It is only December but the Illinois basketball team thinks they are in their second tournament of the year.

For their last four games the Illini have played as if they were participating in two separate weekends in the NCAA Tournament. After beating Arkansas in Chicago, No. 14 Illinois (4-1) has moved on in their own bracket to face Providence (3-1) in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden (6 p.m., ESPN).

"We're breaking it down like an NCAA bracket," Illinois head coach Bruce Weber said. "We've played Temple. We got to advance and play (North) Carolina. We lost. Now we played Arkansas. Now we get to play (Providence)."

While thinking they are in the tournament, it doesn't hurt the Illini to play in some of the best basketball venues. The Palestra in Philadelphia, where the Illini faced Temple, is a basketball junkies' dream venue with five college teams having access to the arena.

Greensboro (against North Carolina) and the United Center have hosted NCAA Tournament games. Now the Illini head to New York City and Madison Square Garden, which has been dubbed the mecca of sporting venues.

"The venues have been unbelieveable," Weber said.

Illinois sophomore guard Deron Williams said if anyone on the team can't get excited about playing at the Garden they shouldn't even put on a uniform.

With all of the game experience the Illini have had in these top-notch arenas, the players don't expect the big stage of Madison Square Garden to get the best of them.

"You think about it at the beginning of the game," Illinois junior forward Roger Powell said. "You're like, 'Oh this is a nice gym.' But once the game starts you're focused on the game."

Focusing on the game will mean the Illini will be looking for Providence junior forward Ryan Gomes, who came on strong at the end of last year and has picked up where he left off.

"He is a lot like (Jawad) Williams from North Carolina," Weber said. "He can come on the court and do some of the same things. He'll get you up in the air. He'll get a little hook or draw a foul."

Williams scorched the Illini for 18 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Gomes is a threat all over the court. He can play in the post or hit the three (18 points a game) and relentlessly rebounds, (8 rebounds per game).

"They have an inside force (Gomes) that we will have to contend with and that will be the question until we stop somebody in the interior," Weber said.

The Illini just hope Madison Square Garden will be just another venue they can walk out of with a win.

"It's just another step against a good team and just playing on the biggest stage in basketball," Illinois junior center Nick Smith said. "It will be a big game. If we can win the rest out we'll be pretty good going into Missouri (on Dec. 23)."