No. 24: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Illinois Fighting Illini

2008-2009 Record: 24-10, 11-7 Big Ten (t-2nd)

Key Losses: Chester Frazier (5.7 ppg, 5.3 apg), Trent Meachem (10.2 ppg, 42% 3's)

Key Returners: Mike Davis (11.3 ppg, 8.1 rpg), Mike Tisdale (10.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg), Demetri McCamey (11.5 ppg, 4.6 apg)

Newcomers: DJ Richardson, Joseph Betrand, Tyler Griffey, Brandon Paul

Mike Davis is healthy and ready to anchor the Illini front line after breaking his ankle in June.
(photo credit: Lexington Herald-Review)

Illinois rebounded from a subpar 2007-2008 season to finish second in the Big Ten last year. The Illini lose Chester Frazier and Trent Meachem - their starting back court last season - to graduation, but return a team that has an outside shot of winning the Big Ten.

Bruce Weber is going to rely on his front court to be the constant for this team as he gets back Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale, both juniors. If there is anyone on this Illinois team with star potential, it is the 6'9" Davis. Still a bit slender for a big man in the Big Ten, Davis has a very good offensive arsenal. He has a solid face-up game with catch-and-shoot ability out to about 18 feet, and despite being unable to back down a stronger opponent, he has shown flashes of being a good low post scorer. His lack of strength makes him vulnerable at times defensively, especially down low, but he is a very good rebounder and a solid passer. With an inexperienced back court, I think Weber will run his offense through Davis. Expect the big fella to make a national name for himself this season.

Tisdale is pretty similar to Davis. Not quite the athlete that Davis is (and Davis isn't an overwhelming athlete either), the 7'1" Tisdale relies on a variety of jump hooks and 15 foot jumpers to be effective on the offensive end. Tisdale is a bit weak inside, and I'm sure Weber hopes that he can continue to develop as a defensive presence at the rim. There will be some depth in the Illini front court. Senior Dominique Keller is a 6'7" combo forward. Strong enough to bang with the big boys down low, Keller creates a match-up problem at the offensive end with his ability to knock down three's. 6'8" freshman Tyler Griffey and 6'10" junior Richard Semrau will also see minutes up front.

The back court is going to be the bigger question for the Illini. They do return Demetri McCamey and Alex Legion. McCamey, a 6'3" junior, was the Illini's leading scorer and second leading assist man, but truth be told, he was far from as productive as he could have been. McCamey had a tendency to force too many tough shots (he finished the year shooting just 31% from deep) and turn the ball over a bit more than you would like (2.4 per contest). That said, McCamey has a ton of scoring potential, and when he gets hot can easily go for 25 points. Legion is a 6'5" wing who transferred into Illinois from Kentucky and was not eligible, per transfer rules, until midway through the season. He showed some promise in his first few games, scoring 15 against Michigan State and 12 against Purdue, but he lost his rhythm and by the end of the year had mostly fallen out of the rotation. Legion is a talented kid, and with consistent minutes opening up as Frazier and Meachem move on, Legion will be relied upon for some points, be it off the bench or as a starter.

The rest of the Illinois back court will be made up of freshman. DJ Richardson and Brandon Paul are both top 50 recruits that will compete for a starting spot. Richardson, who is 6'3", is a scoring guard that is at his best when he is attacking. He does have three-point range, but his biggest asset for Weber is going to be his defensive intensity. A strong kid, Richardson has shown no issue with playing hard-nosed defense, and excels in jumping passing lanes. Paul, who is an inch taller than Richardson, is much more of a pure two guard. He isn't quite the defender Richardson is, and relies more on his jump shot. Joseph Bertrand, the third freshman, injured his knee in early September. He should be back and ready to go by the start of the season. Jeff Jordan, Michael's son, was a walk-on but left the team for academic reasons (good ones - to pursue his degree). He has toyed with the idea of returning, and if he does will provide experience, leadership, and tough defense to Weber's back court.

Outlook: With Weber's Illini teams, it has always been about defense, especially out on the perimeter where he loves to have his guards pressure the ball. With so many freshman in the back court rotation, it could take a while for Weber to get them to but into the system. The one thing those freshman are, however, is talented, and if given the opportunity I'd expect Weber to get them to succeed. A key factor will be how good of a player Davis ends up being. Will he be a 11 and 8 guy like last season, or will Davis develop into a go-to offensive player, averaging upwards of 15-16 ppg? Regardless, the Illini have enough for a top three finish in the league and a top six seed in the dance.