Challenges plenty as college hoops get underway

Jimmy Collins has an appointment with his surgeons next week, but don't worry. It's merely a checkup.

Almost 10 months since stepping away from Illinois-Chicago's basketball team to deal with an abdominal aortic aneurysm -- and the resulting surgery -- Collins has the green light to enter his 12th year at UIC with gusto.

With that in mind, there might be nobody across the nation who's more excited than Collins for official practices to start this weekend.

"The best thing for me is to get back on the floor," said Collins, who'll be 60 next month. "I don't know if that's the best thing for my body, but my doctors have assured me, unless I take a strong blow, I'll be fine."

Every local team has challenges to meet before the regular season opens Nov. 9.

• First-year Northern Illinois coach Ricardo Patton must revive a 7-23 program that includes five scholarship players who didn't suit up for the Huskies last year.

• DePaul lost two draft picks (Wilson Chandler and Sammy Mejia) from a 20-win team that came close to the NCAA Tournament. Can a hot freshman class make the difference in a brutal Big East?

• Loyola must figure out a way to keep winning with just one returning starter.

• Northwestern must figure out a way to start winning with three returning starters and four intriguing freshmen.

• And Illinois? Bruce Weber retains three starters from the school's eighth straight NCAA team, but he must correctly mesh as many as seven newcomers on his shooting guard-poor team in order to run that streak to nine.

Illinois

Nobody in Champaign wants to relive last year's arduous experiences, neither the ones on the court nor the ones off the court.

It might be coincidental, but Weber and the Illini are bulking up on good karma from the start with Friday's "Illini Madness" promotion.

If you buy a custom-made pink T-shirt benefiting breast cancer research, then you're in for their Assembly Hall extravaganza at 9 p.m. Illinois expects to raise at least $30,000 for the American Cancer Society.

"Make a statement," Weber said. "It's OK to wear pink."

Not coincidentally, perhaps, the Illini are in the pink when it comes to their health.

Even fifth-year senior Brian Randle, who pulled his hamstring in a shooting drill prior to the team's Labor Day trip to Canada, finds himself in shape.

DePaul

Despite the arrival of six newcomers and a history of slow starts, DePaul enters practice locked and loaded.

"We could play a game tonight," third-year coach Jerry Wainwright said. "We're so far ahead of where we've ever been. We need to be clicking earlier. We can't go back to square one."

It's good news for a team that opened last season 2-4 and fell 2 or 3 wins shy of an NCAA Tournament bid. DePaul's postseason hopes hinge on integrating unheralded upperclassmen with a fêted incoming class, headlined by center Mac Koshwal and guard Darquavis Tucker.

Koshwal's individual workouts have been "off the charts," Wainwright said, and junior-college transfer Matija Poscic is gaining respect among the older players. The Blue Demons need strong preseason play from mercurial senior center Wesley Green, sophomore guard Will Walker and senior swingman Karron Clarke, who underwent off-season knee surgery but is ready for practice.

"The critical part of our team is not the new kids; it's the old kids," Wainwright said. "They all have to raise their games."

Northwestern

It might be a good idea for Bill Carmody to begin Friday's practice by having players work on left-handed flip shots with their shorts and socks rolled up and their hair slicked back.

Who ever thought charismatic swingman Tim Doyle would be missed so much?

Life without Doyle won't be easy for NU, which once again will rely on young players, including freshmen Michael Thompson and Glenbard East product Mike Capocci.

NU needs continued progress from star forward Kevin Coble and promising swingman Jeff Ryan, as well as bounce-back seasons from shooters Craig Moore and Jason Okrzesik.

Carmody may turn the offense over to Thompson, whose speed and court savvy should offset his inexperience. NU also must closely evaluate redshirt freshman forwards Ivan Peljusic and Nikola Baran.

"No one enjoyed last year," Carmody said. "You have to rebound and just say, 'We've got some good young guys. Let's go after it.' "

Northern Illinois

The Huskies already have lost their most experienced player, senior swingman Zach Pancratz, to shoulder surgery.

While that forces Pancratz to wait a year to wrap up his career, it gives Ricardo Patton a chance to give more chances to the new Huskies.

Freshman guards Jeremy Landers (Milwaukee) and Jake Anderson (Boys to Men Academy) are among those seeking minutes in Patton's up-tempo system.

At this point, Patton has no idea who will comprise his starting lineup -- nor does he care.

"The way we're going to play," he said, "we need a number of guys to play major minutes."

However, his top task might be to find a point guard. Incumbent Ryan Paradise doubles as the team's best 3-point shooter, so he might play more on the wing.

That initially leaves sophomore Cody Yelder and freshman walk-on Michael Patton, who doubles as the coach's son.

Loyola

Jim Whitesell's career never took him to the high school ranks, but he feels like a prep coach these days as Loyola gets ready to open practice.

"You have good sophomores and freshmen, and you're waiting to see what they do on the varsity," Whitesell said Wednesday. "Can they take that next jump?"

That's the question for J.R. Blount, Leon Young and Andy Polka, all of whom have significant experience. The difference this season is that top scorers Blake Schilb and Majak Kou are no longer there to help.

Blount, who has recovered from off-season microfracture surgery in his knee, will be the team's recognized leader. Young, who comes off a disappointing season blighted by freak injuries and inconsistent play, hopes to complement Andy Polka up front.

Loyola also must integrate transfers Ross Forman and Justin Cerasoli.

"We've got guys back who logged 20-25 minutes a night, so can they be top-10 players in our league?" Whitesell said. "Leon, Andy and J.R. have been top-10 players some nights. Blake was a top-10 player every night."

Illinois-Chicago

When last season ended, the Flames thought they'd have all three of their double-figure scorers back.

But senior Othyus Jeffers (15.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg), a Horizon League first-team selection, transferred to NAIA Robert Morris due to academic issues.

Sharpshooter T.J. Gray (11.1 ppg, 90 3s) switched to SIU-Edwardsville after obtaining his degree.

Coach Jimmy Collins doesn't understand the hubbub over their departures.

"It's like, 'Wow, this is a foreign occurrence in college basketball,' " he said. "You have to move forward. We're not ready to throw dirt on the program."

Guard Josh Mayo and center Scott VanderMeer provide a good base, while Texas Tech transfer Jeremy Buttell, juco transfer Billy Baptist and freshmen guards Robert Kreps and Tori Boyd will help immediately.

DePaul

Last year's record: 20-14 overall, 9-7 Big East

Projected starters: C Mac Koshwal (Fr.), F Matija Poscic (Jr.), G/F Karron Clarke (Sr.) OR G/F Darquavis Tucker (Fr.), G Draelon Burns (Sr.), G Jabari Currie (Jr.)

First practice: "Blue Madness," 9:30 p.m. Friday at McGrath Arena (Sullivan Athletic Center)

Consensus prediction: 12th in Big East

Illinois

Last year: 23-12 overall, 9-7 Big Ten

Projected starters: F Rodney Alexander (Jr.), F Brian Randle (Sr.), C Shaun Pruitt (Sr.), G Demetri McCamey (Fr.), G Chester Frazier (Jr.)

First practice: "Illini Madness," 9 p.m. Friday at the Assembly Hall

Consensus prediction: Fifth in Big Ten

Northwestern

Last year's record: 13-18 overall, 2-14 Big Ten

Projected starters: F Kevin Coble (So.), F Jeff Ryan (So.), F Ivan Peljusic (Fr.) OR F Nikola Baran (Fr.), G Craig Moore (Jr.), G Michael Thompson (Fr.)

First practice: 7 p.m. Friday at Welsh-Ryan Arena

Consensus prediction: 11th in Big Ten

Northern Illinois

Last year: 7-23 overall, 4-12 MAC West

Projected starters: F Egan Grafel (Sr.), F Bristan Kelley (So.), F Shaun Logan (Sr.), G Ryan Paradise (Sr.), G Cody Yelder (So.)

First practice: 8 a.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center

Consensus prediction: Fifth in MAC West

Illinois-Chicago

Last year: 14-18 overall, 7-9 Horizon

Projected starters: F Jeremy Buttell (So.), F Billy Baptist (Jr.), C Scott VanderMeer (Jr.), G Josh Mayo (Jr.), G Robert Bush (Sr.)

First practice: 9:30 a.m. Saturday at UIC's practice facility

Consensus prediction: Seventh in Horizon League

Loyola

Last year's record: 21-11 overall, 10-6 Horizon

Projected starters: F Andy Polka (Jr.), F Leon Young (Jr.), G Tracy Robinson (Sr.), G Justin Cerasoli* (Jr.), G J.R. Blount (Jr.)

First practice: "Midnight Madness," 10 p.m. Friday at the Gentile Center

Consensus prediction: Fifth

* Eligible after fall semester