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(E) But we still can't stop the Croatian dudes
http://www.croatia.org/crown/articles/7865/1/E-But-we-still-cant-stop-the-Croatian-dudes.html
By Nenad N. Bach
Published on 01/20/2005
 

 

But we still can't stop the Croatian dudes
 

Joliet is set; what about Croatia?

Victorious Illini win one battle vs. Northwestern but lose another

Monday, January 17, 2005

By JOHN SUPINIE
of COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

 

The Joliet-area connection handled the paint, but Illinois had trouble covering the Croatian combination of Vedran Vukusic (20 points) and Davor Duvancic (13 points). The mobile big men scored primarily thanks to drives and long-range jumpers.

"I thought we did a good job on (Thompson),'' Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "They never let him get in a rhythm. But we still can't stop the
Croatian dudes.''


Although they both played high school basketball in New Lenox, Illinois' James Augustine and Northwestern's Mike Thompson never met in a varsity game. The college big men finally went face to face Saturday as No. 1 Illinois rolled to a 78-66 victory over the Wildcats at Evanston.
The match up inside was a key variable as Illinois set school records for consecutive victories in a single season and to start a season. After Illinois improved to 18-0 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten Conference, Augustine suggested it wasn't a grudge match between two guys from rival high schools.

"It wasn't like it was a big reunion,'' he said.

Thompson left Joliet to play at New Lenox Providence. Augustine prepped at New Lenox Lincoln Way Central.

"I was supposed to play him in high school, but I broke my foot the night before,'' Augustine said. "They were the Catholic school in our town. We never usually played them in anything except wrestling, and I didn't wrestle.''

Thompson, who averaged 14 points over the previous three games, was left ineffective as Augustine and senior Roger Powell, the former Joliet star, controlled the paint. Thompson, a McDonald's All-American who transferred to Northwestern from Duke last season, finished with seven points and three rebounds.

Powell had 15 points and seven rebounds. Augustine had nine points and seven rebounds.

"It was kind of cool playing against him,'' Powell said. "We used to be good friends.''

The Joliet-area connection handled the paint, but Illinois had trouble covering the Croatian combination of Vedran Vukusic (20 points) and Davor Duvancic (13 points). The mobile big men scored primarily thanks to drives and long-range jumpers.

"I thought we did a good job on (Thompson),'' Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "They never let him get in a rhythm. But we still can't stop the
Croatian dudes.''

The Illini, who took Sunday off, play host at 6 p.m. Thursday to No. 24 Iowa. The Illinois victory Saturday avenged a 10-point loss at Northwestern last season when the Illini blew a nine-point halftime lead. Illinois is 34-3 since then.

These days, the fans yell, "Bruuu-ce'' during pregame introductions. After the loss last season at Northwestern, they shouted something else.

"I think it was a boo, not a Bruce,'' Weber said.

If the short-term objective is a victory in Illinois' only game this week, the next key date comes Jan. 25 at Wisconsin. The Badgers rallied past No. 15 Michigan State 62-59 Sunday to improve their home winning streak to 38 games.

Illinois' school record for consecutive victories is 25, set in a span from 1914 to 1916. Reaching that milestone will take some work, because the Illini have upcoming road games against Wisconsin, Michigan State and Michigan.

The Illini are within reach of surpassing the school record of 31 victories set in 1988-89.

"We want to win a Big Ten championship and make a nice run in March and April,'' Weber said. "If you do that, you're going to get a lot of wins.''

Unlike last season, Illinois showed a killer instinct in the second half Saturday. Illinois built an 18-point lead after halftime.

"Before the game, the last thing I talked about was 40 minutes,'' Weber said. "We went into the locker room too comfortable (last season). This year was a little different story. We understand what it's about. We didn't want to lose here.''

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/011705/ILL_B5AP7PAU.W02.shtml

 


(E) But we still can't stop the Croatian dudes

 

But we still can't stop the Croatian dudes
 

Joliet is set; what about Croatia?

Victorious Illini win one battle vs. Northwestern but lose another

Monday, January 17, 2005

By JOHN SUPINIE
of COPLEY NEWS SERVICE

 

The Joliet-area connection handled the paint, but Illinois had trouble covering the Croatian combination of Vedran Vukusic (20 points) and Davor Duvancic (13 points). The mobile big men scored primarily thanks to drives and long-range jumpers.

"I thought we did a good job on (Thompson),'' Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "They never let him get in a rhythm. But we still can't stop the
Croatian dudes.''


Although they both played high school basketball in New Lenox, Illinois' James Augustine and Northwestern's Mike Thompson never met in a varsity game. The college big men finally went face to face Saturday as No. 1 Illinois rolled to a 78-66 victory over the Wildcats at Evanston.
The match up inside was a key variable as Illinois set school records for consecutive victories in a single season and to start a season. After Illinois improved to 18-0 overall and 4-0 in the Big Ten Conference, Augustine suggested it wasn't a grudge match between two guys from rival high schools.

"It wasn't like it was a big reunion,'' he said.

Thompson left Joliet to play at New Lenox Providence. Augustine prepped at New Lenox Lincoln Way Central.

"I was supposed to play him in high school, but I broke my foot the night before,'' Augustine said. "They were the Catholic school in our town. We never usually played them in anything except wrestling, and I didn't wrestle.''

Thompson, who averaged 14 points over the previous three games, was left ineffective as Augustine and senior Roger Powell, the former Joliet star, controlled the paint. Thompson, a McDonald's All-American who transferred to Northwestern from Duke last season, finished with seven points and three rebounds.

Powell had 15 points and seven rebounds. Augustine had nine points and seven rebounds.

"It was kind of cool playing against him,'' Powell said. "We used to be good friends.''

The Joliet-area connection handled the paint, but Illinois had trouble covering the Croatian combination of Vedran Vukusic (20 points) and Davor Duvancic (13 points). The mobile big men scored primarily thanks to drives and long-range jumpers.

"I thought we did a good job on (Thompson),'' Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "They never let him get in a rhythm. But we still can't stop the
Croatian dudes.''

The Illini, who took Sunday off, play host at 6 p.m. Thursday to No. 24 Iowa. The Illinois victory Saturday avenged a 10-point loss at Northwestern last season when the Illini blew a nine-point halftime lead. Illinois is 34-3 since then.

These days, the fans yell, "Bruuu-ce'' during pregame introductions. After the loss last season at Northwestern, they shouted something else.

"I think it was a boo, not a Bruce,'' Weber said.

If the short-term objective is a victory in Illinois' only game this week, the next key date comes Jan. 25 at Wisconsin. The Badgers rallied past No. 15 Michigan State 62-59 Sunday to improve their home winning streak to 38 games.

Illinois' school record for consecutive victories is 25, set in a span from 1914 to 1916. Reaching that milestone will take some work, because the Illini have upcoming road games against Wisconsin, Michigan State and Michigan.

The Illini are within reach of surpassing the school record of 31 victories set in 1988-89.

"We want to win a Big Ten championship and make a nice run in March and April,'' Weber said. "If you do that, you're going to get a lot of wins.''

Unlike last season, Illinois showed a killer instinct in the second half Saturday. Illinois built an 18-point lead after halftime.

"Before the game, the last thing I talked about was 40 minutes,'' Weber said. "We went into the locker room too comfortable (last season). This year was a little different story. We understand what it's about. We didn't want to lose here.''

http://www.pjstar.com/stories/011705/ILL_B5AP7PAU.W02.shtml