Illini eye Big Ten tourney run

After pulling up short so many times during the regular season, Illinois is pulling out all the stops for its last chance at an NCAA Tournament berth.

Sergio McClain, one of the mainstays on Illinois' last-place 1999 squad that shocked three ranked teams before falling short in the Big Ten tournament final, stopped by to relive those memories with several members of this year's team.

And for the Illini who don't care for ancient history, considering that was half a lifetime ago for the freshmen, they can gain inspiration from last week's march by Illinois' women's team.

Despite being a No. 9 seed with just nine players, Jolette Law's crew ran off 3 wins in three days and lost the Big Ten title game (that would have meant an NCAA berth) at the buzzer.

"We're hoping that maybe that's going to be a model for ours this year," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "Maybe we can benefit from it also."

So that's what the 10th-seeded Illini (13-18) are thinking as they head to Indianapolis for a first-round game against Penn State at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

But what they're thinking seems at odds with how they're feeling.

"We had like eight guys in the training room the other day," Weber said.

Junior guard Chester Frazier, who ought to have the clothes he wears during injury rehab hung from the Assembly Hall rafters when he's done playing, has Osgood Schlatter's in one knee and tendinitis in both knees.

He's not practicing, but he'll play.

"Oh, yeah, he'll play," Weber said. "I don't think you can keep him off the court."

Fifth-year forward Brian Randle, who ought to have the Ubben Basketball Facility training room renamed in his honor upon his departure, will continue to endure lots of pain in his dislocated right shoulder in order to finish his career on the floor.

Randle grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds Saturday in Illinois' Senior Day win over Minnesota.

"Brian, I think, showed a lot of courage," Weber said. "To be honest, I didn't think he'd play again.

"The shoulder does hurt. And after the game, it really hurts and he has trouble raising the arm up."

Junior guard Trent Meacham, meanwhile, has been playing with bone spurs in his ankle that will require off-season surgery.

Despite all of those Illinois woes, Penn State (15-15) might be the one Big Ten team that thinks them to be no big deal.

When the Nittany Lions won by 4 points in Champaign on Jan. 6, they had senior Geary Claxton and junior Jamelle Cornley there to dominate the boards.

When the Nittany Lions beat Illinois by 1 point on Feb. 16, Claxton was gone due to a wrecked knee.

When the Nittany Lions and Illini meet on Thursday, Cornley also will be gone due to a knee injury.

And, yet, Penn State found a way to knock off Indiana on Sunday.

"You have some guys making some shots Sunday that haven't made shots," Weber said. "I think it shows you, too, if you know as a young player, you know you're not going to come out.

"They have no one else to put in, for the most part, especially with the big guys. So those kids can live through their mistakes a little bit (and) they're playing free and loose."