Tracy Abrams, Mt Carmel (Class of 2011) Block

Nice defensive play by Abrams. What an athlete, making an incredible block here.

Tracy Abrams, Mt Carmel (Class of 2011) Buzzer beater

Here's a nice video of our future guard, Tracy Abrams, who committed to the Illini this week.

2008/2009 Illini Schedule Announced

The season schedule is now out, and available here. I'm not sure how we will do this year, but I do think this schedule will be plenty challenging for this year's squad. Maybe after some review, I will estimate wins and losses.

Challenge to the Illini Basketball Team (Mizzou Game)

After watching the high-scoring football game last weekend against Missouri, it made me wonder, can Bruce Weber's guys hold Mizzou to less than 52 points this fall? That would be something, since the game of basketball is typically much higher scoring than football. Further, will the Illini basketball squad continue to be offensively-challenged this season? Will our bballers be able to score 42 points against Missouri when we play them in our annual match-up?

Normally, it's automatic for Weber's squad to score over 50 points in a game. But with Jamar Smith now gone, and a depleted and young frontcourt, it's questionable if this team will be able to score. I will try to remember to come back and compare the football and basketball scores against Missouri once we get to December.

The Coming Year of Illini Basketball

With the loss of Jamar Smith for this season, I am looking at a tough year ahead for the Illini in basketball. Many fans seem to be optimistic about a tourney team, but I see this as another rebuilding year. Here's a look at my starting five as the season opens, and the others rotating in:

Starting Five
PG-McCamey
SG-Frazier
G-Brock
SF-Keller
C-Tisdale

Rotating In
PG-Jordan
SG-Meacham
F-Cole
F/C-Davis

Bench
Semrau
Simpson
Jackson

The problem with this team in the early season, is the guards are defensive-oriented, with the best scorer being McCamey. Guard play could improve when Legion is available in December, assuming he is in the rotation for considerable minutes. In the meantime, we can watch Chester Frazier play shooting guard for the Illini.

The front court is very inexperienced, and one of the main things to watch is how the big men develop, since we do seem to have some potential in guys like Tisdale, Davis and Cole. Winning could be further complicated by troubles in rebounding, particularly blocking out on the defensive end. I am projecting Keller as a starter, mainly because he has the body of a big man who can rebound. If the front court has troubles rebounding, don't be surprised to see Coach Weber play four guards, adding Meacham to the line-up of Frazier, McCamey and Brock. At least we won't have to worry about getting down the court to guard against the fast break...

The Good News and the Bad News

First the good news..............I'm back blogging again after some vacationing this summer. It's nice taking those European holidays for a month or so, isn't it? Actually, I have been focusing on work, and there really hasn't been much to write about in college basketball until this week.

Actually the good news is Meyers Leonard has provided the Illini with a verbal commitment to play in the class of 2010. Meyers is a local kid from Robinson Illinois, who has grown to 6-10 or so, and weighs over 200 pounds already, and has attracted the attention of all the big programs around the country. Meyers is highly rated by the recruiting gurus as well, and joins two awesome recruits for that class, Head and Richmond. My hope is that Lenzelle Smith announces he is headed to Illinois, which will make our class of 2010 one of the best in the NCAA.

Now, some people are getting excited about these recruiting grids on the internet that show there are no more spots available on the 2010 roster. But I'm not the least bit worried, since these grids assume optimistically that each and every player plays at Illinois for exactly four years. That just does not happen in the NCAA currently, even at Illinois. So people need to relax about scholarships available, and realize that people transfer, go pro, and other miscellaneous things happen.....

That leads me to the Jamar Smith stories. Being a night owl myself, I can't blame him for being up late during the summer at U of I. I stayed in town one summer myself when going to Illinois many years ago, and that was one of the best times you could have, compared to the alternatives. However, I just can't understand how you find yourself violating your probation by drinking in public, unless he is still mired in alcoholism, which might be the case. I won't dwell on this, because I am tired of reading the stories already, and assume his career at Illinois must be over.

On a more positive note, we can look forward to this fall's team developing during a transition year, and welcoming the Class of 2009 the following season.

Poll Results: Who will wear number 13?

My readers poll has closed and we have an answer to the question of who wears 13 next season: Jeff Jordan was selected by Illini fans (my readers) as the one to wear his Dad's number.

I've got news for you, Jeff will be wearing number 13 again, because it's a lucky number for him. A better guess is that Dominique Keller or Alex Legion will take the number 23 and the pressure of trying to "be like Mike."

Thanks to all of those who participated in the poll, and we'll have to wait until this fall to see who is right.

Rodney Alexander and Brian Carlwell's plans

Rodney Alexander is taking a look at Oklahoma City college, which has the advantage of allowing him to play this fall (rather than sitting out one year), because it is a NAIA program. Rodney has a list of schools to consider, so there should be something announced this summer. Good luck, Rodney.

Brian Carlwell is looking at New Orleans and San Diego State University as potential schools for him. Brian should make his decision this summer also, and I wish him the best.

Both of these players have talent, and I hope they can find the right programs to excel. For more details, see this article from Paul Klee's blog.

Jereme Richmond shows skills and maturity at Moody Bible Institute

Jereme Richmond played some basketball recently at the Moody Bible Institute, and showed his awesome skills to people fortunate enough to attend the event. He also talked about his plans to return to Waukegan this fall, and confirmed his commmitment to Illinois basketball. For more details, see the Chicago Sun-Times article.

ESPN Calls Tyler Griffey a Standout Player at Adidas Scrimmage

ESPN.com is portraying Tyler Griffey as a "standout player" at the Adidas Scrimmage that took place in Los Angeles this week. The article by Joel Francisco notes that Griffey has "range out to 20-feet, is smooth and he's extremely effective nailing it in transition. In addition to his shooting touch, he has the ability to post up and displayed a nifty jump hook."

Additionally, Tyler is aiming to be 235-240 pounds when he enrolls at Illinois in 2009, and has already increased his vertical jump to 36", and has a reach of 11'8" with a two step start, according to his father. See comments from Illinois Loyalty.

The Illini have an excellent player in Tyler Griffey, when he enrolls starting in 2009.

Tyler Griffey is keeping busy this summer

And Tyler is learning from Paul Silas, hitting the weights and looking forward to playing in Champaign starting in the fall of 2009. This article in the Daily Illini provides more updates from Tyler Griffey. I can't wait to see him, either. And as you might notice in the photo, he looks just like former Illini, Robert Archibald.

Crandall Head and Luther Head, a nice Brother Combo

Crandall Head plays and looks just like Luther Head, only he is taller, according to experts in this article from the News Gazette.

According to Luther, he did not pressure Crandall to go to the U of I, even though he was recommending the school and is close friends with Jerrance Howard. Luther is glad his brother can follow in his footsteps as an Illini, and Crandall does not seem to be bothered by the pressure.

It would be nice to be in Champaign to see them playing together, and see them side-by-side. Maybe one of my readers can point to a photo of them together.

Shootout at University of Illinois

There is an excellent summary of the shootout at the University of Illinois at the Illinois Prep Bullseye site, which has comments on most of the Illini commits and recruits, including Joseph Bertrand, Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson, Donivine Stewart, Lenzelle Smith, Jereme Richmond, Crandall Head and Mike Shaw.

It sounds like Joseph Bertrand really made an impression, and Lenzelle Smith can be compared to Sergio McClain. Donivine Stewart's stock continues to rise from the Class of 2011.

Alex Legion Scores big in Poland

Previous reports told us Alex Legion averaged around 15 points per game in Poland. This seemed low for a series of high scoring games in which the Athletes in Action team passed the century mark once. A new report from the Daily Illini quoting Coach Jerrance Howard explains the real story:

"Legion played three games in Poland and would not give the back of the net a break. Statistics were not available from the AIA, but Howard reported games of 35 and 27 points for the Kentucky transfer."

For more on the Illini trips this summer, see this Daily Illini article.

Who Will Wear Number 23?

It's June, college basketball season seems far away, and not much is going on with the Fighting Illini basketball team. So, I have a question for fans out there and am opening up a poll tonight to find out the answer. Rodney Alexander wore the number 23 last season, and as you should all know, he is transferring to another school this summer. At this point, we're not sure where he goes. But his number is available for the other Illini to wear next year, if they dare. This number is known as Michael Jordan's number to Chicago Bulls fans. Please participate if you have any idea of the answer, and the results will be posted later this month.

Question: Who will wear number 23 for the Fighting Illini basketball team next season?

Answer: Please see the poll to the right and weigh in with your answer.

Illini 2009 Class now rated number 2

ESPN has come out with an article and ranking of the 2009 classes, and no surprise to me, the Illini are ranked number 2 behind North Carolina, due to their verbals from Tyler Griffey, Brandon Paul, DJ Richardson and Joseph Bertrand. There are still a majority of the top players left uncommitted, but the Illini and Bruce Weber have a great early class commmitted for 2009.

Expectations for the Illini include Simpson

Rumblings around the Champaign-Urbana campus indicate Stan Simpson is eligible to play basketball this fall and is enrolling for the summer school session soon. The depleted Illini front line might need some help from Stan Simpson, that's for sure.

No word on where Brian Carlwell and Rodney Alexander might be headed, we'll just have to wait and see what happens this summer. Carlwell has been rumored to be headed to Lexington, and Rodney is probably looking around at this point.

I had read speculation that Calvin Brock might decide to not return to school, since he has already received his undergraduate degree. But we can expect to see Calvin return for his final year of eligibility this fall, and provide the Illini with valuable minutes with his excellent defense, rebounding and shooting.

Alex Legion is getting some valuable game experience in Poland this week, and I'll bet he's showing his shooting acumen and athleticism as well. He will be eligible to play for the Illini in December, from what I understand, and will probably become a fixture in the starting line-up.

My best guess at the Illini starting line-up once Legion is available: McCamey, Smith, Legion, Keller and Tisdale. Rotating in off the bench would be Frazier, Brock, Meacham, Jordan and Davis. Cole and Simpson will be looking to extend the rotation, or find a spot with shooting or defense. Am I forgetting anyone? I don't think so.

Alex Legion and AIA team score over 100 in Poland

Alex Legion must be having a great experience in Poland, as the Athletes in Action team went over the century mark last night in Poland to win 104=79. Full story is on the AIA site.

Early Previews of Big Ten Basketball 2008/2009

Devin of College Basketball Chronotope has already pulled together a preview of the upcoming Big Ten Season, and I have to agree with most of his writing. Basically, he has Purdue, Michigan State and Wisconsin at the top, with Illinois just behind. My only question at this early stage, could the Big 10 be so weak we only get three teams in the NCAA? I can't recall the last time this happened since the field was 64 or 65 teams.

Even earlier to the task, KJ of Spartans Weblog put out his predictions, which have Purdue, Wisconsin and Michigan State at the top (sounds familiar). KJ has the Illini moving up from the bottom to 6th place in the conference, citing the uncertainty with the Illini front line. I agree this is a really hard Illini team to project, since the guards will be somewhat new (scoring ones, at least) and the front line is a huge question mark.

Athletes in Action come back with Legion's Shooting

The Athletes in Action team played Friday night and after falling behind due to pourous defense, came roaring back due to "razor sharp shooting" by Illinois' Alex Legion. The short game summary is on the AIA website.

We have been hearing about Alex Legion working on his game with Jamar Smith, and it appears he can be a force in European basketball games, at least. It will be interesting to see his game in Champaign when he becomes elibible in December 2008.

Illini Basketball will be back on top

For anyone who has not been paying attention, this much is clear: the Illini basketball program, led by Coach Bruce Weber, will be back and a force in the Big 10 conference and NCAAs. In an article by Scout.com's Kedric Price, the comeback of the Illini is summarized as follows:

2008/2009: Team is likely to improve due to Jamar Smith, Alex Legion, Dominique Keller and Stan Simpson joining returning players from last season.

2009/2010: Four highly-rated recruits join the Illini. DJ Richardson, Brandon Paul, Tyler Griffey and Joseph Bertrand have all been rated in the top 100 players nationally in various rankings.

2010/2011: Two of the top 15 players in the country have verbally committed to the Illini, with Jereme Richmond rated 7th and Crandall Head at 12th.

2011/2012: TBD, In process.

I personally think the new challenge for Bruce Weber and his staff will be dealing with all of the talented players coming into the program, keeping the players focused on the team aspect of the game and playing defense. If he can accomplish that, he could easily have another team like the 2005 squad or the 1989 "Flying Illini."

Follow Alex Legion in Poland with AIA

Alex Legion is with a traveling team from Athletes in Action in Poland, scheduled to play three games: two against the National team and one against an all-star team. The director of the group, Mike Sigfrids is blogging while on the trip to keep us updated.

The roster and schedule for the AIA team are here.

The latest post from Mike is here.

I hope they can keep updating their blog, so we can follow the games in Poland.

Illini Fans Ranked #11 Last Season

According to statistics released by the NCAA for last season, the Illini fans ranked number 11 in the country for attendance of home games, with an average of 16,618 fans crowding into the Assembly Hall in Champaign.

I wish the Illini basketball squad was ranked #11 last year, but that was last season, and we need to look forward to 2008 and 2009.

Nice job Illini fans! Not everyone can support a team like the one we watched last season, but that's the mark of true fans, following your team during the tough years.

McCamey, Davis and Howard returning from China

Mark Tupper follows the Illini basketball team all year, and notes that McCamey, Davis and Howard are returning from their trip to China tomorrow. Apparently, McCamey had a really good trip playing basketball with the traveling team, and Davis did alright as well. It sounds like Jerrance Howard was the coach for the team, and they got beat repeatedly by the number three team from China (maybe they had some big guys from Northern China).

I hope they had a chance to see the big cities like Shanghai and Beijing, which are pictured here. Despite the earthquake aftershocks they experienced, it must have been a rewarding experience for all.

Alex Legion heads to Poland next. Good luck to Alex, hope he scores big time and comes back ready to play Big 10 basketball.

More on the China trip here, from the News-Gazette.

Interview with Tyler and Chris Griffey

Here's a nice interview with Tyler Griffey and his Dad, Chris that was done on Scout.com. Tyler is joining the Illini for the class of 2009, and is a highly-rated forward from the St. Louis area. Chris has posted here on Illini BBall Fans Blog, and is a frequent poster on the various websites. Tyler has his senior year starting this fall, and then off to Champaign. He will be a great addition to the program.

Jereme Richmond Highlights

Richmond's game looks pretty good too. Hope he joins the others in the fall of 2010.

Tyler Griffey Sophomore Highlights

Tyler Griffey looks like a highly-skilled big man for the Illini front line.

Joseph Bertrand Highlights

Joseph Bertrand has some serious moves to the hoop, and can score. He looks big in this video. Another one of the 2009 guards coming to Champaign.

Brandon Paul Highlights

Brandon Paul can take it to the hoop big time, shoot free throws, and get off the floor. Can't wait for 2009 to be here!

Crandall Head Highlights

Crandall Head is so smooth, plays above the rim and is so relaxed out there. He should really be something in the orange and blue.

DJ Richardson Highlights

This video shows the skills of DJ Richardson driving to the hoop in the Assembly Hall in Champaign. It will be great to see him in orange and blue.

Mark Tupper's thoughts on Jereme Richmond

Jereme Richmond has been in the news lately, and Mark Tupper, back from traveling, comments on the Richmond stories before going on vacation. Personally, I hope Richmond goes to school in Champaign and Tupper catches some big fish in Minnesota.

Oh, and in other articles, Richmond is planning to return to Waukegan to play hoops, even though he did not finish the season on the team. I'm not going to worry too much about Jereme, since he seems like a good kid and 2010 still seems like a long time away.

Brandon Paul getting ready for Champaign

Brandon Paul will be a senior at Warren this fall, and is continuing to improve his game before joining the Illini basketball team in the fall of 2009, according to this Sun-Times article. Dickey Simpkins has been one of Paul's coaches, and feels he can play in the NBA someday. Brandon used to watch the Illini in 2005 and likes the idea of the motion offense with three guards. I can't wait to see the 2009 class in action.

Bruce Weber Recognizes Sites that cover Illinois Basketball

Bruce Weber is now helping with the marketing of my blog, by mentioning he is aware of websites that cover Illinois Basketball. I know, there's lots of blogs and message boards that cover Illini hoops. My favorite board is Illinois Loyalty, and I sometimes enjoy posting there. But I'm thinking Bruce must have someone reading my site, since we are one of the few blogs that focus entirely on Illini basketball. Here's some quotes from the article, and a link, of course.

“We have a very passionate fan base, and I know that they are active on a lot of the sites that cover Illinois basketball,” Weber said. “I tell our players not to pay attention to them. But we do have people that monitor those sites. And the reason we do is because there is a lot of misinformation out there.

“So when wild rumors and other misinformation show up on those sites, we are reacting to that and trying to get the correct information out. The good thing is it shows there’s a lot of interest in our program. I’d rather have fans that maybe care too much than fans that don’t care.”

Kentucky Wildcats thinking about transfers

Lots of buzz is happening within the Kentucky Wildcat fan community about a rumored transfer coming to Lexington this fall (to sit and wait to play in the fall of 2009). They are hoping he is big, and specifically some speculate the transfer is Brian Carlwell, who announced earlier that he will be transferring from Illinois.

Tracey Webster, formerly an assistant at Illinois, took a job working for Billy Gillespie at Kentucky, and may be playing a role to get Carlwell to Lexington. According to the rumors, the transfer should be announced in the next week or so.

I'm sure the Illini coaching staff is trying to help Carlwell find a good situation for finishing out his college career, since they already used his scholarship for the 2009 recruiting class. Also looking for a new school is Rodney Alexander, who despite being one of my personal favorites, did not fit in at Illinois. I expect we might have a third player looking to transfer, but this has not yet been announced.

Meet and Greet Bruce Weber, Illini Basketball Coach

Starting May 12th, Bruce Weber, Jerrance Howard and Ron Zook will be traveling around Illinois to meet with Illini fans. Take advantage of this opportunity to meet with the coaches in either Lisle, Bloomington, Springfield or Peoria. Details are here.

You must be one of the first 500 fans registering here.

Roger Powell to Speak in Peoria

Roger Powell Jr. will be appearing at a speaking engagement in Peoria, Illinois on May 24th before the Peoria Chiefs baseball game. Roger is a star player for the Siviglia Wear basketball team in Teramo, Italy. My expectation is that he will make a fine speech, so those in the area should go out and enjoy Roger and some baseball as well.

Local Champaign Hoopster Heads to Bloomington (Indiana)

Verdell Jones, a point guard who played for Champaign Central High School, not far from the University of Illinois, committed to Indiana University this week. Jones is rated a three star guard by the Scout.com recruiting website. Local sources indicated that Jones never had an opportunity to play at Illinois, where Coach Bruce Weber has received a number of commitments from talented guards across the State. Instead, Jones was able to attract interest from Kentucky, Minnesota and recently Arizona prior to cancelling his campus visit there. The Indiana opportunity must have presented an opportunity to play right away, as the program has lost several scholarship athletes in recent days. And Coach Crean has coached some excellent guards in recent years. The end result? Verdell Jones will be able to come back home to Champaign and visit as an opponent from Indiana!

Tyler Griffey hitting the weights

Tyler Griffey's plans for the off-season this summer are detailed in this article in the PJStar. Key points:

-Tyler is not just focusing on the AAU circuit this summer.
-He has a personal trainer for daily workouts.
-Tyler is hitting the weights, and hopes to be 235 when he enrolls at U of I in 2009.
-Tyler is working on skill development at the Adidas instructional program.

Illini fans are going to enjoy Tyler Griffey, who I expect to be an impact player at Illinois.

A Packed Scholarship Grid Makes Some Wonder

Unlike Indiana basketball, the Illini have very few scholarships available for the fall of 2009 and 2010. In fact, according to this grid, they have exactly none until the fall of 2011.

So why are they offering talented Lenzelle Smith Jr., who begins college in the fall of 2010? Is he a back-up, in case someone doesn't sign? Could be. Or are they certain one of the player will leave early for the NBA? Someone like McCamey, Tisdale, Davis, or one of the talented 2009 freshmen? Probably not. Most likely, there is a scholarship spot open due to someone transferring from the team. We will have to keep our eyes open this month and next, to see if any announcements are made.

In 2011, scholarships are wide open again at Illinois, and that is the main focus these days for the Illini basketball coaching staff.

Illini Basketball Players excel in the Classroom

The Illini basketball team is being recognized by the NCAA for being in the top 10% of the NCAA for academic progress, and the only Big 10 men's basketball team receiving this recognition this year. Congratulations to the team and Bruce Weber for being true student-athletes.

Rumors surfacing on Lenzelle Smith, Jr.

Rumors are surfacing on the web that local sources at Zion-Benton think Lenzelle Smith, Jr. will announce his intentions very shortly, and they might involve the University of Illinois. Recall that Smith visited the Champaign Urbana campus recently and came away very impressed. Smith would make the Illini class of 2010 extremely strong, as he would be joining Crandall Head and Jereme Richmond, who could both find themselves in the McDonald's All American team. Lenzelle Smith, Jr. is a 6-3 wing player who is excellent on the court and academically, according to reports.

Brandon Paul Invited to NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp

Today it was announced by ChicagoHoops.com that Brandon Paul has been invited to the NBA Players Association Top 100 Camp. This camp is highly regarded, so it's appropriate that Paul is attending.

Look for Brandon Paul to be the big recruit for the Illini class of 2009, since his stock is rising quickly.

Profile on Jereme Richmond courtesy of Draft Express

For those of you following Jereme Richmond, the top-ranked player in Illinois who is headed to Illinois in the fall of 2010, you should read the profile in Draft Express. Jereme is playing for the Rising Stars Gold AAU team at the King James Classic, and this was the basis for the comments. The profile seems very balanced in evaluating this talented high school player, with the following highlights:

-Jereme was playing out of position at power forward, but still averged 12 points per game.
-Richards has strong lower body and can finish at the rim.
-Jereme has a silky shooting touch from outside the arc, and has a quick first step when driving.
-Weaknesses/areas to improve for Jereme are defensive intensity and ball handling skills.
-It was also pointed out that Jereme is transferring high schools once again, and needs to show he is coachable.

I have no doubt Jereme Richmond will be a quality player in college, and has made the right choice in Illinois.

Crandall Head and Jereme Richmond likely Top 10 Nationally

According to recruiting analyst Roy Schmidt, national recruiting analysts are finally noticing the ability of Crandall Head at the King James Classic this past weekend. The rest of us have been excited about Crandall Head for some time, being familiar with Luther Head and his Illinois-bound brother.

Schmidt feels that both Richmond and Head will likely be ranked in the top ten players for their class nationally. In other words, they are expected to be McDonald's All-Americans (aka burger boys). Two burger boys in one class equals a top notch recruiting class and an excellent chance to make another run in the NCAAs.

This kind of news is great for this Illini fan.

Sam Thompson of Whitney Young gets Illini Offer

Bruce Weber is continuing his work on the Class of 2011 kids, since his scholarships for the prior classes are almost gone. Sam Thompson just received this offer according to Chicago Hoops.com.

Thompson is a 6-6 wing player, with the ability to slash to the hoop or knock down long range shots. He is one of the top-ranked players in the State of Illinois for his class, and plays for the AAU team called Mac Irvin Fire.

According to Chicago Hoops, the top three players in the state for the class of 2011 are Mike Shaw, Wayne Blackshear and Sam Thompson.

10,000 Visitors and Returning from Russia

Hello from Moscow, readers of my basketball blog! I have been out of town during the past week, and will return later today, probably jetlagged, from Moscow, Russia. I am happy to see that during my trip the 10,000th visitor has been to the blog to read about Fighting Illini basketball.

Since it is the off season, I doubt I have missed much, but I will get updated on the recruiting news and provide an update shortly.

Video of Tyler Griffey and Stan Simpson

I recently enjoyed watching some game video of Tyler Griffey and Stan Simpson online, courtesy of wazoosports.com. The videos are complete game videos from December 2007, with Tyler Griffey going up against Scotty Hopson, who is headed to Tennessee (warning, Bruce Pearl is shown in stands). The Simeon game features Stan Simpson (number 32) going up against Lexington Catholic. Griffey is a good fundamental player who really has some inside game, and can shoot it from the outside. Simpson is an inside player who can score inside and block shots. Excellent games to watch of some future Illini players.

ESPN Announces the Big 10 ACC Challenge Games

The Big 10/ACC Challenge games have been announced by ESPN. This is the ESPN special that takes place over a few days, matching up two of the top conferences head to head. The only problem is, the ACC always wins. I predict the Big 10 will win this one of these years, but I doubt it happens this fall. Here's a list of the games:

Duke at Purdue
North Carolina at Michigan State
Wisconsin at Virginia Tech
Ohio State at Miami
Clemson at Illinois
Virginia at Minnesota
Iowa at Boston College
Penn State at Georgia Tech
Indiana at Wake Forest
Florida State at Northwestern
Michigan at Maryland

The Illini have a home game, but Clemson should be a challenging opponent.

Dominique Keller Signs a Letter of Intent

Dominique Keller signed his letter of intent today, and will join the Illini basketball team this fall. The Illini will need this talented junior college transfer to boost their front line. Story

Steve Holdren calling it quits

Steve Holdren is also leaving the Illini basketball team. Apparently, Steve is stilll not recovering from past injuries, and has decided against trying to play basketball his senior year. Steve transferred to Illinois as a walk-on, so that he could finish college in Urbana-Champaign. Steve had been a scholarship basketball player for South Dakota State before transferring.

Best of luck in the rest of your college days, Steve. Hope you find a great job after graduation.

Rodney Alexander will transfer

The Chicago Tribune reports today that Rodney Alexander will be transferring to another school.

Rodney was one of my personal favorites from last year's squad, and I could not figure out why a player with that much talent was sitting on the bench most of the year. Well, I guess Rodney couldn't figure that out either, so it's on to greener pastures for Rodney. Rodney also inspired by "Weber's Doghouse" feature, that might have to be continued into next season as well, with other players.

Good luck to Rodney in his next basketball program. I think he needs to go somewhere with a wide-open offensive philosophy, like Kansas, where his high-flying athletic moves are appreciated.

Weber's Recruits since being named Illini Coach

I found myself once again defending Rodney Alexander the past couple of days, who spent last season in Coach Weber's dog house. Alexander did not play well enough last season to be a consistent starter, and spent a considerable amount of time on the bench, watching a very poor shooting team on the court. Recently, it leaks out that Alexander might transfer, and many Illini fans have rushed to the defense of Coach Weber. After all, Rodney Alexander is at fault for not flourishing in Coach Weber's system, right? Well, upon further review, it's hard to many Weber recruits that have flourished in his system. Let's do a quick review of the commits since he was named coach on April 30, 2003:

Shaun Pruitt-went out with a thud
Calvin Brock-four star who has rarely started
Jamar Smith-DUI, tries to come back this year
Chester Frazier-often criticized defensive specialist
C.J. Jackson-transferred to football team
Richard Semrau-major life threatening injury, recovered to bench
Brian Carlwell-injured, recovered, to transfer this year
Bill Cole-injured, hopes to recover
Mike Tisdale-good prospect after freshman year
Demetri McCamey-excellent guard prospect
Quinton Watkins-did not qualify per NCAA
Rodney Alexander-benched, may transfer
Mike Davis-excellent prospect

Now, after reviewing Weber's recent recruits at Illinois, it's hard to say that Alexander has not lived up to expectations of Coach Weber. In fact, he outperformed most of Weber's recruits listed here, in my opinion.

Front Line for 2008 is Questionable

The Illini have a front line that is very questionable for next season. Let's look at the alternatives:

Mike Tisdale returns for his sophomore year, needed additional weight and muscle to be a factor rebounding next season. Tisdale is almost certain to start if he shows reasonable improvement from his freshman season.

Mike Davis returns for his sophomore year, and like the other Mike, needs to hit the weights in the off-season so he can be a factor on the boards. Davis has a nice offensive game, and could be a nice player next season.

Rodney Alexander is considering his options after not being utilized last season. This will be his senior year and final year of eligibility if he returns with the Illini.

Calvin Brock has graduated but has one more year of eligibility due to being redshirted his first year. He might return for grad school, or may move on.

Dominique Keller joins the Illini as a Junior College transfer, and should add size, rebounding and scoring to the team if he plays.

Bill Cole hopes to return from his injury, which was something like a stress fracture in his leg. Many Illini players have had issues similar this, presumably due to the team's practices being tough on the players.

Richard Semrau is expected to return to the Illini or transfer to another program, after sitting on the bench last season.

Stan Simpson joins the team as a freshman out of the Chicago Public League. Simpson has been considered a project, and is not likely to get playing time in his first year.

Brian Carlwell is looking to transfer to a new school, but nothing else has been announced yet.

So basically the guys that can be etched into the line-up right now for the front line are Tisdale and Davis, with Keller as a possibility coming off the bench. I think it is highly likely the Illini will play three guards next season.

Rodney Alexander considering options per News-Gazette's Klee

According to Paul Klee, Rodney Alexander is talking with coaches about next year, and is thinking about transferring to another program, but is still with the team. This is not surprising at all to me. Alexander showed lots of ability last year, but was in Weber's dog house much of the year, sitting on the bench. In a year with little to no offensive output, Alexander had to watch from the sidelines, despite having a superior offensive game. I personally think Alexander should transfer to salvage what little remains of his college eligibility, but I'm not sure what programs are looking for a player with only one year of basketball remaining.

Illini Class of 2009 Looking Top Notch

The new rankings for the class of 2009 are now released by scout.com, and are shown here. The Illini are looking fairly strong, with a year to go.

Joseph Bertrand is number 52 in the country.

Brandon Paul is number 67.

Tyler Griffey is number 81.

DJ Richardson is not listed, but has been rated highly by other experts.

Jamil Wilson, Class of 2009

Scout.com has added Illinois to the list of schools being considered by Jamil Wilson of Racine, Wisconsin. Jamil is 6-6, 200 pound forward who carries a five star rating by Scout.com. He has drawn interest from a long list of schools: Arizona, Illinois, Kansas, Marquette, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, USC and Wisconsin. Insiders say that Wisconsin and Marquette have been in the lead, but after the coaching changes at Marquette, who knows?

Illini fans who follow the scholarship grid are confused about where the scholarship comes from for 2009. However, I think the coaches know someone will transfer this off-season to open another spot on the roster. And Jamil Wilson would make the Illini class of 2009 one of the top 5 classes on the country, in my opinion.

Congratulations to Kansas and Bill Self

Congratulations to Kansas on another National Championship and to Bill Self on his first National Championship. Bill Self was an outstanding head coach of the Illini who was instrumental in setting up the recruiting for their run at a National Championship in 2005. Self and his assistant Billy Gillespie have become two of the top head coaches in college basketball today.

I was also happy to see that my bracket winner (Kansas) prevailed as the Champ, since earlier round picks were not that impressive.

MidStateHoops.com Presents Mike Shaw

According to some observers, the Illini should be recruiting Mike Shaw from the class of 2011.

Survey on Next Season, NCAA Bubble Team

The survey results are now final from my readers, which are some of the best Illini basketball fans in the country. I asked the question, will the Illini make the NCAA tourney next season (2008-2009)? There were 120 respondents to this poll. Results were as follows:

Bubble Team 42%
Yes, Definitely In 37%
NIT is the place 12%
No Postseason 7%

I think the results are a bit optimistic, but it's hard to tell at this point. We will have a younger line-up next season if we're good, and a veteran line-up if we struggle. Either way, chances are we are better than the past season, and at least have a chance to make postseason play. Bruce Weber wants to see guys work on improving themselves in the off-season, and this is going to be the key thing, particularly with Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis. The guards should be clearly better, with McCamey, Smith and Legion potential starters by the end of the season.

IU takes Tom Crean from Marquette

According to an article on ESPN, Tom Crean has a new deal as coach of Indiana University. Crean is an excellent selection by IU to replace interim coach Dan Dakich, who took over for Kelvin Sampson. Crean has an excellent record at Marquette, and previously coached for Tom Izzo of Michigan State. The Big 10 coaches keep getting stronger and stronger, which has to be good for the conference overall.

Lenzelle Smith Jr. visits Champaign Campus

According to this article in ChicagoHoops.com, Lenzelle Smith Jr. of Zion-Benton visited the Illini campus recently, and according to his father, the "the visit to the campus of the University of Illinois went extremely well, and gave high praise to Illinois head coach Bruce Weber."

An important point on Smith: "Smith is not just a star on the basketball court, but a star in the classroom as well. He currently carries a 4.2 grade point average, and ranks 12th in his class academically out of 844 students in his class."

With this type of academic background, Smith could take an athletic scholarship or academic scholarship at Illinois. So all of the worrying on the web about having enough athletic scholarships is a waste of time. Also, a lot can happen with transfers and early departures between now and 2010, in my opinion.

IU AD Greenspan turns off Bennett, who declines job

IU is having troubles recruiting a replacement coach, having been turned down by their number one prospect, Tony Bennett of Washington State. Rick Greenspan, who was expected to be fired along with his basketball coach, Kelvin Sampson, is still employed by Indiana University. ESPN speculates that Indiana will move on to offer the job to an unemployed Mike Montgomery, who had coached Stanford and the Golden State Warriors.

It seems like Indiana should have shown Greenspan the door some time ago.

Tony Bennett expected to take IU Head Coach Job

As posted here earlier, Tony Bennett was offered the head coaching position at IU, and is expected to accept the position. Tony Bennett is the son of Dick Bennett, who previously was the Head Basketball coach at Wisconsin. Tony took over at Washington State after his father retired, and was able to get his Cougars to the Sweet Sixteen before losing in this year's NCAA tourney. This is an excellent hire for IU, and should help them expedite the recovery of their program, after the Kelvin Sampson fiasco.

Ron Guenther gets 2 year Extension as AD

As expected, the University of Illinois announced that Athletic Director Ron Guenther was provided with a two year extension today, paving the way to continued improvement in Illini sports programs and facilities. I'm guessing Ron would like to watch Illini football in another major bowl game as AD, as well as witness the resurgence of Illini basketball over the next two years. Congratulations Ron, you deserve the extension and best wishes to continued success at Illinois.

By the way, Ron Guenther is a strong supporter of Bruce Weber, so this move keeps Bruce Weber in place so he can rebuild the team with the upcoming recruiting classes of 2008 and 2009.

NCAA Head Coaches, Who's Out and Who's In

At Indiana University, Dan Dakich is out. Who's in? My local connections claim it will be either Bruce Pearl, Sean Miller, Steve Alford or Scott Drew. My money's on Bruce Pearl, a very successful coach and favorite among Illini basketball fans based on his investigative talent using sophisticated recording devices.

At Cal-Berkeley, Ben Braun is out. Replacements being discussed locally here are Mark Few of Gonzaga, Randy Bennett of Saint Marys and Mike Montgomery (what's he doing now?). A fourth name I heard earlier today is Bill Grier of San Diego.

My local sources in Portland, Oregon are suggesting that Ernie Kent will be out soon at Oregon. Oregon basketball fans had high hopes this season, and weren't impressed by the Ducks early exit in the NCAA tourney. What I'm hearing is that Mark Few is headed to Eugene, lured by big money to be offered by his pal and Athletic Director, Pat Kilkenny. Kilkenny is apparently new to the scene in 2007 and wants to elevate the basketball program. Would this be a good move for Oregon? Hard to say, but I do know Ernie Kent has a top-notch recruiting class in 2008, having landed Michael Dunigan, Matthew Humphrey, Josh Crittle, Teondre Williams and Drew Wiley.

Beverley against Gordon

Indiana and Eric Gordon went up against Arkansas and Patrick Beverley, and who prevailed tonight? Arkansas was ready to play, with Weems scoring a career high in the game, and Gordon went cold in the NCAAs and Indiana became the first big 10 team to exit the tourney this year. It's interesting to see who plays each other in the NCAA tourney, with Gordon a guy who committed to Illini but didn't sign, and Beverley wanted to commit, but wasn't offered a scholarship by Coach Weber. Beverley and Weems are a tough guard combo, based on this game.

College Basketball Invitational Tournament Field

Updated on March 17th:

Tuesday, March 18
Richmond at Virginia - 7 p.m.
Rider at Old Dominion - 7 p.m.
Brown at Ohio - 7 p.m.
Houston at Nevada - 9 p.m.

Wednesday, March 19
Cincinnati at Bradley - 7 p.m.
Miami (Ohio) at Tulsa - 8 p.m.
Valparaiso at Washington - 9 p.m.
Utah at UTEP - 9 p.m.

The CBI Tourney field is not out yet, even though their website said they would announce on March 16th. Some teams have confirmed they are in, but the tournament is tying up some loose ends, so maybe the field will be announced late tonight or tomorrow. The website for CBI is here.

Apparently, some schools are interested in the CBI, and some are not. To be a home team in the CBI, the host school has to pay CBI $60,000 for the rights to host the game and split the revenue with the tournament. This is probably causing lots of negotiation this evening, and therefore delays in announcing the field. However, some schools have already announced they are participating in the CBI, and eventually, the tournament might announce the field themselves--officially.

Virginia is in the CBI.

The Utah Utes are in.

UTEP is in.

The Houston Cougars are in.

Bradley is in.

Brown University is in.

Washington is in.

Post Season Tournaments

The NCAA tourney brackets are out, and the Illini are not in that one, after losing the Big 10 Tournament Championship Game to Wisconsin.

The NIT field is out, the Illini are not included, and the official website bracket is here.

The College Basketball Invitational has not announced their field yet, but this should happen soon, and I doubt the Illini make this one either. CBI website

The projected field for the CBI actually looks pretty solid, and the NIT has some really good programs in the field this year, so I guess Illini fans should not have even thought about an invite, based on their losing record and next to last place finish in the Big 10.

Illini lose to Wisconsin in BTT final, shades of 1999

Well, they must have run out of gas mentally or physically, because that offensively-challenged team showed up again. Weber's three guard offense looked very weak against a bigger Wisconsin line-up. At one point, Chester Frazier was being guarded by Greg Stiemsma, who is 6-11 and 260 pounds. The advantage goes to Wisconsin on that match-up, because Stiemsma is a better outside shooter than Frazier.

Shaun Pruitt played well for the Illini, and Calvin Brock had a nice game as well. The rest of the team looked ragged out there, including McCamey, Frazier, Randle and Meacham. Toward the end of the game, Jordan, Holdren and Hicks hit outside shots, making some of us wonder what they were doing on the bench all year if they can actually shoot the basketball.

Anyway, it was a nice run in the Big Ten Tourney for our Fighting Illini. The NCAA berths are being announced, and though I will fill out some brackets, I just don't feel like watching CBS after this poor game by the Illini. Or maybe it's the fact that we did not make the NCAAs for the first time since 1999.

Will the Illini make the NIT tourney or the new CBI tourney? Hopefully they get invited to one of those, since we really need the practice for next season. I wish you could play your entire roster for the "fun" tournaments like the NIT and CBI. It would be nice to take a look at next season's team, with Alex Legion and Jamar Smith on the floor.

Post-Game Interview Highlights

After the Minnesota game, the media interviewed Coach Weber, along with Pruitt, Randle and McCamey. Highlights:

Shaun Pruitt's improved play is due to his improved nutrition.
Q. Shaun, the last couple of weeks, even less than that your game seemed to have stepped up a lot. Are you getting the ball more or are you doing anything different or how do you explain it?
SHAUN PRUITT: I think I've been eating a little bit better. That's part of my independent study is nutrition. I've been eating a lot better. I actually think it's helped me a little bit. So great timing.

Brian Randle Discussed the Match-ups with Wisconsin
Q. Brian, could you talk about a third match with Wisconsin? And you guys showed the other day that you had it both ways, where you beat somebody that had beaten you twice and here's another team that you were able to sweep. Talk about the Badgers this matchup?
BRIAN RANDLE: I thought we matched up well, obviously Butch inside and him and Shaun matching up. And Flowers and Chester, and Demetri and Trevon Hughes, depending on how that works on myself and Landry. I think it's a good even-keel matchup. And then Trenton and Bohannon.
So really the big thing, like I've been saying, it's for us to be focused tonight and then tomorrow in preparation with the scouting report and walk-through, just making sure we understand what we're doing offensively, defensively. Our defensive principles and just concentrating, that's going to be the biggest thing. Because we've got enough heart to go around. We just have to make sure we're smart about it.

Coach Weber's Comments about the Illini Conditioning for Tomorrow
Q. Your starters have played a lot of minutes the last three days, what's your sense of how they are physically and then what are they going to have left tomorrow, do you think?
COACH WEBER: I think they're fine. I think the only one you worry about is Chester. We tried to get him out a lot quicker than normal. But he has so much tolerance of pain that -- and he just has such a will and a desire to be successful that I think he'll be fine. I don't think that's going to be a factor tomorrow, at all, to be honest. It's going to be more what Shaun talked about: Having the discipline to match their system.
It looked like Michigan State had them today. We were watching in the locker room. All of a sudden you turn the TV off and we're getting ready for the game and we turn it back on and it's tie score.
So they just -- and we've used them as an example, to be honest. Wisconsin, they don't show emotion. They just come and play. They don't talk trash. They do it old school-wise, and we've talked about it with our guys: Be smart. Be consistent, and do it on the court.
And if you find a way to win it, then we'll do some celebrating tomorrow.

Illinois Wisconsin Championship Pregame Notes

Questions about tomorrow's game:

-Will Trevon Hughes be able to play for Wisconsin? According to Badgercentric, Hughes was in a walking boot after the game. I'm not sure of the extent of the injury, but it sounds like a sprain. Hughes is a starting guard for Wisconsin, averages 11.6 ppg, and scored 18 and 22 points against Illinois earlier this season.

-How will the Illini players legs feel tomorrow? Will they be able to go full tilt for the fourth day in a row, or will they be suffering from exhaustion, cramps, or injuries? I know the team has excellent training and medical support at Indianapolis, so I assume they will be ready to play.

-Will Coach Weber have enough confidence in his freshmen to play Tisdale, Davis and Jordan meaningful minutes in this game? Or will he shorten his rotation to the more senior players? I hope he goes fairly deep in the rotation to keep the players fresh during the game.

Poll: How will the Illini play next season?

This polling is now complete, and the results are in. A whopping 83% of Illini fans expect the Illini to play better next season that this year's Illini. While I tend to agree based on recent play, it will be tough to lose Brian Randle and Shaun Pruitt, who have really played well in the Big 10 Tourney this year. Thanks for such great play, seniors. One more game to prove yourselves worthy of the NCAAs.

Illini go to Big 10 Championship Game against Wisconsin

The Illini won their third tourney game today with a 54-50 victory over Minnesota, extending their winning streak over Minnesota to an amazing 20 straight games. This was a plodding type of game for both teams, who seemed tired from playing three games in three days. Shaun Pruitt and Brian Randle came up big for the Illini in this game, and our defense was very solid, holding Minnesota to 39% shooting for the game. Box Score

I can't say I'm that surprised about the Illini going to the Big 10 Tourney finals. I've been speculating about this possibility for some time now, and I'm still amazed that it's happened. If the Illini can find some way to upset the Badgers tomorrow, they basically will steal a ticket to the dance from one of the many bubble teams out there. There will be much whining from certain CBS announcers about automatic bids being unfair to other teams. I still don't think we will win the game, since Wisconsin is always so tough to beat, and is well coached and has very smart players. They looked so tough coming back against Michigan State today when they seemed destined to lose.

Either way, win or lose tomorrow, the Weber hating crowd has vanished for a few days, and the Illini basically are looking at a play-in game against the powerful Wisconsin team. Go Illini!

BTT, Two Down, Two to Go!

Well, so far my optimism about the Illini turning around their season in the tourney is coming through. This team is just not as bad as they played most of the season, so I think they can make it to the finals, and just maybe they can finish what they didn't get done in 1999.

Awesome play by Demetri McCamey today, as well as Mike Davis, Shaun Pruitt and Brian Randle. It was unexpected to go to an overtime against Purdue, but we came out ahead, despite troubles at the free throw line.

Indiana had a crazy game as well, and lost a thriller to Minnesota. I'm not sure Illinois can beat Minnesota for the third time this season, but we'll give it a try. Maybe Sergio McClain can help get these guys to the finals on Sunday to play for a NCAA automatic bid. Reminds me of 1999 a little....

I was dreamin' when I wrote this
Forgive me if it goes astray
But when I woke up this mornin'
Could have sworn it was judgment day

The sky was all purple
There were people runnin' everywhere
Tryin' to run from the destruction
You know I didn't even care

They say two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999!

I was dreamin' when I wrote this
So sue me if I go too fast
But life is just a party
And parties weren't meant to last

War is all around us
My mind says prepare to fight
So if I gotta die
I'm gonna listen to my body tonight

They say two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
So tonight I'm gonna party like it's 1999!
1999!

If you didn't come to party
Don't bother knockin' on my door
I got a lion in my pocket
And baby, he's ready to roar

Yeah, everybody's got a bomb
We could all die any day
But before I'll let that happen
I'll dance my life away

They say two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
(We're runnin' outta time)
So tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999!

Say, say,
Two thousand zero, zero, party over,
Oops, out of time!
So tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999!

Alright, it's 1999!

You say it, 1999!

1999!

1999! Don't stop, don't stop, say it 1 more time!

1999!

Illini Survive Scary Ending, 64-63

The first round game of the Big 10 Tourney counts as a "W" and we move on to play Purdue tomorrow night. This was a near collapse by the Illini, who forgot how to score in the second half, and also struggled in the rebounding and free throw department as well in the last 20 minutes. But Chester Frazier was able to get a layup in the final seconds to pull it out. Box Score

For the Illini, Brian Randle looked really smooth on the offensive end, scoring and passing and hitting free throws to end up with a team-high 17 points. Brian did foul out at the end, but that's part of his game, so no worrying about that. Penn State was led by Talor Battle, who is a really outstanding guard as a freshman, almost impossible to stop on his drives. Pruitt played well, Meacham shot the ball well, and the Illini played just well enough to win.

Against Purdue, the Illini will need to step up their game in all aspects: offense needs to be more consistent, rebounding needs to be more solid, and defense will need to be tighter. Purdue beat the Illini twice already this year, so let's hope we can solve them tomorrow night. The Illini have nothing to lose by going all out and trying to advance. Purdue will be in the NCAAs either way, but are playing to improve their seeding.

False Rumor about Donivine Stewart

Earlier today, there was a false rumor spread about Donovine Stewart making a commitment to the Illini for the class of 2011. The rumor was caused by Dave Telep of Scout.com, accidentally coding his database incorrectly during the day, which apparently sent out email notices to subscribers that Stewart had chosen the Illini. Dave has corrected the error for Scout.com subscribers and regular readers. But Illini fans can still be optimistic about Stewart playing in Champaign, because the program is going to rebound, so why wouldn't the talented young guard choose the Illini? Plus, the Illini are the first major school to offer a full ride to Donivine Stewart. I'm sure more offers will come in, but we would love to have Stewart join the list of top recruits joining the program in coming years.

Herb Gould of Sun-Times compares Illini to 1999 Team

Herb Gould put together an article about the young Illini team in 1999 that was seeded #11, but reached the finals in the United Center before losing to Michigan State, led by Mateen Cleaves. Some highlights:

Game 1: Against sixth-seeded Minnesota, Illinois jumped to a 33-11 lead and cruised home 67-64 behind 22 points from freshman Cory Bradford.

Game 2: The Illini proceeded to beat No. 3 seed Indiana 82-66 as freshman Lucas Johnson, who had not scored more than eight points in the regular season, poured in 17 and Illinois outrebounded the Hoosiers 51-26.

Game 3: Things really got serious when Illinois shot a season-high 51 percent to beat No. 2 seed Ohio State 79-77, leaving coach Jim O'Brien gushing about ''the best last-place team in America'' before he guided the Buckeyes to the Final Four.

Finals: The Illini ran out of gas in the championship game, losing 67-50 to Michigan State, which also went on to the Final Four.

Apparently, Coach Lon Kruger made some changes to the Illini offense back in 1999 that helped the young players relax and score more consistently. Let's hope Coach Weber can make a similar move with his Illini team this year.

Big 10 Conference Tourney Preview

I love the Big 10 Conference Tourney, and wish I could be in Indianapolis this year to see it. I like the tourney even more when it's held in Chicago at the United Center, but maybe the Illini can find some magic in Indianapolis. Here's some reasons for Illini fans to be optimistic about the Illini to fight their way to the finals of the tourney this year:

1. Historically, in the 10 years of having a conference tourney, the Illini have been in the finals 5 years, not a bad percentage for them.
2. This season is a down year for the Big 10, with any team beatable at any time.
3. Illinois can play with anyone in the conference, we've shown that this year.
4. We have more to play for than other Big 10 teams, since the top four teams should make the NCAAs with at-large bids.
5. I remember watching our 1999 team, a losing record but they went to the finals before running out of gas and losing to MSU. We were seeded dead last that year, #11.
6. Solid defense is a neutralizer, we just need some offense.
7. This season is bound to turn around eventually, isn't it?

Obviously Purdue and Wisconsin have to be the favorites to win, and Indiana and Michigan State are not far behind. But you never know what will happen in conference tourneys. Stranger things have happened, and this has been an unpredictable year for the Illini.

Ron Guenther is an excellent Athletic Director

And Terry Bannon of the Chicago Tribune did a great article covering his interview with Ron Guenther right here.

What does Ron Guenther have in store for Illinois athletics during his final two years at the University?

-Support Bruce Weber, who is doing a great job in recruiting the past year and is building a solid team over the next three years. Plans to extend Weber's contract beyond 2012.
-Finalize plans to either renovate or replace the Assembly Hall by the end of this year.
-Finance new seating for the horseshoe section of the football stadium, which is being renovated.

Poll: Illini Basketball will improve next season

To date my polling of Illini fans shows they are optimistic about next season, particularly with the return of Jamar Smith, and adding players like Stan Simpson, Alex Legion and Dominique Keller to the team. I was personally concerned about rebounding without Pruitt and Randle, but Keller should help in that area with his size and JC experience. I also think Rodney Alexander will really step up next season and play more consistently than this season. Results of the polling thus far:

Better than current season 82%
Same as current season 12%
Worse than current season 6%

It's Official, Dominique Keller Commits to Illini

The Daily Illini had made the announcement a little early last week that Dominique Keller was committing to the Illini basketball program. But today, it became official that Keller is going to Illinois. The News-Gazette article confirms the verbal commitment, and this is yet another recruiting success for the Illini in the past year. Welcome to the Illini, Dominique! We can use a big time scorer on the team next year, that's for sure.

Illini Offer Donivine Stewart, Class of 2011

Word is out that Coach Weber offered a scholarship to freshman Donovine Stewart after the Minnesota game.

According to MidStateHoops, Donivine Stewart is a 5-10 170 pound point guard who can score at a very high level. He scored 45 points against Matt Roth, and 32 points against DJ Richardson, and he is only a freshman.

Illinois Prep Bulls-eye has been following Weber's recruiting efforts on Stewart and confirm the offer has been made.

Apparently, Weber and his staff are continuing efforts to lock up top Illinois recruits early in their high school careers, which will be great as long as their success continues through college.

The Chief Appears for the Minnesota Game

The Chief magically reappeared in the stands during the Minnesota game today, and was able to watch the Illini win their final game of the regular season. On we go to the Big 10 Tourney in Indy, to see if we can win some games this year.

The Minnesota game was fairly close, and the Illini did not follow their typical meltdown trend at the end. Rather, Meacham and Brock hit some key shots, and the solid Illini rebounding paved the way to a win over the Golden Gophers today.

Stan Simpson with Triple Double against Leo

Class of 2008 recruit Stan Simpson is showing he is a force in his senior year, with a triple double against his former team Leo. Stan had 21 points, 10 rebounds and 11 blocks to lead Simeon over Leo in the Englewood Sectional final. Story

Kelvin Sampson at the AT&T Center

Kelvin Sampson has a new gig, sort of, according to the Indy Star. He is an observer of the San Antonio Spurs and was invited by their coach Gregg Popovich. It is not clear where this is leading, but after the NCAA violations at Indiana, his options are probably limited to the NBA. It's definitely fitting that the Spurs play at the AT&T Center, given Sampson's historic support of AT&T long distance. Or was he using Verizon cell service?

Joseph Bertrand Scores 38 points at Freeport Sectional

Joseph Bertrand helped show why the Illini gave him a scholarship for the 2009 class by scoring 38 points against Burlington Central this week, sending Sterling into the Sweet Sixteen. Post-game coverage here. They play against Huntley tonight, and I will try to post the score when I see it.

A quote from the story:

Bertrand’s final stat line is staggering - to go along with the 38 points in just 27-minutes of play, he recorded 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocked shots and two steals – all while not committing a single turnover. He was 14-19 from the field and 4-5 on three-pointers after missing 22 of his previous 26 three-point attempts.

Dominique Keller Commits to the Illini

Dominique Keller, a JUCO forward from Lee College in Texas has committed to the Illini after his campus visit last night, according to the Daily Illini. Bruce Weber had traveled to Texas to see Keller play last weekend, and he scored something like 36 points as Weber and Luther Head watched the game. Keller is a 6-8, 230 pound forward who can rebound and score, according to reports about his play in Junior College. A nice photo of Keller with Alex Legion last night is on Illinois Loyalty.

While some people aren't positive on recruits from the JC circuit, I do think this helps the Illini next year with a thinner front line, losing Brian Randle and Shaun Pruitt. Keller provides rebounding and scoring for next season.

Michigan State Recap

This game was a repeat of the entire season, need I say more? Good energy in the first half, tied at halftime, scoring deteriorates in the second half and we lose the game in the last 5 minutes. Free throw shooting was awful at 47%. And we may have set a new season low with three point shooting accuracy at 13%. Box Score

I do think many fans have a point when they expect the Illini to be better next year, only because they can't get much worse. Nearly all polled on my site think the Illini will be better next season. And if we get Keller to commit this evening, maybe that helps us this fall.

I still don't understand the extreme optimism about next year by Illini fans. The team won't be much different than the team we have watched since Randle was injured, plus Jamar Smith. I don't expect us to make the NCAA's next season for the second year in a row. It will be interesting to see how Coach Weber can ride out the situation. And to be honest, Weber does need to be held accountable for his poor recruiting and underperformance on the court this season. You can't just blame the players for a season like this one.

Who would have guessed a couple years ago that we would lose to Michigan State in 2008 due to the play of Goran Suton and Drew Naymick? Seems impossible, but it just happened to the Illini tonight.

Illini in the lead for JC recruit Dominique Keller

New reports are out indicating that Dominique Keller is leaning toward going to Illinois this fall, rather than Oklahoma State or Oregon State. Dominique Keller is a 6-7 235 pound forward for Lee College in Baytown, Texas, and he has been scoring 30 points a game in a recent stretch of games. Howard and Weber are in the hunt and trying to get his commitment shortly to take Brian Carlwell's scholarship this fall.

Keller sounds like a great scorer and solid rebounder who could help the Illini over the next two seasons. I hope we welcome him to the team very soon. More on Keller from Tupper.

Article about Mike Davis

Here's a nice story about Mike Davis of the Illini. The freshman seems determined to work hard in the off-season to try to earn the 4 spot next season. Weber points out that Davis always played next to the basket in high school, so he has to learn how to play from the outside in the motion offense. Davis is still growing and should put on more muscle in the next year.

Iowa Recap and Illini Ranking

The Illini closed out the game at Iowa without folding down the stretch, which is a huge improvement over other games in this extremely frustrating Big 10 season for Illini fans. Shaun Pruitt played like he did last season, scoring 18 points and looking really talented on the offensive end. Shaun, where have you been all season?
Mike Davis reappeared in this game, getting 8 points in 22 minutes off the bench. Trent Meacham also had a nice game with 8 points, while McCamey and Frazier were cold from outside. The Illini defense was solid against Iowa, and rebounding was a plus, as well as turnovers (only 9 for the game). Box Score

The biggest story of the Iowa game was the Illini free throw shooting at a sizzling 84% for the game. Weber also was smart enough to remove Pruitt at the end of the game, even though he was 4 for 4 from the line. What caused the improvement in free throws? It was simple enough, Weber just got the players to stop so much shooting practice. My guess is that Weber emphasized free throws so much the players lost confidence or shot so much their muscles got tight in the game. Hard to figure, but keep it up guys.

So what next, can the Illini win the Big 10 tourney and make the NCAAs? Stranger things have happened, that's for sure. If the Illini have put their psychological difficulties behind them, they do have a shot at running the table in Indy. The reasons: they have nothing to lose, knowing they are out of an at-large bid, and frankly, they are one of the higher ranked schools in the country, number 38 according to Pomeroy. Sagarin has us at number 84. Who says you need to win to be ranked?

Kelvin Sampson already has a new job

I just noticed this, so thought I would post a link to the story about Kelvin Sampson's new job. Link

Rumored JUCO recruit for Illini

There are now rumors on the web that the Illini are taking a hard look at Dominique Keller, who will be a Junior this fall. He is 6-7, 235 and from Port Arthur, Texas, playing at Lee College and averaging 25 points and 9 boards this season. There is debate about whether he shoots more inside or outside, but after this season's scoring woes, we could use someone this size who can score. The only real negative is that he shoots around 50% from the free throw line.

Bruce Pearl feels up Erin Andrews

I heard about this incident and thought I would post it, since it's basketball related, and Erin is a favorite of the Illini Basketball fans. Also, if IU hires Pearl, they will have another controversial coach.

Jereme Richmond's Next High School

There is more news out about Jereme Richmond, the Illini's highly-rated recruit from the class of 2010. The Tribune story has very little new, other than confirming the earlier story.

Here's a really local perspective on the situation from the Lake County newspaper, that seems to indicate the coach is a problem. It is amazing that with a player of Richmond's caliber, the team has a .500 record.

And the Sun-Times article takes us through the story, speculating the most likely schools for Richmond next season are New Trier, Glenbrook North (where Bruce Weber's brother is coach) and Evanston. I think all three schools sound much better than Waukegan, and if Jereme can get enough credit hours to graduate early, maybe we can add him to the Class of 2009.

Extreme Patience is Needed For Illini Fans

This next 15 months will require some extreme patience by Illini basketball fans. We have been spoiled in a way, making the NCAA tourney every year since 1999. And now we are hit with a really down year, and a team that has no chance of any post-season play. The optimists among us are expecting a return to the NCAA tourney next season, and I just don't see it happening. In fact, I think it's much healther to keep expectation down, way down.

A disaster scenario for Illinois basketball could unfold over the next 12 months in Champaign. If there are high expectations for a turnaround in the basketball program next season, there needs to be a way for Weber to deliver improved results on the court. And right now, Weber has to rest his hopes on improvement on the shoulders of Jamar Smith, a junior returning from a year layoff, and Stan Simpson, a promising freshman from Simeon. And midseason, highly-touted transfer Alex Legion joins the team for the Big 10 season. The disaster happens if the fans see another poor season of results on the court, and the media continues to pile on Coach Weber, fully knowing he has an outstanding recruiting class scheduled to arrive in the fall of 2009. This class is likely a top ten class, with Brandon Paul, DJ Richardson, Tyler Griffey and Joseph Bertrand verbally committed.

We have already seen the media take a whip to Weber this season, with Chicago columnists not even mentioning Weber's recent recruiting breakthroughs in articles criticizing the Illini. Add to that unmet expectations of the fans, and Weber could run into trouble next season. But the worst thing for Illinois would be to make a change in the coaching spot, with such promising recruits lined up. So let's keep the expectations low for next season, and wait for the new recruits to arrive. This will require extreme patience.

Illinois vs. Michigan Classic Semi-final Game 1989

I don't normally watch the ESPN or Big 10 "classic" games on TV, but this weekend I watched the 1989 Illini battle the Michigan Wolverines coached by Steve Fisher. Probably the main reason for watching is that it's been tough to watch Illini basketball this season, so why not watch a really good Illini team. (I also have the 2005 team's game against Arizona in reserve.) This game was so long ago, my best recollection before reviewing it again was the outstanding shooting by Glen Rice (28 points to lead Michigan). But other things I noticed were:

1. Henson actually had Kenny Battle lead a full court press as part of the standard defensive package for this team. It even worked a few times in this final four game, leading to easy baskets. I never thought of Henson as an exciting basketball coach, but this made for some very interesting basketball.

2. This 1989 team started four guys who were guards or wing players: Bardo, Gill, Battle and Anderson. People considered Battle a frontcourt player because of his hops, and Anderson played as an undersized forward. But Anderson played 2 in the NBA, and Battle was more of a guard than a forward. The lone front line guy was Lowell Hamilton, who was listed at 6-7. So maybe that's what we will see in 2009 for the Illini, as the talented freshmen arrive on campus, a talented four guard offense.

3. Every starter for this team could score, even though they were not considered a good outside shooting team. Much of their success was in hitting the boards with their jumping ability. Even guys off the bench had scoring ability, like Larry Smith and Marcus Liberty. Compare that to this year's team, which has a bunch of defensive specialists like Chester Frazier and Brian Randle.

4. Kenny Battle had a really nice shooting touch in the lane. He was not a great outside shooter, but he had a great turnaround jumper on the blocks, and had some really nice shots in close with incredible touch. Battle was the leading scorer for the game with 29 points.

5. Michigan had a huge size advantage in the match-up with Illinois, and in the end it took a toll on the Illini. Loy Vaught was huge, as well as Sean Higgins, Mark Hughes and Terry Mills.

It's still amazing we lost this game and the National Championship that year.

Michigan Recap

This Illini team really knows how to lose. It has become a formula, keeping it close in the first half, starting out OK in the second half, then going flat on offense in the last 10 minutes of the game. The Illini actually went over 11 minutes without scoring a field goal in this game. Once again, Weber showed that he likes to keep Shaun Pruitt in the game at the end so he can be fouled and work on his free throws as Illini fans cover their eyes.

Coach Weber promised we would see more of Tisdale and Alexander with Randle out, and neither one was very impressive. For significant minutes, Weber went with a four guard line-up, and Michigan was able to hit the boards and take the game away. Michigan almost got the Illini back in the game, when Brock was fouled on a three point shot near the end. As usual, the free throw was missed.

Almost nothing worked on offense in this game for the Illini, and I'm not sure what can be done to bring life back to this team. It looks like they are done for the year. There's not enough talent and psychologically, they are down. All in all, it was just an ugly game for Illini fans to watch.

Illinois faces Michigan in Ann Arbor Rematch

The Illini will see if they can either salvage another win this season, or just get ready for next season, by playing the Michigan Wolverines today in Ann Arbor. It's Jalen Rose day today, and the former Michigan star will be speaking to the crowd at halftime, according to UMHoops.com pregame coverage.

For the Illini, we should see more of Mike Davis and Alexander, which could help prepare them for next season. If Weber is not impressed with their defense, he could go with a smaller line-up during the game, essentially playing Pruitt and four guards. Before the season began, there was talk of experienting with Pruitt and Tisdale on the floor at the same time, but we have seen little of that mythical line-up.

I don't expect much of the Illini at this point, and will be surprised if we can bounce back with a win.

Weber pushing McCamey to be like Deron Williams

In this article by Mark Tupper, it has become apparent that Bruce Weber has very high expectations of his freshman point guard, Demetri McCamey. Weber is pushing him to make the commitment to raise his overall game, to be coachable, and reach his full potential. It's obvious that player and coach have had their differences this season, but if they can work together as a coach and player should, McCamey could develop into a special basketball player.

Brian Randle likely out for rest of season

Brian Randle, Illini's senior forward is likely out for the rest of the year with a separated shoulder and possible damage to his AC joint. The Illini have four games remaining and the Big 10 tourney. Randle may need surgery to repair the AC joint. Forwards Rodney Alexander and Mike Davis are expected to get more playing time the rest of the season, which should help them prepare for next season.

It's sad to see yet another injury for Brian Randle, who has had his college career plagued by injuries, from his broken hand, to groin surgery, to shoulder problems. Brian does have his undergraduate degree already and is working on his masters degree, and could have a career in European basketball before it's over. Brian Randle is one of the best defenders I have ever seen in college basketball.

Jereme Richmond leaves Waukegan Hoops Team

There is a new report out today on ChicagoHoops.com that Jereme Richmond had an argument with his high school coach and is no longer on the Waukegan basketball team, as the team heads into the Class 4A tournament. Jereme Richmond is one of the top players in the country for the class of 2010, and the top-ranked player in the State of Illinois for his class. It will be interesting to see what comes out about this story and which program he plays for the next two years.

Sampson's Gone, Took $750,000 to Leave

Well, the saga of Kelvin Sampson is now over for IU and Illinois. Kelvin agreed to resign for the amount of $750,000 and releasing IU from further liability under Sampson's employment contract. This was apparently a concern after OSU lost its court battle with it's former Coach Jim O'Brien, paying out millions despite causing issues for the basketball program. Reports say that an anonymous donor contributed $550,000 of the settlement amount, which seems strange to me. Why does a major university need a donor to come in to close a settlement with an employee? Bizarre.

Dan Dakich is the new coach, some players are threatening to boycott the Northwestern game today, and life goes on for Eric Gordon and the IU basketball team. At least Illini fans won't have to worry about its coach not shaking hands with opposing coaches any longer.

Dead Man Talking, Or Transcripts from a Serial Caller

Patrick Hruby of ESPN.com has uncovered some unbelievable transcripts of Kelvin Sampson's actual phone calls to Ebanks, a top Indiana basketball recruit. Read them here.

Now, before I get hundreds of obscene comments from Hoosier fans, I want to point out a few things to my readers:

1. I know these are not the actual transcripts of the conversations with Ebanks.
2. This is a humorous column from Patrick Hruby.
3. Yes, I know the drawing of Sampson is not accurate.
4. You are correct in assessing this story is not about Illini basketball.

Wait til next Season

As a Cubs fan, I'm used to saying this optimistically, "wait til next year." But being realistic for a minute, the Illini might have a tough year next season. As a matter of fact, Illini fans should expect this and bet on it, unless they want to be disappointed. Why am I so pessimistic?

Next season the Illini lose Shaun Pruitt, their leading scorer and Brian Randle, their best defender. These two seniors have had their ups and downs this year, but typically have played solid defense and rebounded well. It's hard to imagine our front line being better next season without these two players. People are expecting Tisdale to start as well as Alexander or Davis.

The guard situation should be better, with Jamar Smith returning to the line-up, and Alex Legion joining in the second half of the season, when he is eligible after his transfer. McCamey, Smith and Legion could be an exciting trio to watch playing for the Illini. But let's keep in mind we could easily be watching a line-up of Frazier, Meacham and Brock at guard next year, and that group is offensively challenged.

But it's not certain they will be better overall, because we are basically a similar team to this year, with more experience on our freshmen class from this past fall. Here's my quick summary of expectations of next year on a comparative basis:

Shooting- Improved
Defense- Weaker
Rebounding- Weaker
FT Shooting- Stronger
Turnovers- ?

Overall, I think it's as likely that we are better as we are worse than the current season. Let's hope I'm wrong.

Loss to Penn State, Loss to Wisconsin

It's getting tough to recap the games lately, and when I record them with Tivo I find I don't always watch them right away, especially when I know the outcome. This past week the Illini added losses to Penn State and Wisconsin. The Penn State game was a shame to lose, with such a poor shot being taken by Pruitt at the end of the game.

We lost tonight against Wisconsin, and I still need to watch this one--looks somewhat painful to watch. Randle is injured again and might be out for the season. Pruitt scored some points in the first half and McCamey came on in the second half, but two guys scoring for the team doesn't cut it and certainly is not a winning combination.

It could be fortunate when this season is over.

Deron Williams Mentors Demetri McCamey

According to this article in the St. Louis Today, Deron Williams is talking with Demetri McCamey about what it takes to develop an overall game as point guard. In the interview, Coach Weber continues to note the high potential of McCamey and describes what he needs to do to improve. McCamey has started practicing his shooting late at night, taking 500 shots at these sessions.

Brian Carlwell will transfer after this semester

Today the Illini basketball program announced that Brian Carlwell will leave U of I after the spring semester and transfer to another school to be named. Brian was injured much of the time at Illinois, and wants a fresh start somewhere else. Best of luck to Brian Carlwell next season! Article

Greg Couch on Kelvin Sampson

Greg Couch of the Sun-Times is known for his high standards of journalism as he covers college basketball...........NOT.

Even so, Greg takes his readers through the history of the Sampson era at Indiana and concludes by saying Sampson and Greenspan must go, so Indiana can remove the Stain on Hoosiers Name.

Greg also is fairly sure Eric Gordon was not involved in the improprieties alleged by the NCAA, but later accuses Sampson of stealing Gordon and being the "King of a slimy business."

Today's News on Kelvin Sampson and Indiana University

Today's news and other commentary was filled with stories about Kelvin Sampson and Roger Clemens. Since Roger played baseball, I will summarize the stories about Coach Sampson.

Pat Forde of ESPN explains that Indiana has several options on what to do:
1. Fire Sampson Now
2. A Pre-emptive Post Season Ban
3. Do nothing and fight the power

Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports seems to think Indiana should fire Sampson now, because: a) it's a chance to admit how wrong it was to hire him, b) or you become a joke, c)or you alienate a sizeable portion of your fan base, d) or you take a public relations beating, or e) you cannot possibly believe he is capable of change.

Bob Kravitz of the Indy Star thinks "you get rid of slime." And his exact recommendation to IU is:

Here’s what should happen: Sampson gets fired. Greenspan gets fired. Assistant coach Jeff Meyer gets fired. Assistant coach Dan Dakich, who arrived on the scene this season, has the Bob Knight seal of approval and hasn’t been around long enough to have become covered in sleaze. Make him the interim head coach, with the emphasis on interim. IU doesn’t need another Mike Davis mess.

Something tells me Sampson will be fired. Can they fire him easily? Just read his contract.

Coach Sampson Deserves his Day in Court

Tonight I have a guest blogger, a friend (let's call him Hoosier Sam) who happens to be a huge IU basketball fan, commenting on the Kelvin Sampson situation. Here's his unbiased commentary.

The fallout in the media from the allegations of violations by the NCAA is amazing. What happened to the American tradition of due process, anyway? I'm not sure these NCAA rules are even constitutionally viable. Everyone uses a cell phone these days, and some people insist on using them with those annoying earbuds as they walk around looking like they are talking to themselves. How can the NCAA expect anyone go give up their cell phone privileges when it's become almost a part of everyday existence? Like all defendants, Coach Sampson deserves his day in court, when he can explain himself to those who think he did something wrong.

And all of this talk about repeat violations being a problem with the NCAA is even more troubling. I'm not an attorney, but I've seen enough legal shows and movies to know that you can't be tried twice for the same crime. That's double jeapardy, people. So once he was found guilty of being a cell phone fanatic due to his massive calling days at Oklahoma, he can't be charged again, can he?

And even if he could be charged again, maybe since he moved across state lines, you can't bring up past crimes when you prosecute someone, without prejudicing the jury. So why does the media and the NCAA keep worrying about the issues down in Oklahoma? That was another university and another basketball program, and really has nothing to do with the "alleged" issues at Indiana.

Basically what I'm trying to say is that Coach Sampson is innocent until proven guilty, and this is America, so everyone should just leave him alone and let those kids play basketball.

This whole controvery was probably created by those Illinois fans anyway, just trying to get under Coach Sampson's skin.

NCAA Allegations against IU Released by NCAA

This article in Indystar.com summarizes everything that came out today.

If you want to read the exact document for yourself, here's a link.

This looks like bad news for Coach Sampson and the IU basketball program.

Minnesota Recap

The Illini looked like a different team tonight in their 84-60 win over Minnesota. Box Score

They played solid defense, had no problems shooting or scoring, and Weber used a longer rotation of players in the game, with 15 minutes for Tisdale and Davis. McCamey is learning the point guard role, evidenced by his 11 assists, and Meacham was hot from three point range, hitting all 5 of his shots. The team hit an amazing 59% from the field on the way to their high scoring game of the season. Free throws were also impressive at 71% for the game. A total of 9 players played 10 minutes or more, which was the secret to the team's early success in Maui.

If we see this team play Penn State in the next game, we have a nice chance for another road victory.

Major Violations at Indiana University

According to ESPN.com, IU will make public major violation allegations against the University's basketball program tomorrow. Indiana received the letter from the NCAA last Friday, and the NCAA is expected to make a ruling on the infractions sometime this summer, after the basketball season is over. More on this tomorrow.