Illini Beat

Orange and Blue Spring Game

2010-04-24T12:27:00.003-05:00

The spring game is here at last. For the last three years the spring has come and gone, and one thing was constant. Juice Williams was the starter. This year the quarterback position is up in the air giving us a opportunity to watch two guys battle it out for the chance to open the season as "the guy". But what should one hope for when watching a spring game? You would love to be entertained by 30 yard completions and Leshoure runs up the middle for 8 at a time, but what would that mean for your defense? It would be fun to watch Terry Hawethorne take two INT's to the house... but wouldn't that make you feel even more insecure about replacing a four year starter in Juice? The best way to go about it is to break it down into smaller pieces.

Does the offense has a sense of consistancy? It may be a little early to expect these guys to all be on the same page every snap, but what this team has been lacking is the ability to sustain a long drive. The M.O. for this offense has been big play or punt. With the exception of the Rose Bowl season, Ron Zook hasn't had the pieces to make this work. Juice was inconsistant in his passes, and the line couldn't hold up long enough to develop a running game. The defense would just sit back on us and wait to react. This year the throwing arms aren't as strong, and the running game will start with the quarterback behind center as opposed to the shotgun. I would like to see the quarterback hit receivers in stride and let them go to work with the ball in their hands. Paul Petrino always has said his system opperates on one theme, FTS... Feed The Studs.

Does the running game look in sync? Look at the offensive line and see if they are blocking people... I know that sounds simple, but this is a new system on offense, and these guys are learning a new way to open holes for the running back. On top of that, this year's defense is stunting and doing things the offense isn't used to doing in the last few years. Zook has said that his offensive line is lighter this year, so look for them to try and get up field to block.

Are the Defensive backs in the right place? Count the number of times you see a wide receiver wide open and figure out whose man he was. It can be a little confusing, but this new defense will be trying hard to hide their coverage. My hope is that the new style will open up more oppertunities for defensive take aways as well, another area the Illini have been lacking in over the last few seasons.

Overall the Spring game is just a fun day for fans and a good oppertunity to work out a few kinks. People should be careful not to overvalue things like who is with the first and second teams, because there is still a lot of time until the season. The Camp Rantoul scrimmage is a much better barometer of how the team is progressing.

The Flyers Land in Assembly Hall

2010-03-24T19:45:00.010-05:00

The Fighting Illini will take on the Dayton Flyers in a loser goes home match as both teams try to get to the Big Apple. Dayton is going to give Bruce Weber's team all that they can handle with athletic players all over the court. The object of the Flyer game plan will be to wear the Illini down. Brian Gregory loves to go deep into his bench, sometimes even 5 players deep. Power Forward Chris Wright will be a tough match-up for Mike Davis as he will play at 100% all night. If Davis isn't giving it his all on defense then he is going to get exploited. I also expect to see London Warren pressuring McCamey all the way up the floor for most of the game, causing him to use extra energy and speed things up a little. The Flyers boast a quick defense and athletic players all over the court. I think the score will stay in the low 60's, and hopefully the Illini can shoot better from outside than they did to start the game against Kent State.

The Flyers have come out and just run us to death. Gregory said that the team was going to come out with high energy, and so far he's been right. Marcus Johnson hit a well guarded three ball and also took one to the hole for a dunk. The game plan for the Illini needs to be to settle down and get into an offense... so far we have rushed everything too much, and the result has been some bad shots and turnovers. 9-3 Dayton with 16 left in the first.

The Illini are forced to call a timeout with 13 left in the half because the Flyers have gone on a run and stretched the lead out to 11 points. Gregory's team now holds a 17-6 edge.

At the 12 minute timeout, things haven't gotten much better. Dayton is still running all over the court, and the Illini are struggling to keep up. Mike Tisdale just picked up his second foul after having to help defend a guard as he drove to the basket uncontested. The energy level is going to have to change for Weber's team if we are going to come back in this half.

Dayton calls a timeout after a small Illini run, and the fans go crazy after what they will tell you is a long overdue traveling call. 29-17 Dayton with 9 left.

One minute later the 8 minute timeout is called, and the score is the same. Dayton has turned the ball over 3 times now in the last couple of minutes with dribbling errors.

4 left in the first half, and the Illini are still down 33-21. Dayton continues to play fast, and it's been a real challange to just get back on defense in time to get into a half court game.

It's halftime, and the Illini trail the Flyers 38-25. You don't win many games when your team shoots 30% and the other shoots 50%, but that's just the situation the Illini have found themselves in. Dayton has been able to get to the basket at will. I was worried that the team speed and depth of the Flyers might be too much for us, but what I wasn't worried about was the Flyers shooting the lights out from three point land. Nine different players have scored for Dayton who have spread out the offense extremely well. If Illinois is going to come back, we are going to need to get Tisdale and Davis involved... To this point the two bigs have 6 combined points. The only real shining stat for the Illini in the first half was the 4 turnovers.

Dayton opens the second half with two straight offensive rebounds on the first possession and a dunk by Chris Wright.

The Illini are going inside to start the second half. McCamey, DJ, and Tisdale have all gone inside for their shot attempts.

The Illini made a nice run and cut the lead to 9, but the Flyers came firing back. The score sits at 47-33 Dayton, and now the Illini have only 15:45 to make up the ground. I still think it can be done, but the Illini are going to need to hit some shots.

The fans are about ready to storm the court here and lynch the officials. It's hard to get a good view of the players feet from the floor, but the crowd sure seems to think that Dayton is getting away with a lot of traveling.

Mike Tisdale picks up his fourth foul with 13 minutes left in the game and has to go to the bench. 48-37 Dayton.

The 12 minute timeout arrives, and Weber is hoping to find another spurt coming out of the break. His team is still down 12, but Dayton isn't shooting quite like they were in the first half which has opened things up a little.

The theme of this game has been Dayton gets on a run, Illinois responds, then Dayton does it again... the only problem is that the Illini didn't start "responding" until about 10 minutes into the game, and by that time the Flyers had pulled it out to a 19 point lead. 8 left, and the Illini trail 57-45.

Mike Tisdale fouls out of the game with 7:53 left to play. Tisdale may have just played his last minutes of the season unless his team can rally with him as a spectator.

The Illini may be out of time here with 6 minutes left to play. The Flyers lead the game 61-47, and we seem to be completely out of order.

Back to back shots by the Illini cut the lead to ten, but Griffey fouls Chris Johnson, and the Flyers get one back. 62-51 with 4:25 left.

Brian Gregory has clearly taken a page right out of Tom Izzo's playbook when it comes to transition offense. Dayton pushes the ball up court faster than anybody we have faced all season. I don't know if Dayton was just hot tonight or if this was just a case of a bad match up, but the Flyers are taking it to the Illini pretty hard.

2:30 left, and Dayton is just extending the lead now at the line. Illini fans won't be happy, but this was a good Dayton team that showed up today. I would have thought the score was going to be a little closer than this and that we would have kept them under 70 points, but it looks like neither of those things will be represented in the final score.

Mike Davis goes to the line after a three ball by Richardson and a UD turnover. The Illini can cut it to nine. First one good, second shot the same. 67-58 Dayton with 2 to play.

McCamey steals the inbounds pass and converts to draw the Illini within 7, but a Chris Wright dunk and Richardson turnover gives the ball back... Things look bad until London Warren misses a free throw, and Bill Cole nails a quick three. 69-63 Dayton with 1:20 left to play.

McCamey looked to be good from deep, but the roll wasn't there and that may have capped it off for the Illini. Dayton shoots free throws and goes up 7 with 55 seconds left... Paul misses the front end of a one and one, and Dayton starts to go into celebration mode.

Tyler Griffey is fouled on a one and 1 and converts for the three point play. A quick foul, and Dayton's shooting two. 66-73 Dayton after a free throw. Mike Davis makes a bucket down low, and Dayton goes quickly to the line.

McCamey is fouled and goes to the line with 2.4 seconds left, but it's too little, too late. The final score in this one is Dayton 77 - Illinois 71.

Winner New York Bound as Dayton Invades the Hall

2010-03-23T13:39:00.003-05:00

I went to Dayton and have followed these guys very closely since I left. They never cease to amaze you both with games where they rise up and beat teams that they aren't supposed to (Top 10 Pitt and top 15 Marquette come to mind in the last couple of years) but they also lose to teams like Duquesne at times. Brian Gregory has done a pretty good job of recruiting, but his strong point is team defense, and I expect that to be the theme to the game...

The Starting Bigs...

WARNING!!! Chris "Top Flight" Wright PF- Junior, has 62 dunks on the season, and he WILL throw down at least one big one... I promise you. Weber joked that he doesn't think our whole team has 62 dunks this year. I linked his dunk last year where he posterizes Maurice Ager Meyers Leonard style... He'd be the most athletic player on our team, (although it's hard to compare him to Brandon Paul who I think is just out of this world athletically.) but his offense can be a little sporadic... in fact... keep that word in mind because the whole Dayton offense can be that way. The Illini offered Wright as did a lot of top schools. He was a top 45 recruit by Rivals and luckily for UD he decided to play ball 5 minutes from home in Dayton Arena. It will be a challenge for Tisdale and Davis to get close to the basket like they did last night (we had 40 paint points). I believe that the inside presence of Dayton will be felt mostly when we are on offense.

Kurt Huelsman-Senior C. Kurt doesn't do a whole lot on offense, scoring like 4 points per game, but his 6'10" 245 lbs. frame helps on defense. He's been getting good minutes since he stepped on the floor as a freshman, and if a guy his size is only getting 4 points, 4 rebounds per game, and still starting... well I think that alludes to his solid defense.

The starting Guards.

London Warren, Senior PG, leads the team, and I would compare him to Clemson's Andre Young in terms of speed, but without the finishing ability. He's a very easy going and laid back guy off of the court, and players love to be around him... that translates to his basketball leadership because you can tell that the team trusts him. Back-up point guard Rob Lowery has almost double Warren's points per game this year, but the team still turns to London to carry the ball up court. Warren doesn't score much, but look for him to be a set-up guy often as the clock runs down.

Marcus Johnson, another senior, is the on-off guy who can change a game. One day Marcus will put up 25 points, and the next night he will put up 6. Like most of the rest of the team, he plays hard on defense. Marcus will be the guy who challenges you one on one for drives to the lane, puts up turn around fade aways, and puts up off balance leaners... some of which miss badly, and some nights it's all bottoms of the net.

Chris Johnson, a sophomore, plays a sort of guard/forward combo. At 6'6", he can be a tough match-up for some small forwards because like the rest of the starters, (with the exception of Huelsman) he is very athletic. If we have Bill Cole guarding him to start the game, I look for the Flyers to take it at him because I don't think Cole can shuffle side to side fast enough to cover Johnson. He can step out and shoot it (170 3PA, 35%), but I wouldn't call him a "shooting big" like I would Davis.

Important Bench Players

Mickey Perry, Guard transfer out of Wisconsin. I list Perry because he's scored in double digits 5 times this year, but really I don't see him having much of an impact.

Rob Lowery, Back up Point Guard who also happens to have Little Wayne hair like the starter. Dayton found out how important he was when he went down last season for an extended period of time, and the guard play seemed to struggle from fatigue on defense.

Luke Fabrizius- 6'9" forward from Arlington Heights who can just light it up from three. He was forced to miss 12 games this year with injuries, but still managed to knock down 33 three balls at a 42% clip. If Davis is guarding Fab, and he starts slacking off, I could see this being a game changer. Don't let his 5 points per game fool you because he missed between 2 and 5 games in a row three times this season, plus another game later so some of his outings were 4 minutes or less whereas in the beginning of the year he was getting 20+.

Paul Williams. I still think Williams is a year away from showing us the player he can become, but I list him because he is really one of the only shooters on a team that loves to work you on the dribble inside. Williams was up for Mr. Basketball in Michigan a couple of years ago and signed with Dayton as sort of a surprise to a lot of people because Michigan had interest, but the scholarship situation was cloudy so he pulled the trigger for UD.

Dayton's Strengths
1. Athleticism
2. Defense
3. 7 Seniors

Dayton's weaknesses
1. Dayton's not a good road team (4-8 on the road this season compared to 18-4 at home or neutral).
2. Holding onto leads
3. Gregory is never going to win an XO battle with a good coach
4. Not a whole lot of outside shooting from the starters.

I say the Illini can win this one if we are shooting the ball at a decent mark, but if we show up and shoot like we did for the first 30 minutes last night, we will probably lose. We need to be careful with our passes as Dayton will run you to death on turnovers. I expect Tisdale and Davis to float because it's hard to get a lot off inside... I know Huelsman has no stats to back it up, but for some reason he has been a mainstay in a rotation that has been able to boast a pretty good defense the last couple of years. I'm excited for this match-up because I honestly think that Dayton and Illinois both could have competed in this year's NCAA's, even if their numbers didn't get them in. Dayton's RPI was 54 and SOS was 33... don't expect this to be easy just because it's an NIT team from the A-10. I do have the Illini winning and moving on to NYC, I have the score in the mid to lower 60's... take your pick but lets say 66-63 Illini.

The Illini Fall to the Buckeyes for the Third Time.

2010-03-13T15:13:00.005-06:00

Mike Davis pulls in 18 boards and Demetri McCamey adds 22 points, but in the end it wasn't enough for the 5 seed Illini to beat the top seeded Buckeyes of Ohio State, falling 81-88 in double-overtime.

"I couldn't be more proud of our kids." were Weber's opening words, and I echo the sentiment completely. The team you watched today was nothing like the team who lost the final two games of the season... in fact neither was the team you saw yesterday either. "In a week I think they grew up, they matured, they competed". Something about this March Madness had Weber's squad up for the challenge... and it was a big one.

The game opened with a ton of energy on both sides, and the result was sloppy play... it's not that the players weren't paying attention, I just think the adrenaline was over flowing. By the time we had figured it out, Ohio State had run to an 8 point lead. But like any good Bruce Weber team, don't count us out until the whistle blows. Not only did the Illini fight hard to make up the ground, at one point we brought our own lead all the way out to 11... Then Evan Turner woke up.

The current Big Ten player of the year has been proving all weekend that he was the right selection. Whether it was his 40 foot buzzer beater yesterday, or it was his 31 and 10 today, when the kid decides he is going to score he is almost impossible to stop...

Third Times the Charm?

2010-03-13T12:41:00.017-06:00

Let's hope so... Because if this one goes by the way of the previous two meetings, it just may leave a bad taste in the mouths of NCAA committee members. Both teams had byes in the first round so what we have to look at is what you saw yesterday... a convincing win by the Illini turning into a close one, and a sure loss by OSU turning into the biggest shot of the season for the Big Ten's Player of the year.

The Illini faught hard but will fall in this one after what came very close to being the biggest win of the season. Final Score: Illinois 81 Ohio State 88.

Evan Turner fouls out with a minute left, and Tyler Griffey goes to the line to shoot 2... Misses the first, makes the second, three point game.

1:09 left in the game, and OSU leads it 84-80. The Illini don't have an answer for the Buckeyes when they go hard to the basket on offense.

Evan Turner is taking over. I don't think he's missed yet in the overtimes.

Jon Deibler wakes up and joins Even Turner as OSU has shot an incredibly high percentage in the overtimes.

Evan Turner again ties the game with under a minute left, and we're going to a second OT. If the Illini lose this one they are are going to be kicking themselves because twice we have had the last shot of the game and neither time did we get a shot off.

Evan Turner with two more free throws.

Billy Cole with his biggest basket of his career there on the put back.

Turner to the line again with 2 minutes left, and he brings the Buckeyes within 2.

McCamey with another three!

Evan Turner makes his first free throw and misses the second. 70-69 Illinois with 2:30 left.

Mike Tisdale has come up big in this tournament. Another 16 footer for the 7 footer before his fifth foul gives him a spot on the bench for the remainder of the game.

McCamey with a great reverse lay-up to open the OT.

Davis misses at the buzzer, but the shot wouldn't have gone anyways. Overtime for these two, and the biggest key here are the 4 fouls to Evan Turner.

Turner ties it up, and the Illini will have 3.2 seconds to get the game winning shot off... Welcome to March.

Lighty misses his one and one opportunity, and McCamey is fouled. Makes both. Two point Illini lead with 26 seconds left on the clock... I wonder who's going to get the ball?

Demetri McCamey with a HUGE three pointer, and the Illini are back on top 64-62 with under a minute to play.

Davis with another on a runner in the lane. 61-62 OSU.

Mike Davis missed another bunny, but was fouled on the successful put back. 59-60 OSU.

Evan Turner with 4 fouls.

The Illini with a little 6 point run of their own, and it's a 56-59 ball game with 3:30 left.

The Illini end a 7 minutes drought on Tisdale free throws. 52-59 OSU.

OSU is on an 18-0 run, and the Illini have begun to launch prayer threes. Nothing about this team is the same as the first 20 minutes.

The Buckeyes have just opened the flood gates, and I don't know that we have an answer. The first half went the Illini's way because we controlled the pace of play... since the Bucks put the press on, we have looked confused and scared to move the ball the way we did in the first 20 minutes.

Jon Deibler hits a three, and the Illini are reeling. Ever since the Buckeyes started to press this one has taken a turn for the worse.

Evan Turner has taken the game over scoring 7 points in a little over a minute, his latest gives the Buckeyes their first lead in the second half.

10 minutes left, and the Illini lead has fallen to one... 50-49.

Evan Turner showing off his range with another three pointer, followed by break away basket and an Illini offensive foul... like I said, OSU has really picked up the urgency adding the press.

11:35 left to play, and the Illini still hold onto a 50-41 lead. Weber has to balance out the three fouls to Tisdale, but with Tyler Griffey playing like he is, it hasn't made as much of a difference as we would have guessed. Ohio State is realizing that the clock is getting close to that point where it becomes a factor, and the urgency level has risen. I look for the Buckeyes to start driving the lane hard looking to get a fourth on Tisdale and also for Diebler to start shooting more.

OSU breaks into a 2-3 zone, and McCamey hits a contested three.

13:45 left to play, and you can sense that the pressure is mounting. The Illini are still in control of the pace, but you can never rest easy knowing that Lighty, Turner, and Diebler can all fill up the bucket in a hurry.

Demetri McCamey drives the lane and finishes to give us a 10 point lead.

The Ohio State bench seems to be a little dejected as the lead is as big as it has been all game. The Illini lead it 43-35 with 15:39 left to play. Tyler Griffey is doing a hell of a job filling in for the Tis who has three fouls.

Thad Matta NOT happy as the Illini are quick to pull the lead back out to 6 points. It took a minute, and I got worried that the energy was gone, but a 4 point spurt has the fans on their feet once again. I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that every Gopher and Boilermaker fan in the house is cheering for the Orange and Blue.

Already the Buckeyes look to have twice as much energy as we do. It's only been a minute, and it's a 2 point game.

The Censeco Field House is as loud as I've heard it all week as the Illini march into the locker room with a 37-31 lead. Ohio State has to be feeling the effects of playing yesterday already because Thad Matta refuses to use his bench. Even if the Illini lose this one, tomorrow is going to be almost impossible for the Bucks. That being said, let's hope we won't have to worry about the Buckeyes. For the first time this year, the Illini have a lead at half time over OSU. The biggest differences in those games to this one? I would have to say the fact that OSU looks confused on offense whereas the first two times they looked like they could do whatever they wanted. If we come out and hold our own to start the half, I think we can win this one... Let's see what the score is 5 minutes in.

Jeff Jordan with a three ball, followed by an answer from Simmons and another from DJ. 34-29 Illini with 1:45 left.

3:45 left in the half, and the Illini are holding onto a 28-23 lead. Bruce Weber's giving the guys a piece of his mind in the huddle, and you can tell how badly he wants his guys to keep up the intensity.

Brandon Paul with a great pass to Mike Davis as the Illini get back on the board.

8 minutes left in the first half, and the Illini have run out to a 19-15 lead due to some serious hustle... If Weber had found a way to light this kind of fire under the team all year things might look very different for us.

Ohio State's just rushing things too much, and it's been a big gift to the Illini... 6 turnovers for both teams.

Bruce Weber with a little bit of that fire he's been trying to rub off onto his players.

DJ Richardson hits a three, and the score closes again to a 15-14 OSU lead.

Tisdale picks up his second foul with 11:30 left in the first half. Tyler Griffey is going to get some good minutes here if he can contribute.

At the 12 minute timeout, the Illini have crawled back piece by piece and have closed the gap to 15-11. Ohio State has slowed down a little bit on offense as a few missed shots seem to have thrown off that great rhythm the Bucks had early. I like having Brandon Paul in the game if he is playing solid enough because his athleticism is going to be needed to match up with a strong Ohio State perimeter team.

Jon Deibler doing what he does best against us... mark that down as his 14th three point basket against the Illini this season.

8-2 Ohio State with 15:21 left in the half. The key for me would be to throw it inside a couple of times early and see how they react. So far they are switching on our ball screens well enough that McCamey is having a tough time creating.

Nothing looks good about what we're doing right now. Ohio State is out working us by a good margin, and it shows. Our offense looks nothing like it did yesterday. Our shots are contested, and our rebounders are just standing there.

Not a good start for the Illini. We look to be rushing plays, and our defense hasn't been in the place where they are supposed to be. Davis just got caught on a bad switch allowing the Lauderdale dunk.

Big Ten Tourney Time

2010-03-12T13:15:00.013-06:00

The Fighting Illini come into action today in desperate need of a win. The season ended with two straight losses, and the word in bracket town is that Weber's squad will need another win to keep them dancing. Bo Ryan will sleep easy tonight win or lose knowing that his Badgers are solidly in, but additional wins in March are never a bad thing. I hope to see an Illini team who fights tooth and nail for what could be the final piece to the puzzle. The Badgers take really good care of the basketball, leading the nation with only 9 turnovers per contest. Ryan's team will try to lull you to sleep on defense before a quick back cut or pick and pop. When this team hits shots they are hard to stop. The keys today will be can the Illini contain the great duo of Jon Leuer and Trevon Hughes, can the Illini prevent falling behind against a team that makes you really work to catch up, and who will step up as the court leader when McCamey takes a seat.

The Illini have turned the ball over a couple of times, and it's allowed the Badgers to score 4 unanswered points, then a foul gives the ball away. If the Illini become complacent, this could change in a hurry.

Tisdale with a baby hook in the lane. He's played a great game! As I type that, he hits his second three of the game. 41-26 Illinois.

The Badgers turn it over. Normally that isn't news, but every missed possession for them is a big deal.

McCamey runs the clock under 5 again and is bailed out with a foul as he drove the lane a little bit out of control. Illinois leads it 36-23 with 12:50 to go in the game.

We dodged a bullet as Bohannon misses his second wide open three of the day.

Tisdale stops a 4-0 Wisconsin run with another 17 footer.

Taylor scores for the Badgers at the 15:25 mark, and those are your first Badger points of the half.

DJ Richardson hits a three, and this one is now a 14 point game. Wisconsin trails the Fighting Illini 20-34... Not good for a team who loves to run the clock, great for a team needing a win to go dancing.

Weber about lost it after an out of bounds call gave the ball to Wisconsin... but a calm coach Price settled him down until things got sorted out, and the call was reversed.

Over three minutes into the half, and neither team could score until DJ is fouled on a three point attempt and he hits 2 of 3. 31-20 Illini with 16:45 to play.

Some internet problems erased the end of the first half notes.

The Badgers miss to close out the half, and the Illini will be happy with a 9 point lead at the break... not exactly a barn burner here, but the score doesn't tell the whole story. If you are an Illini fan you have to be very pleased right now and not just because of the score. The effort is there, the shots are falling, and the team has to sense that they could be 20 minutes away from something big. If you are a Badger fan, you have to be missing a little bit of hair after that. The offense looks lost. Last week the Badgers had a great inside-outside game going that gave the Illini fits... Today the shots are all coming from deep, and nothing is falling. To the credit of the Illini defense, the times the Badgers have gone to the rim, there has been a big guy waiting. The keys to the second half are simple really... Just repeat the first half... that's simple right? Well, just in case, I think the main goal is to come out with the same intensity. Wisconsin doesn't seem to be catching up much with their current strategy, so maybe look for the offense to pick it up a little in this half. If I'm Weber, I just beg my guys to remember what's on the line. The Illini are dominating the boards 22-15, but the Badgers still managed 8 offensive rebounds... you don't see a team with more offensive rebounds than defensive very often. Beyond that, the Badgers are really taking care of the ball as always. They lead the turnover battle 9-1 with DJ Richardson committing 4 in the first 20 minutes. Remember, we could be a half away from dancing... at least I hope they remember...

McCamey is breaking down defenders and shooting the lights out. 29-18 Illinois with 1:45 left.

Bill Cole dives onto the floor for a loose ball and ends up getting fouled... You could just see the Matto points on that one.

McCamey is really looking for his jump shot today.

25-18 after two made Badger free throws.

The Badgers are shooting 19% and 12 of their 16 points have come off of the three or a free throw... not gonna win many like that but the Badgers are doing their best to keep it close.

The Illini lead it 25-16 as there is another terrible call sending the Badgers to the line. Weber is besides himself but regardless of the call, the Illini are playing tough defense and you have to love that!

Wisconsin now shooting 1 and 1, but still struggling from the line.

Demetri McCamey runs the shot clock down and hits the guarded shot as the buzzer sounds.

Wisconsin hits a three, and it's a 21-16 game with 5 left in the half.

Brandon Paul has missed two wide open shots in the lane... it almost looks like he's rushing a little to get the shot off.

Mike Davis with a nice jump stop in the lane for a 6 footer.

Mike Tisdale gets called for a travel, and I'm not sure WHAT the the ref saw on that one... Tissy executed the pump fake perfectly in my opinion.

Trevon Hughes has now missed 2 of his 4 free throws, and the Illini are thanking him for that as he is normally a good foul shooter.

The Illini with 6 team fouls, and this is something Weber will keep an eye on. He has to love the aggression with taking the ball to the rim, but a team who doesn't do it a lot might not be foul aware.

That's Wisconsin's third air ball of the game... not a good way to gain confidence for a team who shoots a lot... and you may have just seen that as Bohannon passes up a wide open three.

DJ picks up his second foul with 9 left in the first half. The Illini still lead 17-12.

Mike Tisdale with a three! I know the kid can shoot, but he really doesn't take a lot of threes... Leuer answers with a three of his own... it's the battle of the shooting centers.

Weber with a lot of substitutions, perhaps trying to run the floor hard and make Wisconsin alter their offense to keep up?

The Illini are taking it to the basket more than I've seen in a while... very refreshing but we have to knock down our free throws.

Mike Davis slams home a dunk off the great feed from McCamey.

Some quick fouls have given the Badgers some points. 11-8 Illinois with 12:30 left in the first half.

The Badgers have found a way to get after offensive rebounds that seems to be working pretty well as it did last week when the Badgers pulled in 14 offensive boards against the Illini.

A very questionable call gives Leuer a one and one. He misses the free throw, but that looked like NBA continuation to me.

There's a timeout with 15 left in the first, and the Illini are up 9-3. The intensity is up, and the shots have been falling so far. We can't afford to let back for a second though, because as slow as this Badgers team likes to play, they have some scorers who can put up numbers quickly. One thing I have noticed that concerns me is on defense we have switched twice and left DJ to cover the 6'10" Jon Leuer. So far the Badgers have missed on both opportunities, but I'm sure Bo Ryan is letting them know during this timeout.

The Badgers get an offensive rebound and hit a three, but so far the Illini look very good.

Mike Tisdale being very active on offense with the shot fake... twice now he has gotten it to work.

DJ with a three to follow Tisdale's 16 footer, and the Illini come out to an early 5-0 lead. 17 to play.

DJ Richardson has the assignment of guarding Hughes early.

Senior Day Vs. Wisconsin

2010-03-07T12:48:00.024-06:00

We all know what happened when the Illini traveled north of the border earlier this season. They picked up possibly their biggest win on the season... But Badger fans will be quick to remind you that their loss came without one of their best players, Jon Leuer. The atmosphere should be a good one as the Illini celebrate their seniors in front of a crowd who would just love to sleep easy tonight after a win, knowing that the Illini are all but a lock for the field of 64.

The game ends, and the Illini's future is up in the air. A win against this same Wisconsin team is going to be an almost must after losing this one by 15. Final score: Illinois 57 Wisconsin 72.

55-65, and it's not looking good with the style of game the Badgers are playing.

Bill Cole with his fourth three of the game, and there is still hope. 55-62 Wisconsin, 2:30 left in the game.

Illini in a full court press.

The Illini are only shooting 36% from the field, but the biggest difference in the game are the 14 offensive rebounds Ryan's squad has managed to pull down.

Again the Badgers find a way to score with 1 on the shot clock.

Big Mistake by Brandon Paul. You just can't foul a guy shooting with 3 left on the shot clock.

Tisdale hits two free throws as Nankivil picks up his fourth foul. 52-59.

The Badger lead is 8 again after an intentional foul called on Demetri McCamey as he grabbed a player taking off on a clear break to the basket. Jordan Taylor hits one shot, still Wisconsin's ball.

Billy Cole with another giant three ball. 48-55 Badgers with 7 left... Tisdale going to the line. The first half only saw 2 Illini free throws, 19 in the second half to this point.

The calls never stop!!!! McCamey drives the lane and is fouled, makes a circus shot to get the crowd on their feet, but the ref decided in a delayed call that the shot wouldn't count. Moments earlier the Illini got the ball on a fast break 3 on 1, and the play was called dead because the Badger shot clock didn't reset at the end of their possession... just bad bad officiating. 43-54 Badgers with 8 left to play... McCamey shooting two.

Leuer and Hughes back in with 8:30 left.

The Badgers are starting to foul, and with the Illini in the double bonus, we will be shooting two the rest of the game.

The mood in here is a little tense as bad call after bad call seems to be sinking the Illini hopes.

Tisdale hits two free throws, and the crowd is up one more time in hopes that the Illini will pull off another big time second half comeback... Sort of the MO for this team.

Now Hughes and Leuer are on the bench with 4 each... a window maybe? If ever there were a time to capitalize, it's now... Paul missing the front end of a 1 and 1 doesn't help.

Trevon Hughes sinks a three, and 16 points is the Badger lead.

38-51 Wisconsin with 12 left.

We're just shooting ourselves now... Davis is missing 5 footers and knocking rebounds out of bounds, the refs are calling basically everything wrong at the moment, and we don't seem to have a game plan when it comes to getting back into this one.

Jon Leuer picks up foul number four. I really respect Bo Ryan, but I don't see the logic in playing Leuer with that much time left and up 12.

Leuer hits a one and one, and this could spell out bad things for the Illini. The lead is now 12, and I expect the Badgers to go back to their slow pace of play.

Badgers with a three. 34-43.

Hughes and Leuer back in for the Badgers, another foul for either of them and this will get very interesting as there are 16 minutes left to play.

McCamey just hit Tisdale under the basket with a beautiful pass, but it was a little too hard for the big guy who wasn't expecting it... out of bounds to Wisconsin.

McCamey is fouled taking it hard to the rim for what would have been a dunk. He hits one free throw, and the score is 34-40 Wisconsin.

The Badgers are upping the tempo considerably from the first half, and they continue to make buckets when they need to... The score is 33-40 Wisconsin with 17 left in the game.

Demetri McCamy had three assists at the half, but when the official scoring sheet came out, he was only credited with 2. As of now 2 is the official number, and Demetri still needs 5 assists to break the record.

Immediately after Leuer's foul, Trevon Hughes picks up his third, Tisdale scores, and the lead is only 6 with the two best Badgers in the building sitting on the bench.

Jon Leuer picks up a big third foul early in the second half.

The Badgers pick up the pace to open the half and stretch their lead out to 10.

The end of the second half was a little disappointing as the Illini had 2 fouls to give, and for some reason we allowed the ball to be inbounded with 5 seconds left and a shot to go up... The three went in, and the score at the half is 33-27 Wisconsin. I don't like to make a lot of excuses, but this could have been a different half. The Illini are shooting the ball well, but it seems like we aren't able to get defensive stops when we really need them. The Badgers only have 2 turnovers in the first half and both came when Trevon Hughes was on the bench. For us to comeback and win this game, we are going to have to continue to shoot well and find a way to cause some turnovers.

The Badger lead was 5, then 2 after a three by Cole, followed immediately by a three for Wisconsin. There are 31 seconds left in the half, and the Badger lead is 3.

Weber is telling his guys to talk more on the court.

Weber's really getting after the refs for some blatent missed calls including two travels in the same possession.

Davis with a 2, and it's all tied at 20 with 4:30 left.

Billy Cole with a three ball to tie it up, but Wisconsin again answers right back.

McCamey picks up his second foul with 6 left in the first... this sort of neutralizes the fact that Trevon Hughes has two as well.

Mike Tisdale knocks down a 15 footer, and the Illini have the lead for a moment before the Badgers answer. With 7 left in the first half, Wisconsin leads the Illini 16-15.

Paul hits a three after a short scoring drought, and the Illini are now within one point of the Badgers. I would love to see Paul get a little confidence because he's better than he shows at times due to a missed shot or two draining his confidence.

McCamey sinks a jump shot, and the Illini recover from the early 7-2 hole, only to have Hughes drive the lane and get fouled on a made lay-up. 8-9 Wisconsin with 14:32 left in the first half. You have to like the energy that you see right now, but Wisconsin has 5 rebounds to our 2, and 4 of these were on the offensive end of the floor. The Illini are shooting 80% from the field, but it doesn't matter when the other team has put up twice your number of shot attempts.

The Mikes are working the offense early. Tisdale and Davis have accounted for our first 6 points.

The Badgers are getting offensive rebound after offensive rebound, and the second and third attempts are putting us in a hole.

Jon Leuer makes his presence known early by scoring the first bucket of the game.

Illinois vs. Minnesota

2010-02-27T15:09:00.012-06:00

McCamey fouls out with 7.8 seconds left in the game. Ralph Sampson shooting 2, we need him to miss one to have a chance... Missed the first... Missed the second, but with no timeouts, the game ends after a miss by DJ Richardson. The Illini fall 62-60 to the Minnesota Golden Gophers.

The Illini get two good looks after a Minnesota basket, but are forced to send the Gophers to the line after misses.

Minnesota just looks dejected! Another Illini three pointer, and this is a one point game! 58-59 with 1:20 left in the game.

The Illini have just opened the flood gates in the last few minutes of this one... What looked like a disaster in progress is now a chance for a miracle.

Bill Cole matches his career high at 12 points for the game. His three point shooting has been the highlight of our offense today.

This is the loudest it has been since the first few minutes, but the Illini still trail 41-53.

6 minutes left, and the Illini trail big, 36-51. It seems that everytime we do anything at all, there is a stop to our momentum.

33 minutes into the game, and the Illini attempt their first free throw.

Richardson and McCamey combining for 0-9 behind the line has just killed us. If even one of their shots each had fallen, it would be a 3 point game. Also, the Illini have not attempted a single free throw in this game.

Devoe Joseph is on fire.

Demetri McCamey has all seven of our teams assists on 11 field goals... This kid simply makes our offense run.

Mike Davis with the shooter's roll at the 15 minute mark. 33-27 Minnesota.

Bill Cole has hit two threes now, and both times Devoe Joseph has taken the ball down to the other end and matched it.

Bill Cole finally hits a three, and the crowd is awake again. I have never seen the Illini miss this many shots... It took 12 attempts to get a three to drop.

The story at the half is a familiar one for Bruce Weber. As a past recipient of criticism due to his team's lack of a true scoring ability, the head coach has to be experiencing the "here we go again" blues. It's not that Minnesota is really out playing us, we just can't seem to figure out the zone. Our shooting is ice cold (22% from the field, 0-11 from three), and the result is a ten point deficit at the break. Coming out into the second half, we need to flat out shoot better. I don't know if it's going to take some set plays or what, the bottom line is that 14 points in a half is just not going to cut it. 10 of our 14 points are in the paint, and that alludes even more to how bad our outside shooting has been. Minnesota has been extremely balanced. 6 players with an assist compared to the Illini who have only one player (McCamey) with any assists. Overall, this game has been very flat, like a continuation of the Ohio State game. We could easily turn it around here and come back, but it's going to take an attitude adjustment from the entire team... This game could clinch an NCAA berth, and we seem to be giving it all away.

There doesn't seem to be much too it... Play a good zone defense, and the Illini are going to struggle to put anything up on the board. The Big Ten is known for man to man, but so far the teams who have just shut down the scoring attack have been OSU and Minnesota, and both run a zone defense.

With 3:45 left in the first, the Illini are hitting 20% of their shots.

Mike Tisdale finally ends the Illini drought with a 15 footer, but the score still sits at 18-10 Minnesota with 4:50 left in the first.

The 2-3 zone is giving us fits. Numerous times we have gotten frustrated, and the result has been a well guarded miss. We need to get it inside, kick it back out, hit a couple of shots, and force the Gophers to get out of this defensive set.

Minnesota is making Illinois switch a lot on defense, and to this point they have been up to the task. The Gopher shots have for the most part come on quick cuts to the vacated space after the dribble drive. Look for the Illini to figure out who's hitting their shots, and the pressure will follow accordingly.

Now seven minutes into the game, and neither team wants to open this one up. Minnesota is ahead 7-4, but it hasn't been pretty. This could be one of those games that become very tedious.

Four minutes into the first half, the game play has been a little choppy. Both teams seem to want to push the ball, but neither are converting on their scoring opportunities. Minnesota is having a hard time knocking down open shots, while Illinois is maybe rushing a little bit to get the shot off. Both teams need to settle down a little during this timeout.

West Completes Illini Football Staff

2010-02-08T14:13:00.002-06:00

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois head football coach Ron Zook announced today the hiring of Ron West as the final addition to the Illini staff, bringing with him 30 years of collegiate coaching experience. Zook also made two other announcements naming tight ends coach Greg Nord recruiting coordinator and adding the title of Assistant Head Coach to offensive line coach Joe Gilbert.

"I am excited to complete this staff with the hiring of Ron West," Zook said. "He and Vic (Koenning) have a great working relationship and that will add a needed cohesiveness as we move forward on the defensive side of the ball. Ron shares our passion for getting this program back on track and will be a great teacher and leader for our young men."

"I am very excited about being a part of this staff and working in the Big Ten," West said. "This is a program that has been established and is just two years removed from the Rose Bowl, so I felt like it was a great opportunity to compete for a championship, especially with Coach Zook working hard to get back to that level. I am excited about being reunited with Vic (Koenning). The last time we were together, the defense was in the top 10 in the country. We'll expect to create that passion on defense that puts us in national rankings. "

West has 14 years experience coaching on defense, including eight seasons as a coordinator, and 16 years on the offensive side of the ball. He spent the 2009 season as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Tulsa.

Prior to moving to Tulsa, he spent 10 seasons on the coaching staff at Clemson University (1999-2008), helping the Tigers win 76 games and play in nine bowl games. A 1979 graduate of Clemson, West began his stint on the Tigers' coaching staff as offensive line coach in 1999. He coached the offensive line for five seasons and spent the past five years on the defensive side of the ball.

While on the defensive coaching staff at Clemson, West coached the outside linebackers. In 2005, the Clemson defense finished among the top-25 in six defensive categories. In 2006, West coached one of the greatest players in Clemson history, the late Gaines Adams, who became the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NFL draft. The Clemson defense was in the top-25 in all four major categories, including a top-10 finish in scoring defense and total defense. Clemson's defense ranked 18th in total defense and 13th in scoring defense in 2008.

Before arriving at Clemson, West spent two years on Tommy Bowden's coaching staff at Tulane University (1997-98), where he coached the offensive line. His influence as line coach saw the Green Wave total nearly 4,700 yards and a school record 375 points. A year later, Tulane posted a 12-0 record as the offensive line helped pave the way for an offense to average over 300 passing yards and 200 rushing yards.

West began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Livingston College in 1979. He was at East Carolina in the spring of 1980 and became the offensive line coach at North Texas for the 1980 season. In 1981, West joined the Texas Tech coaching staff as the offensive line coach and special teams coordinator. He served in that capacity for four years before moving to defense in 1985 as assistant linebackers coach.

His next stop was at Louisiana-Lafayette where he spent seven seasons (1986-92) as defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach. His defenses were ranked among the nation's top-20 in total defense three times. West joined the Baylor coaching staff for four seasons (1993-96) as offensive line coach and served as the running game coordinator in his final year.

During his playing career, West was a reserve offensive lineman in 1977 and 1978 for the Clemson Tigers after transferring from Marion Institute, where he earned junior college All-America accolades. He started two games as a senior and helped his team post an 11-1 record and No. 6 national ranking in the final Associated Press poll. West and his wife, Becky, have two adult children, Brad and Lori.

THE WEST FILE
2009 Tulsa (co-defensive coordinator / linebackers)
2004-08 Clemson University (outside linebackers)
1999-2003 Clemson University (offensive line)
1997-98 Tulane University (offensive line)
1996 Baylor University (offensive line / run-game coordinator)
1993-95 Baylor University (offensive line)
1986-92 Louisiana-Lafayette (defensive coordinator / linebackers)
1985 Texas Tech (assistant linebackers)
1981-84 Texas Tech (offensive line / special teams)
1980 North Texas (offensive line)
1979 Livingston College (graduate assistant)

Information from Illinois DIA

Illinois Vs. Michigan State

2010-02-06T19:36:00.033-06:00

Twenty-five minutes before tip off, and the Assembly Hall is already half full. The fans are excited for what looks to be a great match up with Big Ten championship implications. Michigan State comes into tonight's game at 9-1 in the Big Ten, while Illinois is tied for second at 7-3. The crowd is loud and ready to go. If you're a player who isn't pumped up for this one, you might want to get your pulse checked quickly. With two minutes until tip off, Bruce Weber makes his way onto the floor in his patented Orange Blazer.

GAME OVER!!! Illini rush the court!

15.4 left in the game, DJ Richardson shooting two again... makes the first, makes the second.

DJ Richardson is at the line and hits the first, misses the second... the rebound is sent down the floor, and MSU hits a three... The Illini lead by one with 17 seconds left... Big free throws coming up.

McCamey nails a three, and MSU answers with a two that rolls in after hitting a would be rebounder's hand. Illini lead it 73-70 with 27 seconds left.

The Illini are only shooting 50% from the free throw line, but MSU isn't much better at around 65%. If this comes down to free throws, it might get interesting.

Michigan State loses possession on a jump ball, and the Illini have a 2 point lead with 1 minute 8 seconds to play... Michigan State turns on the full court press, and the Illini have to call a timeout.

Paul is fouled driving the lane and sinks the lay up. A chance to go up 3 with 1:21 left. No good. 70-68.

Mike Tisdale injured his knee and comes out with 1:45 left... MSU gets fouled, and Tisdale returns. Raymar Morgan sinks two, and it's a tie game with 1:30 left.

Tisdale fouls Draymon Green with 2:16 left. Green makes the first, misses the second.

68-65 Illinois with 2:30 left in the game. Michigan State calls a time out to get everyone on the same page for one of Tom Izzo's famous set plays.

MSU has been bailing the Illini out. The shot clock will be under 6, and they will pick up a dumb foul.

Draymon Green to the line with a chance to pull within 1... He hits them both, and the score is 66-65 Illini... 3:30 left.

I have to say that this one would be a very disappointing loss as we have been in it or leading all night.

McCamey misses a pair of free throws with 3:55 left, and the Illini fail to stretch their three point lead. Those may end up being big points in the end because this one seems to be going down to the very end.

The Illini have really slowed down the pace which is a little risky considering the lead is only 3, and there is over 4 minutes left to play.

MSU once again has made a quick recovery, and the score sits at 64-61 Illini.

MSU really missing their floor leader in Kalin Lucas, the Spartans are -5 in assist to turnover ratio.

DJ Richardson dunks on a break away, and it is LOUD! Turnover MSU, Illinois up 64-57 with 7:17 left in the game, time out on the floor. It would mean the world to get points here and keep the momentum going. This is the point in the game where you are really fighting for momentum. It has been back and forth all game and looking down the stretch, you want to have things in your hands.

Brandon Paul throws down a huge dunk and not only are the Illini on top, but the crowd is awake again. 59-57 Illinois with 8:45 left. Draymon Green and Chris Allen were on the bench for most of that comeback.

10 minutes left, tied at 55.

Illinois leads the Big Ten in field goal percentage defense, and Michigan State is third... With 11 minutes left, both teams are shooting over 50% still.

Chris Allen and Draymond Green have been huge tonight for Tom Izzo. Every time the Illini score a few points, one of the two comes right back and nails a shot. The Illini lead only took a minute to evaporate into a two point deficit. 53-55 11:23 left.

McCamey hits a three with under 5 on the shot clock, then follows it up with another. The Illini have their biggest lead of the half at 53-49.

Paul again scores on an athletic play after a Mike Davis offensive rebound, and this time he's fouled. Paul going to the basket hard which is good when your shot isn't going in.

Brandon Paul fought hard and scored on an offensive put back. 45-45 with 14:25 left.

Both teams knock down some shots, and we are tied again at 41. It's been all about offense tonight as both teams are still shooting over 50% for the game. Michigan State is playing the better basketball despite the high number of turnovers, I just hope the Illini can get by on the energy. Our sets are working pretty well on the shots, but we can't score in the paint for our lives. Games like that usually stay close for a while but a few empty possessions can be mean a big drought.

Delvon Roe slams home a big dunk, and Michigan State is ahead 37-35 to begin the half.

Illinois takes a one point lead into the locker room, 35-34. I loved the crowd to begin the game, but they need to step it back up and get the energy going. Michigan State is crushing us on the glass, especially on the offensive end. If the Illini want to win this game, they are going to have to
1. Take better care of the ball. (9 turnovers.) 2. Make MSU miss shots. (Michigan State shot over 55% for the half.) 3. Run their offense. (Too many times we fired up a bad shot. When we run our sets, guys like Mike Davis and DJ Richardson have found openings.)

Durrell Summers makes a bad decision and fouls DJ Richardson at mid court with 5 seconds left in the half. DJ knocks down one, and MSU converts on a quick play off the miss.

Demetri led a 3 on 1, but ended up turning the ball over after a bad alley-oop.

Bill Cole steps out of bounds, and MSU has a chance to tie it up or take the lead with 1:45 left in the first half.

Ron Zook is here taking in the action with his family. It has to be nice to relax a little after a crazy week of signing.

Mike Davis told me that he had been working on his shot all week, and it shows because he's putting it up with a lot of confidence. Two of his shots have been knocked down from the top of the key.

4:45 left, 30-26 Illinois. There has been a scoring lull since that three point explosion almost 4 minutes ago.

Michigan State is making us work hard when we have the ball. Getting an open look is nearly impossible, and you have to be really tough to bang down low with these forwards. The key is good ball reversal and creating your own opportunity to score.

An offensive explosion for a moment there by both teams. Back to back threes, and it's 28-24 Illinois with 8:20 left.

McCamey back in, and the Illini did their job with him on the bench going plus one.

Michigan State is shooting a very high percentage because of a bunch of lay ups, but also they are sinking shots that are well defended. Hopefully that doesn't last.

12:11 McCamey comes out, Illini up 16-14. Let's see how the Illini handle this as they have had problems with the junior on the bench.

Michigan State is in a better rhythm than they were to begin the game, and it started when Korie Lucious came out of the game. I know Lucious has played in big games before like the national championship match up with UNC, but he looked a little bit shaken from the start.

Weber's team has fallen in love with the three and after a few misses, MSU has been able to put together a little run of their own. The Illini still lead 14-10, but it's been all MSU the last minute or so.

The crowd has to be getting to the Spartans. Their pace is way off, and it's leading to turnovers.

The Illini have come out shooting the lights out. After only 3 minutes, Illinois is off to a 12-4 lead. The damage has been done from the three, the wing, the offensive rebound... It's been all Illini.

Tyler Griffey active early. Both of the first two Illini possessions have gone through the freshman.

Illinois at Iowa

2010-02-03T19:39:00.020-06:00

This is my first trip to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and I must admit that it is a very nice place to see a game. The seats are all close to the court, and the pre game show was lots of fun.

Final score Illinois 57 Iowa 49.

Iowa misses the three point attempt, and McCamey hits a free throw.

Mike Tisdale with two clutch free throws. Iowa is giving it their all, and you have to hand it to them... this turning into a potential nightmare for the Illini in a hurry... that being said, the game isn't over yet. 54-49 with 34 seconds left.

Demetri McCamey just made a huuuuuge mistake... After grabbing an offensive rebound and getting a new shot clock, the junior attempted a half court alley oop and threw the ball into the crowd.

1:30 left, 3 point game. 52-49 Illini.

McCamey just held the ball until the shot clock got to under 6 again and missed a fade away.

Mike Davis with a great shot. He and Griffey have made two straight big shots.

Aaron Fuller shooting two. Makes them both, and it's back to a three point game.

Another foul on the Illini, and Iowa gets to the line again. This arena is like night and day the last 5 minutes compared to the first 30.

Tyler Griffey with a huge shot for a freshman.

Foul on the Illini, and Cole will shoot two. After making them both, it's a three point game, and the crowd is on their feet.

Cully Payne hits a three, and the gap has closed to 48-43 Illinois with 4 left.

Tisdale fouls Payne, and we are lucky that he didn't get shots out of it... NBA rules, and he would be shooting two.

48-40 Illinois with 5:45 left.

Iowa has the lead down to seven and with 6 minutes left, this is very much a game. The Iowa players came out with a lot of energy but fell asleep a little as the first half wound down... the energy is back, and you can see the fight in Lickliter's team again.

The Illini turn the ball over on a bad decision by McCamey. The shot clock got low, and he tried to break a double team, passed to Jeff Jordan with 2 left, and all we could get out of it was an air ball. My fear is that teams are jut going to start double teaming him under 8 seconds because he never seems to give up the ball.

The mood in the building is getting a little bit more intense. The Iowa fans are yelling at McCamey over exaggerating a foul, I think? On top of that I think the fans are just getting sick of the Orange Krush.

43-32 Illinois with 12:45 left in the game.

Tisdale got a raw deal on that foul call. His arm was locked up, and the Iowa player had him stuck in place.

Illinois leads this one 42-32 with 16 minutes left in the game.

Cully Payne just lobbed up a terrible shot... his second air ball of the game.

Iowa just isn't very smart with the basketball. There isn't a lot of ball movement once the first shot goes up... It's goes in or the rebound goes right back up... no one looks to reset.

McCamey took this game over for the last 2 minutes of play. Two straight pull up jumpers and a lay-up as the buzzer sounded give the Illini a little cushion. 35-27 at the half.

Mike Davis just broke away for a dunk and pointed up to the Krush to show some appreciation for the trip. 29-27 Illinois with 2 left.

McCamey just got called for a foul for reaching, and I'm wondering how he ended up guarding Brennan Cougill who comes in at 6'9" 255 lbs... I'm assuming the Illini were caught on a switch that didn't work out too well.

This has been an extremely quick first half. With 4:20 left, there have only been 3 fouls total.

Back to Back threes by D.J., and the Illini have their biggest lead of the game. 25-19.

Iowa is living and dying from the three point line. So far, well over half of their shots have come from deep and hitting 45% of them has kept them in the game. 19-19 with 6 left.

17-16 Illinois with 7:45 left.

The Illini need to keep going inside. Tisdale, Griffey, Davis... they are all getting open looks down low.

11-11 is the score with 11 left in the half. Iowa is turning the ball over a lot, and the Illini are missing shots. We need to capitalize early and pull away like Weber has been talking about.

7 minutes into the game, and we have a low scoring affair. The Illini have gotten plenty of open looks, they just aren't knocking them down.

Brandon Paul just elevated for a nice block, pinning the ball against the back board.

The Orange Krush has invaded Carver-Hawkeye. A few hundred or so members are taking up a huge section.

The Illini opened the game and controlled the action, but back to back threes by Matt Gatens have put Iowa up one.

The Illini Win a Wild One.

2010-01-30T15:28:00.003-06:00

4.4 seconds were the only thing standing in Indiana's way on their path to overtime.

D It was just a play for us to go back door, and they did a good job switching.

T The last few times in close games we stopped attacking, and coach wanted us to attack.

D I just made them.

T Tyler's been playing well. He plays hard, and he wants the team to win.

Crean

McCamey made a great shot obviously. You ask your team to do everything possible to win, and they did it, we just didn't get the last shot.

It's very hard. We're learning about what it takes to be successful.

Great momentum into half time. We were very excited and never flinched when we were down.

Weber

I didn't yell. At some point there isn't any point in yelling. (at halftime)

They've been through a lot of situations. It's just part of it. (on being unpredictable as a team)

Davis has to change. I love him, great kid... but he has to come to practice everyday and get better.

Keller said, Davis is ready, and we need him. (second half)

We held D accountable, and it worked well. We need to do the same thing with Mike maybe and hope that he will get it all together.

We've been on his case all year, and there's no doubt that he is a huge part of this team... but when you let off he just likes to chill.

There's no doubt. (on getting Tisdale more touches)

Illinois Vs. Indiana Game Blog

2010-01-30T12:49:00.016-06:00

The Hoosiers are invading the other Assembly Hall this afternoon in a match up between old rivals. The series, of course, got an extra kick when now L.A. Clipper Eric Gordon made the last minute switch from the Illini to the Hoosiers... And if you ask me... both schools would have been better off if Gordon had stayed with Weber. The Illini took a step back with their momentum, and Indiana basically sold their souls for the kid considering that this team now hasn't won three games in a row a single time under new coach Tom Crean. The Illini are wearing pink shoes and special pink and white jerseys for breast cancer.

Illinois 72 Indiana 70 Final

DEMETRI MCCAMEY!! ILLINI WIN! A screen near mid-court allowed the Junior to get free for a drive down the sideline ending up with a tear drop that hit nothing but the bottom of the net.

4.4 seconds left, and the Illini just need one point to win.

Tied game.

The Illini foul after a turnover, and Indiana has a chance to tie this one up with free throws.

Verdell Jones makes 2 FT, and the score is 70-68 Illinois, 30 left.

The Illini are unable to capitalize, and the ball goes back to Indiana. 1:30 left.

An air ball gives it back to the Illini with a 68-66 lead, 1:51 remaining. The Hoosiers are in need of a turnover, and the Illini are in need of some good decisions. This is a game that we really need.

Illinois back on top 66-64 with 2:45 left.

64-64 with 3:30 left.

The crowd is on their feet finally, and this is turning into a home court advantage.

Mike Davis is in the game now and since his arrival, the Illini are looking more sound with the ball.

56-59 Indiana with 7:30 left.

Mike Davis checks in for the first time in the second half with only 8 minutes left. There has to be more to this story.

McCamey just drilled a contested three at the end of the shot clock. I was ready to start yelling, but he saved himself the time.

49-53 Indiana with 12 minutes left.

The play has gotten really sloppy all around. Indiana is just tossing up quick shots, some of which are going in, and Illinois is fouling with lazy defense.

The game isn't coming to the Illini; we instead are forcing the action. Indiana is capitalizing on bad shots and turnovers. 47-50 Indiana.

47-43 Illinois with 15 left.

Watford was just called for a Technical for throwing an elbow after the play. 2 shots and the ball.

The crowd is back in this one after the Illini open the second half with some of that energy that was missing from the first. Mike Davis really not getting much playing time today. Hopefully this will wake him up because we're going to need him down the stretch.

And just that quickly the score is tied at 36. The Hoosiers made a lay up with 7 seconds left and then a half court shot at the buzzer.

36-31 Illinois with 28 seconds left.

The Illini need to put the Hoosiers away. The lead is only 5 now, and I would assume that Weber isn't happy about it. You can tell that there is talent on this team, you just don't see the effort all of the time.

34-25 with 2:30 left in the first half. The Illini are still letting the Hoosiers hang around like they have so many times while out-playing a team.

24-15 after a bit of an Illini run. Tom Crean is livid on the Indiana bench. The Hoosiers aren't playing with much emotion, and it shows on defense. The Illini are running sets, and they are working for the most part.

Demetri McCamey just made a great pass over half the court to an open Mike Davis for the dunk.

11 minutes left, and the Illini lead this one 15-12.

Dominique Keller just dunked off of a nice pass from Demetri McCamey then went to the bench. The Illini don't need him to score, but he's great at the energy plays.

Tyler Griffey is doing a great job of being aggressive and making the best of his start. 13-9 Illini with 13:33 left in the first half.

Illinois is looking great with this line up. It took 6.5 minutes for the Illini to sub.

Tisdale finally found Griffey down low after what seemed like an eternity. I can't believe no one picked him up.

7-4 Illini with 16 left in the first half.

Tom Crean just yelled something to Bruce Weber, but I couldn't make it out.

Watford, one of the better freshman in the country just threw up an air ball. Hopefully we can get in his head early because he is a big part of the Hoosier attack.

Bill Cole hits the open three. This starting line-up is doing a great job.

Tyler Griffey gets the offensive board and is fouled on the put back.

Bill Cole draws a shooting foul right away which is nice to see.

Tyler Griffey starting in place of Mike Davis.

Illinois Vs. Northwestern Game Thread

2010-01-23T19:00:00.013-06:00

I'm sitting in a packed Welsh-Ryan Arena for tonight's match up between The Fighting Illini and in state rival Northwestern. If you haven't been to Welsh-Ryan in a while, this is no longer the easiest place to win in the Big Ten... If the crowd shows up like it has tonight, this "high school" gym can really get rocking. The fans a split at about 65% to 35% in favor of the Purple... a bit different from last year when the Illini may have had over 50% of the fans in Evanston.

Nash hits a put back and even a Brandon Paul three pointer doesn't seem to make this one look any better... This will be a tough loss after what started as a good basketball game.

63-56 Northwestern, under 2 to play.

D.J. Richardson just lost his head and let the shot clock run out... then Shurna hits a three... this game has gone downhill in a hurry.

The Illini are down 4 with under three minutes left, and it's crunch time. Weber's team came into this game with most casual fans not giving Northwestern a chance. A loss here is going to hurt in the public eye, it will also drop the Illini from 4-0 to 4-3 in the Big Ten in a matter of three games...

56-54 Northwestern with 3:45 left.

Nash hits a three, and the Wildcats go up by one.

The Wildcats are hitting their second wind, and the pace is back where it was to begin the game. Illinois is having a hard time getting the ball inside.

51-44 Illinois with 7:30 left in the game.

The Illini need to keep up the pace. They are currently out hustling the Wildcats and that doesn't happen often against a team such as this that relies on its hustle to make up for the lack of athleticism.

D.J. Richardson just drove the baseline and finished with a nice reverse lay-up... good move by the freshman, and I think it's something Weber has expected out of the two freshman guards.

The halftime stats for today's game look nothing like the previous meeting. Last time out, Tisdale and Davis combined for 50+ points in the win... today they have 4 after 20 minutes.

Bill Cole just drove the lane and finished nicely in the paint... good to see the smart play leading up to the shot as well. A good pump fake opened up the lane.

Northwestern has energy, but it's nothing like the first half... The crowd is a little quieter, the pace is a little bit slower, and the defense isn't getting the loose balls like it was the first five minutes. 39-41 Illinois with 17 left.

McCamey at the line with a chance to make this a three point game going into the half... nails them both. 4 seconds left, and the Wildcats come away empty. 39-36 Illinois at the half.

Nash just got away with a pretty blatant travel and then nailed a three.

37-33 Illinois with 3 left in the first half. The pace has been more geared to the Illini as they are on their way to having more than half of their average points at the break.

Demetri McCamey just ran his own 3 on 1... fake the pass and take it yourself.

The score is tied at 15 with 10 left as the Illini have begun to find their stroke. D.J. hits a three, and the Illini have their first lead of the game.

Keller just got the first big Illini play after a baseline dunk.

Weber had made some changes to the line up presumably in hopes of finding some guys who want to be on the floor more. Paul, Keller, Richardson, Griffey, and McCamey are on the floor.

13-6 Northwestern with 12:44 left in the first half.

Northwestern is playing twice as hard as the Illini but even more than that, the crowd is feeding the Purple... It's pretty loud in here!

The first Illini point come 3:30 into the action.

The Illini are shooting a terrible percentage to start the game... try zero after 3 minutes.

The Illini are having a tough time finding a rhythm on offense. Twice now the Illini have turned the ball over on traveling while a player failed to make the first move. The hesitation hasn't been good.

The Wildcats are coming out shooting again... just not quite as hot... But they are out working us on the glass early.

Last time out, the Wildcats got off to a hot start and drained threes like it was all they knew how to do... Hopefully this time out Carmody's squad won't have the hot touch resulting in 47 three point attempts.

The Illini Head to Evanston

2010-01-23T18:53:00.005-06:00

The Illini head to Evanston tonight to take on the Wildcats of Northwestern in a battle that features two teams in need of a win to help their March resume. Bruce Weber’s team will enter Welsh-Ryan Arena tonight at a 12-7 clip, 4-2 in the Big Ten. Northwestern on the other hand is 13-5 overall but only 2-4 in conference play.
A lot of fans will point to Illinois’ advantage in the all time series (127-34) and assume that anything short of a blowout win is a let down, but this year things are different. The Wildcats are in real contention for their first trip to the NCAA tournament in program history, so it’s a safe bet that they will give 110% every time out… but then again, you would expect that from this team anyways. Head Coach Bill Carmody has put together a roster of guys who may not be able to jump out of the gym, but they have bought into their roles for this team. Guys like John Shurna could walk right by you on the street, and you wouldn’t look twice… but get him on the court, and you have a player with great heart, hustle, and basketball IQ, maybe the most underrated attribute in today’s game.

Northwestern has always liked to slow things down and make you grind it out on defense, but this year's team likes to move the ball a little bit more quickly. Carmody’s team currently ranks eighth in the NCAA with three point shots made per game… they also are top five in three point shots taken… meaning that there has been a big boost in offensive attempts this season. Twice already this year, including the game in Champaign, Northwestern has taken 47 three point shots in a game… which now sits as the Big Ten record. The Illini bigs are going to have to be ready to get out on the perimeter because in all honestly, the line-up Carmody deploys will mostly likely look like four guards.

What we need to see

1. The Bigs Going Big. Northwestern really lacks a post presence. Luka Mirkovic is listed at 6’11”, 243 lbs. but has never really been a rebounder. Kyle Rowley is one of the biggest bodies in the country at 7’0”, 280 lbs. but lacks athleticism and has trouble covering bigs who can shoot. I hope to see a lot of touches inside, especially after Tisdale and Davis combined for 50 points last time out against the Cats.

2. Guard the Perimeter! I don’t know if I will ever sit through another basketball game where I witness 47 three point attempts from one team… just a crazy stat in itself, but when you realize that the 34% they shot from deep was better than the 33% that they shot from the field in total… you wonder if the team has simply lost all confidence in the inside game. I don’t expect to see 47 attempts again, but guarding the perimeter will be key tonight.

3. Come out Aggressive both halves. Both Bruce Weber and Matt Painter commented that the Illini could have been up 15 points at the half instead of just 4. And even those 4 points didn’t help much seeing as Purdue came out with a purpose in the second half and scored 7 points right off the bat. Weber has tried everything to get this team to play with a chip on their shoulders, but in the end it’s up to the guys.

Quick Hits

• Illinois plays three of its next four games on the road, beginning Saturday night at Northwestern.

• Illinois’ 11-game winning streak over Northwestern is tied for the longest active streak in the Big Ten over a conference opponent (tied with Ohio State’s 11-game win streak over Penn State).

• Demetri McCamey has accounted for nearly 60 percent of Illinois’ offense over the last four games.

• McCamey has scored 972 career points, ranking 44th on the UI all-time list. He is just 28 points away from becoming the 42nd player in school history to join the 1,000-point club.

• McCamey tallied his seventh 20-point game of the season with a season-high 28 points against Purdue on Tuesday. He now has 14 career 20-point games to lead the Illini.

• McCamey has scored at least nine points in 12 straight games. Over that stretch, he is averaging 17.1 points (216) on 51.8 percent shooting (73-141).

• In conference play, McCamey ranks first in the league in both assists (7.2 apg) and assist/turnover ratio (3.6). He has totaled 43 assists in Big Ten games, 13 more than the next closest assists leader.

• Mike Tisdale (all games) ranks third in the conference in field goal percentage (.574), sixth in free throw percentage
(.844) and fifth in blocked shots (1.8 bpg).

• D.J. Richardson ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage at 45.1 percent (37-82).

What does it all mean?

I would guess that this one is going to be close in the beginning due to the crowd and the energy the Wildcats will have playing at home against the in-state rival. Last time out Northwestern started the game on fire. I don’t think the shot will go in to begin with and the Northwestern offense will go a little bit more traditional. Get the ball inside to Tisdale and Davis and this one should be a W. Illinois 71, Northwestern 64.

Purdue comes out on top in Champaign

2010-01-19T22:33:00.004-06:00

The Illini drop their first home game of the season and second straight in the Big Ten 84-78 at the hands of Purdue. It looked good early as the offense was active without the ball, but the Illini could only manage a 4 point lead by halftime. Both Painter and Weber agreed after the game that Purdue was lucky to be down by only that much. "I thought the game could have been determined in the first half," Weber said after the game, "They were doubting a little bit and the chance was there to take the game, but we didn't do it."
Coming into the game, one of my key points was to shut down Hummel and Moore... but they weren't the problem. They did both break double digits, but if you would have offered me before the game to lock in less than 30 points between the two, I would have taken it... The biggest problem came from a guy who wasn't on the scouting report... hell he wasn't even in the scorer's book! Illinois was awarded 2 shots and the ball after Matt Painter sent freshman guard John Hart into the game without putting him on the team roster coming into the game. Hart has only scored in one game this year, entered play averaging 1.1 points per contest... but that didn't matter as he posted 14 points, none bigger than the six that came on threes in the second half seemingly each time the Illini started a run. After the game, Painter was asked about Hart getting a chance tonight, and the response was simple, "His work ethic has really gotten much better".
Weber seemed disappointed that his guys couldn't hang onto the lead from the first half, but what troubled him even more was how it happened. "56 points in a half is way too many to give up on your own court, that and shooting fewer free throws than your opponent... it just can't happen".

Quick Hits

Demetri McCamey led the Illini with a season and game high 28 points and nine assists. Over the last four games, McCamey is averaging 21.8 points and 7 assists. Tonight was also his seventh time this season to break 20 points.

McCamey also got to the free throw line 19 times, eclipsing his previous career-high of 16 free throws set this year at Indiana.

Mike Davis picked up his Big Ten leading ninth double-double of the season, recording 17 points and 15 rebounds. Davis matches his double-double total from last season and now is tied with Ohio State's Evan Turner for most in his career among active Big Ten players.

Davis also set his record for rebounds in a half, pulling in 11 during the first half of play.

D.J. Richardson turned it on late, scoring all 12 of his points in the second half on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc.

Bill Cole blocked a career high 3 shots.

Illinois Vs. Purdue: Big Ten Game 6

2010-01-19T19:54:00.025-06:00

The atmosphere is great, Purdue is a top 15 team, and Erin Andrews is in the house... good game! The Illini need to come out and match the energy that the crowd is giving. We have talked about why this is a big game and why it would be big to win on ESPN, so let's see it.

Final Score: Purdue 84 Illinois 78

Purdue's going to win this one, but the Illini made it close in the end. A lot went wrong to start the second half, and the big comeback at the end was just a little too late.

McCamey hits a three, and it's a three point game with 18 left.

Demetri is fouled again and sent to the line. After hitting both, it's 75-79.

D.J. Richardson hits another 3. 72-77 with 47 seconds left.

The Illini made it tough to get the ball in and almost drew a 5 second call, but JaJuan Johnson found an opening at the three point line on the other end.

Another three by the Illini, and it's now down to a doable number... but it would take a lot. 6 point deficit with 1:17 left.

Bill Cole hits a three, but it appears to be too little, too late for the Illini. A good first half is followed up by a rough outing in the second. Purdue leads this one 66-75. It appears the 3 game losing streak is over for the Boilers, and the Illini are facing a three game streak of their own if they don't get their act together this week.

63-71 with 3:19 left, and the Illini have 2 seconds on the shot clock. Play broken up, Purdue ball.

63-70 Purdue with 3:52 left. Timeout on the floor.

Mike Tisdale fouls out after a pretty disappointing performance. 4 points, 5 rebounds.

The Illini are getting killed at the free throw line in terms of percentage.

Mike Tisdale back in with 4 fouls. 5:50 left to go.

Kelsey Barlow goes to the line for the and one, makes it, and the lead is now 7 again.

Bruce Weber has been yelling for some fouls, and this time he got one. The Illini are shooting 1 and 1 with 7:25 left to go. The free throws were poorly shot in the first half, but McCamey hits both free throws and the score is now 53-57 with 7:30 left.

D.J. Richardson hits a big three, and the crowd gets back in it... Shortly after, Mike Davis makes a lay up and suddenly it's back to a four point game, 51-55 Purdue with 8:15 left in the game.

Griffey hits 2 free throws, and the score is 46-53 Purdue.

There is 9:30 left in the game, and the Illini are down nine, 44-53. The ball has started to go inside now, and it has resulted in a lot of Illini free throws... the biggest problem is the defense.

The Illini are scoring again now, but Purdue is having no problems answering.

There are few things more frustrating than playing 34 seconds of great defense only to have a three go in with one second left.

Mike Tisdale leaves the game with 12:30 left after picking up his fourth foul.

39-45 Purdue with 12:30 left.

McCamey has taken it upon himself to score. He has gone to the line twice now in the last few minutes while trying to get to the basket.

The defense in this half has been plain bad. The Boilermakers are getting inside of 8 feet almost at will against our guys. The score sits at 43-36 with 14:11 left in the game. The Illini need a three, or a dunk, or a block... anything to get that energy back from the first half.

34-39 Purdue with 16:00 minutes left in the game. After a great first half, the energy seems to have faded a little bit. Purdue is still hustling, but they have cut down on the turnovers from the first half. The Illini are standing around on offense and look nothing like they did in the first half.

The first 2 minutes of the second have been all Purdue.

The halftime score is 32-28 Illinois. Purdue isn't taking care of the basketball, and they aren't sharing the rock at all. Only 3 assists in the first half compared to 10 turnovers... that's not going to make a coach who is a former Gene Keady assistant happy. The energy level is great, and I would expect that to continue because the crowd has been great. 20 minutes of basketball left to play, and the Illini are up four on the number 15 team in the country.

A technical has been called on Purdue for substituting a player not on the original roster?? I'll try to find out more...

Purdue just threw down an ally oop. Only moments later, Illinois tried one of their own, but it ended in free throws.

28-24 Illinois with 1:45 left.

McCamey looked to have picked up his dribble when a streaking Jeff Jordan got open in the lane for a great lay up. Good vision by McCamey.

22-14 with 6 left in the first.

Illinois just ran a play called Biscuit... whatever it was, it ended in a back door dunk by Davis.

Brandon Paul is really athletic... I know that's obvious, but sometimes he goes up for a rebound and you think it's about to sail over his head, but he just stretches out and grabs the ball.

Neither team is shooting well, both schools are under 34%.

If you read my pregame article, I talked about coming out strong and rattling a reeling Purdue team. Purdue looks to be a little rattled. There have been a few silly turnovers including a bad travel and a few questionable shots. 18-14 Illinois with 8 minutes left in the half.

Mike Davis has 8 rebounds and 6 offensive already, and there is still 8:45 left in the first half.

The Illini are making their living on the offensive glass. Tisdale is a whole new animal when he goes for a rebound.

Tisdale just blocked a shot, but it went in off of the deflection.

I know that Matt Painter can be animated, but I think he had an extra 5 hour energy before this one.

16-10 Illinois with 12:00 left in the first half. Demetri just hit Keller for a nice bucket in the paint and then asked to be taken out due to fatigue... and I love that! These guys are in great shape after the Weber practice regimen, so it's good to see a guy use this much energy this fast.

Jeff Jordan gets fouled going to the hole. You like to see that because Paul has already attacked. The whole mentality of the offense changes when we attack.

10-10 with 15:30 left in the first half.

The offense is moving the ball well, and I like the energy/emotion, I just think the defense needs to be on assignment a little better. To this point, Purdue has gotten to the rim pretty easily, and that's nothing new.

Brandon Paul makes a nice move in the lane and finishes. Good to see him attacking.

The score is 8-8 with 16:30 left in the half.

Bill Cole looking good early with a block and a nice 18 footer.

Mike Tisdale with 4 quick points. The energy is great to start, but Purdue is still getting to the rim too easily.

The tip was won by the Illini, and then the ball was quickly turned over.. not a good start against a team who forces a lot of errors.

The ball is currently stuck between the scoreboard and the backboard... weird.

Purdue invades the Hall

2010-01-19T16:25:00.007-06:00

Games won't get a whole lot bigger than this for the Illini this Big Ten season. The students are back, and we all know how excited they can get for a game on ESPN against a ranked conference foe... The Illini are 10-0 at home this season and 4-1 in the Big Ten. Purdue on the other hand will enter the Hall on a 3 game losing streak, their only three loses of the season. I won't call this a MUST win, because for a team at 4-1, there aren't many MUST wins. But I will say that if we lose, we better leave it all on the floor.
The Big Ten Network is a cool idea, especially for the football team who maybe isn't the biggest draw in the country, but the average basketball team will tell you that we have been given the short end of the stick when it comes to national broadcasts. This game might be the only Illini game someone will see all season in California for instance... we need to capitalize on the chance to show off our team.

Hot Shots

- This will already be the sixth ranked team the Illini have faced this season.

- Freshman Tyler Griffey is coming off of a career high 12 points against Michigan State.

- Demetri McCamey is currently first in the Big Ten with 6.8 assists per game.

- McCamey is 56 points away from 1,000 for his career.

- Mike Tisdale is in the Big Ten top 5 for shooting percentage, free throw percentage, and blocked shots.

- Four of six loses on the season have been by 5 points or less.

- Bruce Weber spent 18 years as an assistant coach for Purdue.

- Illinois has lost more than 2 games at home only once in the last 11 years during Big Ten play.

What We Need To See

1. Don't let Hummel or Moore go off. I'm worried about the match-up with these guys. The Illini are not good at containing the dribble, and after a few easy drives through the lane, the defense starts to collapse into the middle... When this happens, look for the drive and dish out to the perimeter. Robbie Hummel and E'Twaun Moore are putting up big numbers as it is (second and first in the conference respectively in Big Ten games), and these two always play hard against the Illini after what some fans will say was a less than fervent recruiting attempt by Bruce Weber while Eric Gordon was still committed.

2. Be careful with the ball. Purdue is second in the Big Ten in turnover margin. The guards put a lot of pressure on the ball handlers, and JaJuan Johnson has an arm span that is hard to be ignored in the middle. This version of the Illini isn't the best with ball control, and I guess that should be expected when 3 of your top 4 guards are freshman or walk-ons. It is essential that we get the version of Demetri McCamey that looks to create for his teammates tonight.

3. Get the ball rolling early.
Purdue is lacking confidence to say the least. After three straight loses to OSU, Wisconsin, and Northwestern, one of the favorites in the conference is struggling to find their footing. The Gonzaga game and the Missouri game are examples of coming out flat. The Vanderbilt game is an example of coming out on fire... Somewhere closer to the later would be preferable (Duh...) but maybe even more so tonight to put the Boilermakers on edge early and to welcome back the Orange Krush in style.

4. Outwork the Boilers. Both of these teams have faced questions this season about 100% effort. We have all heard the talk about Mike Davis and whether of not he is always all there. Well tonight it will be very apparent whether or not he is all in. Hummel and Johnson both create offense, and if you slack off, they both have the talent to make you pay. You would assume that a conference game against a top team would generate some great energy... now let's see it.

What Does it all Mean?

It's a tricky game to call here. Both teams have the potential to go off and shoot the lights out, but both teams also have the nasty habit of either giving it all or harshly falling short of the 100% performance mark. The Illini could find a Purdue team that is ready to fall apart, the Illini could face a Purdue team that plays like they have something to prove, or maybe it will just be an even game regardless. I expect the energy level to be high and the players to really get after it out there. Hummel is going to get his points and Moore probably will too, but I think the combination of the Orange Krush and the national television appearance will push the Illini a little bit harder than the more talented Boilers. Illinois 68 Purdue 66

Illinois Vs. Iowa

2010-01-05T19:55:00.011-06:00

Game two of the Big Ten season and the Iowa Hawkeyes come to town looking for their first win of the conference season. Illinois is coming off of a heartbreaking loss to Gonzaga in Chicago but are sitting at 1-0 in the Big Ten. The Illini have a pretty easy schedule to start with here, and the goal should be 4-0. One thing at a time though. The starting line-up will get a tweak tonight as Bill Cole and Jeff Jordan will replace D.J. Richardson and Demetri McCamey.

Stan Simpson looks unsure of himself on the court. I feel like he lacks that killer attitude.

Bubba, Stan, Richard, Tyler, and D.J. in the game now. I think this one is in the bag.

Iowa has given up in this one. Guys are dogging it back on defense and just standing there on offense. The Illini should be happy with this win. 57-34 with 4 left, and Weber should make it a goal to hold the Hawkeyes under 40.

Bill Cole just had a great block where the ball hit the Iowa player and went out of bounds.

11:45 left in the game, and the Illini lead this one 45-26.

Demetri McCamey just threw up a great oop to Dominique Keller. Right after that, Brandon Paul intercepted a pass by simply jumping higher than the defender expected him to be able to. The edge of athleticism is clearly on the Illini's side.

5 Minutes into the half and Illinois has only put up 2 points. We seem to have fallen asleep at the half which is what I feared after a big lead.

The pace to start the second half has favored Iowa. A quick burst of shooting has brought the score to 39-22 only 3 minutes into the half.

The first half comes to a close with Iowa trailing the Illini 37-15. The big story was Iowa's inability to get the ball into the paint and score. Points in the paint favor Weber's squad 12-2, and the Illini have double the number of rebounds. Iowa has no answer inside for Tisdale and Davis, causing them to pack the lane. The result so far has been plenty of open looks from three. Illinois is 5-8 behind the stripe. Let's see if the Illini put Iowa away for good here early or let them hang around at 12 to 18 points down.

Iowa hits double digits 16 minutes into the game... We have still not seen a two point basket from the Hawkeyes.

D.J. Richardson hits his fourth 3 pointer of the half off of a behind the back pass from McCamey. 29-7 Ilinois.

22-7 Illinois with 8 left in the first half. Iowa is shooting 15%.

John Lickliter just made a three pointer and air balled his next shot. The Orange Krush really let him have it.

D.J. Richardson has three 3 pointers in the first half. A good response after being benched.

There have been numerous clock malfunctions and scoring errors which have made this game seem slooow.

The score is now 17-3 Illinois, and Iowa calls a timeout. The energy level is great for the guys. I'm hoping it stays this way. Iowa just can't keep up with our guys if we continue to play this way. I think the Hawkeyes are playing hard, I just don't think that they are very good.

Coach Weber is getting on the guys about playing with 100% energy at all times.

Illinois has five rebounds after 4 minutes, and four of them have been offensive.

The shots aren't falling early, but the offensive rebounding has been great.

Illinois Vs. Northwestern

2009-12-30T20:04:00.034-06:00

So here we are. The start of the Big Ten season comes with a little added importance this year as Northwestern comes to town ranked in the top 25. At 10-1, this Wildcat team is looking to make a statement with a road win over a team that is usually considered the favorite in basketball.

The Illini Win this one 89-83.

It looks like the Illini are going to win this one, but what a way to open the Big Ten... You have to hand it to the guys in Purple, they played a great game.

A foul on John Shurna has put Cole on the line with 24 left. After making 1-2, it's a 87-83 game.

The Wildcats are 16-43 from beyond the arc, let's see if they go for two here and foul, or if they try to tie it up right away.

Northwestern made a free throw and then a pass thrown away gave the ball right back. What looked like a nice three point lead with 40 left and the ball has turned into time to really bare down and play some game winning defense.

D.J. Richardson just got fouled on a three point attempt for the second time in the game, and this one comes with 1 minute left. After hitting 2 of 3, the score is 86-82.

Mike Davis gave us his best Tisdale impression as he nails the hook shot. 84-80 with 1:40 left.

82-80 Illinois with 2:15 left.

Tisdale now has 31 points after two free throws, he's been so clutch down the line... And as I type this, the Junior walks off the court with his fifth foul. The crowd gives him a huge ovation after a 31 and 11 effort.

A missed three by Cole turned into a lay-up for Tisdale... but the Wildcats answered back with a quick three.

Mike Davis scores on the Illini's opening possession. 76-74.

Regulation just came to an end, and the score is all tied up at 74. The Illini never got a shot up on the final possession and once again looked lost. I think the momentum is with the Illini, but with Tisdale holding 4 fouls, it will be interesting to see how the coaches use him here to begin the overtime.

The Illini came out not looking too sure of what was going on. The inbounds pass came to Mike Davis who was left in the backcourt by Richardson and McCamey... Weber calls another timeout and with 7.7 seconds on the clock, the Illini will try it once more.

15.4 seconds left now, and the score is again tied after a tip in by the Wildcats. Full Time out Illini who can hold for the final shot here... Let's not have a Utah here...

Tisdale shooting two with 30 seconds left and the families of the Northwestern players are making some noise from behind the bench... this is a nail biter. The first is good, and so is the second... 74-72 Illinois.

50 seconds left and the Illini lead by 2 before John Shurna drives and ties it up.

Tisdale and Davis both have double-doubles at this point, Tisdale with 25 points and Davis with 14 boards.

McCamey splits free throws, 70-67.

Tisdale just picked up his fourth foul with 2:30 left in the game. 69-66 Illini with a Northwestern free throw on the way...

Welcome to the loudest Assembly Hall of the season. It hasn't been the best all night, but the PA system played a track of heavy metal paired with the voice of a man screaming "Stand up and Shout!" and the fans obliged... moments later when Tisdale slammed home a dunk with a foul, the place exploded. 69-63 Illinois with 3:30 left in the game.

Bill Cole just made a huge three pointer. There are 4 minutes left, and the Illini are up 67-63.

The crowd was really into this one until a foul was called on Mike Davis during a Shurna three attempt... three free throws later and it's tied at 60.

Mike Davis got a dunk opportunity there and wasn't going to miss a second one... 60-57 Illinois.

With 8 minutes left in the game, the Illini take the lead 58-57 on a pair of Mike Davis free throws.

Northwestern has really started to get chippy with Tisdale down low... A lot of shoving.

The Wildcats have only made 6 shots from 2 point range.

The Illini now have 15 assists, a magic number of sorts as the Illini have hit this number in all 8 wins this year.

Brandon Paul has his first points after a three ball goes in 28 minutes into the game... then he follows it up with another. 56-55 Illini.

D.J. is fouled on a three attempt and makes all 3. 53-50 purple.

Northwestern has shot 13-29 from deep.

A Richardson three brings the lead down to three for Northwestern, but it should be only one after a missed dunk by Davis.

The Assembly Hall's getting loud again. The score sits at 41-47. We are asking for the momentum, but the dominoes just won't fall our way. Northwestern had an in-bounds play with 2 seconds left on the shot clock, so of course they hit a three.

The Illini have had two big chances to score here in the opening minutes of the second half, and anytime we get a good look it needs to drop right now.

D.J. just hasn't had his three point touch to this point tonight.

This has been a shooting clinic by the guys in purple. 11-23 in the first half... It's hard to say much else. The offense has been great when we get the ball down low, but the outside shooting has left fans wanting more. Both John Shurna and Jeremy Nash are on fire with totals of 15 and
12. Something is going to have to be done to get more pressure on the shooters because at this rate, the Wildcats are going lights out. 42-33 Northwestern at the half.

The Wildcats are in a 1-3-1 zone, and it looked to be causing problems, but back to back possessions getting the ball inside have the offense looking a little better.

NW is shooting 9-20 on long balls in the first half, the Illini are 1-5.

This game has been a little hard to gauge. One second the Illini look like they are the better team, but when they are shooting three's this well, it's really hard to get on a run.

22-21 Illinois with 7:30 left in the first half. Bill Cole seems to have found a nice place in this rotation. I still really like the minutes that he gives.

Tisdale is playing big tonight. Every time he gets the ball down low he scores.

16-15 Illinois with 11 left.

NW is shooting a crazy amount of threes. It was fine when they were going in, but now it's getting a little silly.

The crowd is letting the officials know that they aren't pleased with the calls so far. The Illini seem to be getting bumped while the calls are all going the other way.

The Northwestern shooting has cooled off, and the Illini have heated up thanks to Tisdale and Davis.

Mike Tisdale is on fire, and I hope his critics can see how effective the big guy can be when we get him the ball one on one.

14-8 Northwestern leads it with 15 left in the first half.

Northwestern reminds me of an international team... There isn't a lot of athleticism or NBA level skill, but they all play their part and have bought into the team philosophy. When this team is shooting like they are tonight, it is extra important to be smart with the ball when we are on offense.

The Wildcats start this one on fire. Four three point buckets in a row to open the game have them out to an early lead.

The opening possession showed a couple of opportunities to get the ball to Mike Tisdale, but the offense didn't make the pass. Weber was all over the guys, and the next two trips down the court resulted in buckets for the center.

Illinois Vs. Western Michigan

2009-12-13T13:37:00.012-06:00

The current lineup is Jordan, Legion, Griffey, Semrau, and Simpson... Bubba on deck.

With 5 minutes left, the Illini have this one in the bag. At 82-46, this has been a great showing on both offense and defense.

The Illini are shooting 54% to WMU's 27%... You aren't going to win many games shooting 27%.

Both bigs are having solid games for the Illini. Davis and Tisdale both have potential double-doubles in the making.

The score at the half is 48-25 good guys, and the story is bench production. Dominique Keller has scored 11 points including 3 three pointers. Bill Cole has also looked good with energy and 7 points of his own. Jeff Jordan has 5 assists. Also of note, David Kool only has 2 points, and to this point he is averaging over 20 per game.

Bill just nailed a three, and the Illini were rolling but a questionable call against Jeff Jordan has caused a timeout on the floor. WMU will be shooting free throws. The score is 35-15 with 3:30 left in the game.

25-10 and this one is sort of dragging... The students are home for break, the shooting has been decent for the Illini and plain bad for WMU. It's now a 21 point game with Brandon Paul on the bench.

Bill Cole just got a little bit of a gift I think. The ball may or may not have been going in, but a WMU player grabbing the rim will give him two points anyway.

Illinois has come to life a little bit here and are on a decent run. The score is now 13-5, Illini lead.

The atmosphere in the Assembly Hall has been sort of dead so far. Neither team is shooting well, and the play has been filled with fouls. Illinois just scored their first field goal 5 and a half minutes into the game.

Illinois Vs. Vanderbilt

2009-12-08T19:41:00.011-06:00

Jeff Jordan has done a great job this half of moving the ball up the court at a fast pace.

With 4 minutes left in the first half, The Illini are shooting 60%.

The press is causing some problems for the Illini. We've been pretty good at not turning the ball over, but at the same time you can tell that it is changing the flow of the game and it has already caused the Illini to use a couple of timeouts.

D.J. Richardson stretched out and pulled in a big rebound there. To this point the Illini are giving coach Weber what he has been begging for, and that's 100% energy. There may have been a fancy pass or two that he wasn't the happiest with, but for the most part I think he has to be very pleased with his team's effort. 31-18 Illinois with 7:15 left.

McCamey just broke the press and took the ball end to end for a lay-up.

Jeff Jordan comes in and scores a jumper. Tisdale with an offensive rebound... Nice to see both of these things.

The Illini have been shooting the lights out so far. The best part is the overall energy.

The Illini have come out hot to start the game, and it's clear that they are feeding off of the crowd.

Illinois vs. Boise State

2009-12-05T18:32:00.038-06:00

The crowds continue to grow here at the Assembly Hall. Tonight's is as good as it has been for a non-conference game in a while. Boise State likes to push the ball and play at a high pace, so expect tonight to be a high scoring affair. The Illini came out well against Clemson, were tied at 19, and then allowed the run that appeared to knock them out of the game. Tonight, Bruce Weber wants to see a consistent performance through out the game.

The final score is 84-77 Illinois.

Bubba Chisholm in.

D.J. Richardson had a wide open lay-up, but instead he pulled the ball back out and wasted some clock. Smart move by the freshman who makes both of his free throws.

80-77, BSU misses the second free throw, and Tisdale is on the line shooting 2. The first one drops. 81-77. The second does the same. 82-77.

Bill Cole fouls out on a close call. The fans wanted a charge, but the call was that he was moving. Tisdale, McCamey, Paul, Richardson, and Davis in.

McCamey is fouled quickly and goes to the line with 18 left. Jordan in for Tisdale. McCamey sinks both shots. McCamey out, Cole in.

BSU shows some good defense, and the Illini are forced to use their final timeout trying to get the ball in. Still 20 seconds left.

Again, the ball goes in for the Illini from Tisdale... and again we allow the Broncos to score quickly. 78-76 with 20 seconds left.

Mike Tisdale sinks a shot, but a quick 3 makes it a 2 point game. There are 35 seconds left, and Weber wants to talk things over.

A three pointer by Anthony Thomas has cut the Illini lead down to 3. Weber calls a timeout, and with 1:19 left in the game Illinois is going to have to be a lot cleaner out there when it comes to their passes and defensive assignments.

74-68 with 2 minutes left.

Two games in a row, McCamey's presence on the floor makes all the difference in how sloppy the Illini are with the ball. Every time he is out we become less secure and commit turnovers.

70-64 with 5:30 left.

Tisdale just passed up an opportunity to take the ball strong to the hole. Bill Cole should have caught the pass, but I think he was getting ready to rebound.

Bruce Weber is about to pull his hair out after McCamey tried another tricky pass as the Illini were on the break 3-1.

Mike Davis just recorded another double-double.

Tisdale is now two for two. He's up there in shooting percentage in the Big Ten, the offense just needs to find more ways to get him the ball.

The Illini are in a zone right now in attempt to change the pace a little. The Broncos were hot from deep early so let's see how this works out.

68-58 Illinois with 9 left.

Boise State was chipping back at the lead, but a basket by Paul and a breakaway dunk by Keller has the momentum back on the Illini's side.

Keller is really struggling on his free throws. The problem seems to be his timing on his routine.

Brandon Paul just made a no look pass over his head to Keller who was fouled on the lay-up attempt.

The Illini used great ball movement on that last basket, and the result was a wide open Davis jumper.

McCamey just made his fourth three of the night, and this one was NBA range. 57-50 Illini with 13:00 left to play.

Tisdale just took and made his first shot of the night 26 minutes into the game.

52-46 Illini lead with 15:45 left in the game. Mike Davis is having a great night with 14 and 8.

McCamey tried to get fancy and turned the ball over for an easy BSU bucket. Coach Weber talks a lot about his ability, but sometimes he tries to do too much.

Mike Davis is surely on his way to another double-double, and Demetri McCamey has been shooting well all night. The Illini jump out with a quick 5 points to open the half. 47-38... Timeout BSU.

42-38 is the halftime score. The Illini are shooting pretty well, they just aren't defending and rebounding to the best of their abilities. The Broncos are shooting over 53% on the game, and to this point in the season the Illini haven't allowed a single team to shoot over 45%. I would expect the half time talk to be about keeping up the intensity for the rest of the game and just playing their roles. This Boise State team isn't bad, and they are are very capable of winning this geam if we aren't careful. This is a team that you need to put away if you get up by a lead because they appear to have the ability to score in bunches.

Dominique Keller put home a one hand slam and with 30 seconds left, and the Illini are up by 4. It would be nice to hold it at four points going into the half from this point.

2:00 left in the first half, and the Illini lead 40-38.

Brandon Paul got called for offensive goaltending on a play that looked clean... he followed it up by drawing a charge soon after, so maybe the officials agreed.

Tyler Griffey has done some great things in this game with hustle. The other day he was at practice early shooting, and he put in 38 three's in five minutes, getting his own rebound. The kid can shoot.

Mike Davis made a great reverse lay-up there off the glass.

With 7:45 left in the first half, the Illini lead this one by 2, 30-28.

Tyler Griffey hustles and pokes the ball away from Broncos guard Anthony Thomas... out of bounds to the Illini.

Alex Legion has missed two big shots in this game so far. He is known as a streaky shooter, but those two are the type that any player needs to make when they are that open.

Kurt Cunningham is listed at 265 lbs., and Brandon Paul got called for a charge... knocked him over like a feather... ;)

Illini 22- Boise State 19 with 11 left in the first half.

Evan Turner got hurt today, and that leaves Mike Davis as the leading rebounder in the Big Ten.

Tisdale picks up his second foul less than 7 minutes into the game.

Bill Cole should get a Matto point for the hustle to the missed shot there. He didn't get the ball, but his presence caused the rebound to go to Richardson who was fouled.

DJ Richardson hits a three with 1 second on the shot clock.

The Illini are getting out rebounded early in this game. The Broncos look to be getting the inside position consistently.

Brandon Paul gets called for the foul, but that was the type of thing a coach likes to see... contact going after a lazy pass.

Demetri McCamey comes out and hits on the opening possession, then follows it up with a quick three... Good start for a guy who scored 2 points in his last game.

Tough Way to Finish a Season

2009-12-05T16:13:00.004-06:00

Call it tough luck. Call it fitting for the season. Call it whatever you want... This one stings. After an exciting game, Illini fans were eager to wish the seniors off in the right way, but Fresno State quarterback Ryan Colburn had other ideas. On fourth down, the junior quarterback hooked up with Jamel Hamler, and the Bulldogs were within 1 point as the clock read 0:02. So like any good team out of the WAC, Fresno State went for the win (See Boise State over Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl). What followed was one of the craziest plays I have ever seen in person. Colburn dropped back to pass for the two point conversion when Illini linebacker Russell Ellington broke into the backfield. Colburn was spun around by the attempted sack, and he launched a prayer towards the hero of the last play, Jamel Hamler. The pass never made it to Hamler however, as an Illinois defender batted the ball out of the air... and right into the hands of 350 pound offensive lineman Devan Cunningham. Cunningham proceeded to fall forwards for the touchdown. The highest scoring game in Memorial Stadium's history was won by the heaviest player on either roster.

"It was a heck of a game... We did some good things, just not enough of them..." was the message from Illinois head coach Ron Zook who seemed to be short with his responses... and why wouldn't he be? He and Juice have had a bond for 4 years, and they have been through a lot together. When asked what he thought of Williams' departure, Zook responded, "Guys mature and go on, I think everybody knows about the relationship between us.". When asked what he said to Juice after the game, he opted to keep that between himself and his quarterback. When Williams committed to this program, he was seen as the future along with the rest of this graduating class. "I feel bad for the seniors. They are part of the foundation of this program and where we are right now. Things are heading up... We're not as far away as people think."

When the quarterback entered the media room, he approached the podium with poise, and yet you could tell that the moment was really starting to sink in. "I was sad on the sidelines, but at the same time joyful. I get to reflect on the times with all of my brothers... It was tough, the last time I walk off the field as an Illini football player. There were so many things running through my head..." I'm sure most Illini fans remember the first time that Juice came into a game. When a player reaches the 10,000 yard mark, he's been around the block, but it really did seem to go quickly. Juice finished the game with 211 yards passing, 62 yards rushing, and 3 total touchdowns.

The other Illini to have a big day was Champaign native Mikel Leshoure. The sophomore running back accumulated over 200 yards of offense and 3 touchdowns of his own. Junior Rejus Benn probably also played his last game in an Illini jersey today, but that is still to be determined. Benn finished with 2 receptions for 61 yards and a touchdown (which he threw into the student section for a penalty). Also with big catches were tight end Michael Hoomanawanui and former quarterback Eddie Mcgee. The Illini will not see Hooman again in uniform, but most expect McGee to return for his senior year.

It's been a long season for players, coaches, and fans. There were nice moments such as beating Michigan back to back and the road win at Minnesota, but there was no shortage of hardships. The coaching staff will hit the road to recruit immediately, and it will be interesting to see what changes are made in the off season... but for now, let's remember the good times we had with these seniors... Rose Bowl anyone?

Illinois vs. Fresno State.

2009-12-05T11:26:00.045-06:00

Well here we go... The last game for a senior class and probably some of the juniors as well. I'm expecting big things today... Whether it's trick plays, a huge day from a player or two, or just an overall solid win, I just think the players will want it too much to lose this one.

I can't wait to see the pictures of this one! Juice Williams to Mikel Leshoure... Touchdown after a full out flip into the end zone. 52-45, 6:15 left. I'm headed to the field now.. go Illini!!

What a catch by Hooman! For the second time today, the quarterback has gotten a big play from his receiver saving an INT.

This is now the highest scoring game in Memorial Stadium history.

For a 220 pound passing quarterback, Ryan Mathews moves pretty well. His last run was 25 yards and a touchdown. 45-45.

Mathews is really stepping up his game in the second half. He had 57 yards at halftime and now has 158 total on the day.

The Illini have 6 pass receptions on the day, and they are all to different people.

Mikel Leshoure is knocking on the 200 yard mark for the game. 184 yards on 11 carries, and the result of his latest run is the go ahead touchdown. 45-38 Illini.

Not a good possession for the Illini... Until Juice hooked up with Eddie McGee for 48 yards on third and very long.

Justin Green returns the kickoff for the Illini and brings it out to the 21. I hope Green gets another carry today.

Terry Hawthorne slipped and fell after a Mathews cut, and all that was left was real estate. Mathews runs for his third touchdown of the day... He now has over 100 yards on the day. Tied up at 38 with 13 minutes left in the game.

The Illini have been giving FS good starting field position all day when the kick off is going into the wind.

Ask and ye shall be granted... Roughing the kicker... first down... first play? 61 yard touchdown run by Leshoure. Welcome back momentum. 38-31 Illinois heading into the fourth quarter.

The momentum is with the Bulldogs at the moment and with a three and out for the offense, this team needs something to happen.

Juice Williams is back in the game at quarterback.

Josh Brent makes a nice tackle on third and 5, FS will settles for a field goal. All tied up at 31 with 1:44 left in the game.

Ryan Mathews gets on the board for the second time today. He still isn't dominating anyone out there like he has in the past, but he's becoming more consistent than he was in the first half. 31-28 Illini, 3:51 left in the third quarter.

Robbie Rouse is all of 5'7" for the Bulldogs, and he cuts quickly making it hard for the linebackers to get a good read on him. He's only a freshman, so I think he has some good football ahead of him.

Juice is up and walking around on the sidelines. I wouldn't be surprised if Charest got the next series anyways, but I think we'll see the senior again today, at least to hand one off and get an ovation when he leaves the field.

44 yard field attempt by Dimke sails through the uprights. 31-21 Illinois. I was watching Dimke during warm-ups, and he was kicking from that spot with good results.

Juice Williams was down following a first down run and after walking off under his own strength, Charest came in to spell the senior.

Mikel Leshoure just had great back to back runs where he punished the tackler both times with hard contact.

The Illini have done a great job of containing Ryan Mathews. The back is averaging 150 yards per game on the ground and through one half and a possession, Mathews has only 66 yards on 3.7 YPC.

Well Rejus Benn didn't seem to care that the clock read 18 seconds... Juice Williams bombed one, and the result was a 58 yard touchdown... The fans felt a sudden change in emotion when the ball looked to be picked off, but Benn used his strength to rip it free. It's 28-21 Illinois heading into halftime, Fresno State will start with the football.

Ball at the 42, so maybe it changes... air it out or be safe?

Terry Hawthorne lost track of his guy, and Fresno State is able to score with 22 seconds left. The Illini just need to head into the half here, nothing fancy.

Fresno State calls their final timeout now, and they have the ball at the Illini 4 yard line... 27 seconds left. I was worried about the amount of time left, and it looks like it might be just enough for the Bulldogs.

FSU seems content to run the ball here... ball at the 50 with under 2 left, let's see if it changes.

A nice return for Fresno State brings the ball all the way up to the 39. Kicker Derrick Dimke saved the touchdown.

Jason Ford breaks into the end zone, and the Illini are back on top 21-14. I would have liked to see use us a little more clock though, still 3:30 remaining... but that's nit-picking.

Garrett Edwards picks off a pass inside the 30, and the Illini take over inside of Fresno State's 20... 4 minutes left in the half.

Juice pitches the ball to McGee, McGee passes back to Juice, the result is 6 yards... fun play that you could see going for a lot more if you caught the defense on the right play.

The Illini force Fresno State to punt after a 3 and out. Fayson back to return, but the short kick falls down at the 50.

Aaron Gress makes a nice tackle on special teams.

Juice found some touch on that one and and with the touchdown reception, Jeff Cumberland breaks the 1,000 yard mark for career receiving yards. 14-14, 9:00 left in the second quarter.

The Illini just caught the Bulldogs on a strong side blitz, and the sweep play worked very well.

The Illini just missed a chance for a quick snap which would have resulted in 12 men on the field for Fresno State.

Juice still in at quarterback.

Juice Williams just gift wrapped a pick six. When you run the screen pass, you need good blocking and a quick release... the blocking started off pretty good, but Juice waited too long and the result was a 6 point swing.

Juice may have lost yards on that option, but he made a good decision to not pitch the ball into traffic. Williams' decision making on the run this year has been overshadowed by his troubles passing the ball.

Fresno State gets a one yard touchdown run from Ryan Mathews on a play that completely fooled our defense. 7-7, 1:30 left in the first.

Juice is having a lot of trouble with his passes today, but his work on the ground has made it less detrimental. You get the feeling that his hands might be frozen as you watch him overshoot his wide receivers by ten yards while throwing into the wind.

Illinois used the fullback as a traditional blocker... something you hardly ever see in this offense.

Jarred Fayson left the field limping after an earlier play, but he caught that punt so it appears he is fine.

Ian Thomas just made a great tackle on the third down pitch play. Mathews was ready to lower his shoulder, but Thomas got more leverage and sent him backwards.

Fresno State has a great running back in Ryan Mathews... Let's see how he does in the cold.

The Illini run a great looking option play, and senior Daniel Dufrene scores on a 15 yarder. 7-0 Illini.

The Illinois sideline appears to be fired up... lot's of cheering and chest bumping.

The offense is coming out mixing the throw with the run, and it's working. After a fourth down conversion by Rejus Benn, the offense stays on the field.