Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Basketball News

Front court - B Mike Davis and Dominique Keller combined for 31 points and 18 rebounds, but Mike Tisdale and Richard Semrau suffered through a slow game offensively.

For Mike Davis , it wasn't that Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose were in the audience Sunday.

Everyone knows the most important ingredient when it comes to selling tickets. "Definitely winning," University of Illinois senior basketball player Trent Meacham said.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. : Trent Meacham scored 18 points and Chester Frazier added 13 to help Illinois hold off Eastern Washington 66-50 in the season opener for both teams on Friday.

When Illinois coach Bruce Weber talks basketball, he's a little like a performer in a one-man show, asking and answering his own questions, and laying out sometimes elaborate strings of causes and effects.

Illinoisa TM long-awaited four-player mena TMs basketball recruiting class signed on the dotted line Wednesday, giving fans a measure of hope at a time when hope is badly needed.

The floppy braids Chester Frazier brought to Illinois were still dangling from his head the day he was offered a coaching dress rehearsal by Illinois coach Bruce Weber last summer.

After three seasons of a few ups and too many downs, Chester Frazier decided he needed a change.

Consider it Illinois' version of make it, take it, because choosing a starting lineup and filling out the rotation could mean Illinois coach Bruce Weber is just going with the hot hand.

The Illinois basketball freshman class consists of center Stan Simpson, a quiet kid from Chicago Simeon High School whose roommate isn't a teammate or even a college athlete.

Many fans might not think crispness of play in exhibition games is all that important.

When Illinois coach Bruce Weber talks basketball, he's a little like a performer in a one-man show, asking and answering his own questions, and laying out sometimes elaborate strings of causes and effects.

More often than not, exhibition opponents for Division I basketball teams are pushovers.

The first half looked like an Illini team that had exorcized their offensive demons from last season, but the 2nd half looked more like the 2007-08 Illini as they struggled to get good shots and didn't have any ...

Trent Meacham scored 17 points and added four assists to lead Illinois past Florida Southern 80-60 in an exhibition game Sunday.

Not only will Illinois sophomore center Mike Tisdale go against a 7-foot, 280-pounder in the exhibition opener against Florida Southern on Sunday at Assembly Hall, he also will feel the weight of all those eyes ...

Illini forward Mike Davis dribbles the ball down the court at the Orange & Blue Scrimmage at Assembly Hall on Sunday.

Bruce Weber needs to prove he can win again, and he has precious little time to do it.

Senior guard Chester Frazier has a new look, and he wouldn't mind if it comes to symbolize the Illinois basketball team.

Senior guard Chester Frazier will be the undisputed leader of the Illinois basketball team this season, and Sunday he stepped forward to bluntly address issues that have plagued the Illini the last two years.