The big question going into Saturday’s Chicago regional final: Which team will have anything left?
Illinois won its semifinal by 14 points but had to play hard for all 40 minutes against persistent Wisconsin-Milwaukee; Arizona’s one-point victory over Oklahoma State wasn’t decided until the final second.
The absence of a reliable bench makes the short turnaround more problematic for both teams. Illinois got no points and precious little of anything else from the four subs it used against Milwaukee. Arizona asked for meaningful minutes from only six players, and they had their hands full with Oklahoma State’s athletic, energetic Cowboys.
Recovery time aside, Illinois faces an inside-outside problem. Arizona’s Salim Stoudamire might be the most effective deep shooter in the country, as he proved with his cold-blooded display in the second half against Oklahoma State. He capped it with the game-winner, a textbook display of a fearless shooter creating his own shot.
Up front, Channing Frye is a soft-shooting 6 feet 11 inches, a mismatch for whichever defender Illinois assigns to him. Throw in Hassan Adams, a fierce athlete with deceptive range, and it’s less surprising that Arizona shot 66 percent (31 of 47) against Oklahoma State’s rangy, active defense.
But it’s not like Illinois is without weapons. Stoudamire aside, the Illini have a decided edge at the guard line with Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head.
While they were the difference against Milwaukee, as they have been in so many games this season, Arizona point guard Mustafa Shakur continued his puzzlingly ineffective play with one point, one assist and four turnovers in 35 minutes against Oklahoma State.
Assuming good play from the guards, James Augustine will have to be more than serviceable and Roger Powell needs to neutralize Adams.