Illinois Vs. Ohio State: Can The Illini Take Two From OSU?

Back on January 10, the Illinois Fighting Illini played perhaps the best game of their season they knocked off the then No. 5 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes behind 43 points from junior guard Brandon Paul. Since then the Illini have dropped eight of nine and now there is speculation that Bruce Weber might be on the outs. Paul has continued his strong scoring since the win over OSU, but his turnovers have seriously spiked along the way. His most recent performance -- 2 points on 1-7 shooting -- is one of his worst of the season, so Paul will need to turn things around if the Illini hope to knock off OSU again.

Sophomore forward Jared Sullinger is still the biggest threat on Ohio State. He averages 17.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game and scored 21 points on 9-16 shooting in the first matchup, but grabbed on 5 rebounds in the process. Illinois big Meyers Leonard will have to step up his defensive presence in the paint and match sullinger's post scoring if Illinois hopes to control the pace of the game on the road.

Here is some basic information to help you find the action on Tuesday.

Illinois Fighting Illini (16-11, 5-9) at No. 8 Ohio State Buckeyes (22-5, 10-4)

Game date, time: 6:00 PM CT, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012

Location: Value City Arena, Columbus, OH

TV: ESPN, ESPN3

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage, visit Illinois blog Hail to the Orange. For more from around college hoops, head over to SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.