Talk with Illinois men's basketball beat writer Paul Klee.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:29 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Good afternoon everyone. Thanks for coming by for another Illinois basketball chat. I'll be here for about an hour.
Klee
Mike from Urbana, Il — 12:30 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Is outside shooting going to be a major concern for this team next season? There don't seem to be any designated 3-point shooters next year.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:31 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Mike- You have a pair of capable three-point shooters in juniors-to-be Alex Legion and Demetri McCamey. That
Sean from springfield, Il — 12:32 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
How is Legion doing handling the drop in playing time and his on-court struggles so far this year?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:33 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Sean- Alex is handling it. He was good in practice yesterday. After hitting back-to-back three-pointers, he had a back-and-forth banter going with assistant Jerrance Howard, who was giving him a hard time.
Alex Legion's practice exploits were overblown, which wasn't fair to him, mainly because the guys that wrote about him are rarely at practice, and Bruce Weber openly talked about his practice scoring runs. He does go on runs from time to time, and I think he
Andy Wood from Tuscola, illinois — 12:34 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Just hoping Legion reads this and try it out. Try getting in the flow of the game first and knocking down some 10-15 foot jump shots before shooting 23 footers. Get your stroke down first then take it to the next level.
J. Van Der Sloot from Aruba, Caribbean — 12:37 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul - If the Illini win 5 of their 7 remaining games, and win a couple of games in the Big Ten Tournament, do they have a chance to grab a 3 seed in the NCAA tournament?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:39 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
J- That would put the Illini at 26-8 overall and 12-6 in the Big Ten, with an appearance in the championship game of the Big Ten tournament. That likely would earn them a protected seed (Nos. 1-5). A No. 3 seed would be their best-case scenario. I think it would be tough to get a 3, but if one of those wins is against Michigan State, it's possible.
Klee
Ed from Lincolnshire, IL — 12:40 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
The first question mentioned about shooting guards, I'm actually more concerned as to who is going to play point guard next season with Chester gone? Will one of the incoming freshmen be asked to fill this role?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:40 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Ed- Demetri McCamey is your point guard heading into next season. Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson are capable ballhandlers, but neither is a point guard.
Klee
Scott from Salem, Illinois — 12:41 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul, do you have the date and some of the teams that will be competing in the 2009 Illinois Team Tournament in June. I made my first ever trip to the Hall last year and had a blast!
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:45 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Scott- The date of the team camp is June 7, according to UI assistant Jay Price, who is largely responsible for putting together the team camp. And it has become a must-see event for those who follow recruiting and are within driving distance. If an Illinois recruiting target is an in-state kid, the Illini will make their best efforts to get him on campus that weekend, because it can only help. If Crandall Head (Crane), Meyers Leonard (Robinson) and Jereme Richmond (Waukegan) remain at their current high schools, you'll probably see them at the UI on June 7.
Klee
Todd Chally and Mike Siewert from Champaign (Kappa Sig House — 12:45 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul - Who do you think needs to step up for the Illini this week in order to win a couple of road games against Northwestern and Indiana?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:48 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Todd and Mike- I think Demetri McCamey is a big key for Illinois against Northwestern. Juice Thompson ignites the Northwestern offense, and it's Demetri's job to keep him out of the lane.
Maybe he can get some pointers from Jeff Jordan, who's best friends with Michael Thompson.
Klee
Drew P. from Bolingbrook, IL — 12:49 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul - Do you think Chester Frazier has a chance to make 3rd team All Big Ten this year, or is he more likely to make Honorable Mention? Also, what are his chances to take home Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year? He has shut down some of the Big Ten's best players.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 12:52 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Drew- It's a great question. The first one. Klee was having this conversation at practice yesterday. If Illinois finishes in the top 3, I think Chester Frazier has a great chance to get a second-team mention from the coaches. Likewise for Demetri McCamey - in the media vote. Demetri is their best chance for a first-team mention.
As for your second question, I wrote about that on HQ on Monday, in the Illinois-Purdue gamer. By limiting E'Twaun Moore to six points, eight below his average, I think Chester locked up the DPOY award, barring a late-season surge from Chris Kramer and Purdue.
Really, I don't think there's even an argument about the Big Ten's best defender this season.
Klee
Cliff from Atlanta, GA — 12:56 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul-
What do you think was the difference between the anemic offense we saw against Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin and the efficient play against Purdue on Sunday? Which one is the real Illini?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:00 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Cliff- The difference in the Minnesota and Wisconsin games was that the Illini were playing on the road, and they don't travel well in Big Ten play. The second half of the Iowa game was one of their finer offensive performances of the season. The Illini made 12 of their first 16 shots and scored 40 points in 20 minutes, in a very low-possession game. Come to think of it, the second half of the Iowa game might have been their best offensive performance of the season.
So, playing on the road (Minnesota, Wisconsin) = bad.
Scott from Salem, Illinois — 01:01 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Thanks Mr. Klee for the Team Tournament date! I hope Mt. Carmel, De La Salle, and Morgan Park will be there as well.
Joe from Urbana, IL — 01:02 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul,
when did Weber say Indiana sucks? I must have missed that one.
From the Turpin/Tate chat:
And look for Weber's comment -- Indiana sucks -- to surface this week.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:11 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Joe- Bruce Weber made the comment at a Peoria meet-and-greet in the offseason. And it has been blown out of proportion, but that's okay, nothing wrong with a little rivalry talk, and we would prefer more of it, actually.
Here's how Weber described the scenario to me (not that I agree or disagree, but this is what he said):
A fan asked for his take on the Big Ten this season. He obliged. Then another fan asked about Indiana. He made the comment. Then he continued to explain that the Big Ten needs Indiana to be good, because it helps the entire league when Indiana is good. That sentiment came from something Andy Katz had said that stuck with him, that part of the reason the Big Ten was so bad last season was because Illinois was so bad. So Weber believes the marquee programs in the Big Ten (Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, etc.) need to be good for the Big Ten to be good.
That's what he said at the meet-and-greet, but the latter apparently was overlooked. And that's what he's upset about, that the comment was taken out of context, and that his complimentary disclaimer was left out.
My take: Don't hire a known cheater, don't go 6-17 and no one can say your program stinks.
Klee
Bizz from chicago, IL — 01:13 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Who guards Coble tomorrow? Chester has been put on Hummel, but i believe Coble may have an extra couple of inches, and it seems it may make sense for Chester to guard Moore. Anyway, I think if we shut down Coble, we pull away and win.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:18 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Bizz- Bruce Weber said yesterday he's undecided on whether Meacham or Frazier will defend Kevin Coble. I think they're leaning toward Frazier. But it's tricky, because Craig Moore has led the Wildcats in scoring in each of their last four games, and he's averaging 20-plus points over that stretch. If Trent Meacham defends the sharpshooter, it will be similar to how he defended Clemson's Terrence Oglesby in early December.
Klee
Al Ryle from Champaign, Il — 01:21 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul.
Have you seen Myers Leonard play, and do you think he has the body shape to put on the neded pounds before he gets on campus?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:23 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Al- Yes, I've seen him several times, and he has the body type that should allow him to put on weight. On the plus side for Meyers Leonard, there won't be a great deal expected of him in his first year. The Illini will have (at least) Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis and Stan Simpson in the frontcourt, among others. So he'll have time to develop before being thrown in the mix.
Klee
Shawn from Kansas City, MO — 01:23 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Klee:
If you look at Michigan State's remaining schedule, their 6 games left to play are Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and Purdue twice.
Even if MSU loses to Illinois and to Purdue twice, they would finish 13-5. If the Illini have any chance at all in winning the title, (currently with a 7-4 record), they'll need to at least go 6-1, which would include beating Michigan State at home. That looks like a difficult, although not impossible task. What are your thoughts are our chances of winning/tying for the title?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:29 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Shawn- It's going to be difficult for anyone to catch Michigan State, mainly because they're the best team in the Big Ten, and also because they have a league-best six road wins under their belt.
Under the Illini's Big Ten scoring system, here's how the top half of the standings look:
Bamber Mcreynolds from Chicago, IL — 01:30 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Klee - My buddy Dnebs thinks that all of these flagrant fouls recently in Big Ten play are a good thing for the league. He likes the physical style of the Big Ten as opposed to the "nancy boy" style of the ACC. What are your thoughts on that?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:34 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Bamber- Wrote about my thoughts on the flying elbows on IlliniHQ earlier this week, in The Insider. There are many reasons the Big Ten is more physical than other leagues, too many to cite here. I think the style of play, at times, dictates the officiating.
When Michigan played at Illinois, coach John Beilein told a referee the smartest thing I've heard this season. After one of his players was mugged under the basket, Beilein said from the sideline, "That's why no one scores in the Big Ten, because you don't make that call."
I think another one is that it doesn't have the same caliber of players as the ACC, Big East or Pac-10, and physical defense evens the playing field. There is better defense being played in the Big Ten, but there aren't as many playmakers, and both of those factors are reasons why the Big Ten is last in scoring among the six power conferences.
By my calculations, as of Monday:
1. ACC, 75.9 ppg
2. Big 12, 74.9
3. SEC, 74.6
4. Big East, 73.3
5. Pac-10, 70.3
6. Big Ten, 67.3
I enjoy the Big Ten, and thoroughly enjoy the nancy boys in the ACC, and I eagerly await Duke-UNC tonight.
Klee
Steve from Stonington, Il — 01:36 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul- It has been awhile since I was able to catch your chat live. In the preseason I predicted a 20+ win season and this team has exceeded all of my expectations to this point and have been a real joy to watch... What do you think will be the key to taking this great group of kids to the next level, being competetive on the road in huge games and making a respectable run in the tourney?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:37 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Steve- If Illinois defends like it defended against Purdue, it can beat anyone in the Big Ten. What they can't do is let their offense dictate their effort on defense.
Klee
David from NYC, NY — 01:39 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
What is your favorite place to eat in C-U? On campus?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:40 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
David- Wherever Loren Tate is buying, and that's usually at the Esquire.
Klee
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:42 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Mike Davis said yesterday he's "pretty much all better" from his bout with Bell's palsy. (To prove it, he blinked his right eye, which was fine, and then tried to blink his left eye, which almost closed all the way.) But the illness - a form of facial paralysis, I'm told - bothered him more than he let on.
Danny from Deerfield, IL — 01:43 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Paul,
Illinois obviously picked up a little momentum with a win over Purdue on Sunday. What should we be looking out for as the regular season winds down? It seems like our shooting can keep us in any game, but if the shots don't fall (Like Minn/WIS) we stop playing defense.
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:46 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Danny- Illinois needs to win a road game. The Illini are 1-4 in Big Ten road games and haven't been successful on the road since December. This is a good week to gain some confidence on the road, with games at Northwestern (the Illini have won 24 of their last 26 meetings) and at Indiana (NCAA tournament-caliber teams shouldn't lose there).
Klee
Jim from Palatine, IL — 01:50 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Have you heard when they will set the date for the Michigan State game? How likely do you think it will be that it is played on Sunday?
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:50 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Jim- The UI sports information office informs us the Michigan State game date will be known by Monday. We'll pass it along as soon as we hear.
Klee
Paul Klee (moderator) — 01:51 PM on Wed, 02/11/2009
Going to wrap this up, stick around for Tony Bleill's women's basketball chat. Tony also spent a day with Jamar Smith at Southern Indiana, and his story will run on IlliniHQ on Sunday.
Thanks for all of the questions and see you at Welsh-Ryan on Thursday.
Good afternoon everyone. Thanks for coming by for another Illinois basketball chat. I'll be here for about an hour.
Klee
Is outside shooting going to be a major concern for this team next season? There don't seem to be any designated 3-point shooters next year.
Mike- You have a pair of capable three-point shooters in juniors-to-be Alex Legion and Demetri McCamey. That
How is Legion doing handling the drop in playing time and his on-court struggles so far this year?
Sean- Alex is handling it. He was good in practice yesterday. After hitting back-to-back three-pointers, he had a back-and-forth banter going with assistant Jerrance Howard, who was giving him a hard time.
Alex Legion's practice exploits were overblown, which wasn't fair to him, mainly because the guys that wrote about him are rarely at practice, and Bruce Weber openly talked about his practice scoring runs. He does go on runs from time to time, and I think he
Just hoping Legion reads this and try it out. Try getting in the flow of the game first and knocking down some 10-15 foot jump shots before shooting 23 footers. Get your stroke down first then take it to the next level.
Paul - If the Illini win 5 of their 7 remaining games, and win a couple of games in the Big Ten Tournament, do they have a chance to grab a 3 seed in the NCAA tournament?
J- That would put the Illini at 26-8 overall and 12-6 in the Big Ten, with an appearance in the championship game of the Big Ten tournament. That likely would earn them a protected seed (Nos. 1-5). A No. 3 seed would be their best-case scenario. I think it would be tough to get a 3, but if one of those wins is against Michigan State, it's possible.
Klee
The first question mentioned about shooting guards, I'm actually more concerned as to who is going to play point guard next season with Chester gone? Will one of the incoming freshmen be asked to fill this role?
Ed- Demetri McCamey is your point guard heading into next season. Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson are capable ballhandlers, but neither is a point guard.
Klee
Paul, do you have the date and some of the teams that will be competing in the 2009 Illinois Team Tournament in June. I made my first ever trip to the Hall last year and had a blast!
Scott- The date of the team camp is June 7, according to UI assistant Jay Price, who is largely responsible for putting together the team camp. And it has become a must-see event for those who follow recruiting and are within driving distance. If an Illinois recruiting target is an in-state kid, the Illini will make their best efforts to get him on campus that weekend, because it can only help. If Crandall Head (Crane), Meyers Leonard (Robinson) and Jereme Richmond (Waukegan) remain at their current high schools, you'll probably see them at the UI on June 7.
Klee
Paul - Who do you think needs to step up for the Illini this week in order to win a couple of road games against Northwestern and Indiana?
Todd and Mike- I think Demetri McCamey is a big key for Illinois against Northwestern. Juice Thompson ignites the Northwestern offense, and it's Demetri's job to keep him out of the lane.
Maybe he can get some pointers from Jeff Jordan, who's best friends with Michael Thompson.
Klee
Paul - Do you think Chester Frazier has a chance to make 3rd team All Big Ten this year, or is he more likely to make Honorable Mention? Also, what are his chances to take home Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year? He has shut down some of the Big Ten's best players.
Drew- It's a great question. The first one. Klee was having this conversation at practice yesterday. If Illinois finishes in the top 3, I think Chester Frazier has a great chance to get a second-team mention from the coaches. Likewise for Demetri McCamey - in the media vote. Demetri is their best chance for a first-team mention.
As for your second question, I wrote about that on HQ on Monday, in the Illinois-Purdue gamer. By limiting E'Twaun Moore to six points, eight below his average, I think Chester locked up the DPOY award, barring a late-season surge from Chris Kramer and Purdue.
Really, I don't think there's even an argument about the Big Ten's best defender this season.
Klee
Paul-
What do you think was the difference between the anemic offense we saw against Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin and the efficient play against Purdue on Sunday? Which one is the real Illini?
Cliff- The difference in the Minnesota and Wisconsin games was that the Illini were playing on the road, and they don't travel well in Big Ten play. The second half of the Iowa game was one of their finer offensive performances of the season. The Illini made 12 of their first 16 shots and scored 40 points in 20 minutes, in a very low-possession game. Come to think of it, the second half of the Iowa game might have been their best offensive performance of the season.
So, playing on the road (Minnesota, Wisconsin) = bad.
Thanks Mr. Klee for the Team Tournament date! I hope Mt. Carmel, De La Salle, and Morgan Park will be there as well.
Paul,
when did Weber say Indiana sucks? I must have missed that one.
From the Turpin/Tate chat:
And look for Weber's comment -- Indiana sucks -- to surface this week.
Joe- Bruce Weber made the comment at a Peoria meet-and-greet in the offseason. And it has been blown out of proportion, but that's okay, nothing wrong with a little rivalry talk, and we would prefer more of it, actually.
Here's how Weber described the scenario to me (not that I agree or disagree, but this is what he said):
A fan asked for his take on the Big Ten this season. He obliged. Then another fan asked about Indiana. He made the comment. Then he continued to explain that the Big Ten needs Indiana to be good, because it helps the entire league when Indiana is good. That sentiment came from something Andy Katz had said that stuck with him, that part of the reason the Big Ten was so bad last season was because Illinois was so bad. So Weber believes the marquee programs in the Big Ten (Michigan State, Illinois, Indiana, etc.) need to be good for the Big Ten to be good.
That's what he said at the meet-and-greet, but the latter apparently was overlooked. And that's what he's upset about, that the comment was taken out of context, and that his complimentary disclaimer was left out.
My take: Don't hire a known cheater, don't go 6-17 and no one can say your program stinks.
Klee
Who guards Coble tomorrow? Chester has been put on Hummel, but i believe Coble may have an extra couple of inches, and it seems it may make sense for Chester to guard Moore. Anyway, I think if we shut down Coble, we pull away and win.
Bizz- Bruce Weber said yesterday he's undecided on whether Meacham or Frazier will defend Kevin Coble. I think they're leaning toward Frazier. But it's tricky, because Craig Moore has led the Wildcats in scoring in each of their last four games, and he's averaging 20-plus points over that stretch. If Trent Meacham defends the sharpshooter, it will be similar to how he defended Clemson's Terrence Oglesby in early December.
Klee
Paul.
Have you seen Myers Leonard play, and do you think he has the body shape to put on the neded pounds before he gets on campus?
Al- Yes, I've seen him several times, and he has the body type that should allow him to put on weight. On the plus side for Meyers Leonard, there won't be a great deal expected of him in his first year. The Illini will have (at least) Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis and Stan Simpson in the frontcourt, among others. So he'll have time to develop before being thrown in the mix.
Klee
Klee:
If you look at Michigan State's remaining schedule, their 6 games left to play are Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois and Purdue twice.
Even if MSU loses to Illinois and to Purdue twice, they would finish 13-5. If the Illini have any chance at all in winning the title, (currently with a 7-4 record), they'll need to at least go 6-1, which would include beating Michigan State at home. That looks like a difficult, although not impossible task. What are your thoughts are our chances of winning/tying for the title?
Shawn- It's going to be difficult for anyone to catch Michigan State, mainly because they're the best team in the Big Ten, and also because they have a league-best six road wins under their belt.
Under the Illini's Big Ten scoring system, here's how the top half of the standings look:
Michigan State: plus-4
Purdue: plus-2
Minnesota: plus-2
Penn State: plus-1
Ohio State: plus-1
Illinois: plus-1
Klee
Klee - My buddy Dnebs thinks that all of these flagrant fouls recently in Big Ten play are a good thing for the league. He likes the physical style of the Big Ten as opposed to the "nancy boy" style of the ACC. What are your thoughts on that?
Bamber- Wrote about my thoughts on the flying elbows on IlliniHQ earlier this week, in The Insider. There are many reasons the Big Ten is more physical than other leagues, too many to cite here. I think the style of play, at times, dictates the officiating.
When Michigan played at Illinois, coach John Beilein told a referee the smartest thing I've heard this season. After one of his players was mugged under the basket, Beilein said from the sideline, "That's why no one scores in the Big Ten, because you don't make that call."
I think another one is that it doesn't have the same caliber of players as the ACC, Big East or Pac-10, and physical defense evens the playing field. There is better defense being played in the Big Ten, but there aren't as many playmakers, and both of those factors are reasons why the Big Ten is last in scoring among the six power conferences.
By my calculations, as of Monday:
1. ACC, 75.9 ppg
2. Big 12, 74.9
3. SEC, 74.6
4. Big East, 73.3
5. Pac-10, 70.3
6. Big Ten, 67.3
I enjoy the Big Ten, and thoroughly enjoy the nancy boys in the ACC, and I eagerly await Duke-UNC tonight.
Klee
Paul- It has been awhile since I was able to catch your chat live. In the preseason I predicted a 20+ win season and this team has exceeded all of my expectations to this point and have been a real joy to watch... What do you think will be the key to taking this great group of kids to the next level, being competetive on the road in huge games and making a respectable run in the tourney?
Steve- If Illinois defends like it defended against Purdue, it can beat anyone in the Big Ten. What they can't do is let their offense dictate their effort on defense.
Klee
What is your favorite place to eat in C-U? On campus?
David- Wherever Loren Tate is buying, and that's usually at the Esquire.
Klee
Mike Davis said yesterday he's "pretty much all better" from his bout with Bell's palsy. (To prove it, he blinked his right eye, which was fine, and then tried to blink his left eye, which almost closed all the way.) But the illness - a form of facial paralysis, I'm told - bothered him more than he let on.
Paul,
Illinois obviously picked up a little momentum with a win over Purdue on Sunday. What should we be looking out for as the regular season winds down? It seems like our shooting can keep us in any game, but if the shots don't fall (Like Minn/WIS) we stop playing defense.
Danny- Illinois needs to win a road game. The Illini are 1-4 in Big Ten road games and haven't been successful on the road since December. This is a good week to gain some confidence on the road, with games at Northwestern (the Illini have won 24 of their last 26 meetings) and at Indiana (NCAA tournament-caliber teams shouldn't lose there).
Klee
Have you heard when they will set the date for the Michigan State game? How likely do you think it will be that it is played on Sunday?
Jim- The UI sports information office informs us the Michigan State game date will be known by Monday. We'll pass it along as soon as we hear.
Klee
Going to wrap this up, stick around for Tony Bleill's women's basketball chat. Tony also spent a day with Jamar Smith at Southern Indiana, and his story will run on IlliniHQ on Sunday.
Thanks for all of the questions and see you at Welsh-Ryan on Thursday.
Klee