For Sunday's box score, click here

For Ed Bond's pictures from Sunday's game, click here

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - A 17-point halftime lead had been cut to six when Chester Frazier took the ball on the left wing.

The Illinois senior squared up and beat the shot clock with a swished three-pointer, giving the Illini some room to breathe during a chaotic second half.

No. 22 Illinois ultimately finished off a 65-52 win Sunday, but it didn't come as easily as the Illini would have preferred.

Illinois led by as many as 21 points in the first half and entered the halftime locker room with a 38-21 edge. Still, Indiana's first capacity crowd this season roared when Champaign product Verdell Jones converted a layup to trim the lead to 52-44 midway through the second half.

The score was 54-48 when Frazier calmly drained the pivotal three-pointer with 4:55 remaining. The Illini pulled away to sweep the regular season series with their chief rival.

Despite a pathetic first half, in which Indiana shot shot 27 percent and missed eight of 14 free throws, the Assembly Hall rowdies never let up. The IU student section serenaded UI coach Bruce Weber with chants of "Shut up Bruce!" and "Er-ic Gor-don!"

Mike Tidale and Mike Davis combined for 32 points and 17 rebounds for Illinois (21-5, 9-4 Big Ten). Frazier added nine points. Jones finished with nine points, three rebounds and three assists for Indiana (6-18, 1-11). Indiana had never lost more than 17 games in a season before Sunday.

9:15 Left in Second Half - Illinois 52, Indiana 40

- The IU students just began a chant of "We-ber sucks!" followed by a chant of "Shut up Weber!"

- Illinoisan Matt Roth provided the home team's highlight, a four-point play, with 14:09 remaining. Roth was one of two recruits on the IU roster you can credit to Kelvin Sampson. He has a team-high 13 points for the Hoosiers.

- Matty Lotto checks in via text message from his home in Chicago: Calvin Brock's technical foul wasn't deserved. Bruce Weber seems to agree. He wasn't unhappy with Brock after the T. Either way, Brock's tip-dunk is a candidate for Illini dunk of the year.

- On the plus side for Indiana fans, they can make their travel arrangements for the Big Ten tournament before anyone else. The Hoosiers will play at 5 p.m. (local) on Thursday (ESPN2). The only way IU will face Illinois a third time is if the Illini slide into the No. 6 seed.

Check back in a few.

Klee

Halftime - Illinois 38, Indiana 21

- Illinois has done whatever it wants on offense, recording assists on 11 of its first 14 field goals. And the Hoosiers are struggling to get an open shot, missing 16 of 22 shots (27.3 percent). Unguarded at the free throw line, IU is 6-for-14 (42.9 percent).

- Verdell Jones has has four points, two rebounds and one assist. His family is in attendance.

- Travis Tate checks in via text message (from his new home in Salt Lake City): "I'm starting an early campaign for Mike Davis as the Big Ten Player of the Year next season."

It's certainly possible, if he works at it this offseason. Today, Mike D has a game-high 10 points, with three rebounds and four assists. His career-high in assists is five (against Jackson State).

- Marcus Jackson reports Jeff Jordan (4 points) needs one more bucket to set a new career-high. Bruce Weber already is working his way down the bench, plugging in Billy Cole with about 2 minutes left in the first half.

- When Indiana loses today, it will set a program record for losses in a season (18). And this is setting up to the Hoosiers' worst Big Ten loss at home this season. In five Big Ten losses at home, Indiana lost by 6 (in overtime), 10, 4, 12 and 8 points.

- If you can remember a worse Big Ten team over the past decade, shoot me an email. I can't. And I don't see it getting radically better for the Hoosiers in the near future. Their 2009 recruiting class will help, but I don't see it vaulting the Hoosiers into the upper tier of the Big Ten next season. I had one Big Ten assistant tell me, "It's just okay," in reference to IU's 2009 class, and, unlike the Illini, the Hoosiers won't have a foundation of strong upperclassmen to complement the newcomers. I think this thing is going to take a while, longer than most expect.

- At least the students are still enjoying themselves. One of the students just brought out a giant mug shot of E.J. Gordon to wave behind the basket when the Illini are shooting free throws.

- Some halftime reading: the most comprehensive Big Ten report on the Web. Click here.

Check back in a few.

Klee

8:38 Left in First Half: Illinois 23, Indiana 10

- For another look at Illinois' comeback against Northwestern, let's check the Matto chart, courtesy of UI head manager Matt Scaletta.

By the first timeout, Northwestern held a 6-2 lead in the hustle stats. Northwestern's halftime lead was 17-4, which might be the Illini's biggest halftime deficit on the Matto chart. Yes, the Illini hit some open shots, which they weren't doing before, but better numbers on the Play Hard chart provides another explanation for how Illinois overcame a 14-point deficit (on the scoreboard) to complete the comeback in Evanston. Illinois won the second-half Matto battle 19-9 and only lost the overall Matto score 26-23.

- The wife of late IU football coach Terry Hoeppner was just introduced to the Assembly Hall crowd. Jane Hoeppner still lives in Bloomington. Klee heard Jane Hoeppner call into the Rush Limbaugh show the other day. She was talking about Super Bowl-winning quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was recruited by Coach Hoeppner.

- Mike Tisdale has started the game 4-for-4 from the field. If he can hit that lefty hook with consistency, it's going to add another element. More important, perhaps, is the fact Tisdale has two rebounds, after getting four rebounds in his last three games.

- On Tisdale's rebounding... Bruce Weber is resigned to the idea the 7-footer won't be an effective rebounder as a sophomore. The coach said it's a matter of Tisdale improving his base in the offseason.

"It's going to come from strength, weightroom, explosion, understanding he has to bend his knees and get a better base," Weber said. "He can block out. If he just blocks his guy out, he's doing his job."

Check back in a few.

Klee

12:18 Left in First Half - Illinois 15, Indiana 8

- Add this to the "Chester Frazier should be the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Year" campaign: he has committed only 14 fouls in 405 minutes (over 12 games) in Big Ten play. So he's averaging just over 1 foul per game, while playing the most minutes on the team and usually defending the opponent's best player. He's currently defending Champaign's Verdell Jones.

"He does study," Weber said of Frazier. "He watches film. He's very into it. He wants to be successful."

- Speaking of, here's a look back at Verdell's college announcement. It took place in the upstairs ballroom at Jupiters II in Champaign. Click here.

- Before the season, Klee pegged Indiana's win total at 6 wins. So the Hoosiers are right on pace. But Klee didn't think Indiana would win a Big Ten game, so they're one win ahead of pace in conference play.

- Weber's chief concern is how the Illini prepare mentally for road games.

"It's not (about playing) scared, but it's a fear factor, and also a realization that teams are going to play at a high level on their homecourt," he said.

- Trent Meacham just hit another 3, so he's 8-for-15 behind the arc in his last four games.

Check back in a few.

Klee

Tipoff - No. 22 Illinois (20-5, 8-4 Big Ten) at Indiana (6-17, 1-10)

- Bruce P. checks in via emai: "Good Morning Paul! I've got some of the local 'Living in the past' Hoosier friends at the game today. They all brag about their banners that were accumulated in the peach basket era!"

- A. Kumar checks in via email: "Hi, Paul. Illinois is undefeated at home in Big Ten play but has lost four of six away from home.  But here is something interesting about the two away victories -- one came at Purdue, very close to Champaign and the other came in Evanston with about 50% crowd clad in orange.  Going by this, we should not have much trouble in Bloomington this Sunday.  First of all, it is not very far from Champaign and secondly it is the Assembly Hall.  The only thing coach Weber has to do is to convince the guys that the audience is actually wearing orange. Go Illini."

- UI sports information virtuoso Derrick Burson points out Illinois is tied with LSU with the biggest seasonal turnaround. The Illini and Tigers have seven more wins than last season. Michigan has six more, Boston College, Northwestern and Missouri have five more. Good stat, and it shows: A) how much better Illinois is B) how bad the Big Ten was last season.

- UI assistant Jerrance Howard told us he spent a lot of time here in Bloomington when he was younger, mainly visiting his close friend A.J. Guyton.

- Starting lineup for Illinois: Frazier, McCamey, Meacham, Davis and Tisdale. This is the 24th straight game Bruce Weber has gone with those 5.

Check back in a few.

Klee

10 Minutes Until Tipoff - No. 22 Illinois (20-5, 8-4 Big Ten) at Indiana (6-17, 1-10)

- Illinois was effective with its diamond press in coming back to shock Northwestern on Thursday. But those waiting for Illinois to implement fullcourt pressure will have to keep waiting. Bruce Weber doesn't feel these Illini have the personnel (or the practice time) to go to a fullcourt press for an extended period of time.

 "The only time we practice that is if we're practicing to go against Missouri. We might practice 5-on-6 or 5-on-7," Trent Meacham said before practice Friday. "We never really practice that. At that time of the game, we had to go to something. ... They didn't expect it, and I don't think we expected it."

- We're told this is the first sellout at Assembly Hall this season. Many of the fans filing in right now took advantage of $5 tickets.

- Klee wrote about this today, Demetri McCamey being cited in the NCAA report that detailed Kelvin Sampson's transgressions. Click here.

"I had a little interview to do (with the NCAA)," Demetri said the other day. "They asked me some questions about Sampson and the recruiting thing."

- For a look at all of the recruits cited in the NCAA report, click here.

- Indiana was one of the schools on McCamey's short list.

"Indiana, they were in my top five," McCamey said. "I chose to stay home. I figured if I wanted to win a national championship, or make it to the (NCAA) tournament, I wanted to do it for my hometown state."

- IU coach Tom Crean is 0-1 against Illinois. UI coach Bruce Weber is 8-5 against Indiana (as a head coach).

- None of the current Illini has played in a win at Indiana. That includes fifth-year senior Calvin Brock, who would really like to break that streak.

"There's a lot at stake for us, and they don't want us to be in the race for a Big Ten championship," Brock said.

Check back in a few.

Klee

30 Minutes Until Tipoff - No. 22 Illinois at Indiana

Good morning everyone, Paul Klee and Marcus Jackson joining you from Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The Hoosiers' 1976 national championship banner is right above us and the student section is below. We'll be here throughout the game, so send your questions, comments or observations (how's Greg Anthony doing?) and we'll get them posted.

A few items...

- Verdell Jones ' Hoosiers are going through layup lanes. Devan Dumes, however, is not. The junior was one of the first players in Assembly Hall today, but he's been wearing track sneakers and velvet sweats. The word we've gotten is that the suspended guard will not have his indefinite suspension lifted today. So the already-limited Hoosiers will be without their best player, who was averaging 18 points in his last five games. Moral of the story: just like when you're on the tee box, keep your elbows in.

- At the same time, the Illinois coaches have not made a big deal of Dumes' suspension. In practice Friday, Bruce Weber and Co. prepared as though Dumes would play, sending Alex Legion out to one wing to play the role of Dumes. And one of the coaches just told me Dumes' absence hardly will be mentioned in the pregame locker room. They don't want the Illini to come out with their guard down.

Articles you should read....

- HQ staff writer Tony Bleill's tremendous story on Jamar Smith. Bleill spent last weekend with the former Illini in Evansville, Ind., and provides a closer look at the Jamar's situation. UI assistant coach Wayne McClain read Bleill's story last night. Click here.

- HQ columnist Loren Tate's take on the sad state of Indiana basketball - high school to pros. Click here.

- Gene Pingatore's take on Demetri McCamey. The sophomore's been awfully good of late, and remains the Illini's best chance at a first-team All-Big Ten mention. That said, I'm not convinced he's "cut in" today. Click here.

- Klee's prediction: Click here.

(And the News-Gazette's resident Hoosiers fan, Dave Burleson, checks in via email: "You're wrong. Indiana wins, 57-50.")

- Sports editor Jim Rossow's prediction: Click here.

- And Rossow's take on the Illini's 20-win season: Raise your hand if you thought Illinois would return to 20-win territory. Congratulations – all two of you. As noteworthy as the performance of this season's Surprisin' Illini is this nugget of news: It's the ninth time in 10 seasons that Illinois has reached 20 wins. That stretch of success is better than any other Big Ten team, even Michigan State (which won 19 games in '01 and 18 in '04). There's a reason Illinois is a basketball school.

- The Illini just put on their best dunk show of the season. They turned their layup lines into dunk lines, with Mike Davis, Calvin Brock and Jeff Jordan as the unofficial winners. Klee enjoyed the NBA dunk contest last night but is  hoping the league invites Birdman to return next season.

Check back in a few.

Klee (pklee@news-gazette.com)