Kofi Cockburn and Terrence Shannon Jr. will be back in town this week to see their jerseys raised to the State Farm Center rafters. A reason to

celebrate. But the games themselves — against UCLA and Michigan State — can't be overlooked. It's a week for Illinois to prove its place among the

Big Ten's best. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more, including a visit from a top-level European center, in this week's Inside

Illini Basketball.