Scouting: Illini, NIU and DePaul
Indiana (5-9, 0-2) at Illinois (13-2, 1-1)
When: 2 p.m. at Assembly Hall
TV: Big Ten Network Radio: WIND 560-AM
Skinny: For the first time in the post-Kelvin Sampson era, the Illini and Hoosiers meet in much different places. If there's not as much hatred in the Champaign air today, it's more because Hoosiers freshman point guard Verdell Jones III hails from Champaign than the fact Sampson and Eric Gordon are gone to the NBA. IU has lost seven of its last eight games, including after having two massive leads at home against Lipscomb and Michigan. What's the problem? Well, nine of the Hoosiers' 14 players are freshmen, and they comprise 80 percent of Tom Crean's starting lineup, handle 71 percent of the playing time and do 70 percent of the scoring. Meanwhile, the only freshman on Illinois' roster (6-foot-9 center Stan Simpson) is redshirting.
USF (5-9, 0-2) at DePaul (8-8, 0-3)
When: 1 p.m. at Allstate Arena
Net: ESPN360.com Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Skinny: This matinee features the two worst teams in the Big East, at least according to the RPI. Neither team owns a win over a BCS conference foe, so this'll be a first for someone. But before the Blue Demons can get a Big East win, they need to get a Big East lead. They haven't had one in 120 minutes of league play. Freshman forward Devin Hill's return (10 points, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2 steals) was a boost Wednesday at Syracuse, but he also contributed to the team's 8-of-19 free-throw shooting. The Demons are shooting 61.6 percent at the line for the year. The Bulls, like the Demons, rely on two main scorers: Six-foot-4 soph Dominique Jones (16.6 ppg, 24 3s) and 6-4 senior Jesus Verdejo (15.0 ppg, 37 3s).
Toledo (2-12, 0-0) at Northern Illinois (4-8, 0-0)
When: 2 p.m. at the Convo Center
Radio: WLBK 1360-AM
Skinny: After a three-week layoff, the Huskies finally get to start Mid-American Conference play. Ricardo Patton decided to treat this as a chance to restart the season - complete with a four-hour practice and three straight days of double sessions. Look for a team much more interested in playing defense than it was before the holidays, when they allowed fewer than 67 points just once. Toledo, led by first-year coach Gene Cross, lost four times during NIU's rest period, but the Rockets lost by just 11 to Dayton (14-1) and 9 to Rhode Island (11-4).
UIC (8-6, 1-3) at Cleveland St. (12-5, 3-2)
When: 6:30 p.m. at Wolstein Center
Net: horizonleaguenetwork.tv Radio: WIND 670-AM
Skinny: After a tough 7-point loss at Illinois State on Dec. 20, the Flames ranked No. 44 in the RPI and looked no worse than a Horizon League co-favorite. But after dropping three consecutive league games, including Thursday's 10-point loss at lowly Youngstown State, the Flames are No. 125 in the RPI and falling fast. Jimmy Collins adjusted his lineup Thursday and started Tori Boyd over Robo Kreps, but it didn't seem to make a difference. Power forward Rob Eppinger came off the bench and hit all 5 shots for 10 points in 16 minutes, which might be a sign of things to come.
Loyola (9-7, 1-3) at Youngstown St. (5-9, 2-3)
When: 6 p.m. at Beeghly Center
Net: horizonleaguenetwork.tv Radio: WLUW 88.7-FM
Skinny: The Ramblers have lost six consecutive Horizon League road games, capped by Thursday's 26-point loss at Cleveland State that ties the largest Horizon beating of Jim Whitesell's tenure. Loyola was derailed by poor shooting (32 percent) and poor ballhandling (19 turnovers) at Cleveland. Senior guard J.R. Blount balanced his 4 turnovers with 16 points, which allowed him to vault the 1,400-point mark. If Blount maintains his 15.9 scoring average the rest of the season, he'll challenge Carl Golston (1,625), Darius Clemons (1,610) and Tony Parker (1,605) for the 6-7-8 spots on Loyola's career points list.
- Lindsey Willhite