The third Covington (Ind.) Classic, an annual charity event that benefits Coaches vs. Cancer, took place at the Beef House on Monday. This has turned into a unique event and something I think people look forward to each preseason.

Bruce Weber, who is on the national board for Coaches vs Cancer, said he wants to see it turn into an annual "start of the season" event. The American Cancer Society estimated there were about 310 people in attendance. Illinois' Rod Cardinal deserves a lot of credit for the success of the event.

- Gene Keady stole the show again. Some of the jokes won't be printed, because I like my job, but Keady had the crowd in tears, especially our Loren Tate.

"I think you guys have learned recently his humor is (great). People don't expect it. He's very, very funny, and he has great stories," Weber said.

Keady enters his second season as an analyst for the Big Ten Network. The longtime Purdue coach said he will be in the studio for 16 weeks and will provide color commentary for all of the Purdue games televised on the BTN.

Told he's part of the media now, Keady said, "I'm on the other side. I'm the enemy."

"They had to put him on the Purdue games because he kept saying 'we,'" Weber joked.

- Illinois and Purdue have such extensive ties (Weber was an assistant; Purdue coach Matt Painter coached under Weber; UI assistant Jay Price was at Purdue; etc.) it makes it possible for the two rival programs to pull off a mutual banquet.

"I probably wouldn't do it if Bruce wasn't at Illinois," Keady said. "If Lou (Henson) was there, I would do it."

Due to his friendship with Tom Izzo, Weber said Michigan State would be the other Big Ten program that could pull off a similar type of event with Illinois.

"I think we could probably do something with Michigan State," Weber said. "Maybe get Tom Izzo to come and tell stories, or get Jud (Heathcote) to come and tell stories."

Weber had a conference call with the Coaches vs. Cancer folks earlier Monday. That raised another possibility for future fundraising events.

"They're really trying to encourage us to do something with SIU and maybe Missouri and St. Louis (University) in the future," Weber said.

- The honored attendeeds this year were the 1984 Big Ten co-champions from Illinois and Purdue. Quinn Richardson, Bruce Douglas and Doug Altenberger represented Illinois and took questions from the crowd.

"It's a great cause. My mom had cancer a few years ago; she's doing fine now," Altenberger said. "It affects everybody. Somebody in your family has probably been affected."

- Purdue coach Matt Painter was asked for his view on Illinois' prospects.

"I'm a big fan of (Mike) Tisdale. We recruited him. We tried to get him," Painter said. "I think he's going to be a star in this league. I don't know if he's going to be a star this coming year. I think he's got to show some consistency at times."

Painter also pointed to Illinois' improved free throw shooting, a bugaboo that Painter said cost the Illini "at least" five wins last season.

"In terms of their improvement on the free throw shooting, they're going to have better chemistry, and I think they're going to win a lot of those close games," Painter said.

- Weber also was faced with a question of where Chester Frazier fits into the playing rotation.

"Can Chester be the sixth man? If somebody will play with his intensity and somebody will guard somebody, I can do that," Weber said. "That's what we have to keep getting better at."

- Some other notes: Demetri McCamey said his younger brother, DeAndre McCamey, is rehabbing his surgically repaired knee at Tim Grover's workout facility in the Chicago area. Illinois Wolves AAU coach Mike Mullins has helped set up the arrangement.

Demetri said DeAndre, a highly regarded point guard at Westchester St. Joe's, probably will return to the court for St. Joe's in January. There's also a chance DeAndre is sidelined this high school season, but the family is waiting to see his progression.

- Demetri McCamey was critical of his own performance in the team's first exhibition game, on Sunday. The point guard had more fouls (5) than points (4) or assists (3). He was better Tuesday and seems to be gaining comfort running the pick-and-roll with big men like Richard Semrau and Mike Tisdale.

"I need to go out and manage my team. Last Sunday I didn't play well," McCamey said Tuesday before practice at Ubben. "I got a little frustrated with the referees and myself. I let down. I've got to keep playing my game. And I've got to stay out of foul trouble."

- Illinois returned to the practice court Tuesday and Wednesday after a day off Monday. Weber's point of emphasis: toughness among the big men.

- Big loss for Florida this afternoon. Point guard Jai Lucas set to transfer.

- Yes, this is a college basketball-only zone. But it's worth mentioning the Kansas City Star is reporting the K-State job is about to open up. Why not Northern Illinois coach Jerry Kill?

Don't know if he'll get consideration, but I can tell you the Kansas State position is one of two or three dream jobs for Kill, a Kansas native. Kill and his staff has NIU, picked to finish last in the MAC, at  4-1 in the league. The Huskies face No. 16 Ball State tonight (7 p.m., ESPN2). Wonder if the ESPN guys will mention the possibility on the broadcast.

- Good chat today. Thanks for all the questions.

(Edit, 10:37 p.m.)

- Mike Tisdale sustained a right knee sprain during Illinois' practice session at Ubben today. The 7-1 sophomore sat out the second half of the practice. Bruce Weber said Tisdale could miss one or two days of practice, depending on the severity of the sprain.

pklee@news-gazette.com