Illini win ugly in front of prospective transfer
CHAMPAIGN -- If Alex Legion didn't know Illinois' strengths and shortcomings before, then the prospective transfer needs no more information after watching the Illini wrestle Western Carolina on Monday night.
Wearing his gray Oak Hill Academy sweats, the 2007 McDonald's All-American sat and chatted with redshirting guard Jamar Smith just beyond the Illinois bench as the carnage unfolded in front of them.
With the best two shooters in Assembly Hall not playing -- actually the top three since starting shooting guard Trent Meacham sat out with a bum ankle -- the Illini struggled mightily on offense but made the Catamounts look worse at the other end.
Freshman center Mike Tisdale finally caught fire at the end of the first half to pull Illinois out of a rut and into a 58-35 nonconference victory over the No. 292 team in the RPI listings.
"Today was pretty messy throughout the entire game," said Illinois senior Brian Randle.
Bruce Weber one-upped that assessment.
"It was pretty ugly," Illinois' coach said with a smile.
If Western Carolina (3-7) fell 2 points shy of setting the Assembly Hall record for fewest points in a game. The Hall opened on March 4, 1963.
The Illini held the Catamounts to 27 percent shooting and forced 22 turnovers. That told Legion, who left Kentucky on Thursday, he'll be required to guard if he decides to enroll here.
On the other end, the Illini managed just 15 points in the first 15 minutes before Tisdale's pair of sweet baseline turnarounds and a two-handed dunk gave the hosts a 26-17 lead at the break.
Illinois (6-3) shot just 41 percent for the game, including an 18 percent showing from 3-point range and a 50 percent night at the line.
Since Legion's calling card is scoring, that let him know he'll be a huge contributor here as soon as he becomes eligible (when semester grades are posted next December).
If Legion can make 80 percent of his free throws in an Illini uniform, they might rename the Twin Cities after him.
Illinois missed 5 straight free throws to start the second half. When Demetri McCamey finally swished the front end of a 1-and-1 with 8:13 to go, the crowd's massive sarcastic roar had the Illini players and coaches looking at each other in disbelief.
Randle didn't mind the fans' actions.
"Rightfully so," he said. "It was rough. I don't know what to tell you. We're working on it. We shot a lot of them this week, I can tell you that."
But will Legion soon be working alongside the Illini? Indications from the Illinois camp suggest he'll transfer here, as he's tight with assistant coach Jerrance Howard.
But the Lexington Herald-Leader reported Legion's mother saying he will attend Notre Dame -- and an Irish source believes he'll visit there Wednesday or Thursday and become a Golden Domer.