Travis Britt, Mike Shaw, Illini can shoot the ball

If Illinois offers Travis Britt, he's accepting.

"Illinois is my dream school," the high school freshman said Tuesday. "Even if someone like North Carolina came to me, I'd still go to Illinois. I got hooked watching Dee and Deron."

illinihq.com | Thread (Forums)

"I like it a lot at Illinois," Shaw said during a break in the outdoor practice at Memorial Stadium. "I have fun here. They make me feel welcome."

This will be a tough one for Illinois, but the Illini seem to have given themselves a fighting chance.

illinihq.com | Thread (Forums)

Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber, known for his blunt assessments of his teams' weaknesses, doesn't peddle false optimism.

But as his team gets ready to start practices this week, he promises Illini basketball fans one thing.

"We're a better shooting team," Weber said Tuesday at Illinois basketball media day. "That's a fact."

Beyond that, Illinois is young, and Weber isn't sure what to expect yet.

chicagotribune.com | Thread (Forums)