D.J.'s Vegas gamble pays off

He went to Las Vegas to raise his grades and improve his chances of securing his eligibility to play basketball as an Illinois freshman, but his role on the prep powerhouse had him thinking about returning to Peoria. Phone calls to Illini coach Bruce Weber helped change his mind.

"Even though they were winning, he felt that maybe he didn't have a strong enough role,'" Weber said. "I said, 'If you leave, what are you going to do? You're not going to come here. You won't make it (academically).'"

Supinie