Defense big key to Illini success

No. 1 Illinois has held five of its last six opponents under 60 points.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- If it's true that defense wins championships, Illinois has tuned up its defense at the right time.
The Illini, a unanimous No. 1 once again in Monday's AP poll, head into the NCAA tournament having held five of their past six opponents under 60 points. The 43 points scored by Wisconsin in Sunday's Big Ten tournament championship are the fewest they've allowed all season.
"I think it's been overlooked with our team all year because we've been so good offensively, running and pushing the basketball," coach Bruce Weber said Monday. "But our defense kind of drives our offense. I think it's something that doesn't get talked a lot about. It's a key to our success, I think."
Bailed out offense
Lately, the defense has bailed out the offense. The Illini hit 48 percent of their shots in their first Big Ten tourney game against Northwestern, but managed only 36 percent in the semifinal and championship games.
The normally hot-shooting Dee Brown was just 4-of-24 from the field in the three games. Deron Williams was 10-of-28. Even Luther Head, who was Illinois leading scorer in the tournament with 40 points, was 15-of-39.
"Obviously we would like to shoot a little better," Weber said. "We've had a bad week shooting from the guards."
Brown has concentrated so much on his defensive pressure that it may be contributing to his shooting slump, Weber said.
"We're into March. The defense has got to click back in," he said. "I think he's taken some pride in pressuring and wearing guys out.
"It's tough to be so hyper on defense and give that energy, then to go on the other end and be relaxed on your shot," he said.
Slump no big deal
Brown says he has struggled before and said his slump "isn't really a big deal."
Big men Roger Powell Jr. and James Augustine each scored in double figures throughout the Big Ten tournament but they also worked their double-trap defense to perfection. Wisconsin's big men -- Mike Wilkinson and Alando Tucker -- had only five baskets between them and Powell and Augustine smothered Zach Morely so completely on one possession that he had to call time out to avoid a turnover.
"Defense is what we focus on," Augustine said.
"I think we just focus on turning it up on the defensive end and if the shots aren't falling, oh well, we just keep playing defense. Defense comes first."
Second best in Big Ten
The Illini have shown that all year, allowing an average of 61.1 points per game in the regular season.
That's the second lowest defensive average in the Big Ten and put the Ilini 23rd in the nation for fewest points allowed.
"I think the last couple days we were as good as we've been all year," Weber said. "We really disrupted other teams' offenses."
But after two months of Big Ten play, the Illini must adjust to teams they do not know as well as Northwestern or Minnesota or Wisconsin. How well they adjust will determine whether they'll reach the Final Four, Weber said.
"Are we prepared? Have we played enough different quality opponents? Can we deal with any scenario that comes up, any venue, any team, style, all those things?" Weber asked.
"Do we have the right mental focus? I think that's what will get tested."