CHAMPAIGN -- In an attempt to spark the struggling Illinois basketball team, coach Bruce Weber may alter the starting lineup when the Illini host Northwestern on Wednesday.
Illinois has lost two straight games and freshman Brandon Paul, who usually starts, injured his ankle in the Illini's last game against Missouri last Wednesday after he "felt something pop," Weber said. But Paul was able to re-enter the game, did not take an x-ray and practiced Sunday.
When Paul temporarily left the game, Bill Cole entered for him and it's Cole who could start against Northwestern.
"It is a possibility," Weber said of a lineup change. "One, (Cole) gives us energy, he guards better, but we'll just see how the next few days of practice go but that is a possibility."
As for the Wildcats, Weber said junior guard Michael Thompson "may be one of the most improved kids in the league, in the country."
He added that Illinois' fledgling defense would have to try to contain Northwestern's 3-point shooting to beat the Wildcats. As a team, Northwestern is shooting nearly 37 percent from 3-point range.
"They really are executing their system right now," Weber said. "They cut, maybe the best since one of my first year's here, where they're moving fast, cutting, they understand where they can score out of and they get a lot of open 3-pointers off of it, especially Thompson."
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He had one good season, there has been no evidence that he has been a good coach or recruiter since then. Jerrance Howard recruited all of the good players at U of I this year and next, when he leaves for a better offer at Kansas, Illinois will be just as lost as they were after the national championship run. This program made a run at a national title with Bill Self's players, they haven't made it past the first round with Bruce Weber's recruits. Bring up winning percentage all you want, that's what coaches are based on fools, not wins against Presbeyterian.
Northwestern just has to play hard the entire 40 minutes and they will beat Illinois. Some key Illini players (especially their bigs) are self-centered and plain lazy and hardly ever play with 100% effort so if Wildcats just out effort Illini then the Wildcats will WIN easily. Just ask Utah, Bradley, Georgia and Missouri. Much lazier, self-absorbed Illini team this year, similar to underachieving 2007-08 team.
Weber has NEVER recruited an outstanding class at Illinois. This year's aggregation of louts extends his streak.
If Weber loses every fourth game, you can bet it'll be a BIG one.
That is an intelligent post - Weber is by all accounts a very good in game coach, a very good recruiter and has a winning percentage of .730. But yes, by all means let's fire a coach that wins 3 out of every 4 games....next time think more, write less.
To heck with changing guards, change the coach.