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Pruitt's status; Mini-practices; The CBI

Posted by: Paul Klee

Friday, January 25, 2008 1:46 PM

The Illini, with input from coaches and upperclassmen, will decide Sunday if suspended senior Shaun Pruitt will be allowed to return to the lineup against Northwestern, Bruce Weber said. Pruitt has been suspended indefinitely and did not play in Tuesday's game at Ohio State. He practiced Thursday and will practice today.

"I think a lot will be determined by him and how he reacts to everything," Weber said today. "We're just kind of monitoring him over the next couple days."

Freshman Mike Tisdale is expected to make his second straight start in place of Pruitt, who had made 86 straight starts and hasn't played as a reserve since the Final Four season in 2004-05.

"Obviously it's (the suspension) not good for anybody. It's not great for Shaun, it's not great for our team, it's not good for the program," Weber said. "It's just that when you lose there's a lot of frustration. Then the way we've lost -- with a lot of close games, a lot of games where this could have happened, that could have happened -- you get to a point in the season where it's not easy.

"I think just have to fight through it, deal with it, try to stay positive with the kids and see if we can get a couple things happen our way and make a run down the stretch."

- In today's News-Gazette, you can read that his father, Steve Pruitt, wrote in an e-mail that the family is considering issuing a statement by Shaun on his behalf.

- You can also read that Pruitt's suspension was not a result of a singular incident, but rather the final straw in a rift that has had its tumultuous moments over time.

- On a more light-hearted note... If we needed further proof the recruiting world has misplaced its marbles, Weber said today he has spent time evaluating a seventh-grade basketball standout.

"That was a first," he said, adding with a laugh, "He was pretty good."

Don't expect any seventh-grade commitments any time soon, though. Weber said he'd likely wait at least until a kid reached high school before extending a scholarship offer. In November, 2006, Jereme Richmond became the first prep freshman to commit to Illinois.

- To boost the team's work ethic -- and get a few more reps in -- the Illini have instituted a sort of mini-practice before the real practice. Players like Jamar Smith and Alex Legion take part in the mini-practice, but everyone's invited.

Illinois held a mini-practice on Thursday -- it was mainly shooting drills -- but the extra session also provides an opportunity for guys like Legion, a transfer, to become familiar with the system.

- More on all of the above, including Legion's progress, in Saturday's News-Gazette. On Sunday we'll profile the College Basketball Invitational -- the new postseason tournament -- and why the Gazelle Group, the event's founders, believe it will be successful in competing with the NIT.

And yes, the CBI founders give their take on where Illinois fits into the CBI equation.

Thanks,

Paul
pklee@news-gazette.com