense.

At 4-0, how good is Illinois now? It might be hard to gauge when its faces struggling Utah (2-2) at 7:30 p.m. today in the third round of the Las Vegas Invitational at Orleans Arena. Likewise for Saturday against Oklahoma State or Bradley.

But coach Bruce Weber thinks a weekend in Las Vegas can only help the Illini, much as his 2005 team benefited from playing in the Invitational. That club beat No. 22 Cincinnati 67-45 at Valley High School, on its way to a 37-2 record, a 61-point defensive average and a loss to North Carolina in the NCAA final.

"I like this tournament because it gives you a feel of what you'll be dealing with in March in your conference tournament," Weber said. "I think we'll get a lot out of this trip."

Illinois enters off a 78-64 victory over Wofford in the Invitational's second round. Freshman guards Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson have been impressive so far, averaging 14 and 12.3 points, respectively. Junior forward Mike Davis, playing with more determination than in the past, averages 13 points and 11.8 rebounds.

"We have only one true senior, but we have a big group of juniors and they have to be the staple for us if we're going to be successful," Weber said. "Our freshmen are talented, and if they can tag along and get better we'll be all right."

The Illini defense looks typically good, holding opponents just under 60 points a game; last season's average was 57.2.

"I've always preached defense, going back to when I worked for Coach (Gene) Keady at Purdue," said Weber, in his seventh year at Illinois. "If you're going to win on the road and in the (NCAA) Tournament, you have to be good defensively. Even our Final Four team in 2005 was very good defensively. The problem was, we scored so much that nobody noticed what we were doing at the other end."

Last season the Illini finished 24-10 and were ousted by Western Kentucky 76-72 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Weber said that season-ending loss served as offseason motivation for his players.

"It's funny, but I really didn't have to say anything to our guys," he said. "We were all devastated after seeing our season end the way it did, and everyone -- players and coaches -- put in a lot of work over the summer.

"The only thing I talked to them about is finishing. No matter what we do -- weights, practice, games -- we want to finish well. And they seem to have taken that to heart."

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.