Your Home of the Oregon ILLINI. Oskee Wa Wa!

This is not shaping up to be another good basketball year in Champaign. I'm not quite sure we'll even make the BIG DANCE this year come March. With today's blowout home loss to the BUCKEYES in Champaign, we're now 0-2 in the BIG - 10 after our 3rd straight loss (12-5 overall). This was the first time Illinois has lost 3 in a row under Weber (dating back to 2002). Not a good way to welcome back 175 some of the best players in ILLNIOIS history for an ILLINI BASKETBALL REUNION. We hit a BUCKEYE buzz saw today. They just ripped us hardcore. We were exposed. And, I'm not sure where I see our next win on the upcoming schedule. Send the PROZAC - I'm officially depressed.

Now for the good news. There is none. Honestly, it doesn't get much uglier than this. Today's loss to Ohio State might have been our worst loss in years. I can't remember a time when we played so poorly on offense. We have a lot of issues to address right now to save the rest of the season. We're at a crossroads. We can find a way to move forward or let things continue to unravel into utter despair. You know it gets bad when Nessler and Lavin have to dig real deep to explain what a CornJerker is. Ugh - I don't know how much longer I can take this.

Right now, all I see from my ILLINI squad is confusion on offense, a lack of scoring confidence, and no signs of team chemistry. To say we're out of sync is an understatement. We're wasting some fairly decent defensive efforts too. Randle and McBride have been two complete senior busts this year with injuries and suspensions. We have no senior leadership on the court and that is part of the problem. In addition to the confusion and chemistry issues, we seem to be too slow down low in the post on offense. Many times we're late on making crisp defensive rotations. Dee / James - where are you? We miss you badly. Please find a way to come back? I know - it won't happen. Seriously, who is our next pro?

Ouch, only 22 points in the first half on 23% shooting. I think we only shot 25% for the game. It was ugly, embarrassing, and not worthy of the tradition and heritage at my alma mater. We have some serious problems in Champagin these days. Both major men's programs appear to be in shambles. At least the Zooker is making some progress on the recruiting trail - something Weber has been struggling with of late. Where do we go from here? How do we build confidence? What does this mean for us in the BIG-10? Are we going to quit on the season? Up next, Iowa at home.