Hoops looks to be super Sunday

With the game against Big Ten co-leader Michigan just two days away, Illinois men's basketball coach Lon Kruger has his mind firmly focused on the Wolverines and their destructive power.

"Obviously, Michigan is a very talented basketball team," Kruger said. "And they're playing as well as anyone in the conference, maybe with other very good teams in the country."

While Kruger's concentration may dwell on Sunday's 2 p.m. contest in Champaign, Michigan coach Brian Ellerbe must be concerned with his own team and the memories of the last time the combatants squared off.

On March 2, 1997, Michigan was reeling, and any chance of an NCAA tournament bid was fading from view. After losing four games in a row, the Wolverines sought to right themselves in Champaign against Illinois.

Through the first half, all was going according to plan. The Wolverines held a comfortable - or so they thought - six-point lead and were just 20 minutes away from a crucial road victory.

MARGARET MYERS/Daily The Michigan basketball team will travel to Champaign to take on the Fighting Illini this weekend. They hope to avoid a repeat of last season's second-half collapse that helped cost them an NCAA berth.

"It was a drastic change," Kruger said, recalling the game's second half. "It is unusual to see a game change to that extreme."

Robert Traylor's recollection was equally dismal.

"We got out early," he said. "But they kind of made a run at us and we kind of shied away and played more timid basketball instead of trying to finish off the game."

That pressure on Illinois at the half quickly transferred to the Wolverines.

The six-point cushion rapidly dissolved in the second stanza, deteriorating into a 19-point defeat that dropped Michigan to 7-9 in the conference and out of the top 25.

"Confidence changes a little bit and extreme things can happen, and that was the case in that game," Kruger said.

One year later, Michigan can take solace in a summer victory, off the courts.

Robbie Reid, who hedged between Michigan and Illinois this summer when deciding where to transfer from Brigham Young, has become a vital cog in the Michigan offense.

"I'm sure the fans will have fun with (Reid)," Kruger said. "College basketball is such that you lose a lot of guys to the recruiting process. When you lose them, I'm sure the fans will have some extra fun with that."

It isn't necessary to look any further than the opposing bench for extra incentive for the junior point guard.

"I have a great respect for coach Kruger and for Illinois," Reid said. "Sure, there's an extra sense of motivation because you have that association with him, but I'm just going to go out and try to play hard."

While the taunts may be directed toward Reid, his main distraction will be the Illini's troop of 3-point bombers. Illinois' top three scorers - Kevin Turner, Jerry Hester and Matt Heldman - are all aggressive from beyond the arc.

The paint, however, is an entirely different scenario.

"We certainly rely on the perimeter jump shot, as Michigan does, and the guys inside make a difference for them," Kruger said. "We know we need more inside scoring and an inside threat."

The Illini's guard-oriented game may spell their doom against Michigan at the other end as well. While the Wolverines sport Robert Traylor and Maceo Baston across their front line, the Illini interior is thin, with just 6-foot-8 Jerrod Gee to fend off Michigan's twin towers.

"Traylor's kind of the core of what they do," Kruger said. "And there are very good players around him, so our hands will be full on Sunday, but we look forward to that challenge."

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