Eric Musselman reveals initial thoughts on Illinois matchup

Arkansas coach Eric Musselman knows the challenge that lies ahead in a first round NCAA Tournament game against Illinois. The Fighting Illini are one of seven Big Ten schools to earn a bid, making their third straight March Madness appearance.

Upon learning of the draw on Selection Sunday, Musselman had high praise for Illinois. The coach noted that the team features a couple of transfer players Arkansas has faced in the past, giving the Razorbacks some idea of what to expect going in.

“Everybody that you would potentially play in the NCAA Tournament is a really good team,” Musselman said. “That’s why they’re in this tournament. Certainly Illinois is really well-coached. Some guys that we’ve played before like Terrence Shannon, who was at Texas Tech, and obviously Matthew Mayer we played at Baylor. They got some really good transfers and it’s an excellent shot-blocking team. Anybody out of the Big Ten that qualifies for the NCAA Tournament is a really good team.”

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Shannon leads the Fighting Illini with 17.1 points per game, while Mayer is second on the team with 12.8. They also rank fourth in the country with 181 total blocks as four players — including Mayer — are averaging more than one rejection per contest. Both Arkansas and Illinois rank among the top 50 in defensive rating, so the matchup could come down to which offense is able to make the most of its opportunities.

The Razorbacks and Fighting Illini have met just five times since 1950, and Arkansas lost all of those games. However, Musselman will hope they can finally get over the hump in what should be a close matchup. He also noted that the location of the game, which will take place in Des Moines, should be manageable for Razorbacks fans to show out in support.

“Obviously, Des Moines is close for our fan base,” he said. “Probably would have been the closest site that our fans could have. I’ve been there before. It’s really about being in your hotel room and playing in an environment that should be a sold-out building. It’s close enough for both fan bases to make their way to Des Moines.”

Tip-off for the contest between Arkansas and Illinois is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. CT on Thursday.