2011–12 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team American college basketball season
The 2011–12 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team represented the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 2011–12 NCAA Division I men's basketball season . This was head coach Bruce Weber 's ninth and final season at Illinois. The Illini played their home games at Assembly Hall and were members of the Big Ten Conference .
Pre-season
Departures
2011–12 incoming team members
Prior to the 2011–12 season, Illinois welcomed seven new players into the program. The 2011 recruiting class was ranked No. 13 by Scout.com and No. 11 by both Rivals.com and ESPNU . The class was celebrated for its talent and depth, and is the second class in a row that has revived top-15 national rankings. Six true freshman; Tracy Abrams , Myke Henry , Devin Langford , Nnanna Egwu , Mike Shaw , and Ibby Djimde as well as one transfer senior, Sam Maniscalco joined the 2011–12 team. Maniscalso transferred from Bradley University after graduating in May 2011. Because Bradley did not offer the graduate program he enrolled in at Illinois, Maniscalco was eligible to play immediately.[ 1]
2011 Recruiting Class
College recruiting information
Name
Hometown
High school / college
Height
Weight
Commit date
Tracy Abrams PG
Chicago, IL
Mount Carmel
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Dec 18, 2008
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 92
Ibby Djimde C
Huntington, WV
Huntington Prep
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
May 8, 2011
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 87
Nnanna Egwu C
Chicago, IL
St. Ignatius
6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Oct 9, 2009
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 94
Myke Henry SF
Chicago, IL
Orr Academy
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
May 10, 2010
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 92
Devin Langford SF
Huntsville, AL
Lee High School
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
Dec 16, 2010
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 91
Sam Maniscalco G
Chicago, IL
St. Patrick / Bradley
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
Apr 13, 2011
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 78
Mike Shaw PF
Chicago, IL
De La Salle Institute
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
220 lb (100 kg)
Oct 28, 2010
Star ratings : Scout : Rivals : 247Sports : N/A ESPN grade: 92
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout : 13 Rivals : 11 247Sports : 11 ESPN : 11
Note : In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.
Sources:
Italy Trip
Prior to the start of fall semester classes, the team embarked on a 10-day international tour of Italy in August, 2011. With stops in Rome , Florence , Venice , and Como the trip was a combination of basketball, sightseeing, and team-building. The team played four full games, which included wins over Roma Select, Castellanza Select, and Fulgor Omegna as well as an overtime loss to the New Zealand National team[ 2] Also, the Illini traveled to Aviano Air Base , where Illinois played West Virginia in a 20-minute scrimmage and the Aviano varsity team in a 10-minute scrimmage.
Roster
The 2011–12 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston, Illinois on January 4, 2012.
2011–12 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team
Players
Coaches
Pos.
#
Name
Height
Weight
Year
Previous school
Hometown
G
0
Sam Maniscalco (C)
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
180 lb (82 kg)
GS
St. Patrick High School /Bradley
Chicago, IL
G
1
D.J. Richardson (C)
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Jr
Central High School
Peoria, IL
G
2
Joseph Bertrand
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
RS So
Sterling High School
Sterling, IL
G
3
Brandon Paul
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Jr
Warren Township High School
Gurnee, IL
G
4
Crandall Head[ note 1]
6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
190 lb (86 kg)
So
Rich South High School
Matteson, IL
C
12
Meyers Leonard
7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
So
Robinson High School
Robinson, IL
G
13
Tracy Abrams
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
185 lb (84 kg)
Fr
Mount Carmel High School
Chicago, IL
F
15
Mike Shaw
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
Fr
De La Salle Institute
Chicago, IL
G/F
20
Myke Henry
6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
230 lb (104 kg)
Fr
Orr Academy High School
Chicago, IL
G/F
21
Devin Langford
6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)
200 lb (91 kg)
Fr
Lee High School
Huntsville, AL
F/C
23
Ibby Djimde
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
250 lb (113 kg)
Fr
Huntington Prep School
Mali, Africa
G
25
Jean Selus (W)
6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
195 lb (88 kg)
Sr
West Orange High School
Montreal , Quebec
F/C
32
Nnanna Egwu
6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)
245 lb (111 kg)
Fr
St. Ignatius College Prep
Chicago, IL
F
42
Tyler Griffey
6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)
235 lb (107 kg)
Jr
Lafayette High School
Wildwood, MO
G
44
Kervin Berardini
6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
175 lb (79 kg)
RS So
Lake Forest High School /Loyola Marymount
Lake Forest, IL
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
(W) Walk-on
Roster Last update: 2010-10-22
Schedule
[ 3]
Date time, TV
Rank#
Opponent#
Result
Record
High points
High rebounds
High assists
Site (attendance) city, state
Italy Trip[ 4]
August 13, 2011 *12:30 a.m.
at Roma Selezione
W 78-68
1-0
14 – Bertrand
8 – Griffey
5 – Bertrand
- (100)Rome, Italy
August 16, 2011 *11:00 a.m.
vs. New Zealand National Team
L 84-85 OT
1-1
18 – Paul
5 –
3 – Paul
- (250)Forli, Italy
August 17, 2011 *12:00 p.m.
vs. West Virginia
W 47-26
2-1
11 – Richardson
3 – Bertrand
4 – Maniscalco
Aviano Air Base (500)Aviano, Italy
August 18, 2011 *2:00 p.m.
at Castellanza Select
W 131-65
3-1
18 – Bertrand
8 – Shaw
6 – Paul
- (400)Castellanza, Italy
August 19, 2011 *11:00 a.m.
vs. Fulgor Omegna
W 89-85 OT
4-1
19 – Paul
10 – Griffey
3 – Ricardson
- (500)Verbania, Italy
Exhibition
November 1 *7:30pm
Wayne State (NE)
W 79–52
–
18 – Leonard
8 – Shaw
5 – Abrams
Assembly Hall (13,164)Champaign, IL
November 7 *7:30pm
Quincy
W 73–45
–
17 – Richardson
9 – Shaw
3 – Paul , Bertrand
Assembly Hall (13,077)Champaign, IL
Non-Conference regular season
November 11 *8:00pm
Loyola Chicago
W 67–49
1–0
15 – Leonard
7 – Abrams
3 – Maniscalco, Paul
Assembly Hall (15,937)Champaign, IL
November 14 *7:30pm
SIU Edwardsville Cancún Challenge
W 66–46
2–0
20 – Richardson
14 – Griffey
4 – Paul
Assembly Hall (13,404)Champaign, IL
November 17 *8:00pm, BTN
Lipscomb Cancun Challenge
W 79–64
3–0
17 – Richardson
8 – Bertrand
3 – Maniscalco, Paul
Assembly Hall (13,503)Champaign, IL
November 22 *8:30pm, CBSSN
vs. Richmond Cancun Challenge
W 70–61
4–0
22 – Leonard
12 – Leonard
3 – Maniscalco
Moon Palace Resort (980)Cancún, Mexico
November 23 *8:30pm, CBSSN
vs. Illinois State Cancun Challenge
W 63–59
5–0
14 – Maniscalco
8 – Leonard
6 – Paul
Moon Palace Resort (952)Cancún, Mexico
November 27 *12:00pm, BTN
Chicago State
W 90–43
6–0
14 – Henry
6 – Shaw
5 – Abrams, Richardson
Assembly Hall (14,065)Champaign, IL
November 29 *6:30pm, ESPN
at Maryland ACC – Big Ten Challenge
W 71–62
7–0
24 – Maniscalco
7 – Paul
4 – Abrams
Comcast Center (13,187)College Park, MD
December 3 *2:15pm, ESPN2
No. 19 Gonzaga
W 82–75
8–0
21 – Leonard
5 – Maniscalco, Leonard
5 – Maniscalco, Paul
Assembly Hall (15,879)Champaign, IL
December 7 *8:00pm, ESPN2
No. 24
St. Bonaventure
W 48–43
9–0
17 – Paul
8 – Leonard
5 – Paul
Assembly Hall (14,711)Champaign, IL
December 11 *7:00pm, ESPNU
No. 24
Coppin State
W 80–63
10–0
20 – Richardson
11 – Leonard
5 – Maniscalco
Assembly Hall (14,811)Champaign, IL
December 17 *4:00pm, BTN
No. 19
vs. UNLV
L 48–64
10–1
19 – Richardson
8 – Richardson
3 – Leonard
United Center (15,144)Chicago, IL
December 19 *7:00pm, ESPN3
No. 25
Cornell
W 64–60
11–1
19 – Leonard
16 – Leonard
6 – Maniscalco
Assembly Hall (13,578)Champaign, IL
December 22 *8:00pm, ESPN2
No. 25
vs. No. 10 Missouri Braggin' Rights
L 74–78
11–2
19 – Paul
13 – Leonard
5 – Leonard
Scottrade Center (22,087)St. Louis, MO
Big Ten regular season
December 27 6:30pm, BTN
Minnesota
W 81–72 2OT
12–2 (1–0)
21 – Paul
11 – Leonard
6 – Paul
Assembly Hall (15,549)Champaign, IL
December 31 3:00pm, ESPN2
at Purdue
L 60–75
12–3 (1–1)
17 – Paul
6 – Leonard, Richardson
4 – Abrams
Mackey Arena (14,041)West Lafayette, IN
January 4 6:00pm, BTN
at Northwestern Rivalry
W 57–56
13–3 (2–1)
12 – Leonard
8 – Leonard, Bertrand
4 – Paul, Richardson
Welsh-Ryan Arena (8,117)Evanston, IL
January 7 12:00pm, BTN
Nebraska
W 59–54
14–3 (3–1)
25 – Bertrand
6 – Paul
3 – Paul
Assembly Hall (14,909)Champaign, IL
January 10 8:00pm, ESPN
No. 5 Ohio State
W 79–74
15–3 (4–1)
43 – Paul
8 – Paul
4 – Richardson
Assembly Hall (14,636)Champaign, IL
January 19 8:00pm, ESPN2
No. 22
at Penn State
L 52–54
15–4 (4–2)
20 – Paul
6 – Bertrand, Paul
5 – Richardson
Bryce Jordan Center (6,945)University Pak, PA
January 22 1:00pm, BTN
No. 22
Wisconsin
L 63–67
15–5 (4–3)
16 – Leonard
11 – Leonard
5 – Bertrand
Assembly Hall (16,618)Champaign, IL
January 28 7:00pm, BTN
at Minnesota
L 72–77 OT
15–6 (4–4)
28 – Paul
13 – Leonard
4 – Abrams
Williams Arena (14,625)Minneapolis, MN
January 31 6:00pm, ESPN
No. 10 Michigan State
W 42–41
16–6 (5–4)
18 – Paul
9 – Paul
5 – Paul
Assembly Hall (15,629)Champaign, IL
February 5 2:00pm, BTN
Northwestern Rivalry
L 70–74
16–7 (5–5)
22 – Paul
9 – Leonard
8 – Abrams
Assembly Hall (15,461)Champaign, IL
February 9 7:00pm, BTN
at No. 23 Indiana Rivalry
L 71–84
16–8 (5–6)
19 – Richardson
3 – Leonard, Paul, Richardson, Bertrand
5 – Paul
Assembly Hall (17,389)Bloomington, IN
February 12 12:00pm, CBS
at No. 22 Michigan
L 61–70
16–9 (5–7)
21 – Paul
12 – Leonard
3 – Paul, Abrams
Crisler Arena (12,721)Ann Arbor, MI
February 15 7:30pm, BTN
Purdue
L 62–67
16–10 (5–8)
22 – Abrams
12 – Leonard
5 – Bertrand
Assembly Hall (14,339)Champaign, IL
February 18 4:00pm, BTN
at Nebraska
L 57–80
16–11 (5–9)
15 – Richardson
5 – Leonard, Richardson, Egwu
5 – Bertrand
Bob Devaney Sports Center (10,558)Lincoln, NE
February 21 6:00pm, ESPN
at No. 8 Ohio State
L 67–83
16–12 (5–10)
21 – Leonard
6 – Richardson
3 – Paul
Value City Arena (18,481)Columbus, OH
February 26 5:00pm, BTN
Iowa Rivalry
W 65–54
17–12 (6–10)
22 – Leonard
14 – Leonard
4 – Maniscalco
Assembly Hall (16,322)Champaign, IL
March 1 6:00pm, ESPN
No. 13 Michigan
L 61–72
17–13 (6–11)
18 – Leonard
9 – Leonard
3 – Bertrand
Assembly Hall (15,244)Champaign, IL
March 4 12:00pm, BTN
at No. 14 Wisconsin
L 56–70
17–14 (6–12)
22 – Paul
12 – Leonard
2 – Paul
Kohl Center (17,230)Madison, WI
Big Ten tournament
March 8 10:30am, BTN
(9)
vs. (8) Iowa First Round
L 61–64
17–15
18 – Leonard
6 – Leonard, Richardson, Griffey
4 – Paul, Abrams
Bankers Life Fieldhouse (–)Indianapolis, IN
*Non-conference game.
# Rankings from
AP Poll . (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
All times are in
Central Time .
National rankings
Regular Season Polls
Poll
Pre- Season
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
Week 11
Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
Week 15
Week 16
Week 17
Week 18
Final
AP
(RV)
(RV)
(RV)
(RV)
24
19
25
(RV)
(RV)
22
(RV)
(RV)
Coaches
(RV)
(RV)
T-22
19
24
(RV)
(RV)
(RV)
25
(RV)
Record when polls released
0–0
1–0
3–0
6–0
8–0
10–0
10–1
11–2
12–3
14–3
15–3
15–5
15–6
16–7
16–9
16–11
17–12
17–14
17–15
17–15
Legend
Increase in ranking
Decrease in ranking
No Change
(RV)
Received Votes
T
Tied
Season Statistics
Individual player statistics[ 5]
Minutes
Scoring
Total FGs
3-point FGs
Free-throws
Rebounds
Player
GP
GS
Tot
Avg
Pts
Avg
FG
FGA
Pct
3FG
3FA
Pct
FT
FTA
Pct
Off
Def
Tot
Avg
A
TO
Blk
Stl
Paul, Brandon
32
30
1070
33.4
469
14.7
145
370
.392
54
162
.333
125
172
.727
30
121
151
4.7
94
109
27
46
Leonard, Meyers
32
30
1018
31.8
434
13.6
170
291
.584
1
11
.091
93
127
.732
73
189
262
8.2
43
68
60
15
Richardson, D.J.
32
31
1106
34.6
372
11.6
130
336
.387
71
204
.348
41
53
.774
28
68
96
3
55
44
5
27
Bertrand, Joseph
32
14
644
20.1
209
6.5
92
171
.538
3
10
.300
22
30
.733
23
63
86
2.7
43
37
5
11
Maniscalco, Sam
28
13
677
24.2
171
6.1
56
151
.371
27
96
.281
32
39
.821
7
46
53
1.9
64
27
0
15
Griffey, Tyler
30
20
496
16.5
146
4.9
59
137
.431
16
56
.286
12
16
.750
44
56
100
3.3
18
26
11
13
Abrams, Tracy
32
19
674
21.1
136
4.3
49
120
.408
9
35
.257
29
46
.630
22
50
72
2.3
60
50
0
14
Henry, Myke
22
0
179
8.1
70
3.2
28
62
.452
4
25
.160
10
15
.667
11
14
25
1.1
2
9
3
7
Egwu, Nnanna
32
3
313
9.8
60
1.9
27
57
.474
0
0
.000
6
13
.462
21
27
48
1.5
6
22
20
6
Head, Crandall
9
0
83
9.2
9
1
4
17
.235
0
5
.000
1
1
1.000
1
4
5
0.6
9
9
0
5
Shaw, Mike
20
0
139
7
17
0.9
6
21
.286
1
6
.167
4
10
.400
11
26
37
1.9
5
13
1
2
Djimde, Ibby
17
0
61
3.6
5
0.3
1
6
.167
0
0
.000
3
7
.429
2
12
14
0.8
0
6
0
1
Selus, Jean
9
0
9
1
0
0
0
2
.000
0
1
.000
0
0
.000
0
1
1
0.1
1
0
0
0
Berardini, Kevin
7
0
6
0.9
0
0
0
0
.000
0
0
.000
0
0
.000
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Team
47
48
95
10
Total
32
6475
2098
65.6
767
1741
.441
186
611
.304
378
529
.715
320
725
1045
32.7
400
430
132
162
Opponents
32
6476
2055
64.2
712
1659
.429
208
549
.379
423
601
.704
298
704
1002
31.3
379
425
78
200
Notes
^ Head left the team in December with plans to transfer to another school.
References
Venues Rivalries Culture & lore People Seasons Helms and Premo-Porretta national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics