PORTLAND, Ore. Steffphon Pettigrew led five Hilltoppers in double figures with 17 points as Western Kentucky University (25-8) controlled the game with fifth-seeded Illinois (24-10) for 36 minutes, holding off a late Illini run, to record a 76-72 win in the First Round of the 2009 NCAA Tournament at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Ore. The 12th-seeded Toppers picked up their second win over a top 25 RPI team this season and notch First Round NCAA Tournament wins in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1986-87.
"We came into this tournament and we're just not happy to be here," said WKU head coach Ken McDonald, becoming just the second coach in school history to open his first season 4-0 in postseason play. "We want to be dancing as long as we can. Our team believes in themselves. They just have that attitude about them. I was hoping that we weren't picked as much as we were picked to win the game because we do play our best basketball when people are doubting us. And hopefully it's that way versus the Zags."
WKU will meet fourth-seeded Gonzaga, who outlasted Akron 77-64, in Saturday's Second Round at 7:10 PM CT.
With Illinois leading 10-9 with 13:12 left in the opening half, WKU took control behind an 18-3 run as the Toppers ballooned the spread to 27-13 with 8:00 on the clock on an offensive stick-back from Matt Maresca. Orlando Mendez-Valdez ignited the run with back-to-back threes while Sergio Kerusch and AJ Slaughter continued with the longball onslaught as WKU connected on five of its first nine three-point attempts.
Slaughter and Kerusch each finished with 14 points while Kerusch recorded his 10th double double of the season, and his fifth in the last eight games, by pulling down 11 rebounds. WKU outrebounded the Illini 35-28 for the game. Mendez-Valdez chipped in 11 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
Trent Meacham's three-pointer with 5:39 remaining in the opening half cut the deficit to 31-20 as Illini trimmed the margin to 37-28 at the break. Meacham's trey was the only one of the half for Illinois. He finished with a season-high 24 points. The 37 first-half points was the second most allowed by the Big Ten's best defensive team this season.
After Calvin Brock drilled a 13-footer to start the second half for Illinois, WKU raced back out to a 46-32 spread on another Slaughter triple, capping a 9-2 spurt with 16:09 to play.
Dominique Keller's offensive rebound and bucket whittled the spread to single digits, 50-41, but a Kerusch steal and slam and a Jeremy Evans dunk started an 18-10 run as the Hilltoppers registered their biggest lead of the game 68-51 with 6:00 to play. Evans finished with 10 points and a game-high four blocked shots.
Still in control 70-55 with 3:27 remaining, Illinois made its final run, scoring 13 of the game's next 14 points to pull within a single possession at 71-68 on Demetri McCamey's lay-up with 32.8 ticks left. But WKU converted 5-of-6 free throws in the closing 30 seconds to ice the victory.
WKU connected on 9-of-19 from long range for 47.4 percent in equaling the most points allowed by Illinois this season.
NOTES:
WKU won its eighth-straight game, a season high; the Hilltoppers have won 16 of their last 18 games
WKU notches its first win over Illinois in three all-time meetings
WKU improves to 1-1 all-time against Illinois in the NCAA Tournament (Illinois won 65-60 in 2003)
Illinois head coach Bruce Weber began his coaching career as a graduate assistant on WKU head coach Gene Keady's staff in 1979-80
Bruce Weber falls to 1-2 all-time against WKU; Ken McDonald is 1-0 versus Illinois
WKU advanced to the NCAA Tournament by winning the program's seventh Sun Belt Conference Tournament title, the most in league history, as well as capturing the regular season East Division championship for the sixth time in nine years
WKU owns 41 conference championships (regular season and tournament titles), the third most in NCAA history behind only Kentucky and Kansas
WKU improves to 8-14 all-time against the 11 current members of the Big Ten, including 3-5 all-time in the NCAA Tournament with previous wins over #10 Ohio State (1971) and Michigan (1995)
WKU wins for just the fourth time in 12 games this season when allowing more than 70 points
WKU improves to 23-7 in televised games this season
WKU has had three or more players in double figures in 29 of 33 games this season
WKU head coach Ken McDonald became just the second coach in school history to win his first four postseason games, tying Matt Killcullen who accomplished the feat in 1995 with three wins in the Sun Belt Tournament, and then a first round win in the NCAA Tournament
WKU entered the game ranked 44th in the latest RPI ratings (the second-highest rated team in the state of Kentucky, behind only Louisville at #6, whom the Toppers beat 68-54 on November 30); Illinois is 21st
Now with 25 wins, the 2008-09 season is tied for 10th all-time for victories in a season (the third highest total in the past 14 years)
With an attendance of 17,169 tonight, WKU has played for a crowd of 5,000 or more 16 times this season
WKU improves to 5-1 at neutral sites this season
NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES:
WKU is making its second-straight NCAA Tournament appearance, and the 21st in the program's history
WKU is making its 34th national postseason tournament appearance in its 90-year history
WKU entered the NCAA Tournament as a 12 seed for the second-straight season, the only two times in 11 NCAA Tournament appearances as a 12 seed since the NCAA began seeding in 1980; the Toppers are now 3-1 all-time as a 12 seed
This year marks the fourth time WKU has been in the South (or former Southeast) Region; WKU is now 4-3 all-time when playing as part of the Region, advancing to the second round in 1986 and the Sweet 16 in 1993
WKU improves to 2-2 versus the NCAA Tournament field, having beaten Louisville and Illinois while falling to Florida State and Mississippi State
WKU is 17-20 all-time in 21 appearances in the NCAA Tournament
The win over Illinois marks the first time WKU has won back-to-back First Round games in consecutive seasons since 1986 and 1987
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER NOTES:
Orlando Mendez-Valdez, the 2008-09 Sun Belt Player of the Year, scored 11 points to pass Derek Robinson (1999-2002) for 36th on the WKU all-time scoring list, now with 1,042; he now trails Bobby Jackson (1961-63) by 19 points for 35th all-time
AJ Slaughter reached double figures for the 17th-straight game, his career long streak; he has reached double figures in 29 of 31 games played this season
With six assists, Orlando Mendez-Valdez has 348 for his career, ranking sixth all-time at WKU; he now needs just five assists to pass his former coach, Darrin Horn (1992-95)
With three threes, Orlando Mendez-Valdez now has 190 for his career, trailing Ty Rogers (2005-08) by three for fourth all-time
With 11 points against Illinois, Orlando Mendez-Valdez has produced 15 of his 22 double figure scoring performances away from home, including nine of his top 11 outings
With 14 points and 11 rebounds, Sergio Kerusch posted his fifth double double in the past eight games (10 double doubles on the season)
Mendez-Valdez is now the single season leader in three-pointers made (94) and attempted (230)
