CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) -- The Illinois men's and women's basketball teams got an early start to their seasons today, holding what they called the world's largest outdoor basketball practice on a portable court at Memorial Stadium.

(AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

The University of Illinois basketball team holds practice outside at Memorial Stadium after the end of the NCAA college football game at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill., Saturday, Oct. 11, 2008. Illinois gets basketball off to a very early start with what it's billing as the world's largest outdoor basketball practice. But this may be the lasts one. The NCAA is expected to ban practices held this early after complaints from other schools.

It's unlikely they'll be able to repeat it, though. The NCAA is expected to ban such early events after coaches at other schools complained.

The basketball teams took advantage of Illinois' homecoming football crowd, setting up the court in the stadium's south end zone and practicing and scrimmaging right after the Illini's 27-20 loss to Minnesota.

Weber received permission from the NCAA to hold the practice ahead of the official Oct. 17 start date.

Illinois opens its season Nov. 14 at home against Eastern Washington.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)