I’m not big on Twitter in the evening. I prefer to turn the computer off and enjoy time with friends, the hubby, the dog. Last night had some not-so-good sushi with a great friend- so it evened out.

Point is, I pop onto Twitter this morning and find proclamations that Bruce Weber has been offered the coaching job at Oklahoma and he’s going to take it. Um, what’d I miss? Just yesterday I listened to a radio show where Coach Weber said that he wants to win another Big Ten Championship and wants to make a push in the NCAA Tourney. The first part of the plan sure won’t work if he’s coaching a team in the Big 12. Weber admitted that people have been talking to him about openings, but that’s all. I’m sure that happens every year. He brushed the comment aside like it’s nothing. He also spent a fair amount of time talking about the great recruits coming in next year. All in all, he didn’t sound like a guy that wants to leave.

I’m not saying Weber has no reason to explore his options. Fans weren’t particularly nice after yet another so-so year of Illinois basketball. There’s a lot of pressure on Weber’s shoulders, and it’s got to wear on him. He said that he doesn’t read what people are saying about him or the team, but I’m sure it seeps through.  However, he doesn’t seem like the type of guy that will toss his hands in the air and run away from a challenge.

Another reason that Weber could be exploring options is that Ron Guenther, the Illinois Athletic Director, has a contract that is expiring on June 30. Guenther doesn’t have a lot of fans, and it’s possible he won’t return. If not, then Weber’s job suddenly isn’t as secure. That is the one and only reason I could see Weber even maybe possibly considering a change. However, I also see him as the type of guy that would prefer to get the boot than leave a job unfinished. If he leaves Illinois right now, then he will have given up. That’s all there is to it.

So we’ve got some tweets and some news reports with holes.  One tweet that said it is a done deal has since been deleted. Just the other day Jackie Chan was pronounced dead on Twitter, and his camp had to send out a press release that he is indeed alive. Yesterday people had confirmed Matt Painter was ditching Purdue for Missouri, and then 10  minutes later Painter announced to the world he was staying in West Lafayette (yay!). I don’t think the Weber situation is an effort to get more dough, I think it’s just some rumors that have blown up. In fact, Bruce Weber was trending on Twitter last night, along with Oklahoma basketball. Some say this is an April Fool’s joke, as an “announcement” is set for tomorrow.

I don’t buy any of it. I really believe these are rumors that are out of hand. Maybe it’s because I don’t want Bruce Weber to leave, but it’s really more the fact that I don’t get why he would leave Champaign to head to Norman. He’s got at least one daughter enrolled at the UofI, and I think he really just digs the scene and loves his players. Also, Oklahoma is by no means a more presitigious basketball school than Illinois. Not to mention the fact that the Big 12 almost dismantled last year with the loss of Nebraska to the Big 10 and Colorado to the Pac 10. It’s just not a move that makes sense. Earlier people were saying he was considering Marquette, which makes some sense as it is the Big East, and Weber is from Wisconsin.

I’m no expert by any means, and if I’m wrong I will promise to eat my words, but my gut tells me that Bruce Weber is here for the long haul, whether fans like or not. And for the record, I like it.

By Kim Cerf, Contributing Writer

Much to my complete and total dismay, the Illini basketball season has ended once again, but that doesn’t mean my work is done. I’ve already started contemplating next year. As a junior at the University of Illinois, it will be my third year as an All-American member of one of the most highly regarded student cheering sections in the country, the Orange Krush. In 2006, Sports Illustrated named the Orange Krush the second best student cheering section in the country, just behind the Cameron Crazies of Duke. Any Illini basketball fan knows that the Krush really is the sixth man on the floor. From the first moment you walk into Assembly Hall until the very last buzzer, we are doing our best to create a multifaceted atmosphere welcoming to our players, yet frightening to our opponents. Trust me; it’s not as easy as it looks.

Orange Krush outside Willams Arena in Minnesota after the surprise attack!

Unless you’ve been a member of the Krush, or have known someone who was, you most likely don’t know exactly how we work. When not functioning as the cheering section for the Illini, this group of diehard fans becomes the Orange Krush Foundation, which works as a philanthropic organization, raising money for the greater Champaign-Urbana area and the United States as a whole. The Orange Krush’s twitter page (@Illini_OKrush) describes us perfectly as, “One of the biggest student run charitable organizations in the country and the craziest basketball cheering section in America,” but it’s not all fun and games.

To be considered a member of the Orange Krush, students must first be a member of the biggest registered student group on campus, Illini Pride. To get into the Orange Krush, members of Illini Pride must raise money in the form of flat pledges or per three point shot. Varsity members have to raise a minimum of $1.50 per three point shot, but more diehard members (like myself) spring for the All-American level, where students have to raise $3.00 per three point shot, but get perks such as entering Assembly Hall first, a free ticket to the United Center game, a free ticket to the Mizzou Busch Braggin’ Rights game and a private reception with the coaches and players. It’s pretty darn cool, if you ask me. With a student group that boasted over 2,200 members this year, it’s not surprising that the Orange Krush has raised over $2 million since its creation in 1998.

This year, the Krush received a lot of criticism, but even through a somewhat painful season, I have yet to find a group of student who supports their team without being disrespectful or vulgar in the process. After being in the Krush for two years, I can honestly say it’s the best choice I ever could’ve made coming to the University of Illinois. I’ve made so many friends and got to experience Illini basketball in a way that only a select amount of fans actually get to.  Between the courtside seats at the games and epic road trips invading stadiums around the Midwest, the Orange Krush is an amazing group of students who stands by their team. As sad as it sounds, my life will be nothing until next year’s Illini Madness kicks off the season once again. Until then, Illini football will have to entertain my sports fix (I guess).

Kim Cerf is currently a sophomore at the University of Illinois and a member of the Orange Krush.

Every time that you hear a recruit has picked another Big Ten over Illinois, it can be a kick to the gut. Especially when the recruit is from Peoria, where the Illini usually have their pick of the litter. However, Max Bielfeldt, from Peoria’s Notre Dame, held a little press conference last week and let the world know that despite the fact that his last name (or maybe because of) graces a building on the Urbana campus, he will be heading to Michigan next year.

The 6’8 Power Forward has four stars and is ranked 74th in his position. According to ESPN, Bielfeldt is a “below the rim finisher that can also face and knock down mid range and open three with needed time and space.” Sounds sort of familiar, yes? Then let’s see his weaknesses from the same website: “Bielfeldt must work on attempting to improve his explosiveness he is an average athlete at best. And although his is strong he must continue to add strength in order to continue to hold his own in the low post.”

Wow, now that really sounds familiar! He’s Mike Tisdale and Bill Cole rolled into one. But you see, we’ve been there and done that and it didn’t work. What Illinois is in need of is a solid point guard, or a big giant beast ala Jared Sullinger from OSU. There are five solid players that have committed to Illinois for 2011, and three of them are forwards, with one center. We’ve already got a 6’8” power forward in Mike Shaw, and Devin Langford and Mycheal Henry are both 6’6” small forwards. A power forward that needs to add strength just isn’t a high priority right now, especially with Meyers Leonard and Tyler Griffery already serving that purpose.

After giving away a final scholarship to Bradley transfer Sam Maniscalco, Illinois didn’t actually have any scholarships available to give to Bielfeldt. Therefore, he was offered a preferred walk-on status, sort of similar to Jeff Jordan when he first joined the team, and was eventually given a scholarship. If I had to pick between a team where I won’t make an impact and will be a walk-on and a team where they could use me right away, I’d probably go with the latter. However, when you’re picking between Michigan and Illinois it’s sort of a different story.

Let’s just hope we made the right decision by letting this guy slip away, and it sounds like we did. It looks as if Bielfeldt is still a candidate for Mr. Basketball 2011 in Illinois, , but the honor will most likely go to Chasson Randle, another recruit that slipped away and is headed to Stanford. Sophomore Jabari Parker, who is still undeclared with Illinois on his list, is also up for the honor. Parker will most likely not receive it this year as he has still has two years of high school ahead of him.

Only time will tell, but good luck in Ann Arbor, Max. Here is a highlight video if you’re interested:

The Illini started the season ready to dance

Basketball is over, and I’m going through withdrawal. I know what you’re going to say: “There is still plenty of great college basketball to come. There is some on the tube tonight even!” And while this is true and I’ve already picked out my spot to start watching the Sweet 16, there is a wave of depression that sets in once your team is done for the season.

I love college basketball, that’s all there is to it. Not just the tournament, but the entire season. Unlike the NBA, every game means something. These kids love basketball, and though some play in hopes of enjoying a NBA career one day, many know this isn’t possible and simply continue for the love of the game. The guys play the entire season (rather than just the playoffs), and at the end, everyone hopes to head to the dance. If you make it, there is just one shot to move on to the next round; anything can happen at any time.

The only solace I can take when the weather starts to cool down in November is that Illini basketball is about to begin. The season can start fresh and new without worrying about what happened in the past. While the seniors will be sorely missed from year to year, it’s exciting to welcome new freshmen and learn their names, faces and numbers. Who is going to start? Will anyone redshirt? Have there been marked improvements over the years? Will this year be different?

Though I was born and raised in Champaign (yes people are from there) and attended high school literally on the University of Illinois campus, I have to admit that I did not attend the UofI. Judge if you’d like, but instead I matriculated at a small liberal arts college in St. Louis. While college basketball wasn’t a big deal in my family, by growing up in Champaign the Illini surrounded my life at every turn. From the Illini Cleaners to Illini Mattress, everything revolved around the Orange and Blue. I remember the joy the city felt in 1989, only to have our dreams squashed by Michigan in the Final Four. The next day the local sports supply stores were selling Illini Championship T-shirts with huge lines down the front, because it didn’t happen. Kendall Gill, Nick Anderson, Marcus Liberty and Stephen Bardo were names everyone knew.

Fast forward to the 2004-2005 season. I’m living in Los Angeles, and since this is before the Big Ten Network changed my life I had to find places to watch the games that were not on ESPN or CBS. I fell in love with college basketball all over again, watching Dee Brown, Deron Williams, Luther Head, Roger Powell Jr. and James Augustine power through the season virtually undefeated. Again, the ending isn’t as happy as I would have liked, but it was still an honor to get that far. However, that season brought us one of the greatest Tournament games ever as Illinois came from behind to beat Arizona and head to the Final Four.

Here we are six years later, and the Illini have fallen off from their moments of glory, but I still watch them faithfully every year. I have a number of friends that don’t understand why I’m unavailable twice a week because there is basketball to watch. I head to Champaign as often as possible, and lately I’ve been heading out to see the guys play on the road (Vegas and Georgia last year, New York this year, maybe Cancun next year?). Living in Chicago now, I’m (usually) granted two visits a year, one at the United Center and one at Northwestern, and it’s nice to be able to see them play close to my home – even if this year neither game went the way I had hoped.

The season was a bit disappointing, but it was still filled with excitement and some great moments. A home win at North Carolina (which I was present for) and an action-packed road game in Seattle against Gonzaga, a team I used to despise but is slowly growing on me, were high points. I will never get over the loss at Indiana, although the thrashing we gave the Hoosiers in Champaign helps a little bit. Each year is different, and each year I cherish in a different way.

I have been gearing up to write my season review for a week now, but it seems wrong to review the season when it isn’t over for everyone. Also, I’m just not ready to say goodbye. Sure, I had some moments this season when various players who shall remain nameless made some stupid moves and brought grief into my life. I’ve done a fair amount of yelling at my TV and thrown my hands up in frustration countless times this season proclaiming to be “done.” Regardless, I’ve loved every moment and can’t wait for more.

So here I am fully ensconced in post-season basketball ennui. I can’t feel that sorry for myself, because I’m sure for those four Illini seniors the feeling is even worse. Unsure of what will come next, it’s likely that none of them will get drafted. Demetri McCamey is a projected late second round pick, and he is the only one on the mock draft list as of now. It’s possible that Mike Davis will get a tryout or two over the summer, but it’s not clear if he will actually land on a team, and could be joining Mike Tisdale and his 6,000-calorie diet somewhere in Europe. No matter where they land, I want to thank all four seniors for providing great story lines, and great games over the last four games. As for the rest of the team, I can’t wait to see you next year.

With more basketball on tonight, I’ll fight the blahs and look forward to what’s coming next. On the bright side, the end of Illini basketball means that summer is around the corner and the Cubs opening day is also less than two weeks away. Seeing as how it is 30 degrees out today it’s difficult to jump for joy, but I take comfort in the fact that there is always next year.

Stay tuned for when I can finally brush off the blues and give the season a proper review.

The Illini Seniors having fun on Senior Day; Photo by Cary Frye

I’m a big fan of Bruce Weber. This is the first year I’ve ever even questioned what he is doing with the team. Over and over we hear all about the remarkable talent that the team possesses, but for some reason this year he wasn’t able to reign it in. No matter! This blog is a happy blog. One of the great things I admire about Coach Weber is that he is a no-nonsense kind of guy. Once the basketball season starts, the Illini players are banned from Twitter, which he hopes will help the guys focus and avoid distraction. I think it’s a great idea. In fact, I thought that every team would naturally do the same, but then I discovered Jared Sullinger tweeting away all season long. I guess if you’re not planning on staying at a school very long then focus isn’t a top priority .

So now that the season is over, one silver lining is that the boys are back filling up my Tweet Deck with insightful musings on the conflict in Libya, as well as providing links to delicious vegan recipes. OK, most of the Tweets make no sense and I have trouble understanding half of what these kids are saying. Regardless, I love being plugged in and trying to understand what on Earth it would be like to play D1 mens college basketball. Being 5’2″ (and female) that was never really an option for me.

Here are some nuggets that I’ve enjoyed since Illinois exited the Tourney:

Just today at 12:04, Meyers Leonard said: Dog n Subs w young welsh. #fire

At 10:55, Mike Davis said: I forgot how hard this first 50 Cent Album Get Rich Or Die Tryin goes got me feelin like a G lol

On a more serious note, yesterday, Demetri McCamey tweeted this to his fans: Just want to thank the illini nation for giving me this opportunity this will make me better and more hungry to reach my dreams thank u all

In addition to the Tweets, current Sophomore Tyler Griffey has returned to blogging. While he is no Mark Titus, who documented life on the edge of the Ohio State bench and tabulated the amount of post-game “one-armed” hugs he received bringing me hours of laughter while pretending to work, Griffey seems to be finding a voice of his own at Chew Softly.

Wanna follow the some Twitter-happy Illini? Here are their handles:

Demetri McCamey @Meechi32

Mike Davis @Illiniballa24

Brandon Paul @bpaul847 (just started this year)

Bill Cole @BuckWildBill33 (sadly locked)

Mike Tisdale @Tizzy54

Tyler Griffey @tylergriffey

D.J. Richardson @djrich32

Jereme Richmond@jrichmond22 (also protected)

Crandall Head @crandallhead (send request)

Meyers Leonard @Mleonard32

Sam Maniscalco @SamManiscalco (next year’s new sr. pg didn’t have to take a break)

And don’t forget Coach Weber! Although his last Tweet was November of 2009: @coachbruceweber.

That should get you started. I’m not quite ready to wrap up the season in one blog yet, as the pain is still fresh. So please be patient!

Welcome back to the land of social media, boys!

I didn’t really think a win was going to happen, but you can’t go into a game with negative vibes. Kansas has been known to choke a number of times in the past, when it really mattered they came through with flying colors and beat my Illini, 73-59.

The Illini forgot everything that worked on Friday against UNLV (going inside, not jacking 3′s when they’re not falling), and looked like a completely different team. They hung in there with the Jayhawks for a while, down just 6 points with 6 minutes to go in the game. But they got tired, or lazy or gave up and the lead extended to 14 with about a minute and a half to go. No way to overcome the deficit, the Illini wandered through the end of the game and lost. Those beefy Morris twins represent exactly the type of player that Illinois lacks, and each had 12 rebounds. Markieff had 24 points and his brother Marcus had 17 to give them each a shiny double double in the win. Tall, strong dudes that are unafraid to go inside and get knocked around, this is what the Illini needs.

Mike Tisdale was unable to get inside against Kansas; Photo by Cary Frye

Mike Davis was reliable again with a team-high 17 points and 9 rebounds. Mike Tisdale looked like a mess on offense, though he had 13 points. He also managed to nab 11 rebounds for his own double double, but he was 1-5 on 3′s. Why on Earth is our 7’0 center jacking up 5 3′s a game? The offense just wasn’t on point. Though Demetri McCamey had a game high 7 assists, he had just 6 points. Unfortunately we need(ed) him to contribute more to get a win. Sophomore D.J. Richardson got his groove back and made 15 points and went 3-5 on 3′s. At least we have something to look forward to next year.

The story line of Weber vs. Coach Self was exhausted in the news throughout the entire weekend, and sadly in the end Self got the W. However, I have to report my favorite storyline was that Self tried to contact Luther Head to help recruit Crandall Head to Kansas, and Luther never returned his calls. That’s why he’s always going to be my favorite Illini. Head got a few minutes in the game, and I’m looking forward to his progress as a player.

Jereme Richmond, who sat out during the UNLV game, did not play last night either. Rumor has it that Richmond and Brandon Paul got into a scuffle in the locker room after the ugly collapse against Michigan in the Big Ten Tourney. No one confirmed this to be true, but it has been reported by several sources. Though Coach Weber said there would be an announcement about his status, no announcement came and Richmond sat on the bench. Illinois could’ve used his eneergy off the bench last night, but I suppose you have to teach the kid a lesson early. Richmond has always been a passionate and fiery guy, and perhaps the only person like this on the entire team. Let’s hope his off-court distractions are erased over the off season.

Mike Davis was as reliable as ever with 17 points and 9 rebounds; Photo by Cary Frye

Aside from the fact that Illinois hardly ever went inside, what makes me angry is there are moments where they looked tired. For the four seniors, this was potentially their last game EVER in an Illini uniform. They would’ve had plenty of time to rest after a win. Instead, they gave up and Kansas got stronger. The minimal deficit grew and the fans (playing in OK didn’t help matters) got involved. Kansas won, Illinois lost. Season over.

Be on the lookout for my season wrap up soon. Right now, I need a little time to grieve.

I’m not afraid to admit that I picked Illinois to beat UNLV on every one of my brackets. I do it every year that Illinois is in the Tournament. I have to express confidence in my team in some manner, yes? It doesn’t matter that the last two times I picked them they fell in the first round.

This year, they came through. When it comes to the Illini, I really don’t care about my bracket anymore, I just want a win. This was the first time anyone on the current roster (with four seniors mind you) has ever won a Tournament game. Even better, the game was never even close. Nothing better than relaxing and watching my Illini rout another team. The final score was 73-62, which doesn’t sound like that big of a thrashing, but you have to keep in mind that both walk-ons (Jean Selus and Kevin Bernardini) got a chance to step onto a Tournament court. Clearly there was never a moment to worry.

Mike Davis had 22 points; Photo by Cary Frye

As with any Illini game day, I was nervous all day. It’s been so long since the Illini made it to the second round of the Tournament, and knowing how streaky the Illini have been this year it could have gone either way. Settled in my seat hours ahead of time and ready for some basketball, a rumor spread that Jereme Richmond, the freshman that committed to Bruce Weber before even playing one high school basketball game, was not going to play due to a violation of team rules. Richmond has started a few times this year and when he comes off the bench he has the ability to give the team a much-needed boost. If anyone was going to be crazy excited to play in the Big Dance it was going to be him. Perhaps it was a rumor? Nothing is worse than the “violation of team rules” excuse because it could mean anything. Add to that Richmond sat out against Wisconsin due to some other unknown reason, a game that Illinois lost by 10 points. Granted it’s never easy to win at the Kohl Center, but I don’t want to go into a Tourney game without Richmond!!

A few minutes later, someone is reporting that both Richmond and sophomore starter D.J. Richardson would not be playing. Richardson has been in a slump lately, but Illinois needs that deep bench to win a game, hands down. No one could confirm anything, and the game began with the four seniors (Bill Cole, Mike Davis, Mike Tisdale, Demetri McCamey) starting, along with Brandan Paul in place of Richardson. This isn’t to unusual, due to the afore mentioned Richardson slump.

Demetri McCamey had 17 points and 7 assists, Photo by Joshua Beckman

Here we go- Illinois comes out strong, and just like that they’re up by 10 points 10 minutes into the game. The Illini have been famous this year for allowing a lead to slip away, so it’s necessary to come out strong and build as big as of a lead as possible. Everyone is contributing, and the guys look confident. Richardson enters the game, but Richmond remains on the bench in his warm-ups. Freshman Crandall Head is getting some minutes and at one point invokes the spirit of his brother Luther. Illinois goes on a 17-4 run, and with 7 minutes left in the half they’re up 17points, 29-12.

McCamey drains a 3 with 5 seconds left in the first half and Illinois heads to the locker room up 46-24. Twitter was already blowing up with the proclamation that Illinois is going to win, but this Illini fan was by no means ready to call it a day.

Illinois had a small drought in the second half and was stuck on 59 for about 4 minutes, but the Rebels were only able to score 5 points during their window. Thanks to two 3’s by the formerly struggling Richardson, the Illini were up 20 points with 7 minutes to go. This made me feel more comfortable, but until the final buzzer goes you can never tell. After all, Michigan State was down over 20 against UCLA in the second half and *almost came back to win. Illinois didn’t score in the last 4 minutes of the game, but it didn’t matter at all. Even though the Rebles looked defeated for most of the second half, for some reason they didn’t want to give up the win at the end. With 9 seconds left Derrick Jasper fouled Davis, who made both free throws. Game over, Illini win!

Davis was the superstar with a game-high 22 points and 9 rebounds. McCamey decided to get in on the action with 17 points and 7 assists. Richardson had 10 points, and Paul had 8 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Illinois played hard the whole game and took advantage of their height with many dunks. Usually, when the shots aren’t falling Illinois decides to keep trying rather than taking advantage of the fact that Davis, Tisdale and Meyers Leonard are all over 6’10. This game, the shots were falling, and they also took advantage of their height and logged 30 points in the paint. And that, my friends, is how the Illini wins games.

There was never any clarification as to why Richmond didn’t play, and there is no news on whether he will play in the next round. While Illinois was fine without him this go around, to beat a team like Kansas they’re going to need all the help they can get. Richmond was a great cheerleader on the sidelines, which is helpful, but fans are dying to know what happened.

Up next, Illinois will play Kansas on Sunday at 7:40 Central time. This will be an entirely different game, and there is probably nothing that would please Illini fans more than beating Bill Self’s Kansas team.

Demetri McCamey hopes to play more than just one more game in his Illini career; Photo by Cary Frye

In just about four hours, four Illini seniors will get one last chance to finally win an NCAA Tournament game. Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis, Demetri McCamey and Bill Cole have given the Illini four years of effort, hustle, great games, points, assists and rebounds, but they haven’t brought home a Tourney win. Each came in with different amounts of hoopla surrounding them (Tisdale and McCamey more so than Cole, Davis as a last-minute commit before the season started), but fans have learned to form a love/hate relationship with these four guys.

McCamey made huge strides between his freshman and sophomore year, and seemed to get even better when his junior year rolled around. He tested the NBA waters last year, but returned to Champaign with a lot of pressure on his shoulders. A pre-season All Big Ten team pick, McCamey sadly did not make any strides between this year and last year, and ended the season with Third Team honors. He took a few steps back, and seemed let the pressure get to him. Regardless, he is the backbone of the Illini and led them to numerous wins throughout the years with clutch shots and , and if he plays well tonight I believe they will win.

Tisdale has been eating 6,000 calories a day since he was a freshman, and it’s almost starting to show. He finally has filled out a bit and kept on the weight, but sadly he was never strong enough to take the beatings of those huge Big Ten players knocking him on the head every game. He is a 7-foot center who can also shoot the J and hit a 3 when necessary. He has also always just been a nice, humble guy.

Davis, out of Virginia, was one of those last-second additions to the team and no one quite knew what to expect. Like McCamey, he got better and better every year. He was a beast on the rebounds last season, and his goal at the beginning of the season was to be the Big Ten rebound leader. Again, his dreams didn’t quite come true, but he ended up being the most consistent Illini this year. Also, this was the first year he came onto the court without wearing a shirt underneath his jersey, proud of the weight he gained in the offseason.

Bill Cole, or 8 Letters of Awesome, as some like to call him, transformed himself between his sophomore and junior year as well. He seemed to come out of nowhere last  year, and what he lacks in natural talent  he more than makes up for in effort. He’s the guy diving on the floor to get the ball, and he isn’t afraid to take a hit. When  his 3′s fall he is a much-needed asset to the team.

That’s the four guys in a quick nutshell. There will be more to say when the season ends, which I hope will not be tonight. If all four guys play their hearts out, then the Illini will get the win tonight. Every one of the seniors on the Illini has something to bring to the team, and I hope they bring it tonight. Last season there was no bid. 2008-2009 Illinois went down in the first round to Western Kentucky. Before that, first round loss to Virginia Tech. This is the last chance for the four guys, and I hope they remember that when they step onto the court. Not enough to stress them out, but enough to play with heart.

I’d like a win for me, but more so a win for them.

Demetri McCamey with his family on senior night.

During conference play, every team in the Big 10 is my mortal enemy. Some are worse than others (Indiana, Michigan), but really any school is a potential threat (for some reason Penn State is now popping up the last few years). However, once we hit the NCAA Tournament I want every Big Ten team to kick butt. Of course, the main reason is because it reflects well upon the Illini to be in an awesome conference. The Big Ten will always be seen as a basketball powerhouse, but if everyone loses int he first round of the Tournament than when the season ends the “experts” will gab about how the Big Ten has fallen off.

Another problem is I tend to fill out my bracket entries with my heart and not my head, and select Michigan State as a sleeper to make it to the Sweet 16. Oops, that didn’t happen. Penn State to the second round? Nope. Thankfully, Wisconsin came through for me, but I didn’t let them get much further into the Tourney, which means they will slide into the Elite Eight.

The first Big Ten Matchup saw 10-seed Penn State against #7 Temple. This was one of those exciting games that went right down to the wire. Penn State got off to an early lead, 20-11 in the first 10 minutes of the game. Temple jumped back in and took the lead with a halftime score of 35-33, Temple. The second half was where the excitement began. With just 1:08 left in the game, Temple’s Ramone Moore made a jumper to give Temple the lead, 62-61. Talor Battle missed a layup he could do in his sleep, and then PSU’s Tim Frazier fouled Juan Fernandez, who made both free throws with 28 seconds left in the game. Battle makes one of his patented 3′s from way behind the arc, boom the game is tied with 16 seconds left. That pesky Fernandez made a bucket with 1 second to go, Temple wins 66-64. Battle had 23 points and 5 3′s in his last game of college bball.

The #10 Michigan State/#7 UCLA game was just as exciting, though it started off ugly. UCLA was up 42-24 in the first half, and things looked rather bleak. In the second half MSU came alive and Keith Appling 3 with 8 seconds to go put the Spartans only one point behind UCLA. MSU fouled the Bruins, and Malcolm Lee made only one of his free throws. Adreian Payne grabbed the rebound with 7 seconds to go, and down just 2 points MSU had a chance. Then Kalen Lucas turned the ball over and the game was over. After coming back from being down as much as 23 points in the second half, MSU couldn’t pull it off in the end. Senior Draymond Green had 23 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists to nab the seventh “official” triple-double in the NCAA tournament.

Thankfully, #4 Wisconsin had no trouble against #13 Belmont, easily winning 72-58. Up 7 at halftime, it was the second half where Wiscy really took off. Only down by about 8 points with 10 minutes left in the game, Wisconsin made two 3′s and 2 free throws in a minute, giving them a comfortable 16-point lead with 8:34 to go. Badger Senior Jon Leuer had a game-high 22 points and also 7 rebounds. Up next, Wisconsin will play #5 Kansas State on Saturday at 7:40 central time.

There is more Big 10 fun on the way today! First #8 Michigan will play #9 Tennessee at 11:40, #1 Ohio State plays #16 Texas- San Antonio at 3:40, #3 Purdue plays #14 St. Peters at 6:20, and last – but certainly not least – #9 Illinois plays #8 UNLV at 8:40. Let’s hope there are some more Big Ten wins in my future!

A 9 seed is great, I’ll take any seed. But, honestly, a 9? Illinois went 19-13 this year. Last year they had a better record and got a kick in the pants and a trip to the NIT. One UNLV commented on their message board that it’s not fair they got such a tough team who was clearly given a lower seed than they deserved. Ha! Clearly they haven’t watched my boys play this year. All that potential, all that talent, and then all those minutes without a field goal.

I suppose when you think about it, the matchups make sense, and it seems like Illinois should have really been an 11 or 12, but the 9 seed worked to get them into the right spot. First, UNLV is coached by Lon Kruger, who coached Illinois from 1996-200. Then, if Illinois beats Lon Kruger, they would face Bill Self and Kansas, a matchup that the committee has been dying to put together for years. Four years ago Illinois would have faced Kansas had they beaten Virginia Tech in 2007. It’s a surprise Illinois isn’t facing Tennessee along the way, since there is also no love lost between the Illini and Bruce Pearl. Though that matchup happened in 2004-2005, so maybe the committee will try again next year.

So does Illinois have a chance of making it to the second round? Well, sure anything can happen. Illinois beat 2-seed North Carolina early in the season, and they also beat 11-seed Gonzaga on the road. They took 7-seed Texas to overtime, and they also beat Michigan State (10) and Wisconsin (4) this year. However, Illinois hasn’t shown a lot of spark at the end of the season. They did a nice job against Purdue on the road (3), but they didn’t win. They’ve also lost to such teams as UIC, Indiana on the road and 11-seed Missouri. The team is unpredictable to say the least, but this is a game they CAN win. And Bruce Weber knows that if he doesn’t win, a lot of fans are going to be calling for his head. Not this fan, but many fans.

Illinois is 2-0 against UNLV, having played them in 1980 and 2000. Lon Kruger wasn’t a part of either team during those meetings. UNLV has a much better record at 24-8 compared to the Illini’s 19-13. However, Illinois plays in a much more difficult conference. UNLV won against Wisconsin at home and Kansas State on the road, and their only bad losses are against Colorado State and UCSB at home (though UCSB is a tournament team). All of the other Runnin’ Rebel losses were to pretty legit teams: Louisville and BYU and San Diego State twice. This could shape up to be an exciting game, but Illinois clearly hasn’t figured out how to fix their problems if you take a look at the recent Michigan game. Additionally, whoever loses will have a chance for revenge next season, because UNLV has already been scheduled as the United Center game in 2011.

If Illinois does manage to beat UNLV, they will have to face Kansas next. Kansas has a history of losing to lower seeded teams. In 2005 3-seed Kansas lost to 14-seed Bucknell and in 2006 Kansas was a 4 seed and lost to 13-seed Bradley. Kansas has clearly learned its lesson since then, having won the Championship in 2008. However, just last year Kansas lost in the second round to Northern Iowa. Let’s start with a game against UNLV first, and worry about Kansas next. A 16-seed has never beaten a 1-seed, ever, so providing Illinois beats UNLV they will face Kansas in the second round.

Illinois will play UNLV on Friday at 8:20 central.