Illini's Carlwell to transfer
When Brian Carlwell arrived at Illinois in the summer of 2006, the 6-foot-11 center from Proviso East was regarded as a national Top 50 recruit.
He checked in at No. 49 on the Recruiting Services Consensus Index, but he'll check out after scoring a grand total of 44 points as an Illini.
Prior to Illinois' game against Wisconsin on Wednesday night, Carlwell announced his decision to leave the team immediately and transfer to another school at season's end.
Carlwell's departure doesn't come as a big surprise.
His carefree nature, not to mention his multiple injuries that included the severe concussion he suffered as part of Jamar Smith's one-car accident on Feb. 12, 2007, didn't jibe with Illinois coach Bruce Weber's preferred work ethic.
"We've talked to him," Weber said about Carlwell on Monday. "We've sat down with him. Not only myself, but the whole staff: 'You've got to get your weight down. You've got to make a decision. You've got to put in time.' "
Carlwell's decision gives Illinois two open scholarships for next season and one for the 2009-10 season.
That's the perfect window for the Illini to bring in a junior-college power forward to complement slender freshmen Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis and Bill Cole.