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A full page of Illinois basketball coverage that publishes every Sunday in The News-Gazette and IlliniHQ.com. This week's is a special Friday edition for IlliniHQ.com: Meyers Leonard, Jamar Smith, Alex Legion, Brian Cook, D.J. Richardson, Chris Colvin, Jereme Richmond, Trent Meacham, Gordon Watt, Crandall Head, etc.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Andrew Carter figured he would have to go away from home for college. Of his 17 offers, only one is from a nearby school (Florida State), and the New Hampshire transplant didn't grow up a Seminoles fan.

CHAMPAIGN – How to describe the latest prospect to commit to the Illinois basketball program?

"Pau Gasol," said AAU coach Terrell Ramey, "I always tell people, he plays like Pau Gasol."

This time last year, Bruce Weber’s recruiting was under fire; Now it’s on fire, causing a buzz on the summer camp circuit.

Nine months into his tenure as an Illini assistant, Jerrance Howard is keeping busy on the recruiting trail.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – About a week before making his college choice, Nathan Scheelhaase sent an e-mail to Illinois quarterback Juice Williams.

All he wanted to know, Scheelhaase said, was "Would you pick Illinois if you had to do it all over again?"

On Sundays during the offseason, beat writer Paul Klee will take you around the world of college basketball.