Illinois

Unlike the NBA, where most starting lineups are set in stone weeks before the season, NCAA starting fives are highly unsettled and constantly in flux. Going through the BCS leagues this week, I'll be projecting the starting fives for each team. Also included is the team's most important bench option, and some notes on other possible lineups.

Another challenging collection of non-conference games followed by the rigorous Big Ten slate highlight the 2008-09 Illinois men's basketball schedule. A total of 19 home games will be played at the Assembly Hall (17 regular season and two exhibition), and the Illini will play at least 12 games during the regular season against teams that participated in last year's NCAA Tournament.

The U.S. men's basketball team improved to 2-0 in Olympic Preliminary Play in Group B with a 97-76 victory over Angola on Tuesday night in Beijing. Former Illini Deron Williams played a team-high 22 minutes for Team USA in the win, totaling seven points, four assists and two steals.

Dwyane Wade led the U.S. with 19 points while Dwight Howard added 14. The U.S. shot 56 percent for the game and played aggressive defense, forcing Angola into 25 turnovers which led to easy baskets.

Like civilizations, all great basketball programs eventually fall.. replaced by an upstart newcomer. In this week's Rise & Fall series, we'll take a look at which BCS programs are rising, falling, or merely treading water. Up today, the:

BIG TEN

With the off-season now upon us and the spring signing period well under way, this is a good opportunity to attempt to forecast some of the teams who could make the jump next season. Is there a team out there like this past season’s Drake Bulldogs, who went from ninth place to a dominating run through the Missouri Valley? Or how about Arizona State, a team that went from dead last in the Pac-10 to fifth place and could have the makings of a conference title run this season?

A - Mike Green