Illini get 'pretty messy' victory against Western Carolina
In its first chance to ease some anxiety, Illinois left fans squirming in their seats Monday during a 58-35 victory over Western Carolina in a non-conference basketball game at Assembly Hall.
Illinois freshman reserve center Mike Tisdale posted a career-high 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting in 17 minutes. Those were the offensive highlights. Otherwise, there was the Bronx Cheer for a couple made free throws and a box score that only looks good if you keep your eyes closed.
"It was pretty ugly today,'' said Illini coach Bruce Weber. "I still feel like we can make some strides. One possession, one free throw, one block out, one taking care of ball against Arizona, the Illini Nation has a whole different attitude. We're great. We didn't do that one thing. It's not as bad as they make it out, and it's not as good if we would have won that game.
"This is a long layoff, a lot of hard practices. That's how we played. We were a little anxious, trying to show people, trying to get something done, trying to please the coach and please the fans. That's why I think sometimes we went a little too fast.''
Playing for the first time since an overtime loss to Arizona in Chicago on Dec. 8, Illinois improved to 6-3, but the Illini host Miami (Ohio) Thursday (6 p.m., Big Ten Network) before the braggin' rights game against Missouri on Saturday (7:30 p.m., ESPN). It's unlikely defense alone can carry the Illini. Sooner or later, the Illini must produce some offense.
Center Shaun Pruitt scored 11 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but his minutes were trimmed. The Illini also suffered without junior guard Trent Meacham, who is expected to return against Miami after sitting with a sprained ankle.
"It hurts us offensively when Trent isn't in there,'' Weber said. "It's not only that he can shoot the ball and spread the defense; he's one of our better passers. We have to hope Trent comes back on Thursday. We probably could have forced him to play. It wasn't worth it. We're hoping it would be OK on Thursday and Saturday.''
This wasn't an offensive gem. Illinois went scoreless for 6 minutes in the first half while missing eight straight shots and losing three turnovers. Illinois led 13-12 with less than 6 minutes until halftime.
The Illini were 1-for-6 from the free-throw line before freshman guard Demetri McCamey made two straight free throws to draw loud applause from the crowd. Junior guard Chester Frazier missed his first five shots and was 1-for-7 from the field.
Don't blame the 3-for-17 shooting from the 3-point line on Tisdale, the former Riverton star. He was 1-for-1 from the arc. He reached double figures for the first time in his college career.
"It was a little different for me,'' Tisdale said. "I'm not used to that many minutes. The last couple games, I've been trying to get up more shots. I stepped in and tried not to make any errors. The coaches see that, and they have confidence in me. If I keep doing things right, I'll get even more playing time.''
Just as a comparison, Indiana defeated Western Carolina 100-52 Saturday night. The Catamounts fell to 3-7.
"I stress every game is a learning experience,'' said Illini forward Brian Randle. "We try to take what we can today. It was pretty messy. Having a long layoff like that doesn't necessarily help. At the same time, it's not an excuse. I think we play hard. There's no doubt about that.''
The Assembly Hall record for fewest points is 34, set by Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1985 and matched by Savannah State last season. The Catamounts also shot 27.1 percent.
"We had the deer-in-the-headlights look (at Indiana),'' said Western Carolina coach Larry Hunter. "We didn't answer the bell. It got ugly. Our whole challenge coming into the game was to compete.
"As the season goes along, Illinois will be one of the better defensive teams.''
Of note
The 3-pointer made by Tisdale was the first of his Illini career. … Former Illini forward Warren Carter attended the game. He's on break from a professional season in Turkey. … The game was Illinois' third at home this season, the fewest in the Big Ten.
Legion attends game
Former Kentucky guard Alex Legion attended the Illinois-Western Carolina game Monday on an official recruiting visit. While his mother told a Kentucky newspaper that Legion would transfer to Notre Dame, his father and AAU coach prefer Illinois.
A Parade All-American from Inkster, Mich., Legion left Kentucky after six games. He sat in the bleachers behind one basket with Illini guard Jamar Smith, who is serving a school-imposed redshirt season. Annette Legion told the Lexington (Ky.) Herald Leader that Notre Dame would be her son's choice.
Legion will visit Notre Dame later this week and apparently choose a school within a week. Legion averaged 6.7 points a game in his brief career at Kentucky. He originally signed with Michigan but received a release from the letter of intent when Michigan fired Tommy Amaker as coach.
Kentucky coach Billy Gillispie already released Legion to speak with several schools, including Illinois.
Illinois report card
Front court: C
Shaun Pruitt reached double figures but saw his minutes reduced, evidently a sign of displeasure from coach Bruce Weber. Brian Randle finished 1-for-5 from the free-throw line.
Back court: D
Chester Frazier and Calvin Brock combined for 5-for-15 shooting with nine assists and five turnovers. Frazier was 1-for-7 from the field and 1-for-5 from the 3-point line.
Bench: C
Reserve center Mike Tisdale became the star of the game. He's gaining confidence in his turnaround jump shot, an effective weapon for the 7-foot-1 freshman.
Overall: C
Defense can win you a game against Western Carolina when you shoot 41.4 percent at home. But games against Miami (Ohio) Thursday and Missouri Saturday will likely tell us where this team is headed.