‘Tis the season to be jolly. Fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la.
“Bah, humbug! We got a bum steer,” screamed the Texas Longhorns Saturday while watching their coaching staff vanish before their eyes.
In 40 mad minutes at Assembly Hall, there were more Texas tantrums than in a room full of 3-year-olds who didn’t get what they wanted for Christmas.
First, head coach Tom Penders was ejected. Then assistant coach Eddie Oran, who replaced Penders, got the heave-ho. When the game ended–in a resounding 105-80 Illinois victory–assistant Carlton Owens was sitting in the hot seat.
Texas’ complaint with officials Ed Hightower, Tom Clark and Paul Janssen?
Penders wouldn’t say. He refused to be interviewed after the game, issuing a statement that read: “I’m proud of the way our kids fought through real adverse circumstances. I have no comment on the officiating.”
A huge hint, though, was supplied by the official box score that showed the Illini (8-3) shooting 52 free throws and making 38.
“It’s the Big Ten, baby,” said Illinois senior forward Brian Johnson. “You have to expect some contact. What we like to do is pressure guys. Maybe that was what they were talking about, but that’s our game.”
Actually, Penders probably was better off being sent to his room. Two months after having a defibrillator implanted for an enlarged heart, he was spared having to watch his Longhorns barbecued to a crisp.
Penders received his automatic ejection with 7 minutes 40 seconds left in the third quarter after being whistled for his second technical in a 23-second span. The Illini were leading only 48-39 at the time.
But soon after Penders charged onto the floor to protest Ivan Wagner’s charging foul on Matt Heldman, Illinois did some charging of its own.
Led by a season-high 24 points from senior forward Jerry Hester and 18 from Kevin Turner, the Illini stampeded to their third straight victory and exceeded 100 points for the first time since a 104-97 overtime win over Iowa on Feb. 11, 1995. Not bad for a team averaging 71.3 points a game.
“After the second technical on Penders, (Texas’) attitude changed a lot,” said Turner. “It seemed like they got down and weren’t playing with intensity. From then on the momentum really changed.”
Texas’ whining almost overshadowed a superb effort by the Illini, who forced 28 turnovers and battled the much taller Longhorns (5-5) even on the boards to dominate from start to finish.
“I’m disappointed that the drift of questions is going to the technicals,” said Illinois coach Lon Kruger, “because our guys played a good game. Hopefully, that will be mentioned somewhere.”
Looking more comfortable each time out, Hester played perhaps his best game of the year, sinking 7 of 9 field-goal attempts and canning 10 of 11 free throws.
“Having six days to prepare was a plus,” said Hester, who is becoming the floor leader Kruger is seeking. “I used the extra time to work a lot on shooting 15- to 17-footers. I think I did feel a little pressure early in the season to carry this team, but Coach’s decision to sit me down against Maine helped me a lot.”
The Illini also got 11 points apiece from Johnson and Heldman and eight apiece from Jarrod Gee and Rich Beyers off the bench.
Junior forward Kris Clack led Texas with 17 points.
“The difference now,” said Johnson, “is that we’re coming out from the start with intensity instead of waiting for the other team to do it for us.”
“Obviously a different type of game,” added Kruger dryly. “But when you cut through all that, I was proud of the way we played.”
