Shocker in Champaign

CHAMPAIGN -- The trouble signs were there well before Illinois stepped onto the court.

When Illini coach Bruce Weber met with his team Saturday night, he reminded them that they could be beaten by anybody. They even had evidence: only nine days earlier, Miami (Ohio) had marched into Assembly Hall and marched out with a win.

The players' response?

"We got snickers," Weber said.

There was no laughing after Illinois fell 60-58 to Tennessee State, a team picked sixth in the Ohio Valley Conference and owning only one Division I victory (1-11 Eastern Illinois) before Sunday.

Illinois (8-5) is off to its worst start since 1997-98, when it also began 8-5, but the shock value of this year's setbacks hasn't been matched for decades. Before Sunday, the Illini had lost only one game to a current Ohio Valley Conference member, falling to Austin Peay in the 1987 NCAA Tournament.

"We didn't come ready to play," Weber said. "It's just very disappointing, very tough to swallow. We keep having to learn lessons.

"If they can't figure something out after this, we're in trouble."

Weber eventually took responsibility for the loss, but first he attacked the immaturity of his team and the inability of the upperclassmen to get their younger teammates focused after Friday's blowout win over Loyola (Md.).

"It's your leaders, it starts with them," Weber said. "They should be coming to practice (Saturday), 'Let's get after it, guys. Let's do this.' Instead, it's kind of the other way.

"They have to tell the other guys to pay attention."

Illinois' most damaging mental lapses came after halftime, as Tennessee State (4-7) stretched its lead by hitting its first 7 shots. The Tigers limited miscues and stretched the Illini defense, creating openings for Bruce Price (17 points) and Jerrell Houston (12 points).

A fadeaway 3-pointer by Price put Tennessee State up 47-33 with 13:27 left.

"We had what we call our Five Out offense," Tigers coach Cy Alexander said. "If we don't get something out of the set, then we just try to spread the floor."

Flustered by Tennessee State's fluctuating zone defenses, Illinois appeared doomed, especially without senior forward Brian Randle, who left the game late in the first half with a head injury. But junior guard Trent Meacham (24 points) led a rally, hitting 4 of his season high five 3-pointers in the second half.

Meacham's 3-pointer with 1:05 left brought Illinois to within 59-58. Then, after a Tigers miss, Illini senior Shaun Pruitt was fouled with 26.5 seconds remaining.

"He had just come off his best (free-throw) game of the year, 6 of 7," Weber said. "(Saturday) night, we came back and shot free throws before our scouting meeting and he made 80 percent of 50."

But Pruitt missed both shots when it counted.

With one final chance, Illini freshman Demetri McCamey drove and found Mike Tisdale, whose jumper hit the rim. Weber wanted a ball screen for McCamey but had no problem with Tisdale's look.

"You can't get a better shot than that," he said.

Price face-guarded Meacham, making sure he wouldn't factor in the deciding play.

"They weren't going to leave me," Meacham said.

A Big Ten schedule that begins with two home games would normally be the perfect therapy for the Illini, but they have dropped two of their three at the Hall, falling to 60-7 under Weber.

"We can't walk in expecting to win," McCamey said. "We've got to pick it up from the get go and have them down and looking scared, like we used to."