Rwall- Bruce Weber explained it was a product of the matchups. Dawson's a bad matchup for just about everyone - he's got an NBA body and, with Mbakwe out, is the most physical forward I've seen in this Big Ten - but the coaches felt Bertrand would struggle against him. And Myke Henry knows Dawson from their days as teammates on the AAU circuit. Myke claims that Dawson only got three offensive rebounds against him. I'm not sure that's true or untrue. He's a player, though. Still believe he has star potential. Also liked that the freshman referred to strength coach Jimmy Price as "Jimbo," when our Marcus Jackson talked to him after the game. He's one of the reasons these players have been such a pleasure to cover as the beat writer. Myke Henry's got a big personality. But to answer your question- they choose their lineups based on matchups. And Branden Dawson reminds me somewhat of Thomas Robinson. UI assistant coach Jerrance Howard was watching the game tape this morning and agreed that's an apt comparison. Klee

Just- They do sometimes. Not always, but they often practice at the Assembly Hall the day before a game. The last two games they chose to hold their day-before-a-home-game practice at Ubben. These guys value practice time and feel they get a better practice at Ubben. The gameday shootaround is always held at the Assembly Hall. Tracy Abrams, in fact, got up some extra shooting Tuesday morning at the Assembly Hall. Paid off with his big 3 with 2 minutes left - just his third three-pointer of the Big Ten season.  "That was actually one of the shots we were working on (Tuesday morning)," Abrams said. We profiled Abrams in today's News-Gazette. Klee

Denis- Officials are reviewed extensively. If you think it's bad in the Big Ten, check out a Valley/Horizon/WCC game some time. I watch a lot of those games, particularly west coast games, and it's often mind-boggling. You've got the best the game has to offer in the Big Ten. I agree; officials have struggled at times this season. And I think when coaches are constantly in their ear, the officials have a tendency to tune them out. We watched Bo Ryan up close last week. He's on them, but he picks his spots. It's not a constant tirade. I know the Illinois coaches have been in contact with the Big Ten director of officials on multiple occasions this season. And the league sent out a memo telling coaches to clean up sideline demeanor.

A friend, who is tight with many of the officials, tells me that the reason we've seen fewer technical fouls this season (and I'd have to check to see if that's true) is due to the amount of paperwork that referees have to file after they've dished out a technical. (Kind of like a policeman who fires his gun, I guess?). So I'm not sure. I told Marcus Jackson during the game last night that I was surprised Tom Izzo didn't earn a technical foul. He was in their ear from tip to buzzer. After the game he talked about all the missed layups from the Spartans.

“It was very disappointing. I thought there was a lot of fouling in the first half on layups," Izzo said. "We sure had our chances and missed a lot of chances in there.”

It's an extremely difficult job. Illinois has gotten some bum calls this season. The Minnesota game stands out. Meyers got hooked on the tip-dunk, and it didn't look to me like a foul on the Hollins' layup, even though Illinois shouldn't have put itself in that position to give them a chance to blow the whistle. Really, though, it evens out. Northwestern wasn't pleased with the officiating in the Illini's win at Evanston, for example. But when you've had seven straight games decided by five points or less - crazy, right? - a whistle can factor into a game, a season, even a job. Klee

Dave- Dakich came over to the scorer's table at halftime, felt the basketball, dribbled it and said it's overinflated. One player said it was "like a rock." Brandon Paul said the same thing after the game when asked about the missed free throws.

"That’s literally the thing I hate the most, when I miss free throws. It’s unbelievable," he said. "I’m not going to make an excuse, but the basketball was really… if you bounce it, it goes all the way to the ceiling. I shouldn’t have missed those shots. There’s no excuse for that.”

Does that explain 42-41? I guess it contributes. I think it's more a product of bad offense and (extremely) physical defense. Illinois is a bad offensive team. No other way to put it. Bad shooting team, bad passing team, bad screening team. But it's important to recognize how physical it was last night - the most physical Illinois game I've covered in five years. Funny that the smallest guy (Abrams) made the biggest play. Interesting, too, that Illinois beat No. 5 Ohio State with its three-point shooting (11-for-18) and beat No. 9 Michigan State with a bad shooting night (3-for-17).

"We didn't shoot well. We didn't rebound well," Abrams said. "So we did something well. I think that's toughness."

Can't say enough about Abrams' toughness. The critical three-pointer came within the motion offense, not on a set play. He also made the Dean's List in his first semester. Here's what I wrote last night:

Abrams has some work to do on his ball handling, outside shot, learning the point guard position, blah, blah, blah.

But he plays like his scholarship depends on it. He comes from 63rd Street on Chicago's South Side, where daily life was a fight for a loose ball and there was no possession arrow. That's why Abrams is as hardened as asphalt. And why lead recruiter Jerrance Howard said when Abrams signed that he is "the kind of guy you go to a Final Four with."

"Tracy Abrams — that shot he made — we'll see what happens, that might have saved the season for Illinois," Dakich said afterward.

Hope that helps, going quickly here. Klee

Dave- Toughest one in the que. I'm supposed to predict a team that loses three straight - and beats top-10 teams on either end? I predicted the Minnesota game as a win. Missed that one. Predicted the Michigan State game as a win. Got that one. So I'm listed as day-to-day with game predictions this season. And I'm unbelievably good with game predictions, having won The Jerome last season. If only I could beat my friend Sarah at Word with Friends. She's up 242-182 right now. It's not pretty. Who knew "toluene" was a word? Stung me with 42 points on that one. As for your question, Illinois should beat Northwestern and coaches privately would love a split with the Indiana-Michigan road games. That would put you at 7-5. Win the rest of your home games and you're sitting at 10-8. In this Big Ten that's probably good for a No. 7 seed or better. One reason last night's game was so important: Illinois only gets one more ranked team at home (Michigan on March 1). So that's not a prediction, but the best I can do given the up-and-down nature of these Illini in this Big Ten. Klee

R- Assembly Hall rule. Game management policy is no signage in the Hall. It's always been that way, mainly so they don't block the vision of people behind them. Each arena has different policies. Klee

Anonymous- The coaches said they felt the game was too physical for Tyler Griffey. ("I'm not sure who he can guard," was how Bruce Weber put it.) So that's why he didn't play. As for Ibby/Shaw, like I wrote a few weeks ago, the coaches feel Ibby is the best defender on the team - regardless of position. He's strong, uses his feet well and probably most important, knows that defense is how he will get onto the court. Ibby is finding his way. They recruited him as a work in progress and actually liked that Old Dominion (one of the finest rebounding teams in the country for the past 5-6 years) was their competition. He seems to be enjoying himself at Illinois. The lovely Julie Pioletti, who serves as the administrative assistant in Bruce Weber's coaches office, made African stew for Ibby Djimde's birthday. Made him feel at home. Thanks for the question. Klee

Fire- I'm sure - if you could find your way onto this chat - you can find your way to Mike Thomas' secretary/email/Bielfeldt address. Just a guess. He was in attendance last night, making the rounds at the Hall, chatting up boosters, greeting the team as it left the court, all that. And interest in Illinois basketball is lagging. That's no secret. There were (at least) 4,000-5,000 empty seats combined for the Ohio State and Michigan State games - the marquee games on the schedule. But there is also an economics element to the situation that most fans don't consider. These moves don't come cheap, particularly after you've bet the house on a new football staff and have a women's program tha relies on courtside birthday parties to put fans in the seats. Not saying that's right or wrong, just saying it is. Listen, I introduced the .500 Big Ten record A.D. (After Dee) a few years ago. It's no secret Illini basketball is slumping after what amounts to the golden era. And a 42-41 home win against Michigan State doesn't change that. More than one diehard fan told me after the game it felt like a loss. But if you think they're going to fire a coach that finishes above .500 in the toughest league in the country, makes the NCAA tournament and does everything else right, that's Dino Gaudio stuff. And look where Wake Forest is now. The most important element of this issue is to separate the era A.D. - and the .500 Big Ten record - and the current season. The former was largely a bummer and Illinois hasn't been nationally relevant for a while. The Illini haven't finished a season in the Top 25 since 2006. But this season is its own. With last season, you had two previous seasons of evidence to suggest it would end up a disappointment. This season you have a new roster that still has time to win big - or go in the tank. Like I wrote last week, this group is plenty capable of making a run. I'm not on either side and you guys know that by now. But the whole ordeal is pretty simple: If he wins, he'll stay. If he doesn't, he'll be gone. Bruce Weber would tell you the same - just as his staff has told me the same. Hope that makes since, and I'm going quickly here. Klee

EW- Good question, I was thinking about that this morning. At the midway point I think this would be my All-Big Ten ballot: Jared Sullinger, Brandon Paul, Draymond Green, Jordan Taylor and either Tim Frazier or Trey Burke. The final selection is the most difficult. Frazier is inching toward Talor Battle territory, where you have to decide whether his team’s record should factor into his all-conference candidacy. I usually sided with Battle’s outstanding individual play over his team’s lack of success. But right now I would lean toward Burke since Michigan is one game out of first place. The All-Big Ten ballot usually reminds me of our AP Top 25 ballot. There will be cries of “Why not this guy?” and “How do you leave out this guy?” I usually respond with a question: Who would you replace? And this all-conference team is indicative of the Big Ten as a whole. There’s only one sure-fire NBA guy on the list. Likewise, the Big Ten is strong because of the sum of its parts – not because it’s littered with pros like the (old) ACC or Big 12. Coach of the Year? I would lean toward Matta. But if Wisconsin finishes second, it might be Bo Ryan. The choice would've been Izzo - before seeing his team last night. He's got some players. I had thought Michigan State was overachieving until I saw what they're working with. That goes back to the age-old question: Do you include recruiting into the discussion? You could say Matta doesn't deserve because he has the best talent. But he did recruit that talent. Player of the Year? At this point I would go with Jared Sullinger - with a nod to Draymond Green. (Thankfully, he suffered only a knee sprain. When a guy goes down on a non-contact play, you expect the worse.). Freshman of the Year? Trey Burke with a runner-up to Cody Zeller. Defender of the Year? Have to think on that one. I usually lean on various assistants around the league for their expertise - which defender do they appreciate/fear the most? You'd be surprised how coaches view defenders differently than observers. Take the "Ibby is our best defender hands down" comment from Bruce Weber, for example. I apologize that was long-winded. But these things are important. Klee

Mitch- I have. Reminds me somewhat of Wichita State's Sweet 16 squad from a few years ago, the one coached by Mark Turgeon. Big Ten comparison? That's tough. The balance says Minnesota (of course, Murray State is much better). Murray State doesn't play particularly fast (159th in adjusted tempo, which is still faster than all but two teams in the walk-it-up Big Ten) but the Racershave great balance. It's in the top 75 in both offensive and defensive efficiency. I like 'em, don't love 'em. On our Top 25 ballot, I put a cap on Murray State at No. 13. That's as high as they will go on our ballot. Of the mids, I'd say Creighton and Wichita State (and I like Wichita State above Creighton in the Valley) are roughly on par with Murray State. St. Mary's isn't far behind. And I don't include San Diego State or (especially) UNLV on that list. Those are Sweet 16-type teams, at the least. Minnesota football coach Jerry Kill has a daughter at Murray State. He spent some time after the Minnesota game on Saturday talking with his old friend Bruce Weber. Is Murray State still in a dry county? Always enjoyed covering games there - small, loud gym - but you couldn't get a beer at the Applebee's afterward. Klee

Brian- Suppose so. More accurately, I just don't think Illinois is that much better or that much worse than the majority of the Big Ten. These teams are even, and they muddy it up to make it more even. On a related note, the NCAA selection committee released its Nitty Gritty report yesterday. Here's what Illinois' resume looks like: 37 RPI, 31 SOS (123 nonconference SOS), 5-4 vs. Top 50 RPI, 8-5 vs. Top 100, one sub-101 loss (Penn State). Hope that helps. Klee  

Bob- Nice gesture. And probably an NCAA violation. Got a nice handwritten letter from Meyers Leonard's grandmother yesterday. Rita is smarter than the rest of us, keeping close tabs on her beloved grandson from sunny Arizona. Sweet woman. As for Meyers Leonard, as strong as he is, the bullies in the Michigan State frontcourt often had him pinned under the backboard last night. His usual production wasn't there, but his composure was, and that's something scouts are watching. He will have the opportunity to take care of his family very soon. Klee

Roach- I don't worry about it. There's a mutual respect. He knows I'm honest. And I always appreciate his honesty - that's so rare from a man in his position. To answer your question, when coaches talk about the critics or negativity, they're often referring to what's written anonymously on fan forums or said by callers on talk radio. (In fact, there's a head coach on the west coast that actually posts on a message board. Think about that for a second.) What I would argue is that coaches often don't make a distinction between what's written in legitimate media and from agenda-driven fan boards. Bruce Weber doesn't have time to read what's written, but there is a staff member that makes certain he sees the critical stuff. I would suggest they should ignore everything and not worry what's being said or written. Thick skin. But Bruce Weber's comment after the Minnesota game was telling - there's enough negativity right now that it clouds even the wins. But that's where we are in today's game - and particularly where we are with the Illinois program. Klee

Michael- I'l go against the grain and say the Indiana game. Illinois can win there. Hoosiers are very good at home, but it's not a good defensive team, and Illinois' scoring problems could be less of an issue. "If you can't get up for that game (at Indiana) there's something wrong with you," Jerrance Howard said. Interesting watching Michigan, though, is how much man-to-man they're playing. John Beilein often is known for that 1-3-1 that gives teams problems. But I'd say he's mostly playing man. Anyway, Illinois would take a split in the IU-Michigan road games and go home happy. Klee

Jake- Nothing can top (bottom?) the Penn State game. It was 38-33. Last night gave it a run, though. Bruce Weber called it "WWF" basketball. Tom Izzo described it as, "Ugly." Both were accurate. I'm a college guy at heart, but I have to go home to watch NBA highlights just to make certain teams can still score. The Illini's 42 points last night were the fewest in an Illinois win since 1946. And by math, the Illini actually are scoring more points in their Big Ten losses (61.8) than in their Big Ten wins (60.2). That's partly why they muck it up, slow it down, emphasize defense, limit possessions, etc. Klee

Orange- DJ Richardson said his wrist "isn't an excuse." Noticed that teams simply are being more physical with him, knocking him off the ball, not giving him a shooting lane. As for Joe Bertrand, teams are doing the opposite - backing off him and daring him to shoot. Weber said he "froze up" when Penn State took that approach, and you saw the same last night. And it worked - four points at Penn State, none vs. Michigan State. He's been pretty steady, though, especially for a guy that really didn't play his first two seasons. Klee