How we graded the Illini against Penn State

It's a tradition among most starting fives, and Illinois' isn't any different.

On the road or at the Assembly Hall, the Illini starters stroll to the scorer's table and dish a fist pound to Derrick Burson, the UI sports information official that keeps the scorebook.

You'll have to forgive Tyler Griffey. Making his first career start Wednesday at Bryce Jordan Center, Griffey forgot to extend the fist. (Rookie mistake.) Once he realized the potential impact on his basketball karma, Griffey spun around and returned to the scorer's table to do his part for tradition.

"I got out there and (Mike) Tisdale told me that I had to," Griffey explained. "I said, 'Oh, I forgot.' "

A new experience for Griffey – "It's different. You're immediately in the flow of the game," he said – resulted in mixed results for Illinois. The Illini enjoyed a 15-2 run early in the first half, but Penn State opened the second half on an 11-2 run.

"We had one stretch (in the first half) where we played for four or five minutes straight. We were all gassed. But we played pretty well," Griffey said. "Then again, we relinquished the lead in the second half. But we were able to answer all their runs."

It was the sixth time this season coach Bruce Weber has altered the starting lineup from the previous game. Really, the latest change was as much a case of Weber trying to motivate Mike Davis as it was Griffey playing his way into the lineup. Within four minutes of each half, Davis was at the scorer's table to check in.

Davis was in a bizarre slump that almost defied explanation. He was averaging 6.3 points over the previous six games. He had 11 on 4-for-6 shooting at Penn State. Davis played 27 minutes.

Griffey, the first player on the practice court for most of the past two months, added two points and a rebound in 10 minutes.

"We need to get him (Griffey) 10-12 minutes all the time. He deserves it. We need him for the future," Weber said, adding, "If he plays well, it's going to help everyone. It holds everyone (in the frontcourt) accountable."

* * *

Fifteen minutes before tipoff at Bryce Jordan Center, a media member remarked, "The game starts at 6:30 (EST), right?"

He was accurate. But the thousands of empty seats inside the 15,261-seat arena gave the impression there was a time change or something.

In fact, Penn State entered the game averaging a Big Ten-low 7,388 fans. The paid attendance Wednesday was 8,085, though it looked like 3,000-4,000 in attendance.

"Beautiful arena. I really enjoyed playing here," Griffey said. "It just wasn't very full. It was kind of awkward."

Students paid $5 to attend the game, with proceeds going to fight pediatric cancer. The subdued scene was in stark contrast to the Illini's visit late last March, when Penn State was hunting an NCAA tournament berth and students stormed the court after a win.

* * *

After Monday's practice, players held a vote to name team captains – again. Juniors Demetri McCamey and Bill Cole got the nod from their teammates.

Those are the same guys Weber designated as captains in the early part of this season. Both captains said the honor carried more weight since it came from their peers.

"I was thinking about it after they voted me. If these guys have enough confidence to vote me captain and lead the team, then I need to have enough confidence to make big shots," said Cole, who had a career-high 12 points.

"They chose me and Bill, so obviously we have their respect and (they) believe we can lead this team," said McCamey, who had nine assists. "A lot of responsibility goes with that. At the same time you have to have good followers. I think I can do it. Bill thinks he can do it. Now we just have to keep everybody on the same page and keep winning basketball games."

Results from the player precincts indicated the players are looking toward one of the hardest workers (Cole) and their best player (McCamey). Their captaining roles are different, too.

Cole handles most of the off-court duties, such as making wake-up calls to his teammates' hotel rooms on Wednesday morning.

"People make fun of me now. I think they just want me to call and hang up," Cole said. "But I kind of call and then I wait (for a few seconds) and then say, 'Bus in 10.' "

"Mine's more leadership on the court," McCamey said.

Asked if his parenting-like duties make Cole the father figure on the roster, McCamey countered, "I'm the dad. He's the grandpa."

Weber complimented their play Wednesday. He pointed to McCamey's eight first-half assists – "I thought he really had an exceptional floor game in the first half" – and thought it was good sign that Cole looked for his shot. He made four three-pointers.

"Maybe it was a nice confidence boost for Bill," Weber said. "Now, not only I said it, but the team said it."

* * *

Before the game, Weber mentioned that Penn State seems to have "a hex" on Illinois. Wednesday's win completed the Illini's first season sweep of the Nittany Lions since 2005, and Penn State had won two straight meetings at Bryce Jordan Center.

Now it's Penn State (8-12, 0-8) with the hex. And it's not as if the only team without a Big Ten win is getting blown out. On Sunday, the Nittany Lions blew a 16-point lead in a loss at Wisconsin. In both losses to Illinois, Penn State had second-half leads.

"I think it's getting a little frustrating that we're playing the way we are up until the end of the game," said sophomore Chris Babb, who had a career-high 18 points Wednesday.

Of Penn State's previous four losses, one came in overtime (Wisconsin) and the other three came by an average of just 3.3 points (Illinois, Iowa, Indiana). The current eight-game losing streak is the team's longest in eight seasons.

"Even though we're not winning, I think we're still improving every game," Babb added.

* * *

Brandon Paul's step-back jumper midway through the first half looked more like the Brandon Paul witnessed early in the season: Confident and smooth, with a scorer's mentality.

"I felt pretty good coming into the game," Paul said. "My first few shots went in and I felt good about it. My teammates did a good job of getting me the ball in transition."

Paul has found that scoring is tougher in the Big Ten. Opponents scouted his moves and learned of his ability, and Paul was shooting 25 percent in conference action, compared to 35.1 percent overall.

On Wednesday, the only thing that slowed him down was foul trouble. Paul made 4 of 5 shots and had 10 points in 14 minutes.

"It feels good to finally have it fall," he said.

* * *

After hitting for a career-high 12 points, including a career-high four three-pointers, Cole explained his new approach to shooting.

"It's actually a pretty weird story," he said before boarding the team bus.

In pregame warmups, while Cole was stretching near center court, he looked up to see Talor Battle on Penn State's end. Cole said the Big Ten's leading scorer swished about 10 straight three-pointers.

"He was shooting the (heck) out of it," Cole said. "So I'm like, 'I'm going to change my form to shoot like Talor. He's pretty good.'"

That influenced Cole to alter his own shooting form.

"I noticed his ball placement," Cole said. "I ended up making a couple shots. So I'm going to keep it that way."

You've heard of Be Like Mike.

Cole took the approach of Tailor It Like Talor.

"It's a neat little story, I thought."

Paul Klee