For the first time this year, the blue and orange will mesh and play together against a common foe. Friday night marks the beginning of the competitive season for the Illini as they take on Southern Illinois Edwardsville in an exhibition.

Head coach Bruce Weber believes that all systems are go; the team is ready to get started. The revamped Assembly Hall is ready to test its sound barriers and even the Orange Krush was introduced on Thursday.

“(Friday Night) it’s going to be fun; games are much better than practice,” junior forward James Augustine said. “I’m anxious to just get it started, the expectations are high but we have to just get out and play.”

Augustine will be playing his normal role in the starting five and says that he’ll be playing at full speed after recovering from an injury suffered last week in practice.

“If it starts hurting the coaches will get me out, but it’s been fine lately,” Augustine said.

The Illini are expecting to have little difficulty scoring points; since they return their ten leading scorers, the offense will be under less scrutiny Friday night. The motion offense is in its second year and is fluid in practice.

What the Illini coaching staff and players look forward to in the exhibition is defensive pressure and execution.

“We want to play tough defense,” said junior guard Dee Brown. “We know we have the offensive weapons to put up a lot of points but defense is going to be key for us down the stretch.”

Krush Kick-off

Thursday night the Orange Krush received their instructions for the year and should be leading a sold out Assembly Hall even this early in the season.

“Everyone seems excited to see us play; hopefully everyone will come out and support us,” Brown said.

Brown added that the team is just as excited as the fans are to see what type of team they are going to be.

Illini Receive Fourth Commitment

A much-criticized recruiting class of 2005 is starting to cause “foot-in-mouth” disease around the Midwest. The Illini added Charles Jackson, a 6′ 8” 280-pound bruising forward to their class. Jackson, from Georgia, has stayed off many teams’ basketball radars mainly because he has been one the most highly-touted football recruits in the nation. Football powerhouses such as Florida and Georgia were highly disappointed when he made his choice to follow his first love, basketball.

Chester Frazier, Jamar Smith and David Palmer have all verbally committed to Illinois along with Jackson. Illinois still has one open scholarship and could be in position to wrap up a strong class.