Illinois quick facts

Coach: Bruce Weber, seventh year. Last season's record: 24-10. Spotlight player Alex Legion once was a big-time prospect and played the first few weeks of his college career at Kentucky. But after a year of waiting to play and finally joining the Illini in the spring semester, he made almost no impact. It's not that he'll be better than a solid vet like Demetri McCamey, but Illinois knows what to expect from McCamey. If Legion performs up to his talent level, the offense might not be so balky. Reason to hope The Illini have replaced some role-type players with freshmen who have genuine talent. Guards D.J. Richardson and Brandon Paul were top-100 types who could help energize the rotation if they adapt quickly to the demands of the college game in general and Weber's schemes in particular. Reason to mope Playing 6-9 Mike Davis and 7-1 Mike Tisdale simultaneously makes it hard to push the pace, and those guys are still in place. They're very good players, ...