Men's basketball ready to face No. 16 Fighting Illini
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Northern Colorado notes | Big Sky Conference notes
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Northern Colorado basketball will get its second big-time test in three weeks Sunday when it takes on No. 16 Illinois at 5 p.m. at Assembly Hall.
The Bears (4-3, 0-2 away) will be looking to deal Illinois (9-1, 6-0 home) its first nonconference home loss since 2008 and win their third straight game.
GAME DETAILS
- Game 8: Northern Colorado (4-3; 0-2 away) at Illinois (9-1; 6-0 at home)
- When: 5 p.m. (CST) Sunday, Dec. 12
- Where: Assembly Hall (16,618)
- All-time series: Northern Colorado has never faced Illinois. The Bears are 0-4 all-time against current Big Ten programs
- TV: Big Ten Network (Eric Collins, Shon Morris)
- Radio: KFKA-AM 1310 (Troy Coverdale)
- Live stats: www.fightingillini.com
WITH A WIN SUNDAY ...
- Northern Colorado would claim its first victory against current members of the Big Ten Conference. The Bears are 0-4 all-time against current league members, having played Iowa (0-1), Northwestern (0-1) and Purdue (0-2).
- The Bears would earn a win against a current "BCS" team for the first time since defeating Kansas State 45-40 on Dec. 10, 1937.
- Northern Colorado would deal Illinois a nonconference home loss for the first time since Clemson won in Assembly Hall on Dec. 2, 2008, and for just the fourth time since Bruce Webber took over the Illini in 2003.
- The Bears would improve to 7-27 all-time in televised contests and 7-10 in their last 17.
- Northern Colorado would win three games in a row after losing three in a row against Arizona, Santa Clara and Valparaiso.
- Head coach B.J. Hill would surpass the first-year win total of predecessor Tad Boyle, who finished 4-24 in his first year in Greeley.
- The Bears would start a brutal December road swing with a victory. Northern Colorado's game against Black Hills State last Saturday (84-52 win) is its only scheduled home game this month.