Illinitalk

What more could any great coach ask for on his 80th birthday? Former Illini coach Lou Henson got to see many former players, his name and picture raised to the top of Assembly Hall, a birthday serenade from Illini nation, and the upset of a top 5 team on his birthday. Sounds like a great day!

The upset win came despite Ohio State having more rebounds and significantly fewer turnovers (11, compared to 18 for the generous Illini). The current Illini starters did their part in giving Coach Henson a gift/game to remember:

• Brandon Paul... there aren't words to adequately describe his career performance. 43 points. 8 of 10 from 3, including that ridiculous shot at the end of the shot clock with Aaron Craft's hand in his face. 4 blocks - highlight material. 2 steals. 8 rebounds. And 7 turnovers, just so he has some room for improvement. Paul was determined to win, and his demeanor on the floor showed it.
• Meyers Leonard didn't achieve another double-double, but his 14 points and constant fighting with player-of-the-year candidate Jared Sullinger were critical to the win. Although he didn't have any blocks, he played solid defense, altered shots, and proved that he can play against the best. Leonard should have gotten the ball a bit more often, but game tape will show the Illini how to improve here.
• Joe Bertrand drove, pulled up and shot his floater with continued accuracy. He did miss a couple shots, but his game adds a valuable element to the Illini offense that opponents haven't clamped down on yet. Plus, he added 7 rebounds. He has earned his starting spot, and we are finally seeing why he, Paul and D.J. Richardson made up such a strong recruiting class.
• D.J. Richardson played all 40 minutes, even with his recently banged-up wrist. That's impressive in a game characterized by fast-paced runs alternating with long, grind-it-out half-court sets. Although his scoring was down, his defense, assists and tenacity were critical in the upset.
• Back-up point guard Tracy Abrams has lots to learn, but he earned plenty of experience in this game. And that will pay off as he develops.
  

Even with a big win, the Illinio gave Coach Henson plenty of reason to be glad he is retired. And reason for Coach Weber to keep them working during their 8-day break. Unforced turnovers. Not getting the ball to an open, hungry Leonard. No free throws for Leonard. A scoreless bench, even though Tyler Griffey added a couple key steals, and Myke Henry had another. Giving up 15 offensive rebounds.

Bruce Weber's Illini currently define the phrase "playing to the competition." Against Nebraska, a team struggling as they get to know their new conference, the Illini allowed them to hang around the entire game. But against #5 Ohio State, they stepped up with tough defense and great shooting. In fact, with the exceptions of the losses to UNLV and Purdue and a couple cupcake wins, the Illini have played everyone close. This will be another thing for the Illini to work on during their break in the conference schedule.

But all said, there was plenty to be excited about in Champaign, especially after that less-than-impressive home performance against the Cornhuskers last weekend. Go Illini!

Labels: Brandon Paul, Bruce Weber, D.J. Richardson, Illini basketball, Joseph Bertrand, Lou Henson, Myers Leonard, Tracy Abrams

The 2011 Braggin' Rights game was frantic. The quick pace contributed to a bit of sloppy play for the Illini, with lots of turnovers. But a key reason they were down much of the game was the poor transition defense. They often got lost, leading to an abundance of easy shots for Mizzou.

First-year Missouri coach Frank Haith did something new for a man in his position in the Braggin' Rights game. He won.

Mizzou drove into a very open lane a few too many times, both in their fast-break and half-court offenses. The Illini defense struggled to stay with their men, while on the other end, the Illini had more than their share of forced and unforced turnovers.

Many of the Illini issues are fixable...hit open shots, go stronger after rebounds and loose shots, work harder for stickier man-to-man defense, communicate better in the passing game. For as many of the 40 (or more) minutes as possible. Oh, and those unforced turnovers when you are on a run - those aren't necessary.

The Tigers are a very talented team, used to beating teams by well over 20 points per game. And credit Missouri - whenever the Illini took the lead, they came up with a big play and/or took advantage of an Illini mistake. This was a very tough test for the Illini. Although they lost, there were bright spots.

Down 14 points on multiple occasions, the Illini didn't give up. They fought hard, and when Mizzou started turning the ball over and missing tough shots midway through the second half, the Illini capitalized.

And a big part of that comeback was Joseph Bertrand off the bench. The promise he showed when he signed out of Sterling Illinois a few years ago. A redshirt sophomore, he had a career night with 19 points and 5 rebounds. Brandon Paul added 19 points, and Meyers Leonard had another strong double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

It's hard to watch a great comeback fall short, but if the Illini build on this game, they will be in good shape for Big Ten Conference play.

So, Bruce and boys, enjoy a Merry Christmas despite the loss, and then get focused on the challenge that is the conference.

Go Illini!

Labels: Brandon Paul, Illini basketball, Joseph Bertrand, Meyers Leonard

Last week, Bruce Weber's basketball team looked like a Big Ten surprise. They came back in a tough road game at Maryland to help the Big Ten win the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. And then they played really, really tough against #19 Gonzaga in Champaign, as if to let the country know they could play.

This week, now ranked #22, Weber warned of the potential for a trap game against St. Bonaventure. Coach knows what he is talking about.

It was ugly. After a quick start, the Illini struggled, with 13 turnovers to 9 assists and a paltry 24 points each half. The Illini trailed most of the game, and would have fallen, but for the late energy provided by Brandon Paul.

The Bonnies called a timeout at 4:30 in the second half, and Weber's message was clear - drive the ball. Paul went on an 8-2 run in the next 2 minutes, creating a tie game. Solid free throw shooting, a few key tap-out rebounds by Meyers Leonard and a couple friendly officiating calls allowed the Illini to pull out the win. But Paul was the key.

Despite the sloppiness, the Illini remain undefeated. Next up: Coppin State and finals. Good luck with both, boys. 'Cause after that, it's going to get tough...

Labels: Brandon Paul, Illini basketball

The Illini took center stage in the college basketball world Saturday, hosting ESPN's College GameDay and holding on to beat the Spartans at home, 78-73. They handled the spotlight well.

The energy in Assembly Hall was fantastic, and the Illini fed on it. There were stretches of crisp passes for open shots. Demetri McCamey had a fantastic game -- a double-double with 22 points and 11 assists -- but he wasn't alone. Mike Davis added 16 points off the bench, along with 2 blocks. The last block was critical, setting up his dunk that put an Illini exclamation point on the game.

Mike Tisdale was a success in that he didn't disappear. Although he only had 6 points, he grabbed 8 rebounds. Freshmen D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul had strong games, too. Richardson scored 14 and Paul had 8 points and 6 rebounds off the bench.

It would have been nice to make more free throws and grab a few more rebounds. The Spartans got plenty of second chances off 11 offensive rebounds. But the Illini took advantage of the crowd energy, the prime time slot and absence of Kalin Lucas.

No question that Tom Izzo missed Lucas. His team racked up 18 turnovers, even though they soundly out-rebounded the Illini. The Spartans are still the team to beat in the Big Ten, and will likely go far in March, but it was so nice to beat them.

At the end of the game, when the Krush celebrated on the floor, Dickie V chided them for rushing the floor. For Dick and other critics of this tendency, I would say remember the context. I don't blame the students for rushing the floor, and I think it was appropriate for a few reasons.

• Dick said that with all the success Illinois has had over the years, the celebration was unwarranted. Yes, Illinois has been one of the top programs over the past decade. But the peak was in '04-'05, which was 5 seasons ago. Since then, the Illini have struggled a bit, so this was a marquee win.
• The last time the Illini were nearly unbeatable at home was about 4 years ago. And the students in Orange Krush weren't in college then. They are young, and although they appreciate the history of the program. they haven't lived it. This one of the biggest wins they've been courtside for.
• The Illini had lost 5 straight to the Spartans. The Spartans are coming off a Final Four appearance. Beating them is a big deal.
• College GameDay started relatively early on a Saturday morning (it is a college campus), and the students had been hyped up all day to show off their passion. With that kind of emotion going all day, rushing the floor was a natural response to a win.
• National TV cameramen were egging the students on throughout the game. After so much encouragement, the Mike Davis dunk was all they needed to celebrate on the court.

So go ahead, Krush. Have your fun. You were recognized for your passion and philanthropy. You did well on GameDay. The "NIT" chant for UNC was my personal favorite. And you made Assembly Hall a House of Paign for Michigan State. Congratulations.

Next up, Wisconsin on the road...Go Illini!

Labels: Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson, Demetri McCamey, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale

Wow! That was fun! An Illini comeback worth getting excited about. And proof that, despite the disappointment in Vegas, the ’09-’10 Illini basketball team will be exciting to watch. Not always easy to watch, but certainly exciting.

This game is a perfect example
It was the worst of times (during the second 10-12 minutes of the game)...
It was the best of times (from about 2 minutes into the second half until the Illini took the lead, and eventually won)...

Let me break it down a bit

• Demetri McCamey
• The worst - Two quick fouls before the first break put McCamey on the bench. And when he re-entered the game in Weber’s effort to keep the wheels from falling off, he picked up his third cheap foul. Without their point guard, the Illini had way too many turnovers that the Tigers converted to points.
• The best – After picking up foul 4, Weber switch the Illini to zone defense to help protect McCamey. He successfully played big minutes in the second half, boosting Illini ball security without fouling out. Yes, he only had 2 points early, but McCamey showed his value running the floor and dishing out assists.
• Mike Tisdale
• The worst – Mike all but disappeared in the first half. He had a few plays on defense, but Clemson got around him easily. And he didn’t score. At all. When you have one of the tallest guys on the floor, you need him to score, even if he does get pushed around a bit. And he didn’t rebound. Clemson got way to many offensive rebounds as they dominated the boards in the first half.
• The best – Tisdale stepped up big in the second half, with plenty of key baskets. The prettiest may have been the pump fake that took Trevor Booker out of bounds, followed by an easy drive to the basket for the layup that up the Illini up for good. And he followed that with a critical block, coming down with the ball in his hand. But I also liked the aggressive rebounding he showed in the second half, going strong to the ball and pulling it down.
• Freshmen backcourt:
• The worst – Brandon Paul got off to a hot start, and DJ Richardson had some great shots throughout the first half. And Paul’s drive and dunk…beautiful. But as the Illini fell apart, the freshman were pulled along in the flow. Turnovers. Questionable shot selection. Fouls. As the Tigers made their run, the freshman got a taste of a true college road environment, and it seemed to rattle them a bit.
• The best – The Comeback wouldn’t have happened without both Paul and Richardson. Paul had critical 3s, strong drives and handled the free throw line well (although that last one would have helped me breath a bit easier for that last 8 seconds). And Richardson’s 4-point play boosted the team’s confidence while demoralizing Clemson. The experience of this game should pay big dividends this season and beyond for these two.
• Mike Davis
• The worst – I thought Mike actually handled the ugly part of the game better than most of the team. But I’m not sure the Illini boxed out at all during those painful 10 minutes, and as the team’s leading rebounder, Davis needed to show more energy.
• The best – Davis collected a Clemson inbounds pass in the middle of the Comeback that created a 5 point swing. What once looked like an insurmountable lead shrunk quickly. His leadership on the floor, sweet shot and strong rebounding was critical to this win.
• Momentum
• The worst – I thought the Illini hit their low point when they were whistled for a technical for…I’m not sure what. And those two made free throws were followed immediately by an intentional foul. But I was wrong. Right after halftime, the downward spiral continued as the Clemson lead reached 23.
• The best – You know momentum is on your side when your opponent’s leading score goes for a rebound that ends up in your basket. Thank you, Trevor Booker. That was a tough play for him, but it showed how everything was breaking the way of the Illini. And Dominique Keller won’t mind the stats.

Good Hope Orange handed out much-deserved credit to both the players and Weber. And Chief made a good point about Bilas. His comment about the Clemson collapse bugged me -- and I didn't realize how inconsistent Jay was being. Yes, the Tigers collapsed, but much of that was due to pressure from a hungry Illini team, who were already embarrassed, as Weber told them at halftime.

To top it off, the Big Ten finally won the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Thank you Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern, Ohio State, Wisconsin (great game) and our own Illini! They signaled that the Big Ten is a conference to be reckoned with this year.

Go Illini!

Labels: Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson, Demetri McCamey, Illini basketball, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale

I agree with everything GHO said below. Solid comeback victory last night that will serve as a great confidence, not to mention resume builder. Anytime you can beat a ranked ACC team on the road it's a good day and the selection committee will take notice.

Hopefully the new guys got a taste of what it takes to win at this level and will step up their games accordingly. And speaking of, it was great to see Richardson and Paul on the floor down the stretch. Should the Illini make the Big Dance, I'm not expecting a real deep run but with the recruits we have coming in (Jereme Richmond) big comebacks and down-to-the-wire finishes are important for these young guys to experience for what I expect will be strong NCAA tourney appearances in the future.

Finally, as the ESPN crew evaluated our game at halftime of the Wisconsin-Duke game I heard Jay Bilas say something along the lines of the following: "This was a big comeback by the Illini but make no mistake about it...with every huge comeback there is an epic collapse and this was a huge collapse by Clemson tonight. They are reeling."

I found that quote interesting because it appears that Bilas gave more credit for our victory to Clemson collapsing than he did to Illinois' adjustments and toughness in the 2nd half.

I also found it ironic that he called the Illinois-Arizona Elite Eight game a few years ago and I'm not sure I ever heard him talk about an "epic Arizona collapse." (Please correct me if I'm wrong.) Could it be because that was Arizona and this was Clemson? Perhaps each school's hoops reputation contributed to Bilas' inconsistency in his analysis. Just a thought.

Labels: Brandon Paul, Clemson, D.J. Richardson, Jay Bilas, Jereme Richmond

It was a tough sports weekend. Illini lose twice on the hardwood, once on the gridiron and the Bears take in on the chin in Minneapolis.

Tangent: I was hoping my Bears could pull that game out but if they couldn't I was hoping Adrian Peterson would run for 300 yards so my fantasy team could at least win. Alas, neither happened. Sigh.

End tangent.

I have to admit I didn't watch the entire Utah or Bradley games last weekend but what I saw on the hardwood made me sick to my stomach. Those are two tough early season losses that will definately have an impact on tourney seeding (assuming IL makes the Big Dance).

This will be a big test of this team: whether the team can bounce back, learn from the losses and come back strong with a good effort and hopefully a win Wednesday night at Clemson.

Personally, I would like to see more of D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul. They are top-flight recruits and should be playing as many minutes as possible. Sure, they will make mistakes but so did Dee and Deron when Self started them as freshmen. However, I think it paid big dividends later on as they had that experience under their belt.

As bad as these losses are, I'm not even close to ready to throw in the towel on this season. I think the Illini probably entered the top 25 a little early. However, my hope is that being knocked out makes them hungry to get back in. This team has talent. They just need more chemistry (which will come as the season progresses) and hunger (which can come with having a chip on your shoulder).

Labels: Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson

Although the Illini beat their second "directional" school in as many games, this one wasn't as easy as the first. Northern Illinois challenged Bruce Weber's squad with strong offensive rebounding and points off turnovers. And a half-court bank shot at the end of the first half.

We learned quite a bit more about this Illini team:

• Demetri McCamey is critical to their success. When he's on the floor, the passing is pretty. Really pretty. I'm not sure which was my favorite in this game, but the behind-the-back was impressive. McCamey again led the team in assists. But when he left the game with 2 fouls late in the first half, the Huskies went on a strong run thanks to 3 consecutive Illini turnovers.
• They can find the free throw line. It's nice to see the Illini driving to the basket and drawing fouls. Next step: improve the team free throw percentage.
• Brandon Paul likes to shoot. And he can draw offensive fouls. Paul followed his record debut with a 20-point night, and even though he cooled off in the second half, he continued to play solid defense with some great plays and more than his share of offensive fouls.
• Turovers could be a big problem. They had 14 against the Huskies, who took full advantage of their opportunities.
• Interior defense has pros and cons. Pro - blocks. Tisdale and Davis have shown their ability to block shots, and Dominique Keller and Brandon Paul got in on that action against NIU. Con - lack of physical presence. Tisdale and Davis are talented, slender perimeter big guys, not bang-the-boards, fight-for-space guys. And that could become a problem in the Big Ten.
• Mike Davis is into double-doubles. He had a career-high 17 rebounds and 14 points against the Huskies, and he's been challenged to average a double-double this season. That would be a huge boost for the Illini.
• D.J. Richardson has lots of energy. Should he be able to maintain that all season and channel it into defense, he could grow into the designated top-scorer-shut-down defender, a role up for grabs since Chester Frazier graduated.

The Illini have plenty of things to work on, and the Big Ten season will be tough. After all, the Illini are in the top 25, but that still puts them 6th in the conference. They have time to improve before the schedule really picks up, and they need to take advantage of those opportunities.

But despite allowing a 19-point lead to dwindle to 3, the Illini regained control of the game and took care of business. Nice game, boys!

Labels: Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson, Demetri McCamey, Illini basketball, Mike Davis

Friday night the 2009-2010 Illini men's basketball season tipped off with a solid win over SIU-Edwardsville, 96-69. And this could be a really fun basketball season.

Warning: I may sound like a broken record with what I like and what needs work with Coach Weber's team.

What I most appreciated about the season opener was the Illini passing. Sharing the ball and getting assists has become a trademark of the Illini under Bruce Weber, and this team showed signs of continuing this style of play. They had 22 assists on 36 baskets, led by 7 from Demetri McCamey. I especially enjoyed the assists from the big guys -- Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis each had one, and their passing looks great.

This 3-guard offense likes 3s, and they probably won't fall so easily all season, but freshman Brandon Paul made the 3-pointer look incredibly easy all night. Congrats to Paul on surpassing Deon Thomas for the most points in a freshman debut, with 22. Paul had a great game, with 4 assists, 4 rebounds and no turnovers to go along with his team-high 22 points, including 4 from 3-point range.

But the Illini did show they could get the ball inside, at least against the defense of SIUE. Both Tisdale and Davis shot 4 of 5 from the field. They will need to continue to feed the big guys to allow the long-range game to work well.

One big improvement from last year -- getting to the free throw line. The Illini attempted 26 free throws, compared to 23 attempts by SIUE. But with that improvement comes a critical challenge -- making those free throws. With the strength of the Big Ten, the Illini are going to need to do better than 18 for 26, or 69%, from the line. The Cougars only missed 1 free throw.

Though the Illini dominated the boards 41 to 30, I would like to see more aggressiveness and assertiveness as the Illini go for rebounds. However, Davis had 10 boards, and Tisdale and Richard Semrau each had 6.

Perhaps the biggest thing the Illini had going for them in their season opener was their energy. If they can maintain the energy level and speed through the season, they will be competitive.

The Illini are off to a good start, and they have a manageable non-conference schedule. This group should be fun to watch...

Go Illini!

Labels: Brandon Paul, Illini basketball

Bruce Weber's freshman class has generated their share of buzz as the Illini prepare to tip off their 2009-2010 season. Already, Coach Weber has said that he's seeing leadership from his freshman. So let's get to know them a bit.

This backcourt could be a memorable Illini backcourt, and easy as 1, 2, 3...

1 - D.J. Richardson - Peoria, Ill. Dietrich James Richardson is proof that the Peoria Connection is alive and well. D.J. is proud of his Peoria roots, and he says his favorite Illini growing up were Dee, Deron and Luther, and he's looking to follow in their footsteps. He says he's excited to improve his defense, but he put on a bit of a show in the final exhibition game against Quincy, scoring 23 points. He went 5 for 8 from 3-point range, as well. His team mentality, work ethic, conditioning and talent are all signs that we could see special things from this new Illini.

2 - Joseph Bertrand - Sterling, Ill. Joe Bertrand is one example of the influence D.J. has on others. D.J. helped persuade this 6'5" guard to join him in Champaign. Bertrand is the all-time leading scorer at his small-town high school, and became a familiar name on the local high school sports highlight show. He also joins the list of "freakish" Illini athletes. However, he had surgery on his knee in September, and still has the option to redshirt. That decision should be made this week, and although Bertrand wouldn't choose to redshirt, he will need to consider the condition of his knee. But he's got plenty of potential...

3 - Brandon Paul - Gurnee, Ill. The 2009 Illinois Mr. Basketball, Brandon Paul is the first Mr. Basketball to choose Illinois since some kid named Dee Brown in 2002 (remember him?). Paul also caught the attention of former Illini Deron Williams, who likes Paul's potential. Oh, and Paul can get to the free throw line -- one area that this team of talented jump shooters needs to work on. He scored 13 points in the Missouri-Southern exhibition game, and 11 points against Quincy. Another player to watch over the next few years.

And although the backcourt is getting plenty of attention, let's not forget the addition up front.

42 - Tyler Griffey - Wildwood, Mo. Tyler Griffey is the all-time leading scorer and rebounder at his St. Louis-area high school, which lists former Illini Robert Archibald among its alumni. Griffey could log some minutes as a backup for Mike Tisdale this year, unless he opts to redshirt. However, he could earn a spot in Coach Weber's rotation, as could every member of this class. Tisdale describes Griffey's game as European in style.

These boys should be fun to watch over the next couple months and years. Go Illini!

Labels: Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson, Illini basketball, Joseph Bertrand, Tyler Griffey

Sun-Times' Michael O'Brien reports that Joseph Bertrand committed to Illinois last night.

This is very good news. O'Brien points out that the Richardson, Paul, Bertrand haul comes about a year after the guy Deron Williams affectionately referred to as "I don't know who that is" threw Weber under the bus by stringing him along. All you have to do is take a look at Illinois' '07 and '08 recruiting classes to see the impact that had.

Now, is the well still poisoned? Has Weber exorcised the demons?

Only time will tell but this is a very good start. Usually all it takes is one player to get the ball rolling and now we have three. Sorta reminds me of the roll Thad Matta got on about a year or two ago when guys started committing to him in droves.

Now I'm not saying Weber is Matta, or even Ron Zook for that matter, but if he can consistently recruit like this and turn it into a pattern, we should be in very good shape. BTW, this should also solidify Jereme Richmond in the '10 class.

Welcome to Guard U. fellas.

Labels: Brandon Paul, Bruce Weber, D.J. Richardson, Deron Williams, I don't know who that is, Joseph Bertrand, Michael O'Brien

Will this help hoops recruiting? How about this? Only time will tell but it certainly can't hurt.

I'm not ready to say our recruiting troubles are turned around and Weber is now Zook but it is a positive step. You never know what goes on with these recruiting battles but I like to think the Jerrance Howard hire played a big part in today's victories.

Before anyone gets too euphoric, please remember we've been here before and the next step is to hold onto these guys until they sign their LOI and turn this into a pattern.

Labels: Brandon Paul, D.J. Richardson, Jerrance Howard