Can't make it to GameDay on Saturday? Here's what you'll see on TV.

CHAMPAIGN – Kansas State drew more than 8,000 enthusiastic "participants" for ESPN's GameDay event last weekend.

Can Illinois top that Saturday morning? Does Illini Nation have more basketball crazies than Manhattan? Will the weeklong wanderings of the GameDay truck on campus be sufficient to draw sleepy-eyed students to the Assembly Hall by 10 on a Saturday morning?

Or a better question: Why? What is special about a one-hour talking-heads show in the midst of around-the-clock sports commentary emanating from all kinds of radio, TV and Internet sources?

A scholar once tried to explain it. He said it is a phenomenon of popular culture whereby the on-camera behavior of fans is the highlighted aspect of a manufactured event.

How can you not chuckle when Lee Corso dons a big mascot head? Isn't Digger Phelps a hoot? Enjoy! There's nothing wrong with ESPN drawing attention to its programming. Hey, there's no business like show business. And it is, at the very least, an escape from the two-week Super Bowl blather.

But through it all, Jay Bilas and the gang need talking points for their Illini-Spartan game preview. These will be provided free of charge.

Most overlooked fact

In the ongoing analysis of Big Ten action, Michigan State's ability to get out and run is overshadowed by the perceived defensive nature of the conference.

Tom Izzo's Spartans average 75 points, possess the rebounders to ignite the fast break, and will even explode after an opponent's made basket.

"Transition defense is the key," said Illini guard Demetri McCamey. "We have to get back in a hurry. They like to run."

Watch the shoving

Michigan State has led the Big Ten in rebounding in 11 of the last 13 years. This has been a consistent asset because of three factors: (1) Izzo recruits strong, physical athletes, (2) they emphasize it and take pride in it and (3) rebounds are accomplished not by height but by the rooting and positioning that takes place in the two seconds before the ball caroms off the rim, and they know how to root.

If the following report is true, a certain official should be placed on probation. When Mike Tisdale was pushed from behind, knocked off balance and called for traveling Wednesday at Iowa, a bench onlooker in whom I trust said: "When Bruce (Weber) complained, the ref ran by and responded, 'Tell him to put some meat on his bones.' The Iowa defender had two hands in Tisdale's back."

Such is life in big-time basketball. The stronger you are, the more you can get away with. Watch Tisdale, Jay, and you'll see him being pushed all over the place. Maybe you can explain how that activity differs from sumo wrestling.

Watch the Orange Krush

You should have seen these students at Iowa on Wednesday. They were clever and orchestrated, without using West Virginia F-bombs. Send your cameramen in amongst them and see what happens. It'll be good TV.

"They're with us 110 percent through thick and thin," McCamey said. "I'm just glad they're on our side."

Game-ending fouling

Since yours is basically a talk show, provide expertise on the rash of fouls that spoil most game endings, and the appropriateness of the five-foul disqualification rule.

In two recent examples, Illinois shot 18 free throws in the last minute and a half at Penn State and, in Wednesday's "let 'em play" dogfight at Iowa, the two teams attempted a reasonable 12 free throws in the first 34 minutes and 14 in the last six. Is it really entertaining to see every close game resolved by stop-action free throws?

And answer which is worst: (1) basketball's five-foul rule, (2) the NFL coin flip in overtime, (3) lack of a college football playoff, (4) baseball's designated hitter or (5) the three-point shot (you need Bob Knight for that one)?

Illinois' one-man gang

McCamey is evolving into the closest thing Illinois has ever had to a one-man gang. Past players have been better, but no Illini has ever been more important to his team. They appear almost helpless offensively when he is on the bench. We're talking about a Grand Canyon dropoff. Publicist Derrick Burson (use him, Rece, he has basketball smarts) computes that McCamey is No. 12 in the nation when you add his points to his assists. The sturdy junior accounts for about 47 percent of UI points in the 7-3 Big Ten start.

McCamey is on pace to become just the fourth Illini to average six-plus assists for a season. Deron Williams did it twice, and Tony Wysinger and Bruce Douglas once each. Like Douglas, Frank Williams and current NBA all-star Deron Williams, who shot 42.6, 40.8 and 43.3 percent from the field in three UI seasons, McCamey is sometimes erratic as a shooter but has similar penetrating skills. If he averages six for the remainder of his career, he would be the UI's No. 3 career assist man behind Douglas and Dee Brown.

"For me, the thing I have to concentrate on is making the right decision when they switch and double-team," McCamey said. "I have to make the right read, the right pass whether it's into the post or a skip to the other side."

Feel free to use these talking points, gang. Wish I could watch but I'll be doing the same thing on WDWS with Jim Turpin at the same time. We love the competition.

Loren Tate writes for The News-Gazette. He can be reached at ltate@news-gazette.com.