CHAMPAIGN – Efrem Winters hasn't visited the Illinois campus in roughly 18 years, about the time when current freshmen were born.

But for those who might have forgotten, his name was magic when he enrolled in the fall of 1982, labeled by some as the nation's premier center after earning MVP honors with 19 points in the McDonald's all-star game. He represented a major breakthrough in Chicago and particularly at King High, then the Public League power.

Legendary coach Lou Henson, who will reunite with several members of his 1983-84 Big Ten championship Illini this weekend in Champaign, will stop by HQ headquarters on Tuesday to conduct an online chat. Submit questions now.

Beat writer Paul Klee's weekly look at the best game in the world

News you can't leave work without: Suns waive Dee Brown

CHAMPAIGN – The economic downturn is forcing the University of Illinois to delay plans to build a new basketball arena or refurbish 46-year-old Assembly Hall.

Illinois planned to decide whether to rebuild or replace the on-campus arena by the end of 2008, but athletic director Ron Guenther put those plans on hold indefinitely after meeting with university Chancellor Richard Herman.

 PHOENIX — The Phoenix Suns released former Illini Dee Brown less than two weeks after signing him to fill the team’s need for a backup point guard.
Brown appeared in two games for Phoenix and averaged 2.5 points and 1.5 assists. Brown signed with the Suns on Dec. 24 after appearing in 17 games with the Washington Wizards to begin the season.

News you can't leave work without: Beat writer Paul Klee submitted his weekly Top 25 ballot to The Associated Press today. Here's how it looked:

After splitting a pair of road games against ranked Big Ten teams last week, Illinois remains outside the AP and USA Today/ESPN Top 25s.