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Illinois Fighting Illini
Location: Urbana-Champaign, Ill. | Founded: 1867 | Enrollment: 41,398 | Colors: Orange and Blue
Coach: Bruce Weber | Home Court: Assembly Hall | Capacity: 16,618

Record: (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Team Page Team Report ScheduleStatsRosterRPI BreakdownAlumni Trackerfightingillini.cstv.com
 

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Fighting Illini report: Notes, quotes
 

The Sports Xchange
 
 
Notes, quotes · Getting inside · Strategy and personnel
 

 

FINAL RECORD
16-19, 5-13, 10th in the Big Ten.

WHAT WENT RIGHT
Illinois discovered its point guard of the future in freshman Demetri McCamey (8.2 ppg, 3.2 apg), who made the all-Big Ten tournament team. He has everything Illinois needs to make the motion offense purr, but he needs to become more interested in defense in order to please Bruce Weber. Fellow freshmen Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis showed signs that their skills might translate into Big Ten excellence, but they're not nearly strong enough to handle huge minutes. The Illini also finished strong with five wins in their last seven games. That will make the younger guys think they're on the right track, which might lead to better offseason workouts.

WHAT WENT WRONG
It's hard to believe Illinois was in the NCAA championship game just three Aprils ago. The Illini have now gone two complete seasons without a single week in the Associated Press' Top 25 -- and they've only beaten two ranked opponents over the last two years as well.

Injuries were part of the issue. Senior Brian Randle missed just two games, but multiple injuries kept him from being 100 percent in so many others. That was tough for the Illini because he got off to a sparkling start in Hawaii in November. Then, too, fellow senior Shaun Pruitt didn't take the next step and put the team on his back. At least, not until the Big Ten tournament when he deserved his all-tourney honors.

Head coach Bruce Weber also declared that he didn't think he got his team to "buy in" until it was too late. When you don't have enough skilled players to compete -- and Illinois didn't in 2007-08 -- then it needed a cohesiveness that didn't happen until March.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I've got lots of calls from former players and coaching friends. They've told me it will make you a better coach, a better person. You've got to learn from it." -- Illinois coach Bruce Weber in the Daily Herald, summing up the positives from the school's 19-loss season -- the most in Illini annals.

Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

 
 

Illinois Fighting Illini Message Board
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Sep 12, 2006

November 8, 2009 11:27 pm
Illini win this one 84-63.  DJ Richardson played extremely well.  23 points (8 coming in one stretch that sealed the game for the Illini).

Keller was pretty much nonexistant, even on the boards.  I thought he played well in the first exhibition so I was a little disappointed.

Mike and Mike played within the offense.  Tizzy got to double digits scoring, but
...(more)
Reputation:95
Level:Superstar
Since:Nov 28, 2007

October 30, 2009 11:05 pm
I didn't like what I saw from either one of them considering the opponent they played.

Tisdale really didn't score much. He rebounded okay but considering the opponent, it's tough to tell if this is things to come or just a trick like Illinois's 1 football win. Shot like 1-6, looked a little sloppy out there.

And Legion was an even bigger dissapointment. Not only did he
...(more)
Reputation:83
Level:All-Star
Since:Jul 15, 2009

November 3, 2009 8:53 pm
Hey guy's i was doing some research and found out that there's a really big mess becoming of the blackshear and shaw thing . seems like blackshear low on the illini and shaw is high on em but the thing is that the ville is not with the package deal thing. so can blackshear taint shaw's decison and make a wrong decison on schools really i think this guy needs to make his own mind up if you like the ...(more)
Reputation:95
Level:Superstar
Since:Dec 28, 2008

October 27, 2009 9:18 am
Half the fun of talking recruiting is speculation!  Trying to figure out the liklihood of a certain player making a decision within a certain period of time.  That being said, everything that you see, read, or hear must be taken with a grain of salt.  As I am sure that we all are aware, many so-called inside sources have "promised" things that have not come to fruition.&nb ...(more)
Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 24, 2007

October 26, 2009 11:58 am
In response to another poster's question, I decided to start this thread.  I think you have to define exceptional in the NBA first.  I would think that would require at least one All Star appearance or have a career longer than say...twice the average career.  I dont know if being in the Hall of Fame is all it takes.  I would say that is more than exceptional.  But, that i ...(more)
Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Jan 9, 2009

November 3, 2009 12:56 am
It appears that Josh Langford was not happy about the level of attention/committment he was getting from Louisville. I guess he wasn't feeling the love....

Here's an article with some details:

http://w3.nbebasketball.com/2009/10
/31/louisville-out-as-josh-langford
-re-opens-recruitment/
Reputation:68
Level:Pro
Since:Sep 22, 2009

November 8, 2009 8:16 pm
Is CBS Sports going to add Jeff Jordan to the roster ?  I know he was a late addition but how hard is it to add a player ? 
Reputation:92
Level:All-Star
Since:Dec 9, 2006

October 26, 2009 11:22 am
While most fans of this years team are concentrated on the likes of the freshmen, Dmac and/or legion I firmly believe Rich Semrau is going to be the biggest suprise of this years team. I have seen this team on two separate occasions this year and he has impressed me the most I believe he will steal a lot of minutes from Mike Tisdale simply because of his ability to get inside and get boards and to ...(more)
Reputation:83
Level:All-Star
Since:Jul 15, 2009

October 14, 2009 7:01 pm
With all the talk about the team how far do you think the illini will go this year me my self i'm thinking elite eight with the returning starters the 09 class stan simpson and even a returning jeff jordan i think we have the tools to make a deep run in the postseason what makes us diffirent from purdue and mich st that we are overlooked on the national scene we had a second place finish last year ...(more)
Reputation:96
Level:Superstar
Since:Feb 24, 2007

October 25, 2009 2:49 pm
Did everyone see the TNT commercial for their NBA coverage with Williams and the guy from the office in a cab?  Pretty good stuff.  Nice to see an Illinois alum getting that kind of promotional attention.  Even more proof of how good that guy really is.
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 18, 2006

July 26, 2009 6:15 am
I gotta admit I am a U of I fan but I'm not into college sports to the degree I am with the Pros. So forgive me if this is "old news" but I thought I'd at least take a chance and share it anyway...

http://www.pantagraph.com/sports/ar
ticle_d0e72514-7987-11de-a07
...(more)
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 13, 2006

September 22, 2009 10:53 pm
Illini commit, 4 star SG Crandall Head had an MRI done on his injured knee (it happened a few weeks ago) and it revealed a torn ACL. He'll miss the entire season. It will be about 3 months before he can start running and jumping some on flat ground. 2 months for dribbling.

Tough setback to lose out on your senior year, and what would've been a big year in his development before colleg
...(more)
Reputation:92
Level:All-Star
Since:Nov 21, 2008

October 14, 2009 11:20 pm
I read an article analyzing this years basketball team vs. last years team.  The article caused me to think a little.  Their premise was that we will have a hard time working the ball inside this year because our best two three-point shooters (percentage wise) graduated.  This is because teams will dare us to shoot from outside and pack their defense in tight. 

...(more)
Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 13, 2006

October 16, 2009 10:18 pm
Jordan is now officially back on the team, and we can definitely use some depth, defense and experience at the PG position.

http://www.illinihq.com/news/mens_b
asketball/2009/10/16/jordan_returns
_to_illini


...(more)
Reputation:95
Level:Superstar
Since:Dec 28, 2008

October 14, 2009 4:10 pm
I recently read that Bradley Beal (as well as his entire HS team) will be attending KU's Midnight Madness event on Friday night!  First off, what a smooth move by Self to invite the kid's whole team to the event.  That kind of increases the chances that he will come!  It's not like he would go to another midnight madness, when the rest of his team is at this one event.  However ...(more)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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