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.

...

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.

...

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...

Illinois 71, Idaho State 60

Idaho State brought their A-game tonight; the Illini, on the other hand, were either hung-over from their huge Braggin' Rights Game victory on Tuesday night or thinking about getting back home for Christmas. Whatever the reasons were, Idaho State gave the Illini all they wanted and more, only to come up short in their upset bid in Champaign. Trailing 46-40 with 11:57 left in the game, Illinois produced a game-saving 24-7 run to salvage a 71-60 victory from the Bengals of Pocatello, Idaho.

Make no mistake about it: Idaho State (5-7 overall) has a good basketball team and these guys will make a run at the Big Sky Conference championship. The Sagarin Ratings currently have them ranked #126 in the country. Point guard Akbar Abdul-Ahad was outstanding tonight, exploding for 24 points on 9-for-16 shooting. One of the other ISU guards, David Schroeder, also had a nice game with 16 points.

Warren Carter, who is sidelined with a hip flexor injury, did not play for the Illini: Turns out, he was sorely missed tonight. Jamar Smith came to the rescue for the Illini, hitting 5 of 12 treys for 21 points. Chet Frazier added 13 points, three of which came on an absolute rainmaker of a shot that had the highest arc I've ever seen in hundreds of games at Assembly Hall. Brian Randle added 11 points, Rich McBride hit a couple of threes for 10, and Calvin Brock had 7 points.

Illinois improves to 12-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus Xavier (Ohio) at Cincinnati, Ohio on Friday, December 29 at 8 PM CT. Hopefully, Warren Carter will be ready to go in this one.

On another note, it was great hearing Coach Lou Henson provide color commentary during the Illini Sports Network's broadcast of this game. He looks great too - it's wonderful to see him doing so well again.

Illinois 71, Idaho State 60

Simeon's Wilson chooses Illini

It's official! Martez Wilson - the highest rated player in the state of Illinois - says 'yes' to Coach Ron Zook and the Illini!

What a recruiting class the Illini are assembling!!! WOW!!!

Simeon's Wilson chooses Illini

Catching up with Illini football recuiting: Lots of GOOD NEWS!!!

Coach Ron Zook and his hard-working staff have been running all over the country since the Illini football season ended. And all that hard work is starting to pay off: To steal a clever marketing phrase from the marketing folks at Lexus, it's been a "December to Remember" for the Illini football family.

After Thornton Township's stud wide receiver Anthony Morris and Washington, DC superstar Arrelious Benn verballed to Coach Zook and the Illini back on November 9, several other highly-ranked athletes have jumped on the Illini football bandwagon. Here's a list of the newest UI verbal commitments:

S #39 *** Brian Gamble
(Washington HS)
Massillon, OH
6-0/190
Verballed: 12/05/2006

RB NR * Troy Pollard
(Andrew Jackson HS)
Jacksonville, FL
5-8/175/4.50
Verballed: 12/05/2006

C #11 *** Mark Jackson
(Harmony Community School Midd)
Cincinnati, OH
6-5/290/5.20
Verballed: 12/11/2006

WLB NR ** Erique Robertson
(Maple Heights Senior HS)
Maple Heights, OH
5-11/210
Verballed: 12/11/2006

S NR ** Darius Purcell
(Hubbard HS)
Chicago, IL
5-11/215/4.60
Verballed: 12/11/2006

RB JC * Daniel Dufrene
(College of the Sequoias)
Visalia, CA
5-11/205/4.45
Verballed: 12/12/2006

DT #3 ***** D'Angelo McCray
(Andrew Jackson HS)
Jacksonville, FL
6-4/290/4.85
Verballed: 12/14/2006

OT #26 **** Jack Cornell
(Quincy Notre Dame HS)
Quincy, IL
6-7/305/4.90
Verballed: 12/19/2006

For more on these student-athletes, check out Scout.com.

Welcome, one and all, to Fighting Illini football and congratulations on your decisions! We're very excited to have you all with us!!!

NOTE: Simeon's outstanding DE Martez Wilson is to announce his school of choice this evening in a press conference in Chicago. The buzz on the street is that 'Tez is also coming to UI - keep your fingers crossed, Illini fans...

Illinois 73, Missouri 70

Seven straight! Seven straight Braggin' Rights victories over Missouri! Another joyous Christmas in Champaign-Urbana!

But, unlike last year's 82-50 woodshed beating by the Illini, this game was close and it came down to the last play and the last few seconds. In fact, neither team led by more than six points in the game. One thing is certain: First-year Missouri coach Mike Anderson has done a nice job installing his version of Nolan Richardson's chaotic "40 Minutes of Hell" system and this Mizzou team has come a long way since last year.

When the final buzzer sounded, Trent Meacham had stolen the ball from Mizzou point guard Stefhon Hannah and the Illini had a hard-fought 73-70 victory and a seventh straight Busch Braggin' Rights trophy. And Illini coach Bruce Weber had his 100th victory (against just 18 defeats) with the Illini. All is well with the world!

But give Missouri (9-2, 0-0 in the Big XII) credit: They fought the Illini harder then they've fought in a long time and their pressure defense was very good all night long. Fortunately, Chester Frazier, Rich McBride, Jamar Smith and Meacham were up to the task as the Illini only committed 14 turnovers - one fewer than their season average of 15.

My game balls go to two Illini: Frazier and Shaun Pruitt. Frazier played a few seconds short of all 40 minutes - even with a painful turf toe injury - and he was solid at the point in the face of all the full-court pressure and wing traps. He totaled 8 points, 6 assists and 3 steals. And Pruitt was just as solid in the paint with a team-high 19 points and 9 rebounds (5 were offensive rebounds). I'm not sure any of the Tigers can stop Shaun when he plays like he did Tuesday night.

The Illini shot just 42% from the field, but outrebounded the fiesty Tigers 39-31. The Illini also out-pilfered the Tigers 12-6 and didn't give the Tigers any easy points in transition - two more surprising statistics. Arguably, the Illini took care of business and forced their slower tempo as much as possible in order to get this important win.

Perhaps the only disappointment in this game was the Illini defense: Missouri used dribble penetration effectively and had a lot of good looks at the basket. The Tigers connected on 51% of their shots.

Mizzou's Hannah led all scorers with a career-high 21 points. No other Tiger player scored more than 9 points.

So the Illini head back to Champaign with another year to brag and an 11-2 record (0-0 in the Big Ten). Up next: versus Idaho State at the Assembly Hall in Champaign on Thursday, December 21 at 7 PM.

Illinois 73, Missouri 70

Illinois 77, Belmont 51

After a close first half, the Illini used a 13-4 run early in the second half to pull away from a stubborn and talented Belmont team on Sunday at Assembly Hall in Champaign. When it was all done, the Illini had a 77-51 victory going away. Both coaches credited tough Illini defense in the second half as the difference in this one.

Warren Carter had another strong game with 21 points and 5 rebounds. Chester Frazier contributed eleven - yes, eleven! - rebounds to lead the Illini (10-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten). Shaun Pruitt added 13 points and 4 boards and Brian Randle totaled 10 and 4, respectively.

The one sore spot for the Illini in this game: turnovers. Belmont, somehow, forced a season-high 22 Illini turnovers. This statistic doesn't bode well for Tuesday's Braggin' Rights Game in Saint Louis against Missouri's chaotic "40 Minutes of Hell": The Illini must take care of the basketball against the much-improved Tigers or they will suffer a defeat.

Shane Dansby came off the bench to lead Belmont (7-3, 2-0 Atlantic Sun Conference) with 13 points, while center Boomer Herndon added a team-high six rebounds for the Bruins.

My personal opinion: This Belmont team will be in the 2007 NCAA Tournament. They were in it last year. They're very disciplined and they've got a lineup full of shooters.

Up next: versus Missouri in the annual Busch Braggin' Rights Game at the Scottrade Center in Saint Louis, MO on Tuesday, December 19 at 8 PM. It should be another wild affair under the Gateway Arch.

Illinois 77, Belmont 51

Illinois 71, UIC 66

Ugh! I think I hated watching this Lexus "December to Remember" game as much as Coach Bruce Weber says he did.

After an average first half that led to a comfortable 37-22 halftime lead, the Illini seemed to go into "play not to lose" mode. The Flames cut that 37-22 lead down to just 37-33 in the opening minutes of the second half to get back in the game. UIC shot just 27 percent in the first half and improved to 50 percent shooting in the second 20 minutes (where was the Illini defense in the second half???).

Rich McBride led the Illini with 13 points. Chester Frazier chipped in with 10 points for the Illini and Brian Randle - who had missed the previous nine games following groin surgery - had nine points and nine rebounds.

Othyus Jeffers, who led UIC's comeback, scored 13 of his 16 in the second half. Josh Mayo added 13 for the Flames (5-5).

About the only good news from this game: The Illini (9-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten) are now 29-6 all-time at the United Center and 12-1 against UIC.

Next up: versus Belmont on Sunday, December 17 at the Assembly Hall in Champaign.

Illinois 71, UIC 66

Illinois 87, IUPUI 59

One stat says it all about this mismatch: The Illini had 26 assists on 32 made baskets. The Illini offense was extremely efficient in an easy victory from IUPUI.

55% field goal shooting and 59% accuracy from behind the arc didn't hurt either. Warren Carter continued his solid play with a game-leading 21 points and he added 8 rebounds for the Illini. Rich McBride converted 6 of 9 treys for 18 points and Jamar Smith came in off the bench for 15 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Chester Frazier did a solid job at the point, handing out 11 assists with only 3 turnovers.

Two senior guards led the way for IUPUI (3-5 overall): David Barlow had 19 points and 5 rebounds while Matt Burks added 17 and 4, respectively.

One interesting side note: IUPUI Guard/forward Craig Swoope, a freshman, is the son of former standout Illini defensive back Craig Swoope, who played football at UI back in the 1980's. The younger Swoope added 2 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists in 12 minutes played last night.

The Illini improve to 8-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus Illinois - Chicago at the United Center on Saturday, December 9 at 1:00 PM.

Illinois 87, IUPUI 59

#16 Arizona 84, Illinois 72

PHOENIX (AP) -- The last time Arizona and Illinois played, the Fighting Illini staged a late comeback that stunned the Wildcats and denied them a berth in the 2005 Final Four.

The 16th-ranked Wildcats are still haunted by that heartbreaker, but may have eased the pain with their 84-72 victory over Illinois in the Basketball Hall of Fame Challenge on Saturday.

The Wildcats (5-1) felt they made a statement after rallying from a 16-point deficit to win a game played at tournament intensity.

"Illinois is a big-time team," said game MVP Chase Budinger, who led Arizona with 22 points and eight rebounds. "They always have a great program. It really tested us to see where we were as a team and as a program."

Regretfully, I predicted this game to be a loss for the Illini when I first saw this season's schedule. The Illini started out strong (for once this season!) and built a comfortable 35-19 lead midway through the first half, only to see Arizona's athleticism get the best of them late.

So, after losing two straight to top 25 teams, the Illini are now 7-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus IUPUI at the Assembly Hall in Champaign on Wednesday, December 6 at 7:00 PM.

#16 Arizona 84, Illinois 72

#19 Maryland 72, Illinois 66

Tough game. Tough (and rare) home loss for the Illini. Give Maryland a ton of credit: They're a very good team and they just out-toughed the Illini in our own back yard. I thought the Orange Krush and the crowd brought their A-games for this matchup and it's still hard to believe that we lost in the House of 'Paign. There's not much else to say: This one really hurts.

#19 Maryland 72, Illinois 66

Beef House Rolls!!!

OH.MY.GOD!!! These are - by far - the BEST dinner rolls on Earth!!! WOW!!!!!

Beef House Rolls

Illinois 75, Bradley 71

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. (AP) -- Jamar Smith hit a go-ahead 3-pointer and the Illini stormed back from a nine-point second-half deficit to defeat Bradley 75-71 Saturday night, winning a matchup of early-season unbeatens in the Chicago Invitational Challenge.

Warren Carter scored 17, Shaun Pruitt had 16 and Smith added 14. Chester Frazier scored all 10 of his points in the second half for the Illini (7-0). Frazier also had 11 assists.

Bradley (5-1) was led by 17 points from Will Franklin and 16 from Daniel Ruffin.

This is a good win for the Illini. Bradley's four-guard lineup is ultra-quick and this team will likely challenge for the Missouri Valley Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth this season.

Illinois is 7-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten. Up next: versus Maryland (in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge) at Assembly Hall in Champaign on Tuesday, November 28 at 6:00 PM.

Illinois 75, Bradley 71

Illinois 51, Miami (Ohio) 49

Chester Frazier's driving layup with 18 seconds left gave Illinois a 50-49 lead and Warren Carter's free throw with 6 seconds left accounted for the final point of the game as the Illini won a defensive battle with Miami (Ohio), 51-49.

After trailing 33-26 at the half, the Illini cranked up the defensive pressure and held Miami to just 16 points in the second half to overtake the stubborn Redhawks.

Miami's Nathan Peavy led all scorers with 22 points and all rebounders with 11. The Illini shot just 39% for the game and had just three players in double figures: Rich McBride had 11 points, while Shaun Pruitt and Chester Frazier added 10 points each. Pruitt grabbed 9 rebounds but the Illini were outrebounded by the smaller Redhawks 29-19. One bright spot for the Illini: free throw shooting. The Illini converted 13 of 16 free throws, as Frazier made all six of his attempts and Warren Carter sank 6 of his 8.

The Illini improve to 6-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus Bradley in the championship game of the Chicago Invitational at the Sears Centre in suburban Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Saturday, November 25 at 7:30 PM. This game will be televised by WCIA-TV in Champaign.

Illinois 51, Miami (Ohio) 49

Welcome, Wyatt Samuel Brownfield!

Wyatt Samuel Brownfield was born yesterday, November 22, 2006 to Alice and Jeff Brownfield! He weighed in at 7 pounds even and measured 20 inches long! He is as cute as a button! Welcome to the world, Wyatt!!!
:-)

Michael Richards - What in the HELL are you thinkin', man?!

I loved you (and Kramer) before I heard about - and saw - this outburst of rage, hatred and racism. Now, I'm not sure what to think about you.

Ultimately, I think this incident will negatively affect (Richards' friend) Jerry Seinfeld's career as well as Richards'. You can pretty much put a fork in Richards' acting career.

Richards appeared via satellite last night on the Late Night With David Letterman show. He was asked to try to explain the tirade by one of David's guests, Jerry Seinfeld. Richards appeared very shaken and seemed remorseful for what happened, which makes you wonder why he went off like he did in that club. Totally uncalled for...

Illinois 81, Savannah State 34

Savannah State (5-1) matched an Assembly Hall record for low team score with its 34 points in an 81-34 Illini blowout tonight. The Tigers shot just 25% from the field. Wisconsin - Green Bay set the low team scoring record back in 1985 in an 84-34 loss to the Illini.

Chester Frazier led all scorers with 17 points on 6-for-8 accuracy and he added 5 assists. Shaun Pruitt had a double-double for the Illini with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Warren Carter added 12 points and 7 boards for the Illini.

Rich McBride returned to the lineup following his 6-game suspension and contributed 16 points on 5-for-11 shooting, including 4-for-10 accuracy from three-point range.

The Illini easily won the rebounding battle from the smaller Tigers, 52-21.

The Illini improve to 5-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: versus Miami (OH) in the Chicago Invitational at the Sears Centre in suburban Hoffman Estates, Illinois on Friday, November 24 at 7:30 PM. This game will be televised (although we're not sure at this time who will broadcast it).

Illinois 81, Savannah State 34

Leman Named First-Team All-Big Ten: Five Illini earn all-conference honors

University of Illinois linebacker J Leman was named first team All-Big Ten by the league's media representatives and earned second-team honors by the conference coaches, as announced by the Big Ten on Tuesday. Cornerbacks Alan Ball and Vontae Davis, running back Pierre Thomas and placekicker Jason Reda were named honorable mention picks.

"I am really proud of J," Head Coach Ron Zook said. "The defense showed great improvement this year, and that is a tribute to everyone out there, but there is no doubt that J is one of the leaders and did a tremendous job with everything that was asked of him this season."

Leman led the conference in total tackles (152) and tackles per game (12.7), and ranked second in the NCAA. He was even more impressive in league games, with 13.4 tackles per contest. He was also among the Big Ten's best in tackles for loss with 19 for the season, which was second in the league and 10th in the nation. His tackles and TFLs both rank sixth on the Illinois single-season lists. Leman is Illinois' first first-team All-Big Ten selection since Steve Weatherford in 2004.

"I feel very honored," Leman said. "The credit for this award goes to the defensive line and all the players around me as well as Coach Zook, Coach (Dan) Disch and Coach (Vince) Okruch. They are the reason I was able to play well and excel this season."

Leman Named First-Team All-Big Ten: Five Illini earn all-conference honors

Villanova 89, UFI 60

A second straight loss for Alfraud's UFI Squawkeyes down in the Virgin Islands... UFI falls to 2-2 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference.

Villanova 89, UFI 60

Alabama 72, UFI 60

Thank you, Crimson Tide!!!
:-)

UFI falls to 2-1 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Too effin' bad.

Alabama 72, UFI 60

Illinois 84, Florida A&M 63

Florida A&M gave the Illini all they wanted and more for three quarters of Sunday afternoon's game at Assembly Hall, but in the end, the Illini were too strong for the Rattlers.

With 11:45 remaining in the game, Calvin Brock made a free throw to give the home team a 54-53 lead; the Illini never trailed - and were never threatened - again. From that point, the Illini went on a 30-10 run to close out the game going away.

Champaign's own Trent Meacham made Fighting Illini Basketball history Sunday afternoon: Unofficially, Meacham's eight three-pointers (on 13 tries) tied a school record for three-pointers made in a game. He now shares this honor with former Illini guards Dee Brown and Kevin Turner.

Chester Frazier contributed with a double-double as he totaled 13 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds. Calvin Brock continued his hot shooting with 7-for-13 accuracy and also earned a double-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. The Illini shot 53% for the game as a team.

Illinois improves to 4-0, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: at home versus Savannah State on Tuesday, November 21 at 7:00 PM.

Illinois 84, Florida A&M 63

#1 Illini Hockey - 15-0!!!

The Illini Hockey Club wins again - this time on the road at #15 Kent State! Here's what the Illini Hockey Club Web site says...

November 17, 2006 - The Illini keep the streak alive, taking Kent State on their home ice 5-1. Mike DeGeorge almost had a perfect game before the Flashes scored with just 40 seconds left. The Illini's Liang, Resch, Pringle, Hoelzer, and Park all tallied goals in game one.

Illinois 85, Georgia Southern 50

In contrast to Wednesday night's game with Jackson State, the Illini showed up early in this one and turned what was anticipated to be a dogfight into a rout with sharp shooting. Again without the services of starters Brian Randle, Rich McBride and Jamar Smith, the Illini were counting on solid performances from youngsters Chet Frazier, Calvin Brock and Trent Meacham: They got what they needed against Georgia Southern. Meacham led the Illini with 19 points and 4 assists, Brock added 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting and Frazier chipped in with 10 points. The game was pretty sloppy - the Illini forced 27 GSU turnovers and committed 18 of their own. But overall, this was a quality win against a very athletic and potentially tough team. Illinois improves to 3-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten. Up next: at home versus Florida A&M on Sunday, November 19 at 4 PM.

Illinois 85, Georgia Southern 50

Men's club hockey to visit Kent State: Depleted squad will be without offensive leaders

The No. 1-ranked Illinois men's hockey club will hit the road for just the third time this year, traveling to Kent State for a pair of Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL) conference games this weekend.

The American Collegiate Hockey Association's (ACHA) top-ranked Illini will put its perfect 14-0 record on the line against the No. 15-ranked Golden Flashes on Friday and Saturday nights in Kent, Ohio, but the Illini will have to do it without a few key players.

Illinois will be without junior forward Kevin Wicklin, out with a broken foot, junior defenseman Dave Schmitt, who is suffering from a hernia, and senior forward Marshall Chubirka, who sat out last weekend's pair of wins against North Dakota State and is still ailing from a right shoulder injury. Additionally, freshman forward J.J. Heredia has been listed as inactive after injuring his left knee against the Bison in last Saturday's win.

"They are four of our best players and are all big losses for us," head coach Chad Cassel said. "Now it just becomes an opportunity for other guys who haven't seen much ice time to play more. We are going to need them to step up because it's a huge weekend for us."

Men's club hockey to visit Kent State: Depleted squad will be without offensive leaders

Hockey club remains perfect: Record now 14-0 after weekend

The Illinois men's hockey club picked up their 13th and 14th straight wins to start the season on Friday and Saturday night.

The Illini entered the weekend the American Collegiate Hockey Association's (ACHA) No. 1-ranked team but without a few of its players in the line up due to injuries.

Still the Illini defeated the North Dakota State Bison 6-2 both nights to remain a perfect 14-0, and in the process got a little payback for the Bison's upset win over the Illini last season.

"We played pretty well considering we were missing quite a few guys from the line up," head coach Chad Cassel said. "We played with a few different lines and combinations and still got two more wins. But I think we realize we still have some work to do."

Hockey club remains perfect: Record now 14-0 after weekend

Rest in peace, Sticky...

You were the best stick catfish ever. We'll miss you so much...

Oral Roberts outplays, outlasts No. 3 Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) -- Marchello Vealy hit his first seven 3-point shots and Oral Roberts stunned No. 3 Kansas 78-71 Wednesday night.

Vealy, only 1-for-13 in 3-pointers last year as a freshman, was 7-for-8 from behind the arc and finished with 22 points.

Caleb Green added 20 points for the Golden Eagles (1-1), who outplayed the heavily favored Jayhawks from start to finish.

...

Kansas trailed by as many as eight points in the second half and never got closer than three. The Golden Eagles looked every bit as quick as the Big 12 favorites and played a tenacious defense, keeping Kansas off balance all night in an arena where it usually dominates.

The Jayhawks fell to 165-11 in Allen Fieldhouse since 1994-95.

Kansas got 22 points from freshman Darrell Arthur, but was only 11-for-21 from the line and missed easy shots all night long.

Julian Wright, a preseason favorite for Big 12 player of the year, blew layups on two consecutive possessions as Kansas tried vainly to regain the lead in the second half.

Bearing little resemblance to the crisp outfit that routed Northern Arizona 91-57 in their season opener last week, the Jayhawks missed 11 of their first 17 shots and had 10 turnovers.

It's called karma, Coach Bail $elf - karma.

Oral Roberts outplays, outlasts No. 3 Kansas

Illinois 76, Jackson State 55

The shorthanded Illini quickly fell behind 18-4 but fought their way back to tie Jackson State at the half, 34-34. The Illini then took control with 74% shooting and better defense in the second half and won this game going away. Three of the younger guys - Calvin Brock, Trent Meacham, and Brian Carlwell - played lots of meaningful minutes in this one. In fact, both Meacham and Chet Frazier played all 40 minutes and Brock logged 38 minutes. Illinois is 2-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: at home versus Georgia Southern on Friday, November 17 at 7 PM.

Illinois 76, Jackson State 55

Illinois 80, Austin Peay 35

Easy win for the Illini - I love these blowout victories! The only concern is for starters Jamar Smith (who is out for 4-6 weeks with a high ankle sprain) and Brian Randle (who tweaked an abdominal injury and is rated as "week by week"). Illinois is 1-0 overall, 0-0 in the Big Ten Conference. Up next: at home versus Jackson State on Wednesday, November 15 at 7 PM.

Illinois 80, Austin Peay 35

Illinois lands nation's No. 1 wideout

Dunbar (Washington, D.C.) senior wide receiver Arrelious Benn committed to Illinois this evening over Maryland, Notre Dame and Florida State. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder is rated the nation's No. 1 wide receiver and the No. 7 overall recruit in the Class of 2007 by RISE.

Benn's pledge to the Illini means that head coach Ron Zook has pulled off the recruiting coup of the year. But that isn't a big surprise if you've followed Zook, who was a tremendous recruiter when he was the head coach at Florida.

Illinois lands nation's No. 1 wideout

4-star wide receiver/safety Anthony Morris pledges the Illini!

Anthony Morris' Rivals.com bio

Here's how Rivals.com rates the Fighting Illini recruiting class of 2007 so far...

COMMITTED/NOT SIGNED  Pos  Stars  Ht   Wt   40   RR   Hometown
====================================================================
Daryle Ballew         DT   ***    6-3  285  5.15 5.6  Cincinnati, OH 
Arrelious Benn        WR   *****  6-1  210  4.45 6.1  Washington, DC
Clint Brewster        QB   **     6-1  187  4.8  5.4  Denver, CO 
Nathan Bussey         ATH  ***    6-2  202  4.5  5.6  Washington, DC 
Mike Garrity          OL   ***    6-6  255  -    5.5  Batavia, IL 
Steve Matas           DE   ***    6-5  270  4.7  5.5  Mentor, OH 
Anthony Morris        WR   ****   6-3  200  -    5.8  Harvey, IL 
Marcus Thomas         DB   ***    5-11 157  4.5  5.5  Chicago, IL 
Craig Wilson          OL   ****   6-5  290  5.2  5.8  Chatham, VA

Rivals.com - Illinois football commitments for 2007

Benn’s impact could be far reaching

Now that receiver Arrelious Benn is committed to Illinois, giving coach Ron Zook his biggest recruiting prize in two years at the school, analysts will be watching to see if the surprising pickup leads more big names to choose the Illini.

Benn is arguably the top high school receiver in the country, and that Illinois was able to wrest him away from Notre Dame, Florida State and Maryland seemed miraculous to some.

But he’s not the only big-name player giving the Illini a look.

Top-100 players who have Illinois on their short lists reportedly include defensive tackle Marvin Austin, rated the No. 1 player in the country by Scout.com, defensive tackle D’Angelo McCray (No. 22), defensive end Martez Wilson (No. 28), running back Robert Hughes (No. 68) and defensive tackle Josh Brent (No. 70). The latter three are from Illinois.

“Watch and see the next few weeks, I have a feeling it will become a domino effect,’’ said Bob Lichtenfels, recruiting analyst for Scout.com. “I’ve talked to some kids who flat out told me Martez Wilson is the reason they committed to Illinois. It makes me think Martez Wilson will commit to Illinois, and he’s probably one of the top defensive end prospects in the country. If Martez goes, odds are Robert Hughes could go and Josh Brent.’’

Benn’s impact could be far reaching

Dunbar's Benn Will Play at Illinois

Dunbar senior All-Met Arrelious Benn, regarded as the nation's top wide receiver in the class of 2007, surprised many recruiting experts when he announced last night that he intends to sign with Illinois, spurning offers from more than 40 other schools, including Notre Dame, Florida State and Southern California.

Benn said Notre Dame was his front-runner for a long time, but Illinois came on late. Illinois has gone 8-36 since the start of the 2003 season and has had just two winning records since 1995, but Benn said he liked the fact that the Illini have given several young players prominent roles in recent years.

Dunbar's Benn Will Play at Illinois

YouTube video: Arrelious Benn commits to the Fighting Illini!

Illini hockey wins pair at home: Illinois beats Eastern Michigan twice, now tied for first-place spot in league

The Illinois men's hockey club found out they were the American Collegiate Hockey Association's (ACHA) top-ranked team when the latest ACHA poll was released Friday afternoon - and on Friday and Saturday night, they played like it.

Illinois routed No. 17-ranked Eastern Michigan 8-0 and 7-3 in its pair of games this weekend at the University of Illinois Ice Arena, earning eight more points in the Central States Collegiate Hockey League (CSCHL).

Illini hockey wins pair at home: Illinois beats Eastern Michigan twice, now tied for first-place spot in league

Illini clip the Eagles wings with sweep

November 5, 2006 - The Eagles of Eastern Michigan University returned home with their feathers ruffled as the Illini outshot them seventy to thirty-seven and outscored them by twelve goals this weekend at the Big Pond. With scores of 8-0 and 7-3, the Illini kept their win streak alive and are a perfect 12-0 on the season.

Illini clip the Eagles wings with sweep

There's a new leader in the ACHA

November 3, 2006 - The University of Illinois takes over the top spot in Ranking #3 of the 2006-07 season, getting 23 of a possible 38 first-place votes. The Fighting Illini are now a perfect 10-0-0 on the season. Illinois last held the #1 position on December 16, 2005. Former #1 Rhode Island slipped to #2 after suffering its first loss of the season at Delaware.

There's a new leader in the ACHA

Illinois hockey sweeps Western Michigan

The Illinois men's hockey club kept its perfect record last weekend with a pair of wins on the road against the red-hot Western Michigan Stallions.The Stallions came into the weekend having lost just one game of its first 11, but the American Collegiate Hockey Association's No. 2-ranked Illini shut down Western Michigan, beating the Stallions 7-3 and 5-2 to move their record to 10-0 on the season.Sophomore forward Jason Nemeth and freshman forward Jason Jennings led the way for the Illini. Nemeth finished the two-game series with four goals, while Jennings came away with four assists for the Illini."These were the two biggest wins of the season for us so far," head coach Chad Cassel said."We played well and our special teams came up huge for us all weekend and really were the key to our success," he added.

Illinois hockey sweeps Western Michigan

Blogs re: Orange & Blue Scrimmage and Derrick Rose

CHAMPAIGN – Reggie Rose said Friday night that Illinois is now involved in a three-horse race for the services of his brother, Chicago Simeon point guard Derrick Rose.

But the big brother of the senior star stopped short of handicapping a field that also includes Memphis and Indiana.

Illinois’ Orange & Blue scrimmage was played out on the Assembly Hall court Friday night, but the center of attention was clearly Derrick and Reggie Rose, who sat in the front row of the bleachers under a basket. They were constantly serenaded by the Orange Krush student cheering section, which wasted little time launching into a chorus of “We want Derrick!”

His appearance here came as a surprise this week, considering that his five “finalists” announced in August included Memphis, Indiana, Kansas, DePaul and UCLA.

Since then, however, Kansas, DePaul and UCLA have been eliminated and the Illini have emerged as a late consideration.

“I’m honest with my word and when we came out with the list, that was the list,” said Reggie Rose, who serves as his brother’s spokesman and recruiting advisor. “We took trips and everything and looked at our options. Then we said, “Let’s take another visit to Illinois, just to take a second look.’

“Sometimes you think the grass is greener on the other side, but when you take that look you say, ‘Oh, it ain’t like we think. So let’s go take another look.’”
So is Illinois officially back on the list?

“If Illinois wasn’t on the list, we wouldn’t even be down here,” said Reggie Rose, who indicated they planned to visit with Illini coach Bruce Weber later Friday night, then observe the team’s practice tomorrow morning.

And while Derrick Rose’s decision remains uncertain, Reggie Rose said an invitation-only press conference already has been scheduled to announce it.

“It will be Saturday, Nov. 4 at the Martinique Boutique at 82nd and Cicero in Burbank,” he said, setting the deadline.

The NCAA’s fall signing period begins on Nov. 8.

For what it’s worth, Derrick Rose wore an orange shirt and blue and orange patent leather shoes. Seated on either side of the Rose brothers were former Illini great Kenny Battle and another Simeon guard who played at Illinois, Bryant Notree.
When the Illini team came out to begin the intrasquad scrimmage, each player filed by and shook hands with Derrick Rose and, to a lesser degree, other recruits in attendance including Decatur Eisenhower’s Lewis Jackson and Jarod Oldham.

Reggie Rose was asked if Eric Gordon’s recent decision to switch his commitment from Illinois to Indiana in any way impacted the move to involve Illinois at this late time.

“It plays a role, then again it doesn’t,” Reggie Rose said. “When I grabbed Eric to play on my AAU team this summer, the way they played together was scary. It’s really up to them if they want to play together or not… But sometimes you have to be selfish, also.”

Mark Tupper: Rose visits, but mystery remains

Chicago Simeon High School senior Derrick Rose attended tonight's Orange and Blue Scrimmage at the Assembly Hall. Rose, ranked the No. 1 point guard in the nation by at least one recruiting service, sat courtside with a group of recruits and his brother, Reggie Rose.

Reggie, who has handled Derrick's recruitment, addressed the purpose of the unofficial visit after the scrimmage.

"The decision that he's going to make, it's not like you’re just going to a candy machine and just picking out some type of candy. It’s a life decision," Reggie Rose said. "Before we just make a decision, we just have to make sure it’s going to be the right decision. That was the main thing about coming back down and taking a look.

"And also, I respect the fact that Illinois is a great program and they've got tradition and everything," Reggie Rose continued. "You know, what can you say about going to take a second look at your state school?"

Derrick Rose politely declined an interview request. Initially, the plan was for the Rose camp to return home after the scrimmage. Reggie Rose said they will stay overnight, instead.

He also revealed that the Rose camp will make a public announcement on Derrick Rose's school of choice Nov. 4. Reggie Rose said the list includes three schools, and there will be no more visits.

"Right now (it’s) between Illinois, Indiana and Memphis," Reggie Rose said.

Paul Klee: Derrick Rose at Assembly Hall

Illini get last shot at Rose

"If he wasn't interested in Illinois, he wouldn't be coming down there,'' Simeon coach Robert Smith said. "He's got a lot of other places he could go.

"If he wasn't interested, he wouldn't be coming down there. He just wanted to make sure he's making the right decision. He wanted to come back to Champaign and take another look.''

...

According to recruiting sources, Illinois attempted to stay in touch with Rose and his family with periodic phone calls. Rose's older brother, Reggie, ran the recruiting process, and he surprisingly called Weber earlier this week to set up the unofficial visit, the source said.

Although Smith said Rose's visit to Memphis went well, another recruiting source said Rose realized how long a trip it was to Memphis.

Illini get last shot at Rose

More On Derrick Rose And Others

There are few things we can be certain on when it comes to analyzing the current state of affairs as it pertains to Derrick Rose's recruitment. However, one thing that we can say with an incredibly high degree of confidence is that when Reggie Rose announced that both he and Derrick will visit the University of Illinois this weekend for the Illini's Orange and Blue scrimmage, it was NOT a publicity stunt and that the trip to Champaign will be a lot more than just a mere courtesy visit. That is why we get a kick out of others who are trying to say otherwise to the point where they are trying to put their own personal spin on the situation. Here is the bottom line--Rose's visit to Illinois HARDLY means that he is going to commit or sign with the Illini. However, at the present time, based on the information that has come out none other than Reggie's mouth himself, we have every reason to believe that Illinois is still very much in the running, along with Memphis and Indiana.

More On Derrick Rose And Others

Simeon's Rose giving Illinois a late look

Simeon senior Derrick Rose, the top-rated point guard in the country, has reconsidered and will take an unofficial visit to Illinois.

Rose and his older brother Reggie will be in Champaign on Friday and will attend the Blue and Orange game, a scrimmage by the Illinois basketball team.

''Sometimes you have to step back and re-evaluate the whole process,'' Reggie Rose said. ''We don't want to look back after it's all over and too late and realize we made the wrong decision.

''We have discussed it with some close confidants and believe Illinois is a great place. The school has a great [basketball] program and it is in our home state. And no decision would be valid without giving Illinois a serious look.''

Simeon's Rose giving Illinois a late look

Bears stun Cardinals with improbable rally

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Maybe the Bears are a team of destiny.

Trailing the Cardinals 23-3 late in the third quarter Monday night in Arizona, Chicago staged a miraculous comeback, scoring two touchdowns on defense and one on special teams to escape with a stunning 24-23 victory.

“It’s meant to be,” guard Ruben Brown shouted as he left the field. “It’s meant to be.”

“That’s a good team,” linebacker Lance Briggs said of the Cardinals. “But the bottom line is that it’s a 60-minute game. You don’t ever give up.”

With the improbable win, the Bears improved to 6-0 for the first time since 1986 and increased their lead atop the NFC North to two and a half games over the Minnesota Vikings (3-2).

The Bears overcame six turnovers by quarterback Rex Grossman, who threw a career-high four interceptions and lost two fumbles while registering a hideous 10.7 passer rating. In the first half, the Cardinals converted four Grossman turnovers into 13 points in building a 20-0 halftime lead.

“I’ve never played so bad and won a game like that,” Grossman said. “I’ve never seen anything like it. That was unbelievable. I don’t know how to put it into words, how good our defense is and how big of plays they made. They could have done it by themselves tonight. It was just meant to be. We were supposed to win that game. For some reason, everything went our way when it needed to.”

It was a game for the ages, folks!!! I've watched a LOT of football in my 43 years on this earth, but I've never seen anything like this! Six turnovers - 4 interceptions and 2 lost fumbles - all by quarterback Rex Grossman...no offensive touchdowns for the entire game...trailing 23-3 late in the third quarter in a loud, hostile stadium. How in the hell did Da Bears win?!?!?!
:-)

Bears stun Cardinals with improbable rally

Illini Hockey Wins 2 Over Central Oklahoma

The ACHA's No. 3-ranked Illini (6-0) squeaked by the unranked Bronchos (2-4) 4-2 on Friday night and proved they were the better team with a 7-2 win on Saturday at the University of Illinois Ice Arena.

"We have to come with more intensity and play more as a team," senior forward and assistant captain Marshall Chubirka said. "I think last weekend beating St. Louis as badly as we did kind of took some edge away from our team. Anytime you beat a team that badly and score 22 goals you kind of get a big head and now we have to fix that problem."

Illini Hockey Wins 2 Over Central Oklahoma

Gordon spurns Illini for Indiana

Eric Gordon is headed to Indiana -- and this time it's his final decision.

Gordon's father confirmed to the Tribune on Friday morning that his son told Illinois coach Bruce Weber late Thursday night that he would not be following through on a commitment he made last November to play for the Illini.

Instead Gordon, the No. 2 recruit nationally according to Rivals.com, will attend Midnight Madness festivities at Indiana tonight and intends to sign with the Hoosiers when the early signing period begins Nov. 8.

"Late last night E.J. did get a chance to talk to both coaches, and he did talk to coach Weber," the elder Gordon told the Tribune on Friday morning. "Coach Weber called him back and (Eric) did tell him he was not going to be going to University of Illinois.

"It was really like splitting hairs, ultimately. This just happened to be the best thing for EJ."

After all, it's "all about me" nowadays. Screw you, EJ! Screw you too, Coach Sanctions!!!

Gordon spurns Illini for Indiana

YouTube/PayPal Founders: We Knew Them When...

The Google announcement of its $1.65 billion purchase of popular video-sharing site YouTube is front-page news - everyone's talking about the profit being made by a handful of guys living over a pizza place. But do you know the background story? This cluster of Internet superstars - YouTube co-founders Jawed Karim (B.S. '04) and Steve Chen, another departmental alum, and the man who first brought them together at PayPal, Max Levchin (B.S. '97) - all come from the same constellation: they were all students in the Department of Computer Science at Illinois!

YouTube/PayPal Founders: We Knew Them When...

Midnight madness: Gordon to Indiana? Prized Illini recruit visits Hoosiers Friday

Prized Indianapolis high school guard Eric Gordon will attend Midnight Madness festivities Friday night at Indiana, a move that likely indicates the senior guard who committed orally to Illinois last year has come to a decision, his father said.

And it's one that likely will make coach Bruce Weber and the Illini faithful unhappy.

"This is pretty significant, because we had not planned any other visits," Eric Gordon Sr. told the Tribune on Thursday night.

Midnight madness: Gordon to Indiana?
Prized Illini recruit visits Hoosiers Friday

Well, #$%&^*^#@&*@#$&*@#*&(@#$*@#(*$&@#*&*(@(#$!!!!!!!!

If EJ Gordon can change his mind about his commitment to Coach Bruce Weber and the Fighting Illini, then I reserve the right to change my mind about EJ Gordon and his family. Don't let the door hit you on the ass as you leave, EJ! And good luck with IU and Coach Sanctions...

Mark Tupper Weblog: "Rose snub no surprise"

Derrick Rose’s “list” of five schools contained some surprises, but Illinois’ absence from that list was not one of those surprises.

Rose snub no surprise

IndyStar.com: "Gordon's dad: Statement forthcoming"

Here's the REAL story from a reporter who knows what's going on with EJ and his family...

:-)

Anderson/Rowe Capture NCAA Doubles Title

Illini duo enters record books with straight set triumph

May 29, 2006

PALO ALTO, Calif. - University of Illinois All-Americans Kevin Anderson and Ryan Rowe captured the 2006 NCAA men's doubles championship at Stanford's Taube Tennis Center on Monday afternoon. The fourth-ranked and third-seeded sophomore tandem improved to 23-1 and won their 10th consecutive match with a 6-2, 6-4 win against the No. 2 seeded duo of Andre Begemann and Scott Doerner of the 2006 national champion Pepperdine team.

"Ryan and I have had a great semester playing together," Anderson said. "It doesn't get any better than this - this has been a great experience. We had the opportunity to prove that we're the number one doubles team in the country and we took advantage of it."

"I feel great," Rowe said. "We had to battle early in the tournament and we started playing our best towards the end. Right now I'm just enjoying the moment and I look forward to improving my game this summer.

"Today was one of our best matches," Rowe continued. "It was probably our best match of the year. We hit our serves, used our size to our advantage and it all came together."

Anderson/Rowe Capture NCAA Doubles Title

UI's plan to go after more out-of-state students dropped

URBANA – The University of Illinois has backed off a controversial plan to increase its enrollment of out-of-state students.

The plan, which came out of the university's strategic planning process, has drawn some criticism in recent months, and two legislators last week called for a review of the proposed policy.

The most recent draft of the UI's strategic plan does not outline any specific goals for increasing enrollment of out-of-state-students, but administrators have discussed the idea's merit in public for several months.

UI President B. Joseph White, while speaking at a University YMCA lecture series in February, said he could see the ratio of in-state to out-of-state students increasing to 85 percent/15 percent from the current 90/10.

Just last week Chancellor Richard Herman defended the plan while meeting with Chicago-area high school counselors.

"The modest increase that had been proposed was intended to improve the educational experience for Illinois residents, not to limit opportunity for them," said Herman in a statement released Monday afternoon. "However, since our constituents have made it clear that access is their highest priority, we feel it is important to listen and respond to their genuine concerns," he added.

UI's plan to go after more out-of-state students dropped

Some recent UI news

Building, renovation projects OK'd by UI board

UI hits milestone of 500,000 degrees

New alumni center on campus opens doors with activities

#7 Illini tennis team advances to the Sweet 16!

The Fighting Illini (24-6) swept its matches in the first two rounds of the men's NCAA tennis tournament in Louisville, Kentucky over the weekend. They took out Western Illinois (14-8) 4-0 in a first round match and then defeated host school Louisville (18-8) 4-0 in the second round. Next, it's on to Palo Alto, California and Stanford University and the NCAA Sweet 16 where they will face #10-seed UCLA (19-5).

First Round: Illinois 4, Western Illinois 0

Second Round: Illinois 4, Louisville 0

Sweet 16 @ Stanford University - May 20-29
#1 Georgia (26-0) vs. Notre Dame (19-8)
#2 Pepperdine (32-2) vs. Florida (17-7)
#3 Texas (24-3) vs. #14 Mississippi (22-5)
#4 Duke (22-6) vs. #13 Stanford (17-3)
#5 Baylor (22-6) vs. Washington (20-5)
#6 Ohio State (27-1) vs. #11 North Carolina (25-4)
#7 Illinois (24-6) vs. #10 UCLA (19-5)
#8 Virginia (23-8) vs. #9 Miami (FL) (20-4)

House aims to block NCAA ban

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Champaign representative Timothy Johnson (R-Ill.) introduced legislation Thursday intending to prevent the NCAA from interfering with the autonomy of its member institutions, Johnson's office announced yesterday.

House Resolution 5289, called the Protection of University Governance Act of 2006, constrains the NCAA's ability to use a member institution's nickname, symbols or mascot as a reason for imposing sanctions against that school. It would allow affected colleges and universities to sue the NCAA, seeking both a court order to stop the decision and damages to cover attorneys' fees and damages lost from not hosting postseason competitions.

"Local economies across the country would be impacted if the NCAA's recent decisions are allowed to prevail unchecked," Johnson said in the press release. "As indicated by the sponsors who have signed on and who will continue to sign on, this is not a Republican grievance or a Democratic grievance. The NCAA's presumed authority is a grievance against us all.

...

"The NCAA was established as a sports management association," Johnson said. "The organization has since assumed the mantle of social arbiters. They need to go back to scheduling ballgames and leave the social engineering to others."

House aims to block NCAA ban

Cool Web site: TopSecretRecipes.com

Now THIS is a cool site!

TopSecretRecipes.com

They even have a FREE recipe for my all-time favorite ranch dressing from Outback Steakhouse!!!
:-)

Moussaoui Gets Life for Role in Sept. 11

Rot in hell, Moussaoui!!!

ALEXANDRIA, Va. - Al-Qaida conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui escaped the death penalty Wednesday as a jury decided he deserved life in prison instead for his role in the bloodiest terrorist attack in U.S. history. "America, you lost," Moussaoui taunted.

After seven days of deliberation, the nine men and three women rebuffed the government's appeal for death for the only person charged in this country in the four suicide jetliner hijackings that killed nearly 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001.

Three jurors said Moussaoui had only limited knowledge of the Sept. 11 plot, and three described his role in the attacks as minor, if he had any role at all.

Moussaoui, as he was led from the courtroom after the 15-minute hearing, said: "America, you lost. ... I won." He clapped his hands as he was escorted away.

Moussaoui Gets Life for Role in Sept. 11

SDSU's Holdren transferring to Illinois

This kid can flat-out play ball! What a nice surprise to have him in an Illini uniform next fall!!!

SDSU's Holdren transferring to Illinois

Gophers drop three of four games to Illini

The Illini are now at .500 in the Big Ten and sitting all alone in fourth place after taking back-to-back weekend series from Iowa and Minnesota.

The Dome just wasn’t homelike for Minnesota’s baseball team this weekend.

With three losses to Illinois this weekend, the Gophers are below .500 at the Metrodome this season and are sitting below the same number in conference play.

Minnesota’s (22-20, 9-11 Big Ten) 16-8 loss Sunday to the Illini (23-19, 10-10 Big Ten) pushes the Gophers into a four-way tie for fifth place in the Big Ten.

Gophers drop three of four games to Illini