Weber seeing progress from Illini 'young guys'
Bruce Weber's assignment sounds simple and fun: Watch tape of yourself play ball, or when bored, watch the best players in the world.
It certainly beats anything those egghead profs are asking for.
But when Weber leaves Illini games and practices, he's never quite sure who will do their homework.
"Everyone gets a disc after a game," the Illinois coach said. "In practice, all of a sudden I'll stop and I'll say, 'Who watched the NBA game last night? Who watched (Steve) Nash? Who watched this? What does he do?' Instead of playing the dang video games or watching some bad movie, watch something and learn from it.
"That's the step when you start understanding what it's about. Certain guys do it, other guys don't."
Freshman guard Demetri McCamey is putting himself in the first category. With a decent amount of tape to examine, McCamey has improved his self-studying habits.
The results on the court are improving, too. McCamey delivered his best collegiate performance to date Friday night against Loyola, Md., scoring 9 points and looking composed in a 77-43 win.
"I'm just taking everything in," McCamey said.
More important than the scoring, McCamey had 4 assists and avoided a turnover for the first time this season. He had committed multiple turnovers in nine of his first 11 games before Friday.
"Coach, he forces me in practice not to make turnovers, which I do because I'm young," McCamey said. "The older players like to pick on me. So it's just going out, just playing smart, trying to get better."
With the development of McCamey and several other young players, Weber can sort out his rotation for the Big Ten season. With Steve Holdren (toe) out several weeks, freshman Bill Cole could see more time at shooting guard.
Weber hopes Rodney Alexander, Mike Davis and Mike Tisdale can add depth inside. Alexander and Tisdale combined for 10 rebounds Friday as Illinois grabbed a season-high 54 boards.
"Accept your role, take pride in your role and then execute your role," Weber said. "The young guys are a part of it."
McCamey, who played 24 minutes Friday, will continue to rotate at point guard alongside Chester Frazier and Trent Meacham.
"We try to get Demetri with Chester, with Trent, different scenarios and then play all three of them together for a few minutes," Weber said. "Demetri gives you another passer, another ballhandler. Then Chester can move without the ball a little more."
Illinois wraps up its pre-conference schedule today against Tennessee State before opening league play Thursday night against Ohio State.
"They're going to play a very fast-paced game," Weber said of Tennessee State. "If you continue feeling good about yourselves and playing at a high level, maybe you start off the conference good."
Tennessee State (3-7) at Illinois (8-4)
When: 3 p.m. at Assembly Hall
TV: Big Ten Network Radio: WIND 560-AM
The skinny: Illinois' defense has been overpowering, holding its last four opponents to an average of 49.3 points on 31.1 percent shooting. Tennessee State, which averages 77.9 points a game, undoubtedly will try to quicken the pace today. Junior guards Bruce Price (20.8 ppg) and Gerald Robinson (17.6 ppg) lead the Tigers, who kept pace with both Indiana and Vanderbilt in road losses. Illinois' senior frontcourt of Shaun Pruitt and Brian Randle has combined for 30.2 points and 16.2 rebounds in the last five games. The Illini need better play from guards Trent Meacham and Calvin Brock, both of whom struggled Friday night against Loyola, Md.
-- Adam Rittenberg