COLLEGE BASKETBALL / NCAA TOURNAMENT: THE FIRST ROUND : 49ers Up Against Struggling Illini : West Regional: While Long Beach appears to have overcome its problems, Illinois seemingly has not, losing four of its last five games.

Coach Lou Henson and the Illinois Fighting Illini will be making their 10th NCAA tournament appearance since the 1980-81 season.

But it has not been all fun and games for Illinois (18-12), which meets Cal State Long Beach (22-9) today at 11:45 a.m. in the opening round of the West Regional at the University of Utah.

While Long Beach has had its problems, including a mystifying mid-season slump and a late-season injury to center Chris Tower that might prevent him from playing much today, those obstacles pale in comparison to those experienced by Illinois.

Cited in late 1990 by the NCAA for “lack of institutional control”--a charge the school still disputes--Illinois was banned from postseason play for two seasons. Henson was limited to offering two scholarships per year and a total of nine, while the amount of time he was allowed for recruiting was severely restricted.

There were high expectations--fostered by a good start--this season, but the excitement was tempered late last November when Henson’s son, Lou, Jr., died in an automobile accident on a rain-slick highway. The death stunned the basketball team and weighed heavily on the normally gregarious Henson.

Illinois started 7-1, losing only to New Mexico State in the final of the Great Alaska Shootout. By mid-December the Illini hit the skids, losing five of their next eight.

Since then, Illinois has been an up-and-down team.

Illinois comes into today’s game having lost four of its last five games.

The attitude of the team’s second-leading scorer, forward Andy Kaufmann, has not helped. Henson benched Kaufmann during a 74-66 victory over Penn State because Kaufmann had skipped classes. Kaufmann has played 20 minutes or less in seven of the Illini’s last 12 games.

The 6-foot-6 senior, who sat out last season because of academic problems, has been inconsistent. He averages 17.9 points but is shooting only 42.8% and has taken more shots (411) than anyone on the team.

Still, this is a powerful Big Ten team that tied Iowa for third place with a record of 11-7 after preseason predictions had the Illini finishing no higher than seventh.

Deon Thomas, a 6-9 junior, has been consistent, averaging 18.5 points and eight rebounds.

After moving back to the off-guard spot from the point, freshman Richard Keene, who started alongside Jason Kidd in the McDonald’s high school all-star game, has averaged 8.2 points. Junior point guard Rennie Clemons averages 9.6 points and 4.1 assists. Robert Bennett, a 6-6 forward, averages seven rebounds.

“Illinois has an outstanding inside game with Thomas,” 49er Coach Seth Greenberg said. “They shoot the ball well and they’ll stretch our defense.”

Long Beach, which defeated New Mexico State twice this season, might be without Tower for much of what remains of the season. The 6-10 center, who averages 13.4 points and 5.9 rebounds, has a stress fracture in his left foot. He practiced Wednesday but is listed as day to day.

Midway through the season, the 49ers lost forward Rod Hannibal because of a sprained ankle. At the time, Long Beach was 11-1 and atop the Big West Conference standings. Even though the 6-5 junior returned four games later, Long Beach finished the regular season 8-8.

“We were big-headed,” center Bryon Russell said. “We weren’t ready to beat the sorry teams. We weren’t ready to play the little guys.”

An opposing coach said that Long Beach looked bored for several weeks after it upset then top-ranked Kansas, 64-49, on Jan. 25.

After an 81-78 loss to Cal State Northridge on Feb. 25, the team held a meeting and vowed not to let down again.

Long Beach won five of its last six games, including three in the Big West tournament, to secure its first NCAA berth since 1977.