Illinois scouting report

Northern Colorado (4-3) at Illinois (9-1)

When: 5 p.m. at Assembly Hall

TV: BTN; Radio: WIND 560-AM

The skinny: Semester exams got under way Friday, so the Illini are hoping this won't be as much of a struggle as Wednesday's game with Oakland (which looks better after Michigan State's 1-point win Saturday). Northern Colorado won 25 games last year, but its wins this year have come against Tabor Collegge, Black Hills State, Bethune-Cookman and Wyoming. The Illini hope to get more playing time for freshmen Meyers Leonard and Crandall Head as well as sophomore Tyler Griffey. They combined for eight minutes against Oakland. “I think he's lost a little confidence,” Illinois coach Bruce Weber said of Griffey. “We've lost confidence in him.”

Lindsey Willhite