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What's next? Meacham and Frazier look to future

Posted by: Paul Klee

Saturday, March 21, 2009 5:26 PM

As the Illini figure out what's next, former Illini Trent Meacham has some of his plans in place. His fiancee, Theresa Lisch, announced yesterday she will forego her final season of eligibility so she can travel with her soon-to-be husband as he pursues a professional career. Read more here.

- Seven minutes left in the first half here at the Purdue-Washington matchup. It's a virtual home game for UW. I'd say 70 percent of the crowd is pro-Husky, 28 percent are impartial Portlanders and there's a small pocket of gold and black across from the Purdue bench. Very physical game thus far. That's what stood out to the Purdue coaches as they watched film last night - how physical Washington is. That says something coming from the Boilers.

- Decatur Eisenhower's Lewis Jackson said yesterday he was looking forward to the matchup with UW's diminutive point guard Isaiah Thomas. Thomas (listed at 5-foot-8) appears taller than Jackson (listed at 5-9), for what it's worth. Jackson said he's faced Thomas before, on the AAU circuit. I think it still bothers the Decatur product he wasn't pursued by Illinois. He said when Purdue played at Illinois, he looked around and thought, "This could have been me."

- After Purdue beat Washington 76-74 today to advance to the Sweet 16, Jackson considered what he was doing this time last year. His Decatur Eisenhower squad had just ended its season in a loss to Champaign Central.

"I actually woke up this morning and thought about it. Last year at this time I was sitting at home, wishing I could be playing again," said Jackson, who had 11 points in 19 minutes. "But now I'm here and we got the win, so I can kind of push that in the back of my thoughts right now."

- Purdue wouldn't be in the Sweet 16 without Robbie Hummel. And Hummel told me there was a point when a back injury became too painful to deal with, and he had discussions with coaches that he was done for the season.

"That was something that was definitely brought up. It was very close, actually," Hummel said. "Thank God I didn't, because I'm having a great time. I wouldn't trade this for anything. I remember saying to the trainer a few times, 'I don't know if I can feel like this after every game.' 

"When I come off the floor, my back is killing me. That's when they decided to sit me until I felt better. If I wouldn't have felt better, I wouldn't have played again this year. Luckily I did, and we're here now."

Hummel said he takes an anti-inflammatory drug "every day" and wears a brace during games. He's wearing it right now, after the game, as the Boilers take in the Gonzaga-Western Kentucky matchup.

- Chester Frazier said after Thursday's loss he's still deciding whether to return to Illinois as a student assistant. Bruce Weber said there's an invitation on the table.

"Right now I'm just seeing what all my options are," Frazier said. "Hopefully if I'm around, I think I can do a lot of good here."

Frazier said his focus would be player development.

"That would be my main focus. Make Demetri a better player. Make Mike Davis a better player," Frazier said. "Right now, hopefully we can get some toughness around the room. Hopefully we'll see what's going on when the young guys get here, we'll be able to piece some things together and improve."

- Congrats to Centennial on its state title. Always good to see when the best team is the last one standing.

- Former Illini center Shaun Pruitt checked in via email and said he's now playing here. The team already was in the playoffs, he wrote, so he won't be there long.

- Looking ahead to next season's schedule for Illinois, Gonzaga's A.D. told us the contract for a four-game series with Illinois has been signed and delivered. For the full story, click here.

pklee@news-gazette.com

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