Ex-Kentucky SG Legion to transfer to Illinois

Despite his mother publicly favoring Notre Dame, Alex Legion has opted to transfer to Illinois.

"Coach (Bruce) Weber and his staff recruited me out of high school," the former Kentucky freshman told FOXSports.com on Friday night. "I went to both places to visit in the last week and liked both, but I felt more comfortable at Illinois."

...

"I liked both styles and both coaching staffs," he said. "They both fit my style, but at the end of the day, I always kind of wanted to go to Illinois. Coach Weber's system benefits guards. If he's got guards that can play, he lets you play your game."

Ex-Kentucky SG Legion to transfer to Illinois

FutureGen chooses Mattoon!!!

Mattoon, Illinois was chosen by the FutureGen Alliance this morning as the site for the world's first coal-fueled, near-zero emissions power plant. Other finalists for the site included Tuscola, Illinois; Odessa, Texas; and Heart of Brazos, TX (near Jewett, TX).

FutureGen is a public-private partnership to design, build, and operate the power plant, at an estimated net project cost of US $1.5 billion. The commercial-scale plant will prove the technical and economic feasibility of producing low-cost electricity and hydrogen from coal while nearly eliminating emissions.

Congratulations to the city of Mattoon, the people of Coles County (and across the great state of Illinois) and all those who were involved in securing this very significant decision from the FutureGen Alliance.

Official announcement

Y-Basketball: Bulls 30, Heat 14

The Bulls capped off another undefeated (7-0) league season this morning with a nice 30-14 victory from the Heat at the Champaign County YMCA.

Defense ruled the day again for the Bulls: The Bulls have made a living off their opponents' turnovers this season and this game was no exception. Quentin, Joe, Michael and Luke especially got their share of interceptions as they have all learned to anticipate their opponents' passes and find their way into passing lanes.

Quentin was the difference-maker today with his steals and fast-break layups as he totaled 14 points for the winners. Adam (Mr. Windex) had another solid game in the paint, collecting numerous rebounds and converting four short jumpers for 8 big points. Joe had a couple of nice midrange bank shots go down for 4 points, and both Jack and Michael chipped in with a basket apiece. (Micheal's swished basket again came from the left baseline, his favorite spot on the court.)

And so another great YMCA league season concludes for everyone - all the coaches and kids had a great time and we're already looking forward to the start of the next basketball season on January 19.

Y-Basketball: Bulls 34, Raptors 10

Quentin paced the Bulls with 10 points - most of which came via steals and fast break lay-ups - and the Bulls coasted to an easy 34-10 victory from the Raptors this morning in Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball.

The Bulls got out to another sluggish start in this game, trailing 6-4 to the Raptors after the first quarter. Slow starts have not been uncommon for this Bulls team. But after turning up the defensive pressure in the second quarter, they held the Raptors scoreless in the period and took a comfortable 14-6 lead into the short halftime break.

The Bulls owned the second half of this one, outscoring the Raptors 20-4 to close out their sixth consecutive victory without a loss this fall. Week after week, this Bulls team creates offense with its tough defense.

Joe had 8 points, Jack added 6, George and Luke each had 4, and Adam added a basket for 2 points to round out a balanced scoring attack for the Bulls.

Quentin, Joe, Luke, Michael, George, Jack and Adam all had steals in this game. Many of these steals came from anticipating passes and intercepting those passes before they reached their intended targets. Quentin showcased his fast break skills nicely in this game. The Bulls' large number of steals limited the number of shot attempts for the Raptors.

The Bulls improve to 6-0 this season with one game remaining next Saturday at 10:00 AM against the Heat.

GO BULLS!

Y-Basketball: Bulls 28, Mavericks 18

Just when you thought that the Bulls had played their best game of the season (as I mentioned in last week's Blog entry for the 26-16 victory against the Spurs), the Bulls found a way to top that performance last Saturday morning with a dramatic 28-18 victory from the talented Mavericks in Champaign County YMCA Basketball.

The older, more mature Mavs jumped all over the Bulls after the opening whistle and they easily built an 8-2 advantage by the end of the first period (Quentin scored our only basket in the quarter). We coaches were even questioning our decision to introduce some 2-3 Zone-attacking offense to the kids in the practice session prior to the game. Our starting five just looked shellshocked in that first quarter - standing around, not hustling, not playing fundamentally solid defense, not rebounding. We were, basically, one-and-done each time at the offensive end of the court and we weren't hitting our shots.

So we went back to a more simple approach on offense, starting with the second quarter. And the Bulls started clicking. And, as it typically happens, our increasing success on offense fueled a much stronger effort at the defensive end of the court. The Bulls started to get defensive stops, pass interceptions, and rebounds. The momentum that the Mavs enjoyed in the first quarter had all but disappeared while the Bulls were clearly back in the game and starting to do some good things on the floor. The second half pretty much belonged to the Bulls and we coasted to a nice 10-point win from a solid (previously unbeaten?) team.

The Bulls were very balanced on offense: Joe paced the team with 8 points, and George, Jack and Quentin all added 6 points apiece. Luke made a nice mid-range jumper for the remaining 2 Bulls points. Rebounds were plentiful for the Bulls. Unfortunately, I don't usually have a chance to keep good rebounding stats so I cannot report who grabbed them. Just know that George, Jack, Johnny, Joe, Quentin, Michael and Luke all shared in the strong rebounding effort. There was another multi-offensive rebounding possession for the Bulls in this game: As I recall, we grabbed three - and possibly four - boards following missed shots, only to finish the possession with a basket. Coaches love to see offensive rebounds like this!

By the way, the 28 points were a new game-high offensive total for the Bulls. And the ten-point victory is our second straight such margin of victory. One other interesting statistic: The Bulls have increased their offensive output in each successive game this season, having scored 14, 16, 18, 26 and 28 points in their five games this season.

Michael continues to play solid defense - his hands are very active and he is good at stealing errant passes and grabbing loose balls. He does a lot of the dirty work that needs to be done when he's on the floor. He also added at least 2 (and possibly 3) rebounds for the Bulls. Even though MJ did not score a basket in this game, he scored with his hustle, defense, rebounding and toughness. He continues to make me very proud as I watch him grow on the court week after week.

Unofficially, but accurately, these Bulls are now 5-0 this season. (I know we're not supposed to focus on the scores of our Y games, but I can't help it!) And several of our current nine-man roster were involved in winning all 7 games last spring and our 2 final games in the Fall of 2006 season. So, we've been winners of 14 straight games dating back to a year ago. That's a nice accomplishment and it's been a blast to be a part of this!

Next up for the Bulls: a game with the Raptors at 9:00 AM this Saturday at the Champaign County YMCA.

LET'S GO BULLS!!!

Y-Basketball: Bulls 26, Spurs 16

The Bulls had just five players report to the Y this morning but arguably, the team played its best game of the season - a decisive 26-16 victory from the Spurs.

The Spurs got out to a 6-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, but from that point on it was all Bulls. Adam played his best game of the season. Luke played his best game of the season. Johnny played his best game of the season. Jack played his best game of the season. And Michael certainly played his best game of the season.

Adam - I was calling him "Mr. Windex" - was just a monster in the paint, hauling down rebounds (cleaning the glass at both ends) in a huge way. He scored big too, breaking out with 12 points and he looked dominant in doing so. Jack added 6 points and he, too, was a force on the glass. Michael chipped in with two nice baseline baskets for 4 points to go along with several nice rebounds. Luke was a holy terror on defense, picking errant passes and chasing loose balls; he also added a nice rebound basket for 2 points. And Johnny got his first basket of the season today to go along with 3 or 4 rebounds. This was a total team effort - at both ends of the court. All five kids played the entire game and I couldn't be prouder of them for their efforts today. Coaches Rodawig and Stilger would have been proud of them too.

Next up for these undefeated (4-0) Bulls: the Mavericks at 10:00 AM next Saturday at the Champaign County YMCA.

GO BULLS!!!

Y-Basketball: Bulls 18, Celtics 16

It was another close game for the Bulls last Saturday at the Champaign County YMCA: The Bulls had just enough to outlast the Celtics, 18-16 to remain undefeated in YMCA Youth Basketball.

George set the pace for the Bulls with 6 big points and Jack, Quentin and Joe each added 4 to round out the scoring.

They say that good teams find ways to win. Even though the Bulls might have played their least efficient game of the season last Saturday, they found a way to pull out a hard-fought victory. Tough defense and reounding - both of which having been characteristics of this Bulls team up to this point - were subpar in the game and yet the Bulls came out just ahead of an older team once again.

Michael played the 3 position during the game; he is trying to find his way in this new position and even though he didn't score, he was very active on the glass and in the paint. He is hustling and doing a lot of "dirty work" - stuff that doesn't show up in the box score - for the team.

The Bulls move on with an unofficial 3-0 record. Next up, tomorrow at the Champaign County YMCA: the Spurs at 10 AM. Attendance is always unpredictable on the Saturday following Thanksgiving, so we'll see who shows up to play.

GO BULLS!

Y-Basketball: Bulls 16, Suns 12

The Bulls had just enough manpower and toughness to take a nice 16-12 victory from the Suns in Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball this morning.

Five roster players showed up to play for the Bulls on this Veterans Day weekend: Johnny, George, Jack (welcome back, Jack!), Quentin and Michael. The Bulls trailed early, mainly due to some cold shooting, but the quintet hustled and played good defense - two characteristics of this team - to stay in the game. The Bulls failed to score in the second quarter but held the Suns scoreless in the third quarter to take subtle command of the game.

Only two Bulls players scored: Quentin had an outstanding game and easily led all players with 10 points and George added the remaining big six points for the winners. Michael swished a baseline jumper at the end of the third quarter, but it was good after the buzzer and would not have counted. Quentin also led the Bulls with 5 rebounds while Michael had 3, George grabbed 3, Jack had 3 and Johnny claimed 2. George and Jack paced the Bulls with 4 steals apiece; Michael and Quentin each had 2 thefts.

This was a good victory for these young Bulls as the Suns are not only a little older than our kids, they have some nice talent. Hayes is an outstanding shooter from long range and Michael has really improved since he was on our first Y team last year. Alex, Heyden and Nathan were tough as well.

The Bulls move on with an unofficial 2-0 record and will play the Celtics next Saturday morning at 10:00 at the Champaign County YMCA.

I want one of...

these.

Ricky Bright - the manager of The Music Shoppe in downtown Champaign, Illinois - showed me his and now I'm hooked.

Y-Basketball: Bulls 14, Lakers 10

The YMCA Youth Basketball season is again underway and this morning the Bulls opened the season with a nice victory from the well-coached Lakers, 14-10.

Typical of a season's first game, defense (and some sloppy, rusty offense) dictated at both ends of the floor. The Bulls' offense was very balanced in this contest: Michael, Joe, and George all led the Bulls with 4 points each. Quentin - a late addition to our team - chipped in a basket for 2 points and played very well, especially at the point. Michael, who played at the 3-spot, also claimed 2 rebounds and a steal, played good defense along the left baseline, and hustled (as he always does). Adam led the Bulls in rebounds with 5 and played nice defense at center in the paint.

And so the Bulls open the new season with a 1-0 record and will face the Suns on November 10 at the Family Fitness Center in Champaign at 9:00 next week.

GO BULLS!

Crandall Head nearing a decision

Crandall Head might be more than a regular visitor to C-U in the near future. It sounds like the Rich South sophomore could be the Illini's next commitment.

A 6-4 wing, Head said at tonight's Orange-Blue Scrimmage that he is looking to make an announcement on where he will attend college at some point this week.

"Either Tuesday or Wednesday," he said.

Head said he is leaning heavily toward Illinois, where his brother Luther became a star and where he feels most comfortable. Crandall Head has made three visits to Illinois this fall and took an extensive tour of the campus two weeeks ago. He's expected to be a college freshman for the 2010-11 season.

Crandall Head nearing a decision

Crandall Head sounds like he’s on board

Crandall Head, the brother of former Illini standout Luther Head, all but committed to the Illini when I spoke with him during the fourth quarter of Sunday evening’s Orange & Blue scrimmage at the Assembly Hall.

Head, a sophomore at Rich South High School, said he is considering Illinois, Marquette and Notre Dame, but Illinois is the only school he has visited. He was making an unofficial visit this weekend and said, “I like the way the recruit me. I like hanging out here. I like the players. They’re cool.”

He also said he is friends with Peoria’s D.J. Richardson and Waukegan’s Jereme Richmond, who have committed to the Illini, and added, “I like playing with guys like that.”

Crandall Head sounds like he’s on board

MJ revs up Illini

He rolled up in a silver Ferrari. He said the drive from the northern surburbs to Champaign was a “two cigar” trip. He’s still cooler than a December breeze.

Yes, Michael Jordan’s visit to Illinois basketball practice on Monday was an “event” for the players, coaches and managers on hand to witness it.

Jordan was in town to help film a piece on his son, Jeffrey Jordan, an Illini freshman walkon, and the relationship the two enjoy.

Illini athletic department spokesman Kent Brown said he’s been working on this for months, going back and forth with NBC and Jordan’s “people” to make the arrangements. Easier said than done, my friends. But Kent got everyone’s schedules in sync and Matt Lauer, MJ and Bruce Weber were all fitted with microphones while the four cameras rolled.

MJ revs up Illini

Bruce Weber Strikes Again! Class Of 2008 Chicago Simeon Star Stan Simpson Verbally Commits To Play Collegiately For The University Of Illinois

Brian Stinnette
October 15, 2007

Class of 2008 Chicago Simeon star Stan Simpson has given a verbal commitment to play his college basketball for head coach Bruce Weber, and the University of Illinois. His verbal comes on the heels of the Illini securing three 2009 verbals last week. Simpson ranks among the elite 2008 basketball prospects in the state of Illinois.

Simpson, who stands 6-9, is a long and highly athletic post, who has seen his recruiting stock skyrocket over the course of the past year. Offensively, Simpson is a post who has the ability to score the basketball with either hand. Defensively, Simpson has the ability to change games with his shot-blocking skills inside.

Chicago Simeon head coach Robert Smith confirmed Simpson's commitment to Illinois. Smith noted that the opportunity to play close to home, and the coaching staff at Illinois were both factors in Simpson's decision.

Bruce Weber Strikes Again! Class Of 2008 Chicago Simeon Star Stan Simpson Verbally Commits To Play Collegiately For The University Of Illinois

Head Coach Bruce Weber And The University Of Illinois Pick Up A Huge Verbal From Class Of 2009 Peoria Central Star D.J. Richardson

Head coach Bruce Weber and the University of Illinois have secured a huge verbal commitment from Class of 2009 Peoria Central star D.J. Richardson. Richardson is the top Class of 2009 basketball prospect in the state of Illinois, and is also held in high regard nationally. Richardson verballed at Peoria Central High School at 7:30 AM this morning.

Richardson, a 6-3 guard, is a supremely versatile player who makes things happen on both ends of the basktball court. He enjoyed a stellar run on the spring and summer travel team circuit while leading a talented Illinois Stars team.

Head Coach Bruce Weber, And The University Of Illinois Pick Up A Huge Verbal From Class Of 2009 Peoria Central Star D.J. Richardson

Bruce Weber Is On Fire!

Class of 2009 Warren Township star Brandon Paul has given a verbal commitment to head coach Bruce Weber, and the University of Illinois. Paul, who saw his recruiting stock skyrocket this spring and summer on the travel team circuit with Dickey Simpkins' Team NLP, ranks as one of the top Class of 2009 basketball prospects in the state of Illinois.

Paul, a 6-3 shooting guard, is a major talent on both ends of the basketball court. He has the ability to get points both slashing to hole, or by knocking down jumpers with range out beyond the three-point arc. Paul, who is both long and athletic, also has a chance to develop into a lockdown defensive player.

Paul's verbal comes on the heels of Class of 2009 Peoria Central star D.J. Richardson also making a commitment to play for Bruce Weber and Illinois. Paul, who's upside potential is through the roof, is the perfect compliment to Richardson in the 2009 Illinois recruiting class.

Bruce Weber Is On Fire! Illinois Scores A Second Huge Verbal As Class Of 2009 Warren Township Star Brandon Paul Verbals To The Illini

It Is Now Officially A Party In Champaign!

It is now officially a blowout recruiting party in Champaign as Class of 2009 Sterling High School basketball star Joseph Bertrand of the Illinois Wolves has now given a verbal commitment to play for head coach Bruce Weber, and the University of Illinois. Bertrand, one of the top 2009 prospects in Illinois, joins D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul in the 2009 Illini recruiting class.

Bertand, who now stands 6-5, is a highly versatile, long and athletic wing. Bertrand is a major talent who oozes with potential. He teamed with highly regarded Diamond Taylor with the 16-U Illinois Wolves this past spring and summer to form a highly formidable duo.

It Is Now Officially A Party In Champaign! Class Of 2009 Sterling High School Star Joseph Bertrand Becomes Third 2009 University Of Illinois Verbal Commitment

Howard Named Assistant Coach: Former Illini point guard returns to alma mater

Sept. 19, 2007

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber announced today the hiring of Jerrance Howard as an assistant coach on the Fighting Illini basketball staff.

A native of Peoria, Ill., Howard was a four-year letterwinner for the Fighting Illini from 2001-04. During his career, Illinois compiled a record of 104-31 overall and 48-16 in the Big Ten. The Illini won three Big Ten championships, a Big Ten Tournament title and appeared in the NCAA Tournament all four years, advancing to the Elite Eight in 2001 and the Sweet 16 in both 2002 and 2004.

Howard played point guard for the Illini, backing up All-Americans Frank Williams, Dee Brown and Deron Williams. He quickly developed a reputation as the program's inspirational leader and went on to serve as tri-captain as a junior and senior. He was also a two-time winner of the Kenny Battle Award, an accolade voted upon by the players and coaches and given to an Illini who earns the respect of his teammates through hard work and effort in games and practice each day.

"We are thrilled to have Jerrance join our staff and welcome him back home," Weber said. "Jerrance has tremendous passion for the University of Illinois and our basketball program. He connects with everyone, his attitude and personality is contagious, and he'll work tirelessly to develop relationships on the recruiting trail. At the same time, he'll benefit our current players with the energy and intensity he will bring to the gym each and every day, just as he did when he was a player here. I've said this many times before, but when I think back to our first season, I really believe he was the MVP of our team because of the way he kept us together during the transition."

Howard joins the UI program after serving for the past three-plus years under Billy Gillispie at Texas A&M as an administrative assistant and at Kentucky in basketball operations. Howard, 27, earned a bachelor's degree in speech communications from the University of Illinois in 2004. In August he married the former Jessica Wordlaw, who is also an Illinois graduate.

Howard Named Assistant Coach: Former Illini point guard returns to alma mater

Notes on Webster and possible replacements

Mentions three guys who could be considered for the opening: Billy Garrett, Brian Davis and Robert Smith...

Notes on Webster and possible replacements

DISH Network®, the Leader in College Sports, Adds Big Ten Network

Finally!!! Thank you, DISH Network!!!
:-)

DISH Network®, the Leader in College Sports, Adds Big Ten Network

Illinois loses Webster, Chicago ties

Illinois loses Webster, Chicago ties

And from yesterday...
Webster release

Well, as "hard" as Webster worked the Chicago area recruiting for the Illini, he sure didn't reap many rewards, Jereme Richmond notwithstanding. Reading between the lines, the short, cliche farewell statement from Coach Weber seems to hint at possible personality issues between he and Webster. Whatever the case may be, this looms as a very important hire for Coach Weber: He must get Illini basketball back in favor with Chicagoland - more so than Coach Webster had done.

Americans' Confidence in Congress at All-Time Low: Confidence in most institutions drops

PRINCETON, NJ -- The percentage of Americans with a "great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in Congress is at 14%, the lowest in Gallup's history of this measure -- and the lowest of any of the 16 institutions tested in this year's Confidence in Institutions survey. It is also one of the lowest confidence ratings for any institution tested over the last three decades.

Gallup's annual update on Americans' confidence in institutions shows that confidence ratings are generally down across the board compared with last year. The public's confidence ratings in several institutions, including Congress, are now at all-time low points in Gallup's history of this measure. These low ratings reflect the generally sour mood of the public at this time.

Americans' Confidence in Congress at All-Time Low: Confidence in most institutions drops

Supercomputer at UI looks like a lock

Here comes a $208 million supercomputer to the U of I campus... It is scheduled to go online in 2011.

Supercomputer at UI looks like a lock

U. of Illinois Alumnus Pledges $100M

WOW!!!

CHICAGO — A University of Illinois alumnus announced he will make a $100 million donation to his alma mater, the largest gift in the university's history.

Thomas M. Siebel, the founder and former chairman of Siebel Systems Inc., pledged to give the gift to the Urbana-Champaign campus upon his death.

"It's the most exciting thing to happen at this university in terms of philanthropy," Urbana-Champaign chancellor Richard Herman said. "It's a gift of passion, one that will mean transformation for us."

Herman said the 54-year-old billionaire software mogul "has a sense of urgency about helping us attain excellence" and is open to the possibility of providing money sooner. He said a task force of faculty members will brainstorm ideas for Siebel to consider funding before his death.

U. of Illinois Alumnus Pledges $100M
UI grad donates 100 million for science, engineering

Big Ten Baseball Tournament Game 1: Illinois 12, Iowa 3

So sorry for your first-round tournament loss, UFI! Tanner Roark (8-2) went the distance for the Illini and took it to the Freakin' Hawkeyes for the second time this season. Now it's on to the Winner's Bracket up in Ann Arbor, Michigan!!! Appropriately, UFI heads to the Loser's Bracket...

Big Ten Baseball Tournament Game 1: Illinois 12, Iowa 3

2007 Big Ten Baseball Tournament

NCAA Men's Tennis National Championship: #1 Georgia 4, #10 Illinois 0

There's no shame in losing to this extremely talented Georgia men's tennis team. What an outstanding season for Coach Brad Dancer and the Fighting Illini!!!

No. 10 Illini Fall in National Title Match To Unbeaten No. 1 Georgia
Rowe and Spicijaric Earn NCAA All-Tournament Team Honors

The No. 10 Illinois men's tennis team ended its amazing run in the 2007 NCAA Tournament with a 4-0 loss to top-ranked, unbeaten Georgia, Tuesday afternoon at the Dan Magill Tennis Complex in Athens, Ga. The Illini (23-9) defeated No. 7 Mississippi, No. 2 Ohio State and No. 3 Baylor before falling to the tournament-hosting Bulldogs (32-0). Illinois' Ryan Rowe and Marc Spicijaric earned NCAA All-Tournament honors for their performances in the championships.

The Bulldogs got on the board early with the doubles point, winning at No. 2 and 3. Georgia had relinquished the point only once this season. With only three singles matches needed to win the title, the team got to work winning 4-of-6 first sets. The Illini fell at No. 5, 1 and 4 to give Georgia its fifth overall NCAA team title.

The Illini nation was in full force today as around 100 Orange and Blue fans warmed the seats of the Henry Field Tennis Court stands to cheer on the Illini.

From the first serve, it was evident that the Illini came to play as they forced an hour-long doubles session.

NCAA Men's Tennis National Championship: #1 Georgia 4, #10 Illinois 0

NCAA Men's Tennis National Semifinal: #10 Illinois 4, #3 Baylor 3

Rowe Clinches Illini Berth into NCAA Finals; Illinois Dismisses Baylor, 4-3:
Illini Will Face the Winner of Georgia and Virginia in the Finals

Junior Ryan Rowe's three-set victory at No. 2 singles propels Illinois into finals on Tuesday.

Illinois upsets its third top-10 opponent in as many matches to reach the finals of the NCAA Team Championships on Tuesday, May 22, at 3 p.m. (EST).

NCAA Men's Tennis National Semifinal: #10 Illinois 4, #3 Baylor

2007 NCAA Men's Tennis Tournament Results:

• #10 Illinois 4, #54 Western Michigan 0
  
• #10 Illinois 4, #21 Michigan 2
  
• #10 Illinois 4, #7 Ole Miss 3
  
• #10 Illinois 4, #2 Ohio State 2
  
• #10 Illinois 4, #3 Baylor

Illinois 8, Michigan State 7

Davis, Toohey Lift Illini Into Tourney with 8-7 Comeback Win:
Davis Homers Twice, Toohey Tosses 4 1/3 Shutout Innings; Illini Face Iowa Wednesday

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Junior catcher Lars Davis and senior pitcher Jake Toohey stole the show on Sunday, Davis going yard twice and Toohey throwing 4 1/3 incredible innings of relief to lift Illinois into the Big Ten Tournament with an 8-7 victory over Michigan State in the final game of the regular season after falling behind 7-0 in the fifth inning. The win gives the Illini the No. 5 seed, meaning they will face No. 4 Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament Wednesday at 11:05 a.m. (CT) in Ann Arbor, Mich. It also marks Illinois' second 30-win season in the last three.

"You fall behind one, two, three runs, but when it's seven runs, you just never know," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "But we found a way to keep pecking away and pecking away. The difference between today and yesterday was our guys continued to take good swings and didn't worry about the long ball. Then we got some guys on and got some pressure on them, they elevated some pitches and we got some big hits."

Illinois 8, Michigan State 7

Illinois 6, Michigan State 5

Relentless Illini Come From Behind to Down Spartans, 6-5:
Roark, Toohey Tie Records; Rohde Drives in 4

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Sophomore Tanner Roark tied the Illinois record for wins in a Big Ten season by collecting his sixth victory and senior closer Jake Toohey tied the school mark for saves in a conference season by slamming the door for the seventh time in the Illini's 6-5 comeback win over Michigan State in front of 812 fans at Illinois Field. First baseman Mike Rohde launched a three-run homer in the third inning and finished with four RBI, and centerfielder Kyle Hudson was the lone Illini with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI.

"I've been extremely impressed with our guys," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said. "They went out today and just approached the game like it's another game. They went out and took care of business. We're extremely composed right now and I'm very pleased with where we are."

The Illini are now alone in fifth place, as Ohio State fell to Penn State, 3-2 in 10 innings. After Michigan defeated Iowa, 4-3 in 11 innings, Illinois is now just one game behind the Hawkeyes for fourth. The Illini need to win just one of the final three games against MSU to ensure a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.

Illinois 6, Michigan State 5

The new hoop is up!!!

Here it is - our new 72" Spalding basketball goal!!! Just installed this morning!!! Many thanks to A.J. and Brian for all their help putting it up!!!

Spalding Maximum Performance Series Arena View 72" Backboard System

How does Blago recover from this?

:-)

The newspapers (including the Wall Street Journal) are all over Gov. Rod Blagojevich for the spectacular failure of his gross receipts tax...

How does Blago recover from this?

Utah Jazz 115, Golden State Warriors 101

Utah leads this series, 3-1...

OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Utah Jazz sure knew how to close a great show.

When the Golden State Warriors wanted to run their pell-mell offense Sunday night, the Jazz patiently slowed the tempo. When Baron Davis attempted his usual magic tricks, Utah pulled back the curtain with dogged defense.

And when a tight game came down to the final minutes, Derek Fisher upstaged the Warriors with a shooting show of his own that put the businesslike Jazz on the edge of an unlikely stage: the Western Conference finals.

Carlos Boozer had 34 points and 12 rebounds and the Jazz handed the eighth-seeded Warriors their first home loss of the postseason, 115-101 on Sunday to put Utah up 3-1 in their second-round playoff series.

Utah Jazz 115, Golden State Warriors 101

Illini Break Out Brooms with 7-2 Win Over Indiana

The Illini are now tied for fifth place in the Big Ten with Ohio State...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Brian Long had a career day, tossing five shutout innings of near-perfect relief to lift Illinois to a sweep of Indiana with a 7-2 win. It is the Illini's first Big Ten series sweep of the season and first since the Orange and Blue took all four from Northwestern May 6-8, 2005. Illinois is now tied for fifth place in the Big Ten standings with Ohio State, 1.5 games ahead of Michigan State for the final Big Ten Tournament berth. The Spartans visit Champaign next weekend.

"As you look at what other teams did this weekend, our games were must-win," Illinois coach Dan Hartleb said, "and our guys went out and got the job done. They had great composure all weekend and came to win every day."

Illini Break Out Brooms with 7-2 Win Over Indiana

Illinois Wins Big Ten Outdoor Championship!

University Park, Pa. - The Illinois women's track & field team captured the 2007 Big Ten Outdoor Championship on Sunday afternoon, racking up an amazing 106 points during today's third and final day of competition to finish the meet with a total score of 129. Illinois and Michigan were co-champions, marking the first time in Big Ten history that there has been a tie for the women's outdoor title.

"I am so proud of our team and the way they competed across the board today," an elated head coach Gary Winckler said following the meet. "We asked an awful lot from them, there were some tough doubles and a few competed in as many as three or four - or in the case of Yvonne (Mensah), five - events during the day with not a lot of recovery time in between. We started scoring in bunches and making our move up the standings and our athletes felt that momentum and thrived on it. I'm especially happy for our seniors. They are an exceptional group that has done an outstanding job leading our team by example, and it's fitting that they go out on top in their final Big Ten meet."

This marks Illinois' 11th conference championship under Winckler, and the program's sixth outdoor title. It is also its second title in the last three years, as the Illini also won the Big Ten outdoor meet in 2005.

"It's an amazing feeling being Big Ten champions," senior Yvonne Mensah said. "We knew coming in it was going to be tough, a lot of people thought we'd be in the top three if we did well. But about halfway through today, we realized we were making a big move and that the title was in reach. Then we got excited and started talking and encouraging each other and I think that got us even more motivated."

Illinois Wins Big Ten Outdoor Championship!

Georgia on Their Mind; Illini down Michigan, 4-2, to Advance into Round of 16

URBANA, Ill. ­- The No. 10 Illinois men's tennis team advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the eighth time in the last nine years as it dismissed No. 21 Michigan in the Illinois Regional final today at the Atkins Tennis Center, 4-2. The Illini, who had faced the Wolverines twice already in 2007 prior to today, used their past experiences to repeat their performance from the Big Ten Tournament where they also handed UM a 4-1 setback , that time coming in the semifinals.

If the occasion was not rich enough in excitement for the Illini already, head coach Brad Dancer celebrated his 100th career victory, his 44th here at Illinois.

Georgia on Their Mind; Illini down Michigan, 4-2, to Advance into Round of 16

House overwhelmingly rejects business tax proposal

Here's the latest from the Chicago spin doctor...

SPRINGFIELD -- The Illinois House overwhelmingly rejected the idea of a massive new business tax proposed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich, although the governor tried to portray Thursday's vote as a positive.

Not a single lawmaker voted for the $7.6 billion tax, while 107 voted against it.

But before the vote, Blagojevich made a surprise request of lawmakers: Vote no.

He said House members should reject the resolution as a signal that they think it's too soon to take a firm position on the tax.

Lawmakers of both parties scoffed at his request, calling it an attempt to put a positive spin on what would otherwise have been a clear-cut defeat for his plan.

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House overwhelmingly rejects business tax proposal

Utah Jazz 127, Golden State Warriors 117 (OT)

2-0, Utah... On to Oakland for Game 3...

SALT LAKE CITY -- All Derek Fisher needed to do to inspire his teammates was make it to the game.

He did so much more, capping a dramatic night by scoring all five of his points in overtime in Utah's 127-117 victory over Golden State on Wednesday night -- a game Fisher nearly missed while returning from New York, where his baby daughter underwent cancer surgery.

"I don't know how I got through this tonight. I really don't," said Fisher, who hit his only shot, a 3-pointer.

Utah Jazz 127, Golden State Warriors 117 (OT)

Utah Jazz 116, Golden State Warriors 112

1-0, Utah...

SALT LAKE CITY -- It was only appropriate that the Utah Jazz won on a rebound.

Carlos Boozer turned his 20th rebound into the tiebreaking basket with 17 seconds left, and Utah beat the Golden State Warriors 116-112 on Monday night in the opener of the Western Conference semifinals.

...

Boozer had 17 points to go with his 20 rebounds, Deron Williams finished with 31 points and eight assists and Andrei Kirilenko blocked seven shots for the Jazz, who will host Game 2 on Wednesday night.

The Jazz were playing just two nights after beating Houston in Game 7 of the first round and had enough stamina to outlast the Warriors.

"We just played hard," Williams said. "We didn't play our best game by any means."

Utah Jazz 116, Golden State Warriors 112

Report: ComEd Link To Senate President's Stepson - Emil Jones' Stepson Reportedly Has Contract With ComEd Parent Company

(AP) CHICAGO The company owned by Senate President Emil Jones' stepson was doing contract work for ComEd's corporate parent at the time Jones blocked a rate freeze for the utility, according to a published report.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported in its Thursday editions that Exelon hired Synch-Solutions -- the firm owned by Jones' stepson John Sterling -- in 2004 to provide "software integration services."

But the utility would not tell the newspaper how much it paid Sterling's management consulting and technology services company or whether it thought the relationship was a conflict of interest for Jones.

Synch-Solutions and Exelon did not immediately return calls for comment from The Associated Press early Thursday morning.

Cindy Davidsmeyer, a spokeswoman for Jones, said the senator didn't know about his stepson's deal with Exelon.

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Yeah, right! Emil Jones didn't know about his stepson's contract with Exelon. And I've got some valuable swampland in Florida that I'd like to sell you.

Multiple links on this story:

• CBS2Chicago.com: Report: ComEd Link To Senate President's Stepson
  Emil Jones' Stepson Reportedly Has Contract With ComEd Parent Company


• ABC7Chicago.com: Report: Jones' stepson has company contract with Exelon


• SunTimes.com: Joneses plugged in to power: SPRINGFIELD | Stepson does business with firm that gets lots of help from senator


• Daily Herald: Jones sits in the eye of a brewing political storm

IlliniPundit.com: Emil Jones' Leadership and Mike Frerichs

State Senate President Emil Jones had a busy day on Friday...

Emil Jones' Leadership and Mike Frerichs

Champaign County YMCA Youth Flag Football: Packers 12, Patriots 12

He did it!

Michael caught a pass from quarterback and coach Andy Ingram and ran almost the entire length of the field for a touchdown - the first touchdown of the new flag football season - and the undermanned Packers tied the Patriots 12-12 in YMCA Youth Flag Football this morning at Centennial High School in Champaign.

Just four players showed up for the Packers so this was a game of four-on-four throughout. But the Packers fought hard the whole way, taking the lead first on Michael's catch and long run. The Patriots then tied the game at 6-6 on their own breakaway run before the half. The Pack then reclaimed the lead as Jeffery bulled his way into the endzone on a 10-yard run. And just before the game ended, the Patriots came up with another long breakout touchdown run to tie the game at 12.

In my opinion, Michael was the player of the game for the Pack - he often looked like the best player on the field. He picked up right where he left off with his tenacity on defense: He's not afraid to go to the ball and make plays.

And so the Packers advance with a 0-0-1 record and they will play against the Bears next Saturday, April 28, at Centennial High School.

GO PACKERS!!!

Illinois 6, Iowa 2

Nice to go on the road to Freakin' Iowa City and get a strong pitching performance from Tanner Roark (4-1) and an easy 6-2 Illini win from UFI. Roark scattered 7 hits, struck out 6, and allowed just one earned run in seven innings of work.

The Illini improve to 7-4 in the Big Ten - currently sitting in third place in the conference - and 17-14 overall. The Illini have won 6 of their last 7 games overall.

Steve Turnbull (2-2) takes the loss for Freakin' Iowa, which falls to 4-8 in the Big Ten, 15-15 overall.

The Illini and UFI will face off again tomorrow in a double-header in Freakin' Iowa City with the first game scheduled for 2:00 PM.

Illinois 6, Iowa 2

Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball: Celtics 18, Suns 14

The Celtics saved their best for last.

Trailing 12-8 at the start of the fourth quarter after going scoreless in the third quarter, the Celtics used a huge 10-2 run to overcome a tough Suns team, 18-14, in YMCA Kindergarten Basketball this morning in Champaign. Before the guys took the floor for the final time this spring, Coach Dan told the team: "This is it, guys! This is the last quarter of our season, and we need you to step up and play your best out there so we can finish strong. Have fun and let's go to work." And that's exactly what happened.

Combining a stifling defense with some opportunistic sharp-shooting, the Celtics made their finest push of the season just when they needed it most. Jack had an unbelievable quarter, hitting two LONG three-pointers from somewhere out near Mahomet, Joe added a couple easy hoops off the glass, and Tobin played perhaps his best game of the season, grabbing more than his share of rebounds for the boys in green. Michael's and Nathan's aggressive defense on the wings created some nice opportunities for the Celtics as well.

Give credit to Thomas too: Thomas kept the Celtics in the game in the first three quarters today, hitting a couple nice jumpers and rebounding like a guy who is paid to rebound basketballs.

The Suns were the aggressors early. They often knifed through a porous Celtics defense for easy hoops or easy rebounds and second-chance baskets. And one Suns player in particular - I'm not sure what his name is - was shooting lights-out, ONE-HANDED from behind the three-point line: I think he came away with at least 6 points on three really tough shots. In the first three quarters, this game was paced by the Suns, with their deliberate approach and aggressive defense.

But good teams find ways to win games, and the Celtics proved today - and all season - that they had what it takes to be successful. Unofficially, the good guys finished the season 7-0. What a great accomplishment for these kids!!!

After the final whistle, the referee assembled both teams - in two lines, facing all the parents in the crowd - at half court for the trophy presentations. He called out the name of each participant and handed each kid a nice commemorative trophy. I loved every moment of this!

Ending an undefeated season like this one is certainly a bittersweet moment for this first-time assistant coach. I absolutely had a blast with these nine tremendous kids, Coach Dan and Coach Mike, and all the parents. We all have a lot to be proud of, and it is my hope that we can get everyone back together again next fall for another success-filled season on the courts at the Champaign County YMCA.

GO CELTICS!!!

Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball: Celtics 26, Lakers 18

The Celtics won another tough contest against another tough opponent this morning, taking a huge 26-18 victory from the Lakers in Champaign County YMCA Kindergarten Hoops.

After Coach Dan and George left the game following the second quarter, Coach Mike and I handled the coaching duties for the remainder of the game. I told the kids after the game: "This was our best game of the season! The competition was the toughest we've seen so far. But you guys all played hard, you had a lot of fun and we did some great things out there. Everyone contributed to make this our best game yet!"

Joe, who returned to the lineup after missing two straight games, led the Celtics with 10 points (unofficially). Joe's offense started with stifling defense: He picked off several passes and was able to capitalize on Laker miscues with a few fast-break baskets.

But Joe had a lot of help from the other Celtics: Jack, Thomas, Michael, Nathan, Tobin, George, Luke and Sam all played solid defense and boxed-out and rebounded extremely well, often giving the Lakers just one shot per possession. My opinion is that the Celtics won this game on the boards, dominating the Lakers only because they seemed to want it more than the Lakers did. The Lakers are a really good team, but the Celtics proved superior on this day and improved to 6-0 in the league.

Michael continued his solid play as he had one basket from just left of the paint (off a rebound) to go along with four rebounds, two steals, and two assists.

Jack had four baskets for eight points and a bunch of rebounds. Thomas had a basket for two points and several boards. And George contributed four points and a couple rebounds. Luke, Nathan and Tobin didn't score today, but they all gathered some nice rebounds and played solid defense for the Celtics.

Kudos to the Lakers' Tanner, who, arguably, is the finest player in the Kindergarten YMCA League. Tanner is probably the one youngster in this league who can put an entire team on his back and carry it to victory: Tanner has the ability to take a game over when he wants to do so. Michael and Joe both share good friendships with Tanner, and Michael hates to play against his best friends.

Next up for the Celtics: the final game of the season against the Suns on Saturday, April 7 at 9 AM at the Champaign County YMCA.

GO CELTICS!!!

Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball: Celtics 14, Spurs 10

It was a mighty defensive struggle, but the shorthanded Celtics escaped with a gutty 14-10 victory from the tough Spurs this morning in Champaign County YMCA Kindergarten hoops.

Jack was easily the most valuable player for the Celtics as he led the team in both points (8) and rebounds (he had so many I lost track of them!). Although Jack needs to share the ball a little bit more, we really needed his offensive production today: The Spurs were scrappy hustlers who matched the Celtics' defensive intensity and easy looks at the basket were few for both teams. Jack had the hot hand just at the right time.

Michael played another solid game this morning. He had another left-baseline jumper - this seems to be his favorite spot on the floor right now - in the first quarter for two points, but he did many other things to contribute to this Celtics victory. He was all over the floor chasing loose balls and he ended up with three steals, three rebounds and an assist. Michael also continues to handle the ball extremely well: He and Joe are arguably the best ball-handlers on the team.

Isaiah joined us for this game and he contributed two big points and a couple rebounds. He is a good player and it was great having him on the team this morning.

George had the other Celtics basket. George continues to play good defense and snag rebounds for the team.

Sam had a good look at the basket after a rebound, but the ball caromed off the rim. Sam is getting more active with each game and he seems to be having fun.

Tobin also took a shot, only to come up a little short. Tobin is hustling as well and we need his low-post presence on defense.

Four of the nine Celtics on the roster - Nathan, Luke, Joe and Thomas - were all on spring break vacations with their families and missed this morning's game. We missed all of them a lot today and we were fortunate to have Isiah on our side as a substitute.

The Celtics remain undefeated in Y-league play with a 5-0 record and just two games remaining on the schedule. Next up: a game with the Lakers (and Michael's and Joe's buddy Tanner!) on March 31 at 9 AM at the Champaign County YMCA. This should be another barn-burner of a game!

GO CELTICS!!!

Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball: Celtics 24, Heat 6

The Celtics improved to 4-0 in the Kindergarten YMCA Youth Basketball League this morning with an easy win from the Heat, 24-6.

This game was over early, as the Celtics built a 12-0 lead while holding the Heat scoreless until the middle of the second quarter.

Everyone played great and everyone scored at least one basket for the Celtics. This team is really getting after it defensively and the rebounding (including boxing-out) is improving every week.

Here are a few individual highlights from this morning's game:

• Michael had two left-baseline jumpers for 4 points and he collected a couple of rebounds and two steals. He played very aggressively and hustled nicely in his final three quarters of the game. This was, by far, his best YMCA game yet.


• Nathan was a "pit bull" on defense: Coach Dan used Nathan's defense as an example for the other kids to follow. Nathan also had a steal and a breakaway for two points and a couple rebounds.


• George had a strong game, adding at least 4 points and several rebounds.


• Jack hit for at least 6 points, including a long jumper that would have normally counted for three points. Jack also had a couple rebounds.


• Luke also had 4 points for the Celtics, both baskets coming from the right baseline. He collected a couple of rebounds as well. Luke is also playing awesome defense.


• Tobin had a nice layup and at least two rebounds.

These kids are really playing well together and they are improving each week.

Next up: a game against the Spurs on March 24 at 9 AM at the Champaign County YMCA. This game should be a good test for the Celtics.

GO CELTICS!

Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball: Celtics 20, Bulls 14

The Celtics continued a recent trend of starting games fast and building early leads: They jumped out to a quick 8-2 lead and held off the Bulls this morning in Kindergarten Basketball at the Champaign County YMCA, 20-14.

This game wasn't competitive until the Bulls brought in two impressive substitutes in the third quarter. Michael (from the Bulls) was taken to the locker room with a bloody nose during the quarter, thus prompting their coach to "recruit" two other young men from the crowd to assist his team. Needless to say, it was a different game after that, but the Celtics did just enough in the final stanza to hold off a nice Bulls rally.

This was a very interesting game to watch: Joe hit a desperation shot for the Celtics from just short of half court just as the third quarter ended, bringing at least half of all the spectators in the YMCA gym to their feet in amazement. Honestly, that shot deserved a spot on ESPN Sportscenter - it was that good! And George converted an astounding rebound basket with his back on the floor in the fourth period. WOW!

Props go out to Nathan, who continued to hustle, rebound and play solid defense in his 12 minutes on the floor. Joe probably played one of his best games this morning: He led the team in scoring with about 8 or 10 points (including his remarkable half-court shot). Jack had several rebounds and a couple nice jumpers. In addition to his unlikely shot from his back on the floor, George knocked down a few shots too. Michael played the second and third quarters today, and he continues to play hard, especially on defense. He picked up one assist, and again, he had a pick-pocket steal on defense (which was turned back over to the Bulls by the referee as before). He also got down on the floor after some loose balls.

The Celtics improve (unofficially, of course) to 3-0 on the season and everyone is having a lot of fun! The coaches are enjoying this team a lot! And it looks like the parents are enjoying the games as well.

Next up: an 8:30 AM game with the Heat on March 17 at the Champaign County YMCA. With the upcoming spring break, the Celtics will be short two teammates: Both Joe (along with his father and assistant coach Mike) and Sam will be on vacations with their families and will miss the game. Michael will finally get a chance to play three quarters in this one, so we're hoping that he can get back in the score book again. We'll likely need some offensive production from him in Joe's absence.

GO CELTICS!

Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal: Illinois 58, Indiana 54 (OT)

The Illini definitely did not hurt their position for an at-large NCAA Tournament berth tonight as they beat Indiana 58-54 in overtime in a Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal game at the United Center in Chicago.

The Illini extended their winning streak to 18 straight games over six years at the United Center: Illinois is now 31-6 all-time at the United Center. The Illini's last loss at the United Center was March 10, 2001, in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament - the opponent was Indiana.

Warren Carter paced the victors with 17 points while Shaun Pruitt had 16 to go along with 12 rebounds. Carter also had 7 rebounds and Chet Frazier and Brian Randle both hauled in 6 for the Illini.

Armon Bassett led Indiana (20-10) with 18 points and D.J. White added 14 points and 13 rebounds.

The sixth-seeded Illini (23-10) move on to the semifinals tomorrow afternoon against #2 seed Wisconsin (28-4).

Illinois 58, Indiana 54 (OT)

Round 1 - Big Ten Tournament: Illinois 66, Penn State 60

The Illini built a nice 16-point advantage in this must-win game, only to see Penn State's Mike Walker shoot the Nittany Lions back into it in the second half.

Chet Frazier had a career-high 21 points as the Illini held on for dear (NCAA Tournament) life. Illinois (23-10) now is 30-6 all-time at the United Center, where it has won 17 straight dating back to 2001.

Walker also had a career-high game with his 22 points for Penn State (11-19). He almost single-handedly brought the Lions back from a 16-point second half deficit. Walker's seven 3-pointers are a new Big Ten Tournament record.

Penn State finished 10-for-23 on 3-pointers and Illinois 10-for-28, including a 5-for-9 effort by point guard Frazier.

Illinois 66, Penn State 60

Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball: Celtics 20, Mavericks 12

The Celtics jumped out to an early 8-0 lead and never trailed in defeating the Mavericks 20-12 in a Y-Youth Basketball game this morning at the Champaign Family Fitness Center YMCA.

Once again, Michael came out aggressively in the second quarter: He had a nice drive to the hoop and a bucket from the baseline for two points. He also had a clean steal but the YMCA referee awarded the ball back to the Mavericks.

Joe, Nathan, George and Jack all had strong games for the Celtics, who improve to 2-0 in the league. Next up: a game with the Bulls at 9:30 AM on March 10 at the Champaign County Y.

GO CELTICS!!!

Illinois 68, Penn State 50

Shaun Pruitt scored 20 points and Warren Carter added 17 as the Illini frontline dominated the paint and cruised to an important 68-50 win from Penn State in State College, Pennsylvania on Saturday afternoon.

Brian Randle contributed 10 points for Illinois as the Illini bigs combined for 47 points on 20-of-29 shooting. The Illini shot 56% from the field against the worst defense in the Big Ten this season and they controlled the boards, 33-22.

Mike Walker led the Lions with 14 points, 12 of which came from four long second-half 3-pointers, and Geary Claxton added 12 for Penn State, which lost its 13th straight game.

Most people who follow the Illini agreed that this game was absolutely a must-win game for Illinois, although winning the game likely won't help the Illini's argument for an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament as much as losing it would have hurt Illinois' chances for an invitation to the tourney. The important thing is that the Illini (21-9 overall, 9-6 in the Big Ten) took care of business against Penn State (10-17 overall, 1-13 in the Big Ten) early and often, leading from start to finish with a comfortable margin.

Illinois' win from Penn State, coupled with Michigan State's victory from visiting Indiana, vaulted the Illini into sole possession of third place in the Big Ten. Michigan State, Indiana and Iowa are all 1/2 game behind the Illini with 8-6 Big Ten records. The Illini conclude their regular season schedule next Saturday in Iowa City, Iowa against the Hawkeyes.

A bright orange block of between 50 and 100 Orange Krush members made the bus trip to Happy Valley to root on the Illini. It should be a fun return trip home for these road warriors.

Illinois 68, Penn State 50

Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball: Celtics 18, Raptors 16

It was an exciting start to the Winter 2007 edition of Champaign County YMCA Youth Basketball. And our Celtics came out on the winning side of an 18-16 game this morning at the Champaign County Y.

Both teams looked a little rusty early on after a two-month layoff from competitive hoops, but both teams got more comfortable as the game progressed. I thought both teams had plenty of open looks at the basket but neither of us really capitalized on all those open looks. We rebounded very well today and I thought we hustled and played hard. It looked like our guys were having fun out there too! It was a very good, very competitive game and it was close throughout. And I thought the Raptors, who didn't have an official coach assigned to them, played very tough, especially having just five players suit up.

Michael had a career-high 4 points, at least 2 rebounds, and a steal as he played the best game of his young hoops career. He was very aggressive in the two quarters (14 minutes) he played and he showed an ability to drive to the basket and create shots. I was very proud of him and all of the Celtics in this first game of the Winter Y-league.

And so the Celtics move on with a 1-0 record in the league. Next up: a game with the Mavericks at 9:30 AM on March 3 at the Champaign County Y.

GO CELTICS!!!

Illinois 54, Michigan 42

Warren Carter, playing his last game at Assembly Hall and his first collegiate game with his mother in attendance, went out in style and led the Fighting Illini to a crucial 54-42 victory from Michigan Wednesday night.

Senior night... Big game with NCAA Tourney implications for both teams... Last dance for Chief Illiniwek at halftime... Details of last week's Jamar Smith/Brian Carlwell accident splashed all over the news media... The stage was set for a very emotional night for Illini players and fans.

And Carter delivered with a game-high 18 points and 9 rebounds. The two other Illini seniors, Rich McBride and Marcus Arnold, also came through with solid contributions in this important Illini victory: McBride totaled 11 points, including two big second-half threes that helped push the Illini out to a comfortable lead, while Arnold came in off the bench and added 4 points, 2 rebounds and a blocked shot in 16 quality minutes of action.

The Illini defense - which has been strong in the last half of the Big Ten schedule this season - again won this game. Michigan shot just 37% and at times looked lost on offense: No Wolverines scored in double figures as sophomore guard Jerret Smith led UM with 9 points.

Illinois 54, Michigan 42

Illinois' Chief Illiniwek performs last dance

Illinois' Chief Illiniwek performs last dance

And so the vocal, politically correct minority wins again... Not that anyone in this small faction cares about Fighting Illini - yes, Fighting Illini - sports...