March 1997
Illinois coaches move to fill backfield needs
CHAMPAIGN – Dharma Frye woke up Wednesday a tailback. He went home a fullback.
That's the way things work early in spring football practice. Players move to fill needs. And at the University of Illinois, fullback is definitely a need.
Who''s pitching for UI?
CHAMPAIGN – Pitching depth is a must for a team to contend for a Big Ten Conference baseball championship.
Junior transfers Tim Zidlicky and Brian Funk put in their bids to supply that depth Wednesday as the University of Illinois opened their home season at Illinois Field with a doubleheader sweep of Western Michigan.
Illini on carom caravan
CHAMPAIGN – University of Illinois fans have seen it time and again this women's basketball season. An Illini player misfires on a shot and a teammate is there to grab the rebound for a putback.
The putback may not always go in the first time. But wait. That same Illini – or maybe a teammate – is there to grab the miss. And try to score again. And try again, if needed.
Illinois Womens Basketball Statistics (24-7)
The University of Illinois women's basketball team is averaging just shy of 16 offensive rebounds a game this season. Four player in particular have excelled at giving the Illini second and third chances at scoring on a given possession:
Top UI fullbacks
The Illinois fullback position will be manned by a newcomer, with 1996 starter Rodney Byrd lost to graduation. Since World War II, the position has been manned by seven players who earned first- or second-team All-Big Ten honors:
Kruger got good mileage out of his first UI team
CHAMPAIGN A year ago Thursday, Lon Kruger hopped on a plane for Champaign, toured the town, grabbed a bite to eat at Kennedy''s and gave Ron Guenther a $3,183,365 handshake.
A look back at what''s happened in the 364 days since the University of Illinois introduced men''s basketball coach No. 13:
Late run saves No. 1 Manual
NORMAL No. 1 in the state, still. No. 1 in the country, too. And probably No. 1 when it comes to last-minute escapes.
Class AA kingpin Peoria Manual eluded the grasp of another upset-tinged opponent Tuesday night, scoring 10 of the game''s final 12 points to slip past stubborn Springfield 57-49 in front of 9,417 at the Normal Super-sectional.
Tate: NCAA keeps watering down tournament
Bring back a non-investigated, eligible Marcus Camby to UMass and a jump-shooting Ray Allen to UConn, and those easterners might still be alive in the NCAA basketball tournament.
Insert Allen Iverson at guard, and Georgetown would be a terror. Put Stephon Marbury in charge of the Georgia Tech attack, and Bobby Cremins would not be searching his bathroom for the Grecian Formula. Imagine the look of Kentucky with Antoine Walker, Mississippi State with Erick Dampier, Cal with Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
This will offend the commissioners, but the tourney while still exciting with its rabid fandom has become a second-rate operation compared to 10 years ago.
Top team tough call for Illini women
CHAMPAIGN Inquiring minds want to know: What would it take for decided underdog Illinois to defeat a 32-0 Connecticut juggernaut in the NCAA women''s basketball tournament?
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