Other than the fact that we know Western Kentucky has a sweet mascot, we really don’t know much else.  We also know they won a couple games in the Big Dance last year and bring back a hand-full of those players.  But what are they about this year and how do they stack up against the Illini? In full disclosure I have WKU upsetting the Illini in my bracket right now, let’s see if this preview changes my mind.

The Western Kentucky team looks a lot different this year.  They have a new coach in Ken McDonald, an assistant at Texas last year, and McDonald has changed to a more up-tempo feel for the Hilltoppers.  The key for Illinois will be to get out and stop WKU in transition.  They love to run and get easy buckets, but this is something Illinois has had success in stopping this season, in particular when they played Missouri.

Western Kentucky can score the basketball though.  They average 71.8 points per game, with Illinois giving up only 56.6 per game.  Guards A.J. Slaughter and Orlando Mendez-Valdez got some tournament experience last year, so you know they won’t be rattled by the pressure defense from the Illini.

With Slaughter and Mendez-Valdez in the backcourt and Steffphon Pettigrew (ff or ph make up your mind!) and Sergio Kerusch in the frontcourt, Western Kentucky is a favorite of many to upset the Illini minues Chester Frazier.  Sure, the Illini are worse without their leader, but they’re still great defensively with balanced scoring.

I think the Illini can slow down Western Kentucky on the break, but if they’re having one of their bad offensive nights, 38-33 night for example, they won’t win.  The advantage Illinois must exploit is on the inside.  The Hilltoppers’ biggest player is 6-9 and their best players are in the 1-4 spots.  Mike Tisdale can carry this team to victory, and if he can establish himself inside early, it will open things up for McCamey, Meacham, and others on the outside.

I don’t think my mind has been changed to pick Illinois, but I’m definitely on the fence.  WKU just doesn’t seem like the same team as last year, but they can run.  If Illinois goes through a couple of their signature droughts, the Hilltoppers will make them pay running off of misses.  Illinois has to make a conscious effort to enter the post and crash the boards to win.  I’ll go homer with my 68-64 prediction for the Illini.

The game is tonight at about 8:55 ct.

Illinois pulled the much maligned 5-seed in the NCAA Tournament and they’ll play the 12-seed Western Kentucky in the first round.  The Hilltoppers of course have the best mascot in sports history.

So already you have to be worried.  The Hilltoppers should actual give Illinois plenty to think about this week, judging by a quick look at their schedule.  A 14-point win against Louisville obviously stands out.  You may remember their run in the Dance last year, when they beat Drake in a thriller and knocked out San Diego, before losing to UCLA.

If the Illini get past Western Kentucky, things don’t look easy with Gonzaga and North Carolina lurking in the same region.  If Illinois and Gonzaga do in fact advance,  the Bulldogs would have a giant advantage playing in Portland.  The Illini struggled on the road this season, so a virtual road game against Gonzaga is the biggest roadblock to the Sweet Sixteen.

For now though, it’s all about Western Kentucky, and with the Hilltoppers returning so many players with tournament experience, it could be a very interesting game.