Illinitalk

The Kohl Center is not a friendly place to play. In fact, unranked opponents almost always leave with a L. Only NDSU won there a couple years ago. And for Big Ten teams, heading to the Kohl Center unranked was a guaranteed L.

So the Illini victory, 63-56, really did make history. Go Illini!

Honestly, the game was played mostly at the Badgers' pace, slow, methodical and not that exciting. Bo Ryan and his team got off to a great start, and led by as many as 11 in the first half. The Illini struggled to score in the opening minutes. In fact, Mike Tisdale was the only player who could consistently find the bottom of the net for a while.

Here are a few things the Illini learned tonight:

• Demetri McCamey can dominate. Ok, so we know that, but it was nice to see McCamey take over the game just a couple days after a fantastic performance against the Spartans. He hit some crazy shots, leading all scoring with 27, and dishing 7 assists. My personal favorite was the pass for the Bill Cole shot. McCamey got the Illini in the game, and kept them there. He really can dominate. And when he's on, there's not much the opponent can do.
• Mike Tisdale can shoot. Yes, we know this too. But for all 7+ feet of him, he really shines with his hook shot and jump shot. Yes, he put the ball down a couple times with authority, but he's not a typical Big Ten big man.
  
• Bill Cole can do the little things. That's why he's a captain, of course. But he showed those little things. He had a couple key offensive rebounds. He finished a tough shot off a lovely feed from McCamey, and had a couple critical free throws. He added a steal to his 8 rebounds on his stat line, but he hustled. Went after loose balls. Played hard. The little things that make a team good enough to win in an impossible environment.
• The freshman can play. D.J. Richardson had a solid game, including a block and a steal. Sure, he only hit 1 trey, and his share of fouls, but he hung in there for his first visit to the Kohl Center. Tyler Griffey did well off the bench, too. He was the only player besides McCamey and Tisdale to score in the first half, but he added 2 offensive rebounds as well. And although Brandon Paul struggled with fouls and his shot, he hung in there, as well, with a steal.
• The Illini can close out a game. This one didn't have the authority of the game-ending dunk that Mike Davis had Saturday, but once the Illini got the lead and the clock wound down, they managed to stay in control. They missed several opportunities to extend the lead, but solid defense kept the Badgers from catching up. They did just enough to keep Trevon Hughes & Co. at bay.
  

The whole game felt a bit lethargic, and the Grateful Red weren't as intense as they could have been. I'm not quite sure how the Illini managed to chip away and catch the Badgers. Although the Illini outrebounded Wisconsin, they had more turnovers and allowed 11 3-pointers.

But they did. The Illini made history. Did the impossible. Bo Ryan doesn't have many losses at home, but the Illini are responsible for 3 of them.

[Side note: I find it fascinating that Penn State can nail the Illini, but that the Illini can get to Wisconsin.]

Next up...another tough game against the Buckeyes at home. Go Illini!

Labels: Demetri McCamey, Illini basketball, Mike Tisdale

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

What a game on Saturday! Crisp passing. Good shot selection. Nice teamwork.

Unfortunately, that only described the Illini for the first 10 minutes or so of the game. The rest of the game, that described the Spartans, who showed why they continue to be the class of the Big Ten.

But honestly, the Illini were on top of the Big Ten after playing teams in the lower half of a tough conference. They are just now getting into a tougher stretch.

Despite the painful loss, there were a few encouraging signs:

• Strong start. The Illini got off to a great start in East Lansing, and that was a refreshing change from the anemic starts we've seen earlier this season.
• Tyler Griffey. Freshman Griffey provided an unexpected spark off the bench in one of the Big Ten's toughest venues. He scored 12 points and grabbed 7 boards in 15 solid minutes of play. Nice to see him have a good game.
• Not giving up. Despite the deficit, the Illini, especially freshman Brandon Paul, continued to play hard.

However, this really was a reality check for the Illini. Although Mike Tisdale has improved greatly, he went up against the stereotypical Big Ten big men underneath. And he hasn't reached that level yet. Tisdale got pushed around, picked up more than his share of cheap fouls, and was a non-factor.

The Illini learned that they are capable of playing at the intensity level required on the road in the conference. But they also learned that they need to sustain that intensity for (at least) 40 minutes.

And then there's the issue of actually making baskets. And not throwing the ball away...or directly to the other team.

Tough loss -- ugly in fact -- but one the Illini can build on. The Spartans are a better team this year, and the game on the road wasn't one the Illini were expected to win...but let's see where they go from here...

Labels: Illini basketball, Mike Tisdale, Tyler Griffey

Assembly Hall in Champaign is known as one of the toughest places to play in the country. Filled to the brim with orange, court surrounded by the loud, proud and philanthropic Orange Crush, it's the kind of place that can intimidate.

But the last few years, Penn State has been an odd exception. They had won 3 straight on the road against the Illini. And the Nittany Lions have been in the middle to the bottom of the conference the whole time, a monkey on the back of the Illini.

With a 54-53 win, the Illini just managed to end PSU's streak at the Hall. In an ugly game, the Illini scored just enough baskets and played just enough defense to go 4-0 in conference play. We are starting to see some trends that could end up defining the '09-'10 Illini.

Trends to like:

• Mike Tisdale is developing into a Big Ten big man. He still has his soft shooting touch and pretty jump hook, but he's also becoming more aggressive. Tisdale's diet and exercise plan has helped him bulk up, and he can now bang with at least the lower half of the Big Ten. He's going after rebounds more aggressively, and he's becoming a scoring machine. This stronger, more experienced Tisdale is learning to take advantage of the mismatch he presents most teams. It's pretty exciting to have a 7'1" guy who can hold his ground!
• Demetri McCamey has maintained his scoring and attitude coming off the bench in recent games. He started against the Nittany Lions, and led the Illini in scoring. McCamey responded well to Weber's tinkering with the line-up. But best of all, he's leading the conference in assists and has been dramatically improving his assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Jeff Jordan has earned quality minutes and a couple starts, adding defense and leadership, allowing McCamey to share point guard duties. Jordan has become a valuable piece of this team, and they would really be hurting had he opted to stick just to the classroom this season.
• Rebounding is also improving as the season progresses. Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale are leading the way, but the guards have also improved in going aggressively after rebounds and grabbing the ball. There's still plenty of room for improvement, but they are trending up here...
• Free throw shooting has improved dramatically, and it helped the Illini win against the Hoosiers. Yes, Tisdale missed the front end of the one-and-one against Penn State, but he's still shooting around 87%...not bad for a big guy.
• Shot blocking is one part of the Illini defense that is really fun to watch. Tisdale does really well, but he's often not alone in that stat line. Blocks have saved a couple Illini wins.

Trends to dislike:

• Fading freshman as the Big Ten schedule gets into full swing. D.J. Richardson has had some fantastic games and some struggles. Brandon Paul got off to a hot start this season, but the grind seems to be wearing on him, as he has struggled, as well. These guys are talented, and they will play key roles on the team. But they appear to be hitting that wall...
• Mike Davis has been strugging to find his game. "Mr. Double-Double" isn't quite reaching the goal Coach Weber challenged him with. We know Davis is capable, but he's gone cold with the weather. Fortunately, he has the experience to turn this trend around.
• Turnovers continue to plague the Illini. They tend to pass to the opposing team or to thin air. And it's a trend that they just can't stop, as noted during the first two possessions against Penn State.
• Allowing open 3s behind opponents' picks and screens makes it much easier for them to get back into games after the Illini take strong leads. The Illini have had a few possessions of lock-down D in recent games, so we know they are capable, but they lack consistency.

That said, the Illini have taken advantage of the conference scheduling. I happen to like seeing them near the top of the conference standings. Next up...a very tough game at Michigan State. Izzo's team is also undefeated in conference play.

Go Illini!

Labels: Demetri McCamey, Illini basketball, Jeff Jordan, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale

Sing with me now. "If I could be like Mike. I wanna be, I wanna be, I wanna be like Mike."

Of course, that commercial was probably before the time of this Illini team. But they should be singing it this season, and not just because Jeff's dad is around at times. Who wouldn't want to be like Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis?

Mike & Mike are learning to take control of games (kind of like Jeff's dad), how to dominate. And against Northwestern, Tisdale led the way.

Tisdale had a monster game, scoring nearly half of the Illini points in the first half. He ended with a double-double, career-high 31 points, along with 11 rebounds. Oh, and 2 steals and 2 blocks. Unfortunately, he fouled out in the middle of OT. Otherwise, he could have racked up even more stats.

Davis also dominated, with yet another double-double: 20 points and 17 rebounds. Yes, the Big Ten's leading rebounder pulled down 17. When Tisdale had to sit down, Davis took over where he left off, scoring down low.

Mike & Mike showed passion and energy. They asked for the ball, shot well, passed it off and went after rebounds aggressively. And the Illini will have a much better season if they can all be a little more like Mike.

As the Illini prepare to head to the United Center to face Gonzaga, they all can work on cutting down turnovers, boxing out to prevent offensive boards and hustling a bit more.

But we will take the 1-0 start to the conference season. And we will watch to see if the rest of the team can be like Mike.

Go Illini!

Labels: Illini basketball, 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

The Illini men faced their first test of the 2009-2010 season against Wofford in Champaign Tuesday night. And although the first half was dicey, the Illini passed, winning 78-64.

Wofford isn't your typical early-season cupcake. The Terriers beat Purdue in West Lafayette a couple years ago, and just last week they beat Georgia, after losing to Pitt by just 3.

And at Assembly Hall, the Terriers immediately set out to prove they can play with anyone, anywhere. Hot 3-point shooting and working deep into the shot clock allowed Wofford to lead much of the first half. But the Illini stepped up on defense and pushed the tempo in the second half to finally pull away.

Lots to like from the Illini:

• Inside game. Mike Tisdale dominated down low in the first half, and Mike Davis became a force in the second half. The Illini had a clear advantage down low.
• Demetri McCamey. The point guard led the Illini with 21 points, including a buzzer-beater to give the Illini a 3-point lead heading into halftime and a highlight-reel behind-the-back layup in the second half.
• Freshman shooting. D.J. Richardson made 5 of 6 from 3, helping the Illini keep pace with the hot hands of Wofford. Although Brandon Paul made the first shot for the Illini, he struggled with foul trouble. But between the two of them, these freshman have accounted for critical scoring for the Illini so far this season.
• Defense. Not so much in the first half, but in the second half, the Illini turned up the pressure and severely limited scoring opportunities for the Terriers. The Illini proved they could make adjustments at halftime that really make a difference.
• Energy off the bench. The Illini off the bench really added energy to the game, especially Bill Cole. Cole had a nice layup on a break, but he also had some great hustle plays, good defense, a nice tip-in, and enthusiasm. Jeff Jordan added a spark on the perimeter, as well.

Of course, it's only November, and there are opportunities for the Illini to improve as they get ready for a challenging conference season:

• Free throw shooting. I'm glad to see the Illini getting to the line. They had 22 attempts compared to 15 for the Terriers. But the free throw percentage needs to go up -- 14 of 22 could easily be the difference in a game in the coming months.
• Rebounding. The Terriers out-rebounded the Illini, epecially in the first half. And the Illini had a significant height advantage. I disagree with the ESPNU commentators, who described the Illini as a strong rebounding team. Mike Davis is solid, but across the board the Illini need to be more aggressive on the boards.
• Controlling the floor. This athletic Illini team can run. They should be pushing the tempo, controlling the game and pushing opponents faster than they want to go. The Illini did this successfully at some points in the game, but the Terriers dictated tempo for close to half the game.
• Defense. Yes, I realize this is in my "lots to like" section. But in the first half, the Illini allowed a few too many open 3s and too much penetration. As the competition gets tougher, the Illini will need to play a full 40 minutes of stingy, aggressive defense. These guys are capable.

And now, on to Las Vegas. Go Illini!

Labels: Bill Cole, D.J. Richardson, Demetri McCamey, Illini basketball, Jeff Jordan, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale

...in the top 25! Congratulations to the Illini, #25 in the AP poll and tied for #24 in the ESPN/USA Today poll. Their performance against Michigan and tough play at Michigan State finally got them back into the rankings after a long absence. The Illini were last ranked at the end of the 2005-06 season.

And they more than lived up to the billing against Ohio State in Champaign. The Illini dominated the game with tough defense and a great mid-range game against the Buckeye matchup zone. The 67-49 victory moves the Illini into a tie for 2nd in the conference with Minnesota.

The Illini showed great balance Tuesday night with 4 players in double figures. Mike Tisdale led the Illini scoring with 15 points, Demetri McCamey had 13, Dominique Keller had 12 off the bench plus 6 rebounds, and Chester Frazier added 10 points. And the turn-around jumpers near the top of the key were really pretty. And Keller's game off the bench was impressive, although making that potential dunk on the breakaway would have been nice.

But the most exciting part of the Illini game were the 13 steals, including 5 from Calvin Brock. That defense helped force a season-high 20 turnovers by the Buckeyes, and held leading tOSU scorer Evan Turner to only 4 points.

And the Illini ball movement was crisp and quick, with the exception of 3 consecutive turnovers to start the 2nd half. The Illini had 15 assists, and 7 of those were from McCamey. These guys embody team basketball and unselfishness, which makes them fun to watch.

The bench continues to be another key to Illini success. Keller led the Illini scoring at halftime, and Brock picked up a couple offensive rebounds for put-backs along with his steals. Alex Legion put in some good minutes, and Jeff Jordan had a handful of minutes as well. (Note: Unfortunately, Jeff's mom couldn't be there to watch him, since she was hanging out with new First Lady Michelle Obama in D.C.)

Areas for improvement exist, though. The Illini were out-rebounded 31-27, and the 3-pointers weren't falling.

But you never know who will step up in any given game. Can't wait to see what they have for Wisconsin this weekend.

Go Illini!

Labels: Chester Frazier, Demetri McCamey, Dominique Keller, Illini basketball, Mike Tisdale

That is the win total for the Illini basketball program, making them 13th all-time.

The Illini did just what they needed to against the Michigan Wolverines. They split the season series with a 66-51 win in Champaign.

These teams are evenly matched, and the Wolverines went into halftime, much like the Illini had in Ann Arbor. But this time, the Illini drove, defended the 3-point arc and established Mike Tisdale inside for a win. Tisdale had a great game from the field, as did Demetri McCamey. But the biggest difference from the first meeting -- the Illini shut down DeShawn Sims.

Tisdale led the Illini with 24 points -- including a 3. And his strong play made Sims work hard on D. McCamey added 17 points, 15 in the first half, and 5 assists to keep the Illini competitive early. The Illini continue to shoot pretty well and hold the other team to below-average shooting. Good stuff.

Go Illini!

Labels: Demetri McCamey, Illini basketball, Mike Tisdale

The Illini looked good at the United Center Saturday. Georgia certainly helped, with their season-high turnover mark and inability to score (which included the last 7 minitues of the game). But the Illini had D -- lots of it:

• D for Demetri McCamey, the leading scorer for the day, who drove to the basket, hit threes, and dominated the early minutes of the game.
• D for Defense -- one that got 13 steals and 3 blocks and held the Dawgs to 35% shooting.
• D for Davis and tisDale. The Mikes each scored 14 points and Davis added to the highlight reel he's working on.
• D for Dominique Keller, who came off the bench, nailed a couple of 3s in the second half when the Illini began running away with it for good. He was 3 for 4 behind the arc for the game.

This was a confidence-builder for the Illini, but Georgia clearly struggled all game. Part of the challenge could be attributed to the early start, but Dennis Felton looks to have a long season ahead of him.

And although the Illini have a lot to be happy with, the game tape will show plenty of room for improvement:

• Passing: I still like it, but it looked a bit slower and was telegraphed too clearly against Georgia. They looked better earlier in the season, and they need to maintain and improve in this area to allow the motion to really shine.
• Communication: Closely related to passing -- there were a few too many miscommunications that turned into turnovers. These guys play together well, and this should be an easy improvement.
• Rebounding: Georgia won the battle of the boards, 34-26. This is another area to improve, especially before conference play begins. The Illini forwards don't have as much meat on their bones as many big men, but they've got to be able to gete in position and battle anyway.
• Shooting when open: I love the extra pass, but shooters -- if you recieve that extra pass, shoot the ball quick. That's your job. You don't need to make the thrid or fourth extra pass if you are open already.

This team is starting to answer questions about who they are, but much remains to be seen. Should be an interesting season...

Go Illini!

Labels: Demetri McCamey, Dominique Keller, Illini basketball, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale