Illinois loses touted freshman guard to academics

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber said promising recruit Quinton Watkins will not play or attend school this fall because he is not academically eligible.\nWatkins could still join the team in the spring after attending either a preparatory school or a junior college.\nWeber announced last week that junior guard Jamar Smith will sit out the year after pleading guilty to drunk driving.\nWatkins, meanwhile, was expected to compete for playing time as point guard. Returning starter Chester Frazier is now most likely to start at point.\nWeber says the team will start figuring out its guard rotation while on a weekend trip to play in Canada.