Defense has long been a hallmark of Bruce Weber coached teams. Entering today’s game with Wisconsin (the Illini lost 67-63 at home) Illinois was ranked 21st in the nation, and 6 of his past 7 teams have finished the season ranked as high or higher. Early in the first the Illini held a 9-8 lead over the Badgers, and it was Wisconsin’s ball. After coming off three screens Wisconsin’s Ben Brust threw up a wild shot.
Brust, usually a reliable shooter, clanks one of the backboard, and the shot is so wild that Illini’s Brandon Paul is unable to keep Mike Bruesewitz from tipping it out.
The ball is tipped to Jordan Taylor. Bruce Weber, in his typical Bruce Weber stance, suddenly throws his arms into the air and you can hear him yelling “hands.”
Good defensive position here by Tracy Abrams (who listed to his coach) does a good job of taking the shot away from Taylor. But Jared Bergrenn (#40) flashes to the elbow and gets the pass. Unfortunately for Weber, Sam Maniscalo (#0) and Brandon Paul (#3) don’t listen as well as Tracy Abrams. No one disrupts Bergrenn’s sightline and he converts an easy two. Here’s the video:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=
jSpFO1gNUZ4[/youtube]
