Before Saturday’s game, Illinois coach Bruce Weber said the Illini would need a player to be “special” to pull off a win at Indiana. He named a host of potential candidates, but few in the arena thought it would be backup big man Marcus Arnold.

Arnold poured in 12 points and hauled in two rebounds in only 15 minutes before fouling out with just under two minutes left. He also blocked a shot and played tight defense on Indiana’s star forward, D.J. White, leaving Indiana’s coaches dumbfounded.

“I turned to my assistant coaches and said ‘Did we talk about him?'” Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson said with a laugh.

Coming into the game, Arnold averaged just 1.5 points and 1.2 rebounds in 8.2 minutes per game and had made only 5 of 16 free throws. He more than doubled his free throw total against Indiana, sinking all six of his attempts.

“I just knew I had to step up and make them,” Arnold said. “I felt pretty good today, and I just wanted to step up and help my teammates.”

Arnold was both a beneficiary and a part of the Illini’s foul trouble. He entered the game early when Shaun Pruitt got two quick whistles, but fouled out himself late in the second half. Forward Brian Randle said he knew Arnold, a transfer from Illinois State, had the potential for a big game.

“We’ve always known,” Randle said. “I mean, he did it to us when he was with ISU.”

Arnold has alternated with freshman Brian Carlwell as the first big man off the bench this year. Weber said Arnold had been clamoring for opportunities to play, but the senior said he just wanted to contribute any way he could.

“Whatever (Weber) needs me to do, I’ll do it,” Arnold said. “Whether it’s two minutes, 10 or 15, I’m fine with it. I just want to help the team.”

Turnovers doom Illini down the stretch

When Rich McBride caught the ball beyond the three point arc with just under three minutes left in Saturday’s game, the Illini looked in control.

They led the Hoosiers 61-58, had just forced an Indiana turnover and had the ball in the hands of a senior.

But McBride lobbed a pass too short for Warren Carter, giving it back to Indiana and starting a disastrous offensive stretch. In all, Illinois turned the ball over four times in the last three minutes and did not score a single point as the Hoosiers came back to win.

“To beat a team on the road . you’ve got to shut the door and you’ve got to bust it in and unfortunately we just didn’t do it,” Randle said.

The most disastrous possession for Illinois came in the final minute when they trailed 63-61. With the clock running down, Chester Frazier passed to Shaun Pruitt near the free-throw line. The Illinois center could not find anyone to pass to and was whistled for holding the ball for five seconds. The turnover gave the ball back to the Hoosiers with five seconds left and essentially clinched the game.

“Everybody stood there,” Weber said. “(We didn’t) have timeouts left so it’s my fault not to have a timeout to call something else.”

Illinois finished with 17 turnovers, three above their season average. Indiana scored 26 points off of turnovers to just 10 for the Illini.

Foul trouble limits big men

Illinois was besieged with foul trouble from the opening minutes Saturday, sending a parade of big men onto the court in the first half and welcoming each one back with at least a pair of whistles.

Pruitt was the first one hit, forcing him to the bench with two fouls less than five minutes in. Warren Carter followed him shortly thereafter, picking up a pair of fouls in an 18-second span sandwiched around a Weber technical. Just like that, the Illini were without their top two scorers.

Randle, Arnold and Carlwell racked up two fouls apiece of their own in the first half. Randle and Arnold both fouled out and Pruitt was limited to just three points in 17 minutes. Randle said the foul trouble may have been the difference in the game.

“I got five fouls and of course later (Arnold) got five fouls,” Randle said. “I think the way the game was going, having him in there, frustrating D.J. and getting us movement, (losing him) was just kind of a tough blow to take.”

Nike notes

Both teams’ coaches wore sneakers on the court Saturday to support Coaches for Cancer, but while Sampson and his staff wore black court shoes to match their outfits, the Illini coaches were clad in the white and orange Nikes that the team plays in.

The clashing footwear, Weber said, led to considerable heckling from Indiana fans that did not know the story behind the sneakers.

“You (media) guys can tell the fans that we were wearing the shoes for Coaches versus Cancer,” Weber told the press after the game. “They were on us about it all game.”