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Alex Legion, Mike Davis, Trent Meacham

Posted by: Paul Klee

Monday, December 17, 2007 1:11 AM

-Alex Legion said Friday he was planning on visiting Illinois from Sunday through Tuesday. Now he's expected on campus today and Tuesday.

-Monday's Western Carolina game at the Assembly Hall seems like a prime opportunity for a Michael Jordan appearance, doesn't it? The Bobcats don't have a game until Wednesday, and Jeff could be in line for increased playing time against the Catamounts (3-6).

-Guard Trent Meacham (ankle) was limited in practice today at the Assembly Hall. Bruce Weber said the team's second-leading scorer is expected to play against Western Carolina.

-Stats of the day from Illinois' game notes at http://www.fightingillini.com: Only one power conference team has played more road and neutral-court games than Illinois' six (Georgia Tech, seven), and Illinois' two home games are the fewest among Big Ten teams.

-Stat of the day from Klee's game notes: After the Western Carolina game, Illinois this season will have played teams with four coaches who rank among the top 12 winningest active coaches in Division I basketball. Mike Krzyzewski (784 wins) and Gary Williams (591) are in the top 12. Lute Olson (780) wasn't on the sideline against Illinois, but he's still Arizona's coach. Western Carolina's Larry Hunter (536) is 12th on the list, according to the team's Web site.

-There remained a buzz in the Assembly Hall one day after the WDWS/News-Gazette Shootout at the Hall. The current players watched about four of the seven games at the prep showcase Saturday, when the four UI recruits averaged 21.5 points between them. Really, the event could not have unfolded any better for Illinois basketball.

"The only negative, I guess, was the weather. I think everyone appreciates the people who were able to brave the weather," Weber said Sunday after practice. "The fans that were able to come despite the weather, I think they had a pretty good show. Some quality games, some quality performances. I applaud the Champaign Sports Commission in their efforts and everybody that attended.

"I think it's great. I hope it continues, for the sake of everybody: the community, the university and the program."

-For more Shootout coverage go here: http://www.news-gazette.com/sportsfacts/

-In Monday's News-Gazette we'll profile freshman Mike Davis and how he ended up at Illinois. (Hint: Davis said he was already registered for classes in prep school when he committed in August.) Former UI assistant Tracy Webster had the foresight to initiate the recruitment of Davis, and the Illini were able to pull him away from the east coast. Over the course of Davis' career, I think people are going to ask how, for the most part, he slid under the recruiting radar.

"One, it's the bounce he has. His length. His hands. His touch. All of those things you notice right away," Weber said of what they saw in Davis. "It just seems like there haven't been a whole lot of 6-8, long, lanky forwards -- not only in our state, but in the whole Midwest. You just haven't had that type of player or athlete coming out. We were very fortunate to find him."

-More on Davis and some other stuff in Monday's paper.

Paul
pklee@news-gazette.com