Illinois Vs. SIU-Edwardsville

Here it is. The 2009 Illini basketball season is about to tip off and I couldn't be more ready. Bruce Weber has high hopes for this squad, and it is easy to see why. They have the potential to be a very good team, but it always takes a little bit for a new team to mesh. SIU-E shouldn't be too much of a test, but that's why they play these games.



Mike Davis needs to finish strong around the basket. Twice now he has gotten the ball down low and missed the lay-up.

The Illini have begun to slack off a little bit with the big lead, and the first area to show it is the turnovers. Illinois hasn't been very clean with the ball the last few minutes. 7:22 left, Illinois leads it 80-53.

Illinois is just killing SIU-E with this tempo. The Cougars can't get back in time, and the Illini are capitalizing with quick points.

Brandon Paul is having an outstanding debut. The freshman now has 19 points.

I just lost a big chunk of the blog... Let's pick it up with 15 left in the game, 63-34 Illinois.

DJ Richardson just completed a great bounce pass to Mike Davis for a dunk. The energy is there tonight unlike in the first half against Quincy.

Davis just didn't take his time on that first free throw... Much better on the second one.

SIU-E's head coach Lennox Forrester is really getting on his guys about getting back on defense after missed shots. Clearly the raised tempo that Illinois is employing is causing issues.

It's the Brandon Paul show early. Two straight 3's and a lay-up.

The offense is getting the ball to the bigs early. Lots of nice driving and dishing by the guards.

The starters for the Illini: Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale, DJ Richardson, Brandon Paul, and Demetri McCamey