The familiar faces of Illinois guards Dee Brown, Deron Williams and Luther Head were all over the court in the team's Orange and Blue Scrimmage.

They were doing something unfamiliar things — allowing others make the assists.

"I think Dee, Deron and Luther do so much but we need them to do things without the basketball, not always with the basketball," Illinois head coach Bruce Weber said.

The Orange and Blue Scrimmage was an opportunity for the trio of guards to learn another wrinkle in Weber's motion offense — that great players will learn to succeed on the court without the ball always in their hands.

"A good player is good with the ball, but a guy that can be extra special learns to play without the ball," Weber said. "(This player) learns to use screens, whether he is screening and then stepping or comes off a screen, he can be more effective. One of our emphases with Deron today and with Dee is learning to dominate the game without the basketball. That means on the defensive end, on the offensive end."

Brown, who scored 17 points and added four assists, understands Weber's philosophy and thinks that motion offense will help the guards better understand how to play without the basketball in their hands.

"A lot of people can score with the ball," Brown said. "We've got to work on scoring without the ball. Scoring without the ball is a big key. We've got to work on it. With the motion you've got to move anyway to score. I think we did good tonight by doing it."

Williams led the Illini in scoring in the scrimmage with 25 points. He dished out three assists. The format of the scrimmage was that the team played four eight-minute quarters, with some players switching teams after every quarter.

"My shot felt good," Williams said. "I'm just moving without the ball and getting used to the motion offense."

Although Weber was happy with the overall performance of his team, he does want to see the Illini cut down on the number of turnovers. Illinois had 15 turnovers between both teams.

"We've got those periods where we try to do too much with our dribble," Weber said. "I told Luther ahead of time I didn't want any turnovers, well he gets out of control at times."

Head, who had 19 points, seven assists and three steals, sees turnovers as a key to the success of the Illini.

"I think we need to cut down on some of the turnovers, personally myself and some of the other players," Head said. "When we do that and keep playing hard we will be a very good team."

The highlight of the scrimmage was a dunk by freshman forward Brian Randle, as he drove through the lane and threw down a one handed dunk that had the 7,634 people in attendance jump to their feet.

"Honestly, I found an opening and they gave me my extra step and I was able to get up," Randle said.

Livingston Takes In

Scrimmage

Shaun Livingston, the Peoria Central guard who is being heavily recruited by the Illini, attended the Illinois Orange and Blue Scrimmage. Livingston walked onto the court at Assembly Hall minutes before the start of the scrimmage. Those in attendance rose to their feet and started chanting "We Want Shaun." Livingston sat behind the player's bench, just in front of the parents of the Illinois players.

Livingston has narrowed his college choices down to Illinois, Duke and Arizona and is expected to announce which college he is attending in the upcoming days.