Bruce Weber is always urging his players to figure out what role they play on the team.  Everybody wants to start and hear their name announced at the opening of every game.  That is human nature. 

But Weber is more concerned with who is on the floor when the the game really counts....at the finish.  He also knows that having players who come in off the bench and provide solid minutes in relief of the starting unit can be priceless.

Senior Dominique Keller has become a valuable 6th man in recent games.  He can come in for either Mike Davis or Mike Tisdale and provides instant energy.  He is aggressive going  to the basket (with an unorthodox shooting delivery-but hey....it works) and can hit 3-point shots as well.  Most important of all...he has accepted his role as a non-starter and is starting to flourish in  that role. 

Junior Bill Cole did not see the floor much at all during his frist couple of years with the Illini.  When he did play ...it was in games that had already been decided.   On opponents scouting reports....Cole was known as someone who could shoot the ball pretty well from 3-point territory....but had trouble on defense.......and......well.....that was about it..  

But this year the Peoria Richwoods product was named a captain by Bruce Weber and went to work on doing "little things" that win games.....diving after loose balls....crashing the boards for rebounds...working hard on defense.   As a result....he is averaging nearly 15 minutes of playing time per game and is still a threat to shoot from the outside. He has accepted the job he has been given with passion and has become a reliable part of Bruce Weber's rotation.

Jeff Jordan left the team this past spring to concentrate on his schoolwork...and at the time... with D.J Richardson and Brandon Paul coming and  most likely getting a lot of playing time.......that decision seemed like a reasonable one.

But then Jeff began to hint that he might want to return to the team this fall.  After several meetings with the coaching staff to convince them he was serious about coming back....Jordan rejoined the team at the start of Midnight Madness in October.  He had to work hard to get back  into playing shape...but in the early stages of this season....he has become the #1 backup to Demetri McCamey at the point guard spot.  Plus...he has become a pretty good shooter....which means opposing teams cannot ignore him on the offensive end.

As the exciting freshmen (Paul and Richardson ) continue to develop as collegiate players...and the junior starters (Tisdale, Davis, McCamey) strive to be consistent....the guys off the bench have a key role to play as well....and so far.... they are getting the job done.

Next up...a trip to the Atlanta area (Duluth, GA) and a "neutral site" matchup with the Georgia Bulldogs at the Gwinnett Center.   Pre-game show at 5:30 Saturday night....tipoff at 6 pm.