Pesky ’Zags have Illini’s attention

CHAMPAIGN – That exhale just came from Illinois coach Bruce Weber.

Despite allowing 11 3-pointers on 47.8-percent shooting in the first half and creating only three turnovers in 45 minutes played, Illinois survived a wild 89-83 overtime victory over No. 25 Northwestern on Wednesday. Although Weber still agonized over a short bench and chemistry, there was satisfaction in victory.

“It was big,” Weber said, “just to maintain and win home games, start 1-0 in the Big Ten. Saturday is another huge game for us, to continue to make progress and get against a team that’s been in the top 25. It’s important if we want to continue to make progress with this team this year.”

Next up for Illinois (9-4) is a nonconference game against Gonzaga on Saturday at the United Center in Chicago. The pride of the West Coast Conference, Gonzaga is a small school with a big reputation for playing anywhere and any time.

Ranked No. 22 in the ESPN-USA Today coaches poll, the ’Zags won’t be intimidated by the near sellout crowd. They already won the Maui Invitational, nearly left Michigan State with a victory and faced Duke in Madison Square Garden in a strategy by coach Mark Few to boost NCAA Tournament prospects by building RPI points before entering league play.

“They know when they get into their league, they might not play any top 50 teams,” Weber said. “He’s trying to get RPI points and major opportunities. He goes after it. He made a deicsion the last three years to play some top teams in a lot of neutral site games. He also needs the competition.

“Once he gets into the NCAA Tournament and they want to beat those teams, they have to have gone up against those kind of teams.”

Gonzaga has a streak of 11 consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament and reached the Sweet 16 five times during the span.

“It’s helped us grow as a program,” Few said. “Scheduling hard games in non-league play has really helped us for the NCAA Tournament and building a resume, showing the committee something in games that we control. They’ve been pretty consistent about telling all of us coaches what they like to see.”