The beat goes on

Hey, look! Illinois just got another rebound.\nI'm not sure what the worst part of Tuesday night's game was. It was so dreadful that I don't even know if Sean Kline's airballed free throw makes the Top 10 list.\nThe only thing I do know is that it was the worst thing to come onto my TV since the last time I saw a commercial for "I'm a Celebrity, Now Get Me Out of Here!"\nWith a final score of 80-54, the Illini took the Hoosiers out to the woodshed and beat them like a redheaded stepchild. (No offense to Tom Coverdale. Ha ha, get it? No offense.)\nOnce again, IU was done in by an extended scoring drought -- the same thing that has been plaguing them in nearly every road game this year. At this point, it has become so formulaic that it can be turned into a script for a sitcom.\nIn the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the second half, IU scored a total of four points. For the game, they shot 37 percent from the field. Provided that you rebound the shots that you miss and you play defense, you can remain competitive with such poor shooting. Except the Hoosiers allowed Illinois to shoot 55 percent and pull down 16 more rebounds.\nTo add insult to injury, after the game was over, ESPN aired a commercial for games during their so-called "Judgment Week." (Is it just me, or do they overhype this stuff? During their so-called "Rivalry Week," Purdue played Northwestern. Now those are two teams with an undying hate for each other). The tagline was "Where contenders (here they showed footage of Maryland, Notre Dame and Illinois, among others) get separated from pretenders (whereupon they showed Tom Coverdale … and nobody else)."\nAfter all of this mess, it is hard to remember that the game actually started in good fashion. And that IU still has a pretty good shot a making the NCAA Tournament.\nIn the game's early moments, George Leach made his presence felt offensively with seven points in the first 10 minutes. But he also picked up two fouls (and didn't get passed to him) in the next five minutes, so he found himself on the bench, and ended the game with only 24 minutes of action.\nCoverdale also began the game in a magnificent fashion, hitting three of his first four shots from downtown despite drawing the jeers of the Illini faithful. (They actually get to sit on the floor. What a novel idea). And that was it -- he had no points for the rest of the game.\nIn the end, it was Jeff Newton who led the IU attack with 11 points. So I guess you could say they were well balanced. \nAnd while Leach spends plenty of time in Mike Davis' doghouse, I think that Newton should not be immune from the same treatment. Every time Newton takes a three-pointer, he should be benched for a minute. Even if he makes it. If the tallest player on your team is at the top of the key, how are you going to get a rebound?\nShould anyone be panicking? I don't think so, even though IU has to win out to assure themselves of a berth. Saturday, Iowa comes to town. While they are coming off of a big comeback win at Ohio State, any team that loses to IU on their home court figures to be due for a pounding at Assembly Hall.\nAfter that, it's Minnesota. The Gophers are a tough team, but like everyone else in the Big Ten, they seem to struggle away from home. Their only road wins all season were at Northwestern and Penn State.\nIU's final appearance before the Big Ten Tournament is in State College, Pa., against the hapless Nittany Lions, who have only one Big Ten victory. Granted, that win came against second place Wisconsin, so this game is no guarantee either.\nAt the end of a confusing season, the equation has become simple: three wins, and the Hoosiers are in.