In Big Ten men’s basketball terms, Illinois has had a relatively peaceful spring.

A Tennessee-Chattanooga fish tale and a Bryant Notree flare-up were the only events that called for sirens to be sounded. And neither incident wound up making much noise.

Michigan would die for waters so calm. So would Indiana and Minnesota, two other conference powers facing a full-court press of bad publicity.

Illinois has not lost its coach, has had no one arrested and has kept its players away from the local Mercedes dealership.

OK, so Kiwane Garris drives a ’95 Jeep Cherokee, but he’s about to collect some serious money in the pros, where the last man on every National Basketball Association bench earns at the minimum $220,000 a year. He deserves to drive in comfort after roughing it for years.

Comparatively, the UI’s off-season snags were minor.

Memphis recruit Cory Bradford recently broke a bone in his foot, but the point guard should be healthy by the time practice rolls around in October (his academic health is another matter).

Peoria Manual center Marcus Griffin probably won’t make grades, but the

UI coaches months ago realized he wouldn’t, allowing them to plan ahead and recruit junior college war horse Leighton Nash.

Jeff Carey slipped away, but the Missouri schoolboy probably wouldn’t have helped as soon as the UI needed him to. Kansas and its riches can afford to wait.

And Notree was declared out for a year, maybe a career if he can’t shape up in the classroom. But the UI survived when the Simeon product struggled as a junior and will have Jerry Hester for a fifth year to fill the void.

Big trouble around Big Ten

The competition hasn’t been so trouble-free.

At Minnesota, the floor leader is gone, the intimidator is charged with hitting his girlfriend and the recruiting’s slow.

Like Garris, Bobby Jackson is headed to the pros and will be missed.

Sophomore forward Courtney James pleaded innocent to a charge of fifth-degree domestic abuse and has been suspended by an irate Clem Haskins, who told reporters he was “upset and embarrassed” by James, who “has put his status on the team in jeopardy.”

Despite a Big Ten title and Final Four berth, Haskins hasn’t landed a prep difference-maker, although the Gophers still are in the hunt for slick point guard Khalid El-Amin. Their lone recruit comes from an Air Force base in Texas, not exactly DeMatha, King or Manual when it comes to talent pools.

At Indiana, the only good news this spring comes from recruit Luke Recker, who was named the state’s Mr. Basketball over the weekend. Otherwise, the Hoosiers have suffered.

Bob Knight came down hard on his juniors. Neil Reed either quit or was kicked off the team, depending on whose press release you read. The resulting flak – combined with three consecutive first-round NCAA tournament losses – has rekindled calls for Knight to move on.

At Michigan, a star’s turned pro, and the NCAA is preparing to visit.

Maurice Taylor left a year early, and all the whispers of wrongdoing are sure to affect recruiting until the mess is settled. Considering the Boneyard Creek pace at which the NCAA works, it could be years.

So far, so good

So where does the UI rank?

Certainly higher than it did before the first report of expensive vehicles and glad-handing boosters leaked out of Michigan. Before Knight blew another fuse or Minnesota lost its luster.

But hold off on the party plans.

Remember, the UI needs to replace Garris and learn how to plug the middle. It needs someone to dribble against pressure and Jarrod Gee to mature.

It also needs Purdue to disappoint, the Boilermakers at this stage the favorite to return to the top. Gene Keady’s only concern at this point is Mike Robinson and his parking problems.

Like his fellow Kansas State alum, Kruger has few worries. Hester has been a terror in recent pickup games at Huff Hall. Sergio McClain’s due in town soon, good grades and attitude intact. And the first Big Ten tournament most likely will be in Chicago, considered part of the UI’s back yard.

As long as the Illini use caution when doling out comp tickets, as long as they stay off the police blotter, they’ll be fine.

At least by Big Ten standards.

Jim Rossow is sports editor of The News-Gazette.