With football done, we shift gears to basketball. It's time to start another round of predictions as we look at the Illini men's basketball team. So far, it's been an exciting season. It has already had it's share of ups and downs, but it has definitely been exciting. At 7-2, Illinois is in the receiving votes on the AP top 25, and it looks like they will creep a bit closer after some better play since that Vegas letdown.

Let's look ahead to Western Michigan. Fortunately for us, we aren't playing them in football again. Granted, WMU didn't exactly have a great season either, but they would have probably still found a way to beat us.

There is one name you must remember when you think of the Broncos, and that's David Kool. With a name like that, it will be easy for us to remember him. For Illinois, it might be a bit harder to do anything with him. This guy has had one heck of a season to this point, averaging 23.2 ppg, along with 93% from the free throw line. If the Illini want to improve their chances of a nice win, they got to find a way to cool off the Kool. In his last two games (against Temple and Eastern Illinois), he's averaged 32 ppg and has made 11 of 24 threes so you know he's got the stroke. I believe Illinois will do a good enough job on him to get win number eight on the season. Here's my prediction...

ILLINOIS 75 WESTERN MICHIGAN 60

WMU averages 70 ppg, but I think with Illinois coming off a game where their defense did one of it's best jobs of the season, they will find a way to improve on that and continue to play on both ends of the floor.

Now it's time for you to once again post your thoughts on this upcoming game. Illinois and Western Michigan play at 1:30 on Sunday. It's hard not to get excited about this team, regardless of what happens to them over the course of the season. Bruce Weber has some awesome talent now, and more great talent coming in next year.

Speaking of next year's talent, don't forget about the Deron Williams Shootout at the Hall presented by State Farm Insurance. It's happening tomorrow with our first tip off at 11am with Champaign Central vs. Rich South. Unfortunately, we won't get a chance to see Crandall Head for Rich South. He's sitting our the rest of the season to heal up an injury. Still, there will be plenty of phenomenal talent hitting the Assembly Hall floor for seven games lasting roughly 12 hours Brian Moline and I will have the call for game one starting tomorrow at 11am, followed by six different broadcast teams calling the shots for the remainder of the day. It's going to be awesome.

Also, later on tonight, News Talk 1400 WDWS kicks off the high school basketball season with a cross town rivalry. Central heads over to Urbana later on tonight at 7p. Ethan Vandeveer and I will bring you all the action of that one. It looks like a very exciting week of high school basketball on DWS.

Talk you guys later.

I-L-L...