Evan Turner Must Be Stopped, And I Know Just The Team To Do It

I don't know how he's going to do it, but Bruce Weber must find a way to stop Evan Turner tonight.

Last year, I'd say that Bruce should just dial up some Chester Frazier action and call it a night. But this year? Yikes. I don't know what to do.

D.J. Richardson is probably the team's best perimeter defender, but he's only a freshman. Demetri McCamey is Turner's peer in many ways - most notably because the two were high school teammates - but I'll be darned if he can D up Evan for 40 minutes.

What about the Richwoods beast, Billy Cole? I don't see it happening.

Maybe Weber goes all postmodern tonight and lets Evan get his points and rebounds, but has Mike Tisdale, Mike Davis and the rest of the boys lock down the Dieblers, the Bufords, the Lightys and the Lauderdales of the world. Easier said than done, no doubt, but still perhaps a more manageable task than shutting down the probable National Player of the Year.

Whatever will be, will be. The Illini need this game. Badly.

Game on tonight at 9 PM EST.

The Four Fives

That is a photo of Chester Frazier, senior point guard for the Illini and one of four players on the roster currently averaging between 5.0 and 5.9 points per game.

I have taken to calling these four guys by an original and rather uninventive name: The Four Fives.

Who are the Four Fives, you ask? They are Chester, Alex Legion, Calvin Brock and Dominique Keller.

What a pack o' beasts.

Chester is the heartbeat of the team, the scuffler, the senior leader, the glue. He can aggressively dish the rock but has the caution and know-how of a senior to avoid turnovers. He is the key to the team. He averages 5.6 points per game.

Alex is the new guy, the recently-ineligible guy, the guy with the murky past. He transferred from Kentucky with some baggage but the legends of his shooting ability are ... legion. The man has long arms and can shoot the rock, silkily. One day soon the things that need to click will click. He will be score in bunches. He averages 5.5 points per game.

Calvin is the fifth-year senior, the leaper, the only man left from the Deron-Dee-Luther-Roger-James glory days. He has the motor off the bench, instant energia, as the Spanish announcers might say. If there were hurdles on the court he could hurdle them. He averages 5.6 points per game.

Dominique is the junior college guy, the guy who is learning by leaps and bounds, the guy who earned more playing time by proving to the coaches both on and off the court that he deserved it. He has the great ability to suddenly pop into the lane wide open. And then get the ball and make the shot. He averages 5.9 points per game.

So now that you know the Four Fives, please introduce yourself, make small talk, maybe invite them into your home for a meal. They're good ballplayers.

Sure, people are going to talk about the McCameys, the Meachams, the Tisdales and the Davises, but let it be known: this Illini team isn't anywhere near 17-3 without the Four Fives.

That is all.

Illini Win Opener Against Eastern Washington

The Illini played a strong second half last night to pull away from Eastern Washington and win their 2008-2009 season opener. Trent Meacham hit three threes on his way to 18 points and Chet Frazier added 13 points. Those may end up as single game point highs for those two guys all season. (Ouch! So cynical these days are Illini hoop fans!)

The sellout streak at Assembly Hall ended last night, but there is some optimism around the program after last Wednesday's big signing day. Also I get a sense this season's team, in stark contrast to the Shaun Pruitt-Brian Randle led team of the last two years, might have the type of heart and staying power to close games out. That would be nice.

Oh, by the way, the Illini are currently down 23-13 to Ohio St. at the half. But for two Juice turnovers the Illini may be winning this game. Matty Eller has boomed two big field goals to get the game to within 10. Let's see if Juicer can work some magic in the second half.