Illini grade: A

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Illini follow NCAA tournament from afar

This isn't where the Illinois players want to be, playing in the NIT. It was NCAA tournament-or-bust for these guys. Truth is, with their spring break starting today, some of them would rather be on a beach somewhere than preparing for Kent State's visit Monday. That's just the way it is.

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Saturday, February 6, 2010 11:32 PM CDT

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Player of the Game: Illinois' Demetri McCamey

The junior has been on a tear of late and Saturday was no different. He finished with a game-high 22 points and tied a career high with 11 assists.

FRONTCOURT

Illinois C

Michigan State C

Illinois got 14 points and nine rebounds from its three starting bigs. Uncharacteristically, the Spartans didn't get much production from their big men. Mike Tisdale didn't have a big game offensively, but he pulled down eight rebounds.

BACKCOURT

Illinois A

Michigan State B

Credit the Spartans for hanging without Kalin Lucas. But it's hard to imagine Lucas would have been able to contain McCamey, who had his way with defenders all night. Freshman D.J. Richardson (14 points) played beyond his years.

BENCH

Illinois A

Michigan State B

Mike Davis seems to have shaken his funk. His 16 points off the bench were key in the upset. Draymond Green may be a sophomore, but he plays like a grown man, as his 17 points and 16 rebounds prove.

OVERALL

Illinois A

Michigan State C

A good way to start a brutal stretch of games against the league's elite. The upset gives the Illini hope heading into the last seven games and gets them back into the conversation for an NCAA bid.

Comments

These grades should be changed to "offensive performance/won the game." The frontcourt was something more than a turnstile on defense for the first time in a few games, yet it still gets a C.

Posted by Wenalway on February 7, 2010 at 12:00 AM | Suggest Removal

If the frontcourt has a C-minus in this game, then it should have received an F-minus in some previous games. Opponents have been blowing by defenders down low, and getting outrebounded is hardly a new event.

Posted by Wenalway on February 7, 2010 at 10:17 AM | Suggest Removal

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