'St. Meacham' and Illini take on Wisconsin

The message boards and sideline critics already have the starting lineup filled out for next basketball season, when guards Jamar Smith and Alex Legion give Illinois more athleticism and shooting ability on the perimeter after completing redshirt seasons.

Despite averaging 10.6 points a game as the Illini's second leading scorer and earning the label of the team's "most improved player'' by coach Bruce Weber, junior guard Trent Meacham's name doesn't find a place in most projections for next winter. That's no surprise.

"I know it's not going to be mentioned,'' Meacham said. "My name hasn't been mentioned since I came here to play. When I first got here, people said, 'If we're going to rely on a walk-on like this, we'll be in trouble.' They're not going to mention me.

"I'm going to work as hard as I can and hopefully be back in the rotation next year. People probably didn't expect much at all. I try to play for the right reasons, be the best that I can be. I can't worry about what people say. I want to have the best time I can doing it and make the most of it.''

Meacham and Illinois host No. 11 Wisconsin in a Big Ten Conference game tonight. The Big 12 Conference player of the year as a Champaign Centennial High School senior in 2003-04 who played as a freshman on scholarship at Dayton, Meacham returned home and started 12 games last season in his first year of eligibility with the Illini.

This season, he's started 22 games and played in every game but one, providing Illinois with one of the few capable perimeter shooters while playing without a scholarship this season after receiving one last winter. Without his team-high 39.6-percent shooting from the 3-point line, the Illini would be shooting 27 percent from three.

Nicknamed St. Meacham by his teammates, the devout Christian is the kind of player who won't cause coach Bruce Weber any sleepless nights.

"When people say they don't expect much of you, it doesn't get to me,'' Meacham said. "I'm a Christian. I go out there and play for God. I have an audience of one.''

After Illini recruiters whiffed on other guard prospects, such as Indiana guard Eric Gordon, Meacham became more important to the program than anyone anticipated when he first transferred. Like everyone else, he can't wait for Smith and Legion to get on the court. Smith sits out after a school-imposed redshirt season. Legion is a transfer from Kentucky.

"Alex and Jamar really shoot it,'' Meacham said. "We need that. As everyone knows, we need more shooters to spread the floor. I'd rather be playing half as many minutes and scoring half as many points and winning games.''

Meacham had 19 points and 5-for-5 shooting from the 3-point line at Minnesota, but he's scored three points or less in four Big Ten games. A 1-for-10 night at home against Indiana and 1-for-11 performance in Assembly Hall against Ohio State gave Meacham's critics some ammunition.

"While he still has his flaws, he has a passion and has made the most improvement,'' Weber said. "We probably have to play him too many minutes. If he gets good shots, he makes them. His minutes may be a little less next season, and his percentage should become better because he'll get more good shots.''

Meacham averaged 6.4 points and 2.7 assists a game as a backup freshman point guard at Dayton. While Dayton won 13 straight games earlier this year and started the season with a 14-1 record before leveling off in Atlantic 10 Conference play, Illinois is one loss away from its first losing regular season in nine years.

"You can't complain,'' Meacham said. "This is what you worked toward when you grew up. I just want to make the most of it. I love basketball and work as hard as I can. It's not the end all. I still live for something bigger than basketball.''

Meanwhile, Wisconsin remained in the hunt for a Big Ten title despite losing Alando Tucker, a first-team All-America and the Big Ten's player of the year, and Kam Taylor, the team's second-leading scorer, from last year's team.

"While (their replacements) were sitting on the bench last year, they were paying attention,'' Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said. "They knew in the offseason things they had to do. They had enough people around them saying, 'Oh my God, what are you going to do next year? You don't have the leading scorer and the clutch shooter.'

"Players don't want to hear that. They just wanted to get ready. I liked how they worked in the offseason and the way they came into the fall with their ears, eyes and minds open.''

John Supinie can be reached at Johnsupinie@aol.com. For more coverage, read Illini Talk blog at www.sj-r.com <http://www.sj-r.com> and www.pjstar.com <http://www.pjstar.com> .

Illinois (11-15, 3-10) vs. No. 11 Wisconsin (21-4, 11-2)

8 p.m., Assembly Hall, Champaign (Big Ten Network, Illini Sports Network)

ILLINOIS (11-15, 3-10) ppg rpg

F Brian Randle Sr. 6-8 9.9 5.7

C Shaun Pruitt Sr. 6-10 12.6 7.3

G Demetri McCamey Fr. 6-3 7.6 2.6

G Trent Meacham Jr. 6-2 10.6 2.2

G Chester Frazier Jr. 6-2 4.7 4.9

WISCONSIN (21-4, 11-2)

F Brian Butch Sr. 6-11 12.6 7.0

F Marcus Landry Jr. 6-7 11.0 5.2

G Joe Krabbenhoft Jr. 6-7 7.6 6.7

G Michael Flowers Sr. 6-2 9.6 4.0

G Trevon Hughes So. 6-0 12.4 3.0

Noteworthy: With one more loss, Illinois finishes with a losing record in the regular season for the first time since the 1998-99 season. . . Illinois leads the all-time series 106-71 and own a 66-18 advantage in games played in Champaign, but the Badgers carry a three-game winning streak against Illinois. Wisconsin defeated Illinois 70-60 in Madison on Jan. 10. . . Illinois has either led or been tied at halftime in all but three games this season. . . Wisconsin logged a 20-win season for the fifth time in the last six seasons. . . Wisconsin leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the nation by allowing 55.4 points per game. . .

Key for Illini: Attack the defense rather than settling for 3-pointers.

Key for Badgers: Don't get caught looking forward to Sunday's game against Ohio State.

Key quote: "One of the things we need is to beat a good team. It would be great for our confidence and be great for the fans. It would maybe give us a boost of confidence down the stretch.'' -- Illinois coach Bruce Weber.

Betting line:

Prediction: Wisconsin 68, Illinois 65