Iowa head coach Steve Alford has waved candy in front of his sweet-tooth fans for more than a year now.

The Hawkeye program is associated with a very frustrating stigma. They have the tendency to excel through the out of conference schedule, appearing as though they will contend for the conference title, only to freeze late in the season and watch tournament dreams slip between their fingers.

“I think they’re in the tournament,” Illinois head coach Bruce Weber said. “But in their minds they can’t let what happened last year happen again.”

Last season the Hawkeyes were given numerous chances to show the tournament selection committee that they belonged in the dance. In those games they made statements that they certainly didn’t belong.

One such game was against the streaking Illini in late February. The Hawkeyes were at home and seeking a quality win to put them over the top and into the tournament; instead they were bullied 78-59.

This year the Hawkeyes went 12-1 out of conference, with the only loss coming to touted North Carolina. With wins over No. 11 Louisville and No. 13 Texas, it appeared as if this Iowa team was finally legit. But losses in their first two Big Ten games against Michigan and Ohio State are raising questions as to whether they will wilt and follow a familiar path.

“Right before Christmas they started to struggle,” Weber said. “They struggled with Western Carolina and then Saint Louis. They carried that play into the Big Ten early.”

Simply put, they are not clicking like they were early in the season.

The X-factor about this year’s team is that it is very well-balanced and strangely similar to Illinois. While the Illini have “No. 1” preceding their name, the two team’s strengths and weaknesses rival. Both teams rely heavily on their excellent backcourt, and have tough match ups in the frontcourt.

The Illinois backcourt averages 43 points per game, while Iowa’s averages 45.1.

Their match-up nightmare power forwards, Greg Brunner and Roger Powell Jr., average 13.0 and 12.9 points per game respectively. And while center James Augustine has the advantage over Iowa’s Erek Hanson, the Hawkeyes seem primed to reverse their late season curse.

Weber describes Iowa guard Pierre Pierce as being one of the best players in the league and still remembers Illinois struggling to stop him at last year’s Assembly Hall match.

Last year, Illinois started off the Big Ten schedule 1-2 and then beat Iowa; eventually going on to win the conference outright. Iowa will come into Champaign 1-2 and know that to make up ground in the conference they will need to get a distinct win.

On the road at Assembly Hall is a collector’s item.

100th ANniversary Celebration

The athletic department has finalized its plans for the festivities surrounding Illinois’ 100th year of basketball. More than 300 former players, trainers and managers are expected back for the January 29th match up against Minnesota. The experience includes an Alumni basketball game and All-Century team inductions.