DePaul snags top 40 recruit out from under Illini

[BradleyBrave]

Per WeAreDePaul.com, top 40 recruit Dar Tucker has decided to play his college basketball at DePaul. This is another nice pickup for Jerry Wainwright, and another blow to the recruiting efforts of Bruce Weber and the Illini.

http://story.scout.com/a.z?s=430&p=2&c=571185&ssf=1&RequestedURL=http%3a%2f%2fstory.scout.com%2fa.z%3fs%3d430%26p%3d2%26c%3d571185

[patrick_o'brian]

LOL! They are a mess too. Tucker was there salvation. They thought they had him for sure. I read some posts saying, "Forget EJ, we got Dar" now they are in shock.

[Da Coach]

Now they really can't afford to lose Gordon. Dar Tucker was their backup plan. Weber had hoped to string Tucker along long enough, until he either had Gordon's signature on a NLI, or was assured of his committment. They will play the same shooting guard types of position.

[MacabreMob]

Maybe Dar knows Gordon is gonna be an Illini.

Maybe Dar doesn't like being 'the back-up plan'.

[BradleyBrave]

Maybe Dar knows Gordon is gonna be an Illini.

Maybe Dar doesn't like being 'the back-up plan'.

Maybe Dar doesn't give a cr-p about the Illini. That's my guess.

[MacabreMob]

Maybe Dar knows Gordon is gonna be an Illini.

Maybe Dar doesn't like being 'the back-up plan'.

Maybe Dar doesn't give a cr-p about the Illini. That's my guess.

LOL!

You know, it sounds like Depaul has been doing a lot of solid recruiting. Plus, I am confident Bradley isn't gonna sit back and wait another 50 years to get back to the Sweet16. SIU has been THE MVC team (along with Creighton for the past few years). ISU wants (and looks) to be getting on track.

Just seems to me there is quite a sqeeze on UIUC to maintain their elite status. This is a team coming off a National Runner-up appearance. This is THE state 'flagship' school.

UIUC loses a guy like this and then maybe EG.

Boy... gonna be some hard pills to swallow for UIUC fans if Depaul, SIU, Bradley and ISU are successful.

[BradleyBrave]

Maybe Dar knows Gordon is gonna be an Illini.

Maybe Dar doesn't like being 'the back-up plan'.

Maybe Dar doesn't give a cr-p about the Illini. That's my guess.

LOL!

You know, it sounds like Depaul has been doing a lot of solid recruiting. Plus, I am confident Bradley isn't gonna sit back and wait another 50 years to get back to the Sweet16. SIU has been THE MVC team (along with Creighton for the past few years). ISU wants (and looks) to be getting on track.

Just seems to me there is quite a sqeeze on UIUC to maintain their elite status. This is a team coming off a National Runner-up appearance. This is THE state 'flagship' school.

UIUC loses a guy like this and then maybe EG.

Boy... gonna be some hard pills to swallow for UIUC fans if Depaul, SIU, Bradley and ISU are successful.

With a lot of personal ties to UIUC, I don't like seeing this happen. A 37-2 season culminating with a national runner-up should have set up the Illini for sustained national success for the next decade. The fruits of such success are usually seen 2-3 years afterwards. Well, they're going to be going on year 3 without landing a national top 50 player to replace the 5 guys that ended up in the NBA from that team. This is the 2nd year in a row they're getting taken behind the woodshed recruiting-wise. The window for capitalizing on the 37-2 year is closing quickly. Wright, Scheyer, and Collins were all supposed shoe-in's to end up in Champaign after that season. None ended up there. Eric Gordon was supposed to be the blue chipper that put to rest the notions that Illinois wasn't capitalizing on its success and that Weber couldn't recruit. If he ends up bolting for the crimson and cream, it could be a blow that eventually sinks the Weber regime in Champaign. Illinois will not be able to compete at the level they believe they should be competing at if they continue to recruit this poorly. Weber is a great coach, no doubt. But you need players to win, and this is going to be the 2nd year in a row Illinois comes up short.

[chitownBUB]

Maybe Dar knows Gordon is gonna be an Illini.

Maybe Dar doesn't like being 'the back-up plan'.

Maybe Dar doesn't give a cr-p about the Illini. That's my guess.

But DePaul is a good 2-3 years away from even being above .500 in the Big East, and they haven't had the tradition of sending fine guards to the NBA like Illinois has. This one is indeed puzzling.

[tornado]

Collegehoopsnet picks DePaul #52 overall, but 8th in the Big East.

http://collegehoopsnet.com/preview/2006/52.htm

[BradleyBrave]

Maybe Dar knows Gordon is gonna be an Illini.

Maybe Dar doesn't like being 'the back-up plan'.

Maybe Dar doesn't give a cr-p about the Illini. That's my guess.

But DePaul is a good 2-3 years away from even being above .500 in the Big East, and they haven't had the tradition of sending fine guards to the NBA like Illinois has. This one is indeed puzzling.

I've heard rumblings of a relationship with some guys already on DePaul or heading there via the AAU circuit. The nature of that relationship is up for speculation.

[MacabreMob]

Weber is a great coach, no doubt. But you need players to win, and this is going to be the 2nd year in a row Illinois comes up short.

Yes, you need the players. But do they have to be a top 50 recruit?

How did George Mason get to the Final 4 last year? How did Kent get to the Elite 8 in 2002? How did Gonzaga get to the Elite 8 in 1999?

[BradleyBrave]

Weber is a great coach, no doubt. But you need players to win, and this is going to be the 2nd year in a row Illinois comes up short.

Yes, you need the players. But do they have to be a top 50 recruit?

How did George Mason get to the Final 4 last year? How did Kent get to the Elite 8 in 2002? How did Gonzaga get to the Elite 8 in 1999?

What about the other 53 teams that made the Elite 8 or better in your time span? Why don't you cite how many Top 50-100 players they had on their rosters? 53-3 really isn't in your favor MM. Sure, every once in a while there will be an exception. You need players to win, plain and simple. The more good players you have, the better your chances are of winning. Illinois thinks they should be winning the Big 10 every year and competing for a National Championship on a regular basis. Whether that's reality or not, that's what they think. They will do neither if they're recruiting with the likes of Kent and GM, which seems to be what you're inferring. I'm sure Illini Nation would love that comparison.

[MacabreMob]

Weber is a great coach, no doubt. But you need players to win, and this is going to be the 2nd year in a row Illinois comes up short.

Yes, you need the players. But do they have to be a top 50 recruit?

How did George Mason get to the Final 4 last year? How did Kent get to the Elite 8 in 2002? How did Gonzaga get to the Elite 8 in 1999?

What about the other 53 teams that made the Elite 8 or better in your time span? Why don't you cite how many Top 50-100 players they had on their rosters? 53-3 really isn't in your favor MM. Sure, every once in a while there will be an exception. You need players to win, plain and simple. The more good players you have, the better your chances are of winning. Illinois thinks they should be winning the Big 10 every year and competing for a National Championship on a regular basis. Whether that's reality or not, that's what they think. They will do neither if they're recruiting with the likes of Kent and GM, which seems to be what you're inferring. I'm sure Illini Nation would love that comparison.

I will be very brief -

1) There are 200 Top 50 recruits in a rolling 4 years.
2) There are 117 teams in the BCS 6 plus A10, CUSA, Mtn West and WAC (the only 10 conferences a top 50 recruit would ever consider playing in for tv exposure and whatever)
3) There are 13 players per roster (?)
4) That makes 1521 players
5) Do the Elite 8 have Top 50 recruits? I am sure they do
6) Does the Elite 8 have 104 of the 200 Top 50 recruits? Doubt it
7) I NEVER suggested Illinois is recruiting with the likes of GM and Kent.

I showed exceptions. That is all.

I think you need to not only get top ranked recruits but they also need to be team players that are coachable.

Illinois fans think they should be winning the B10 every year and competing for the NCAA Championship on a regular basis? How arrogant. This is a team that has NEVER won a National title. And in a conference clogged with teams who all could do it.

I just wanna say BB... I had been suspicious of you in the past and always brushed it off. However, I think true colors are coming out. I still consider you a Brave... but I think you are made up of about 95% Red&White and 5% Orange&Blue.

Once a Brave always a Brave?

[tornado]

This is a team that has NEVER won a National title.

In all fairness it needs to be said that the 1943 Illinois team, known as the "Whiz Kids" were the top rated team in the nation at the end of regular season play, and then just prior to the NCAA tournament, several of the players thought it more important to go into the service to fight for their country than to remain stateside and compete for a title which seemed less meaningful than what they instead chose to do.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0747268.html

"Illinois' 1942-43 team, 17-1 and presumably the nation's No. 1 team, opted out of the NCAAs when the Army drafted three of its starters"

http://www.lpths.org/NewsLetters/gene_vance.htm

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/SPORTS12/60306025

[MacabreMob]

This is a team that has NEVER won a National title.

In all fairness.... "Illinois' 1942-43 team, 17-1 and presumably the nation's No. 1 team, opted out of the NCAAs when the Army drafted three of its starters"

In all fairness then...

Can we say Bradley was actually the NCAA Champs in 1950 when they were crowned #1 by the final AP Poll?