Posts tagged Bruce Weber at FanHouse

Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber had a rare recruiting success in December when he got Alex Legion to transfer to Illinois from Kentucky.

While it remains to be seen whether Legion is part of a turnaround for the Illini after their disastrous 2007-08 season, Weber had some interesting things to say about Legion during a question-and-answer session with Illinois fans in Peoria:

"The players have nicknamed him 'Kobe.' He has a ways to go, but I understand the comparison. He can score, but he doesn't guard anybody and we just had to teach him a new word. Pass. When he gets his first assist, everybody should give him a standing ovation because that will be his first one."

Weber wasn't done there, though. He also got in a nice little shot at the program that was responsible for his biggest recruiting failure:

"The league should be wide open and we can be right in the middle of it. I do know one thing, though. I think Indiana will suck. Don't put that on the Internet."

Sorry, coach. From your mouth to the series of tubes. That's the way it works. Fortunately for you, though, your assessment of the Hoosiers is sure to be right.

Hat tip: Cannot Falter.

Here's the way the crowd in Champaign greeted Indiana guard Eric Gordon Thursday night:

It got worse from there, with some rowdiness and some profanity, and the University of Illinois has released the following statement from Athletic Director Ron Guenther and basketball coach Bruce Weber:

"There was a great college basketball game played Thursday night between the University of Illinois and Indiana University, but the game has been somewhat diminished by inappropriate behavior by a number of fans in attendance. We value the enthusiastic support of the sellout crowds at the Assembly Hall, but above all we take very seriously the reputation of our basketball program and the University of Illinois. The profanity and behavior by a small segment of fans Thursday night is disappointing and intolerable, and for that we apologize to fans of both teams."

That's all well and good, but apologizing "to fans of both teams" is the wrong approach. If someone deserves an apology, it's Gordon, the guard who first committed to Illinois and then changed his mind and went to Indiana. Illinois fans were enraged, and he received the lion's share of the "inappropriate behavior" referenced in the statement, so he's the one who should be named in the apology.

As for Gordon himself, a brief thought: Although honoring one's commitments is an admirable quality that Gordon apparently lacks, he's far from the only high school athlete who commits to one school and then attends another. The Illinois football program's stellar recruiting in recent years has been fueled in large part by such players. Illinois fans weren't booing those guys when they got the Illini to the Rose Bowl.

As MDS pointed out earlier, Eric Gordon and his family may have had the last laugh in Indiana's double overtime victory over the Illini in Champaign on Thursday, but they had to suffer through quite a bit of abuse while doing it. Be it the constant boos Gordon heard everytime he touched the ball, the chants of 'Liar" and "Traitor" as he calmly sank his free throws, or the beads thrown at his family in the stands, Illini fans acted like fools. Complete and total fools.

I'm an Illini fan, and just like all of them, I don't like Eric Gordon. I was just as upset when he reneged on his oral commitment for Indiana as anybody else. At the same time, I realize he's just a basketball player.

A 19-year old basketball player.

What I saw and heard from the Illini crowd last night embarrassed me as an Illinois fan. Though it wasn't just the fans whose antics I found a little disturbing. Chester Frazier's "chestbump" with Gordon before the game was out of line as well, and he should have been punished for it. Either by the refs or his own coaching staff.

The truth is that the Illini and their fans are going through a tough, and extremely frustrating season. They're 10-14 on the season, including a lovely conference record of 2-9, and things arent' going to get any better this season. Instead of placing the blame where it should be though, like on the players and coaching staff, the team and it's fans have redirected all their anger at Eric Gordon.

Somehow it's gotten in their head that he's the reason the team sucks this season. It's not the fact that Shaun Pruitt can't hit a single free throw, or that they're shooting 30% from behind the arc, in their minds it's because Eric Gordon went to Indiana.

And they should all be ashamed of themselves, I know I'm ashamed of them.

Things just keep getting better for the Illini this season. On Tuesday night they had to travel to Ohio State where they would be without their leading scorer and rebounder, Shaun Pruitt, after he was benched by Bruce Weber before the game. As you might expect would happen, the Illini weren't able to pull off a victory in Columbus, despite a late charge, with the Buckeyes holding on for a 64-58 win.

As for why Weber felt the need to bench his senior, the frazzled coach was a bit vague.

"As for Shaun Pruitt, it's a team matter, a family matter. It's being handled internally. We hope he has a positive attitude and we get him back involved with us. That's what we're hoping he'll do the rest of the week.

"It's how he reacts to everything. If he comes to practice and works his butt off, he'll be fine," said Weber, who indicated that Pruitt has not missed any practice time.

Since Weber wouldn't say what Shaun did, I'm pretty sure that gives me license to completely make something up, so I'll just say Shaun was either dogging it in practice, or maybe he mouthed off to a coach. I'll let you pick which one works best for you.

I'm leaning more towards dogging it myself, because when watching this Illini team right now, I see a team that looks like they've already given up on their season. If that's truly the case, Weber can't allow Pruitt, a senior, to get away with it. If Weber doesn't discipline him for it, he risks losing his entire team.

The suspension also cost Pruitt his streak of 87 consecutive starts.

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The Big Ten Diaries recaps the previous night's action in Big Ten Basketball, but of course, you're probably smart enough to figure that out on your own.


Wisconsin Badgers 70 Illinois Fighting Illini 60

Since Bo Ryan took over in Madison, only one Big Ten team has ever come into the Kohl Center and beaten the Badgers. That team is Illinois, but I don't think many people thought the Illini would pull it off this time around, and they didn't.

Trevon Hughes led the way for Wisconsin with 22 points, and senior Brian Butch also scored 16 points and dominated the glass for Wisconsin with 7 rebounds. Jason Bohannon scored only 8 points for Wisconsin, but six of those points came via the three-point shot after Illinois had closed the gap and started to build up some momentum.

For Illinois it's their fourth straight loss, a first under Bruce Weber, and they're now 0-3 in conference play. Still, if there's anything positive to be taken from this game it's that they shot better on Thursday than they have been lately. Though that's not saying much, as Illinois only hit 41% of it's shots, but they did hit 6-of-10 from beyond the arc.

Unfortunately for the Illini, on the night their outside shots started falling, they couldn't get any help on the inside as Shaun Pruitt and Brian Randle battled foul trouble all night.

The Big Ten Diaries recaps the previous night's action in Big Ten Basketball, but of course, you're probably smart enough to figure that out on your own.

Penn State Nittany Lions 68 Illinois Fighting Illini 64

While the top four spots in the Big Ten figure to belong to MSU, OSU, Indiana, and Wisconsin, don't be surprised if the Penn State Nittany Lions sneak up into 5th place this season. After only being able to win three conference games last season the Nittany Lions picked up their second conference win in as many games on Sunday afternoon in Champaign.

The duo of Geary Claxton and Jamelle Cornley looks like one that could give a lot of Big Ten teams trouble this season, as both players had their second consecutive double-doubles at the expense of the Illini. Cornley lead Penn State with 18 points and 12 rebounds, while Claxton scored 11 and grabbed 11 boards as well.

The Illini had a chance to win the game after freshman Demetri McCamey hit two three-pointers in the final minute to pull Illinois within a point with 10 seconds left, but his floater in the lane that would have won the game missed it's mark and Illinois lost it's second straight home conference game, and third overall.

Another factor that helped Penn State pull of a big road victory was outworking the Illini 49-24. This despite the fact the Nittany Lions don't have a single player over 6'5 in their starting lineup.

Illinois' next two games are at Wisconsin and Indiana, so if Bruce Weber's already feeling the heat for his teams lackluster play, just wait until they start out 0-4.

The Big Ten Diaries recaps the previous night's action in Big Ten Basketball, but of course, you're probably smart enough to figure that out on your own.

Thursday night was the second day of action in Big Ten conference play, and if the first two nights are any indicator, playing at home is not an advantage. On Wednesday night all three home teams (Iowa, Northwestern, and Michigan) lost their conference openers, and on Thursday night Ohio State went into Champaign and handed Illinois their second consecutive home loss.

Ohio State Buckeyes 74 Illinois Fighting Illini 58

While most people seem to think the Big Ten is going to be settled between Michigan State, Indiana, or even Wisconsin, it's important we don't forget about the defending conference champion Buckeyes. Ohio State started it's conference title defense with a relatively easy victory in Champaign over the Fighting Illini. The star of the game was undoubtedly Ohio State senior point guard Jamar Butler, who seems to be enjoying himself now that he's out of Mike Conley's shadow.

Illinois went into the half with a 30-29 advantage, but the Buckeyes ran away with things in the second half. Ohio State used a 15-2 run early in the second half to pull away, and Illinois never really got back into contention after that. I'm sorry, did I say Ohio State went on a 15-2 run? I meant to say Jamar Butler went on a 15-2 run, as Butler reeled off 15 consecutive points for the Buckeyes. Jamar would score 19 of his career high 32 points in the second half.

As for the Illini, it was the same old story we've seen all season. Good defense and strong rebounding combined with an absolutely atrocious output on the offensive end. In fact, the only thing offensive about this Illinois team is having to watch them play.

Illinois shot 40% from the field, which isn't that bad, but they were only 4-21 from behind the three-point line and it killed them. The loss was Illinois' third home loss of the season, the most they've had in any season since 1998-99. At their current rate, Bruce Weber will have lost his voice by mid-January.

Sorry, No Photos

I have a little advice for Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber. The next time you see Ron Zook, take him out to dinner. It better be an expensive dinner too, because you owe Zook right now.

It's thanks to Zook and the Illinois football team that there aren't more people talking about what's gone wrong with Illinois' basketball program. The Illini lost on Sunday afternoon to Tennessee State,.

At home.

In Assembly Hall.

The same Tennessee State that was 3-7 coming into the game, and finished last season with a 12-20 record.

It's not the first time the Illini have lost at home this season either, as they lost to Miami of Ohio in Champaign on December 20th.

I remember a time not too long ago that it didn't matter who came to Champaign, be it Duke or the United Municipalities of Northeastern Montana Technical Institute, they were going home with a loss. These days, the aura of invincibility inside Assembly Hall is non-existent.

With their Big Ten opener at home against Ohio State this Thursday, and a couple of tough road games after that with Wisconsin and Indiana, it's entirely possible the Illini are going to start their conference schedule 1-3 or even 0-4.

Add that to the fact that the Illini have lost out on a lot of the top local high school talent (Jon Scheyer, Eric Gordon, and Derrick Rose to name a few.) the last few years, and it's not entirely inconceivable that Bruce Weber may find his seat getting a lot hotter as this season continues on.

What an odd feeling this must be for folks in Champaign. Bruce Weber went after a shooting guard and actually convinced him to enroll at Illinois.

Kentucky transfer Alex Legion chose Illinois over Notre Dame on Saturday night.

"It was a tough situation because they're both great schools, but it came down to relationships," the 6-foot-4-inch, 195-pound Legion said.

The relationship Legion is referring to is the one he has with Illinois assistant Jerrance Howard. Howard was recently added to Bruce Weber's staff after spending four months with Legion at Kentucky where he came along with Billy Gillispie from Texas A&M.

Unfortunately, Legion won't be eligible to play until next season, probably missing the first ten games, but this is still good news for the Illini. After thinking they had Eric Gordon before he left them at the altar for Indiana, and then having Quinton Watkins fail to qualify, the Illini are very thin at shooting guard right now and need all the help they can get.

They beat Missouri on Saturday, but on the season they're still shooting only 29% from three-point land and seemed destined to finish in the middle of the Big Ten again.

There was a collective gasp in Bloomington, Indiana last night as super freshman Eric Gordon had to leave the Hoosier's 84-72 victory over Tennessee State early after hurting his back.

Gordon was injured with about six minutes left in the first half after colliding with another player in the air, and landing hard on his back and hip. He was taken to the hospital for precautionary x-rays afterwards, but Kelvin Sampson got a text message from Gordon, and he thinks his young guard will be back for Saturday's showdown with Kentucky. It's only a soft tissue injury between his hip and lower back.

"He'll be fine," Sampson said. "Even if he could have played, I wouldn't have brought him back in. He's been playing a lot of minutes. ... We'll get him back."

Gordon is currently the fourth leading scorer in college basketball right now, averaging 24.3 points per game for the Hoosiers. So far the combination of Gordon and senior forward D.J. White have made the Hoosiers a very formidable opponent for anybody in the Big Ten or all of college basketball.

Eric should be careful though, because I'm pretty sure I saw Bruce Weber fiddling around with a voodoo doll that was wearing a white Indiana jersey, number 23.