Big Ten Tournament Musings - Day 1

Iowa and Michigan started the tournament off a little after 11:00 am central time. The crowd was a little thin at the start of the first game, with quite a bit of Illini orange sprinkled through. This really is a beautiful venue for basketball, and contrary to many people's opinions, I think Indianapolis is the perfect spot for this tournament. It is centrally located within driving distance to all 11 Big Ten campuses, and it is easy to get around and walk virtually anywhere.
The Wolverines played a good first half, and it looked as if Iowa wasn't even excited to be there. Iowa played very sloppy in the first half, while Michigan built a sizable lead into the halftime break. In the second half, both teams had trouble finding the basket, as it seemed like forever between made baskets. Michigan finally prevailed, 55-47, to send them into a quarterfinal matchup against top-seeded Wisconsin Friday morning.

The second game of the day featured the Fighting Illini versus Penn State. The Illini had played the Nittany Lions twice this season, and had come up just short both times. This time, however, they got off to a strong start and actually took a double digit lead on more than one occasion. The three point shots were falling left and right, and, remarkably, so were the free throws. The Illini hit their first 7 attempts from the charity stripe, and led at the half, something that is not uncommon. In the second half, the Nittany Lions chipped away at the lead, and actually took the lead late in the game. Penn State has lost their two top scorers, and started 4 freshmen in the game against the Illini. The end of the game seemed eerily familiar, and one can only think of the movie 'Groundhog Day' to think how this game would end up. But, this time was different. With the Nittany Lions leading late in the game, the Illini inbounded the ball and found Chester Frazier underneath for the go ahead basket. Penn State couldn't get the last shot to fall, and the Illini escaped with a 64-63 victory. The win gets the Illini a date with second seeded Purdue Friday evening in the quarterfinals. The Boilermakers have defeated the Illini twice this season, so, can the Illini pull another rabbit out of their hat?

The first day's final game featured Minnesota and Northwestern, ad it appeared early the the Wildcats would run away with the lopsided victory. Northwestern led by as many as 15 in the first half, and held a sizable advantage at halftime. But, as has happened to Northwestern much of this season, they couldn't hold the lead and ended up losing to the Golden Gophers 55-52. Northwestern was in prime position to upset Minnesota, but finishing up the Big Ten season at 1-17, really don't know how to close a game out like that. So, Minnesota earns a berth in the quarterfinals against Indiana, who is in turmoil of their own. Talk has subsided a little about the Kelvin Sampson issue, but you can tell that it is still on a lot of minds of IU fans, and it is beginning to show in their style of play.

The first day ended with a gathering of media personnel at a watering hole in downtown Indianapolis. It seems strange to be face to face with personalities such as Barry Alvarez, Gene Keady, and Shon Morris, just to name a few. It was a veritable who's who of national media hanging out at one central location.

So, what will Day 2 of the Big Ten Tournament bring? Besides the games mentioned above, Michigan State and Ohio State have a rematch of their final regular season matchup. Regardless of how things end up, this is quite an atmosphere for basketball, and I hope that Indianapolis stays the host of the tournament for years to come.

Postseason Basketball: The Second Season

Clem Haskins couldn't do it. Dan Monson couldn't do it. So far, in two tries,Tubby Smith hasn't been able to accomplish it either. Of course, I'm talking about the Illini's dominance over Minnesota in men's basketball. The Illini have not lost to the Golden Gophers since the 1998-99 season, ironically the last season that they have been this low in the Big Ten standings. Nobody can explain the dominance that the Illini have enjoyed over Minnesota, but with the victory on Saturday, the streak has reached 19 games, the longest such streak of any team in the Big Ten Conference. It was Senior Day against the Gophers this time around, and the Illini once again prevailed, downing their visitors from Minnesota 67-58. Trent Meacham had the hot hand for the Illini, scoring a game high 21 points, while fellow junior Calvin Brock played a good game as well, scoring 17 points. This has been a season of frustration all around for the Illini, and once again, they led at halftime 27-26. However, this time, the Illini persevered down the stretch, and built up enough of a lead that even their atrocious free throw shooting couldn't throw that one away. On the afternoon, the Illini made 21 of 32 free throw attempts, which is a little better than their season average of 61%. It was nice to see the seniors go out with a win, especially the way this season has gone. Brian Randle's career has been one that has been injury-marred, and Shaun Pruitt has been plagued with attitude problems, as well as free throw issues that have cost the Illini a couple of games. He alluded to that effect after the game, addressing the crowd and apologizing for not being able to connect on three free throw sequences that could have won the game against Indiana. The other senior recognized on Saturday, Chris Hicks, has been a favorite of the Orange Krush, and saw a couple minutes of action, draining a long three-pointer as time expired. Hicks, whose attitude exceeds most that have donned the orange and blue over the years, probably will never play beyond the college level, but his contribution to the program the past 4 years has been a welcome addition.

So what's next for the Illini? The Big Ten Tournament begins on Thursday, and the Illini will be the #10 seed, playing Penn State at approximately 1:30 pm central time. The Illini have played Penn State twice this season, and lost to them both times. It is rather difficult to defeat a team three times in a season, and that is what the Illini are hoping for when they take the court against the Nittany Lions on Thursday. The rest of the matchups look like this: In the first game, #8 seed Iowa takes on #9 Michigan, with the winner of that game getting #1 Wisconsin on Friday. #4 seed Michigan State takes on #5 seed Ohio State in the second game on Friday, and the winner of the Illinois-Penn State game will face #2 seed Purdue in the first game on Friday night. #6 seed Minnesota will face #11 seed Northwestern in the final game on Thursday, with the winner of that game facing the #3 seed Indiana Hoosiers in the nightcap on Friday. Nobody knows what will happen in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, but this much is clear; the Illini will need to win 4 games in as many days if they want to be dancing a week from now on Selection Sunday.

When Jolette Law was hired as Fighting Illini women's basketball coach, she promised that one day they would be playing for national championships instead of Big Ten championships. In her first season at the helm, she has endured heartbreak after agonizing heartbreak, losing several games in the last minute of play. The Illini entered the tournament at 16-13 and the #9 seed, first taking on Wisconsin. They defeated the #8 seeded Badgers, and that win secured them a date with top-seeded Ohio State on Friday. Cinderella was dancing that night, as the Illini upended the Buckeyes to gain a spot in the semi-finals against the #5 seeded Michigan State Spartans. The Illini were able to get past the Spartans as well, to set up a championship showdown against the #3 seeded Purdue Boilermakers. The game went back and forth, with each team taking sizable leads, and, as fitting of a title game, came down to the last second. Unfortunately, for the Illini, the glass slipper finally didn't fit, and the Boilermakers put back a missed shot at the buzzer to defeat the Illini 58-56, and send the orange and blue clad fans that made the trip east returning home disappointed. But, you have to hand it to the ladies. They gave Illini Nation something exciting to cheer about for 4 days, and if Law keeps doing this, it could get very exciting in the near future for the women. The NCAA berth probably went by the wayside with the loss, but nevertheless, they proved that they are worthy and with a nucleus of players returning next season, will challenge for the regular season title ad hopefully, a deep run in the NCAA Tournament in 2009.

So, let the madness begin! Who do you think will be cutting the nets down in Indy next weekend? What are the prospects for the Big Ten in the big dance? Where, if anywhere, are the Illini headed in the postseason? I welcome your comments and suggestions!

Welcome To March Madness

Yes, it's here, and enjoy the ride! I'm talking about March Madness, that annual event that has hoops junkies of all shapes and sizes keeping a close eye on basketball games. This year it is a little different, with the Fighting Illini men's team not having a very good season, and their postseason action takes on a much different role this year than in years past. For what seems like forever, the Illini would be entering the month of March trying to pad their tournament resume with a win or two in the Big Ten Tournament. This year, it is pure survival, as the Illini will need to run the table to be eligible for the 'Dance. This means 4 wins in 4 days, a feat that is nearly as impossible as Shaun Pruitt going 10-10 from the free throw line in a close game near the end of regulation. As in past years, the parity is getting narrower, so that teams that did not hold a prayer in the past can play with the big boys and pull the inevitable upset. The Big Ten is somewhat down this year, probably only looking at 4, or at best 5 teams in the tournament this year. The Illini do not figure to be one of them, as they enter the final week of the regular season at 12-17 overall and 4-12 in conference play. Illinois did get a nice win at Iowa on Saturday, 58-47, as Pruitt led the Illini in scoring with 18 points. Their last two road wins, the other one coming at Minnesota in February, have occurred when the young players have been in the game the majority of the time. With Brian Randle still nursing the shoulder injury and Pruitt not playing nearly as much as earlier in the season, the underclassmen have been getting a chance to show what they can do. One player in particular that has made some positive strides has been freshman Mike Davis. Davis has seen more playing time as of late, and is making the most of it. With Bill Cole out for the remainder of the year with an injury, as well as Richard Semrau, Davis has been called upon to shoulder the load. This can do nothing but help him, especially since the Illini really only lose Pruitt and Randle after this season. With only Stan Simpson entering the picture next year, expect to see more of Davis and hopefully in a leadership role as well.

The Illini finish up the regular season at the Assembly Hall against Michigan State (8:00 pm Thursday, ESPN2) and Minnesota (12:00 noon Saturday, Big Ten Network). This has been a strange season all around, with the Illini just 5-7 in front of the home fans. The Illini have a chance to even up their home record if they can get these last two games at home, and that would give them some momentum heading into the Big Ten Tournament, which starts next week at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. More will be known by this weekend, when the seeds and brackets are finalized for the tournament. Whatever the outcome, the Illini need a serious run to make the field of 65 this year.

Jolette Law's Fighting Illini women's basketball team has completed their regular season, and are currently in the midst of their Big Ten Tournament, also being played at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Illini will enter play as the #9 seed in the tourney, coming in with an overall record of 16-13 overall and finishing 8-10 in Big Ten play. They will play the #8 seed Wisconsin Badgers, and if the Illini are lucky enough to get past the Badgers, will go up against top-seeded Ohio State on Friday evening. The Illini defeated the Buckeyes 68-64 back on January 31 at the Assembly Hall in Champaign. The Illini have lost several games at the very end, so their record is not indicative of how they have played. Jenna Smith was named to the first team All-Big Ten, while Lori Bjork garnered third team honors.

Heading for the Homestretch.....

Stop me if you've heard this before. We all know that Bruce Weber is enduring a tough season, and that the Fighting Illini will finish the 2007-08 season with their worst record since the 1998-99 season when Lon Kruger was still head coach. Yes, these are trying times indeed for the Illini faithful, and this poses a few questions as we head toward the month of March and postseason play.

Question #1: Does this Illini team have what it takes to make a run in the Big Ten Tournament and somehow make the NCAA Tournament? Not likely at this point. The Illini have been in most every game that they have played lately, and led all of them at one point. But, free throw shooting continues to plague this team, and games have been lost at the free throw line constantly (see Indiana, Penn State to name a couple). When a team shoots 50% or less from the line in a close game, they do not deserve to win the game, in my opinion. In the double overtime loss to Indiana a couple of weeks back, Shaun Pruitt had not1, not2, but 3 chances to win the game by making a single free throw, and couldn't convert any time. Mind you, these are shots that are not being contested, and from a stationary position. Furthermore, asking this team to win 4 games in 4 days is a very tall order. Normally your seniors are supposed to be your leaders on the court, but lately keeping them on the court has been a monumental task. Brian Randle likes to get into foul trouble, and we all know the issues that Pruitt faced with his attitude that led to him being suspended by Weber last month. Yes, it is possible that the Illini could get on a hot streak and somehow win the tournament, but I wouldn't hedge any bets on it happening.

Question #2: That being said, does this Illini team stand any chance of righting the ship and getting enough wins for inclusion to the NIT? At 11-15 currently, the Illini would need to pretty much win out and at least win 2 games in the Big Ten Tournament for that to be a reality. The Illini have not participated in the NIT since Lou Henson's last year, which was 1996. Weber has stated that it would be a goal to strive for, given the train wreck of a season that they have had. Big Ten teams have fared very well in the NIT as of late, with Michigan winning the tournament a couple of times. Sure, it doesn't have the lustre that the NCAA Tournament has, but it would give the young players on the team some form of postseason experience. My personal opinion on this is that it is more possible than winning the Big Ten Tournament.

Question #3: With a new tournament beginning this season, can the Illini set their sights on that? The College Basketball Invitational, a new postseason venture set forth by the Gazelle Group, gives teams that are not selected for either the NCAA or NIT tournaments a chance to play some extra basketball. Since the NIT pared down their field from 40 to 32 a year ago when the NCAA took over the tourney, it essentially cut 8 teams out of the loop for selection. This new tournament gives teams like the Illini a chance to play for something. At this point, with the season pretty much lost, it makes much sense to start playing the younger players, guys who are going to be around next year. Weber did this at Minnesota and the Illini stormed the Gophers 84-60.

Brian Carlwell has left the basketball program, stemming from the accident a year ago involving Jamar Smith. Carlwell, who only played in 3 games this season, has also been battling a knee injury. He will finish out the semester at Illinois, then seek a transfer to another state school.

So, what do you think about the Illini's prospects for the postseason? Do you think they have what it takes to make a run through the Big Ten Tournament? Or, will they be watching from their apartments? As always, I welcome your comments.

Good Riddance, January!

2008 has not been kind to the Illini sports teams. Beginning with the football team losing 49-17 in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, the month of January has been one to forget. Bruce Weber's basketball team have been struggling all season, especially in the month of January. In 9 contests, they have won just 2, including dropping an 83-75 contest to the Purdue Boilermakers last Saturday. What seems even more puzzling is the home record this season. In the past several seasons, the Assembly Hall has been a place where the Illini have been nearly unbeatable. But, 2007-08 finds the Illini just 6-5 at home, including losses to non-conference foes Miami (Ohio) and Tennessee State. The struggles this season may finally be starting to wear on Weber as well, as his tirade against Purdue will attest. Upset at some of the officiating calls, Weber became agitated and had to be restrained by an assistant coach from storming the court. Yes, this behavior probably wasn't in Weber's best judgement, but when you are used to winning and have a season like the Illini are experiencing, these things are bound to occur. Still, it was a fleeting moment to see Bruce fling off the sportcoat, a la his long-time mentor, Gene Keady.

The date has been circled on the calendar for months now, and the wait is almost over. Indiana and Eric Gordon make their only appearance to Champaign this season, (8:00 pm central time, ESPN) and given the past history in this saga, it should be a memorable event. It was Gordon that spurned the Illini during the recruitment process, something Illini Nation has not forgotten. Bruce Weber said in his weekly address to the media that the coaching staff has moved on from the incident, but fans will not be as forgiving. For those that were in attendance last season when Hoosiers coach Kelvin Sampson was introduced, this welcome for Gordon will make that seem like church. The Orange Krush will make Mr. Gordon's visit one to remember for him, and for those of you watching on television on Thursday need to turn the sound up to hear for yourselves the greeting that he will get. My only hope is that they keep it clean.

Jolette Law's women's team has been enduring a tough January of their own, with just 2 wins in 8 games. Unlike the men, though, the women have been in every game, losing 4 games by 3 points or less. They did, however, end the month on a high note when they defeated #19 Ohio State 68-64 on January 31. This was a defining moment for the Illini, according to Law, and they followed this up by beating Michigan on the road for a two game winning streak. The Illini have
won these games without one of their best players, Danyel Crutcher, who has not been traveling with the team due to a coach's decision. Audrey Tabon also was suspended for a game for missing a practice, but with the Illini starting to play better once again, maybe the worst is behind them. The Illini travel to Minneapolis to battle Minnesota on Thursday night, then it is back to the Assembly Hall on Sunday to face Indiana. The game on Sunday is the "Think Pink" game, where fans can gain free admission to watch the game by wearing the pink shirts given out at Illini Basketball Madness. Coach Law is hoping for a huge turnout on Sunday, and with admission free, the price is certainly right.

Ron Zook mentioned after the Rose Bowl that the most important dates to him were the Missouri game and National Letter of Intent signing day. Wednesday was the day that recruits could officially sign with college teams, and Zook once again has taken in a bumper crop of recruits, 29 in all. Some of the key additions include Corey Liuget, Jared Fayson and Graham Pocic. Zook mentioned that this might be his best recruiting class that he has ever been associated with, which makes the future seem even brighter. So what do you think of the 2008 recruiting class for the Illini? I would be interested in hearing your comments.

3 steps to sanity for Illinois basketball fans

So, you say that you're having trouble dealing with the current basketball season at the University of Illinois? Well, let me tell you, things aren't as bad as they seem. Yes, the Fighting Illini are encountering a down year, but then again, all teams sooner or later go through this. Despite what people keep telling me, Illinois fans are spoiled, because they have been used to cheering on winning teams for nearly a decade now, and the first sign of trouble in paradise, they want to run the head coach out of town. 2005 seems like a long time ago when the Illini went on that magical run to the National Championship game, but let's remember that there were 5 legitimate pro prospects on that team, and this year's crop is nowhere close to that caliber. So, with that being said, here are 5 steps that you, the Fighting Illini fan can do to keep the faith.
1. Support the team anyway- I know it is hard to support a team that keeps going down to defeat game in and game out, but fans are fans for several reasons, and this is one of them. In looking at the Assembly Hall on game night the past couple of outings, there have been a lot of people disguised as empty seats. Believe it or not, the team needs your support and if you are not there cheering them on, then they will think that you have given up hope. I realize that people are busy, and this year especially people are finding things to do rather than go to the Assembly Hall. If you have tickets that you are not going to use, why not give them to a friend, so they can experience the ambience that is Assembly Hall. A full house speaks volumes, and it also looks good when the games are broadcast on the Big Ten Network!
2. Wear your colors proud- Okay, so the Chief is no longer dancing at halftime, but that doesn't stop many of the faithful from going through the motions of the 'Three In One'. It really is a sight to behold, and if the story isn't conveyed to the younger generation, I'm afraid in 20 years or so if it is still being done, many will wonder what is happening. Of course, many Illini fans still proudly wear their Chief Illiniwek attire to sporting events, but I've heard grumblings from people that say that they don't feel right wearing it anymore. I guess to each their own, but until the "thought police" outlaw such behavior, it still should be done.
3. Look to the future- I know this one may be tough for people on the anti-Bruce Weber bandwagon, but the next couple of years should be very exciting. We may not win the Big Ten title next year, but at least we will have a couple of pure shooters that will be back with the club. Transfer Alex Legion will be eligible after the fall semester, and Jamar Smith should be cleared to play following redshirting this past season. Then, the news gets even better for 2009, when several players are set to join the Illini. Guys like Brandon Paul, D. J. Richardson, Joseph Bertrand, Jereme Richmond and Crandall Head will undoubtedly bring the Illini back up to where they were a few years ago. Just look what it did to Ron Zook's football team. Also, Bruce informed us today that he has been looking at a seventh grader. A SEVENTH GRADER!! That might be a bit much, but I guess you have to start somewhere. Weber goes on to say that the kid actually looked pretty good, but wouldn't even consider a commitment from anybody like that until they at least get into high school. At any rate, the future looks very bright, so if Illini Nation can get past this year and possible next year as well, then things will improve.
There, that ought to about cover it. Remember, this is just a basketball game, and there is certainly more worth fretting over than how the Illini are doing. This little bump in the road will pass along soon enough, and if the future holds true, the Illini will be back to battling for Big Ten Championships rather than sweating over making the "Big Dance".

A Work In Progress

Those of you that have been anticipating the first meeting between Illinois and Indiana on the basketball court, your wait is now over. On Sunday afternoon, the two teams met for the first time in the Eric Gordon era, and the results were somewhat surprising, given the path each has taken thus far in the 2007-08 college basketball season. Unless you've been living under a rock for the past year and a half, you all know the saga that I am referring to. Gordon, one of the premier recruits in the country, gave Bruce Weber an oral commitment during his junior year, only to reneg on the agreement when the coaching shakedown at Indiana took place near the end of that school year. What followed has haunted Illinois ever since. Mike Davis, now the coach at Alabama-Birmingham, stepped down under harsh criticism from the Hoosier faithful, and his successor, Kelvin Sampson, was brought into the program. This changed the Gordons' mind on where their son should attend, and Sampson recruited him hard, and eventually, Gordon ended up at Indiana. Now, Eric Gordon is a sensational player and a sure lottery pick in the NBA draft next year, but every time the two schools are mentioned in the same breath, this recruiting war keeps resurfacing. Dateline Sunday, Assembly Hall, Bloomington, Indiana: The Hoosiers, in the midst of a great season get set to take on the Illini, who are having a rare down year. Nobody, including yours truly, thought that Illinois had much of a chance in this game. But, stranger things have happened, and the Illini kept the game relatively close. If you've been paying attention lately, the recipe to beat the Illini is to play a zone defense. Sampson played man-to-man, and whether that was out of necessity or just plain stubbornness on his part, it kept Illinois in the ballgame until the bitter end. Gordon did lead the Hoosiers with 17 points, but he struggled from the field and didn't really get going until the second half. The return trip to Illinois promises to be more dramatic, as the Illini crowd and the Orange Krush will let Mr. Gordon and his coach hear just what they think of him. From press row, this ought to be a hoot. Coupled with the Illini's loss at Wisconsin earlier in the week, they have put two decent games together, but Bo Ryan played a lot of man defense in that game as well. The key is will the Illini fare this well when they have to face a zone for 40 minutes? I like what Weber is doing with the lineup, playing some of the young players such as Demetri McCamey. Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis. At this point, it doesn't hurt to play the youth and give them some valuable experience for next season and beyond. Meanwhile, Jamar Smith and Alex Legion can only observe from the sidelines and wonder "what if...". They will get their chance next season, when the Illini will be a year older and playing without Brian Randle and Shaun Pruitt, their two seniors. Nothing against this duo, but Randle sometimes disappears because of foul trouble, and Pruitt is just not as physical as his stature indicates. Chester Frazier is battling a ribcage injury, but you couldn't tell it the other night against the Badgers, as he was diving out of bounds for loose balls. Frazier didn't play against the Hoosiers, and will rest up for the Illini's next contest against Michigan (Wednesday, 8:00 pm central time, Big Ten Network). The next few games will be the key for the Illini, because if they continue to play like they have the last couple of games and find a way to win some games, the season may not be a total wash after all. Yes, the NCAA Tournament looks like a pipe dream at this point, since the Illini currently stand at 8-9 overall and winless in 4 tries in Big Ten play, but the NIT is still a possibility. The last time the Illini had a sub-.500 record was in 1997-98, a year in which they came back to win the Big Ten title. Don't expect this team to achieve that, because frankly, the talent level is just not there. When the time comes for the Big Ten Tournament, however, the Illini could potentially be a spoiler and make a decent run. You never know with this team.

Now that football season is over and the new semester underway at Illinois, Ron Zook has eight players that have enrolled for the spring semester and will be able to take part in the workout drills beginning in March. The players are as follows: Jeff Allen (Chicago King) Lineman, Reggie Ellis (Dunbar HS - Washington, DC) Lineman, Jarred Fayson (Tampa, Florida) Back - transfer from Florida, Mikel LeShoure (Champaign Centennial) Back, Whitney Mercilus (Akron, Ohio) Lineman, Graham Pocic (Lemont, Illinois) Lineman, Fred Sykes (Tampa, Florida) Back, and Ashante Williams (Mayfield, Ohio) Back. This proves that Zook is reloading the talent pool for next season, and even though he is losing some good talent to graduation and the NFL, the future looks bright. Fayson (pictured at right) is an explosive player that played for the Gators last season, but will transfer to the Illini and form quite a speed duo with Aurellious Benn. With talent like this, one would think that another trip to a major bowl is just around the corner.