NORMAL - Off-the-court troubles might not cost Levi Dyer and Brandon Sampay any time on the court.

Illinois State basketball coach Tim Jankovich said at Media Day on Thursday that Dyer and Sampay could be in uniform for the exhibition opener against Quincy on Nov. 7 at Redbird Arena and the season opener four days later against Missouri-St. Louis.

Dyer, a senior center, pleaded guilty in McLean County Circuit Court on Aug. 6 with driving under the influence of alcohol for an April 29 incident in Normal. Sampay, a junior forward, was charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and two counts of illegal transportation of alcohol for a July 29 incident in Normal. His case remains in the judicial system.

"They have a number of very different activities and responsibilities they have to satisfy, and I have to feel great about each and every one of them," said Jankovich. "If they do they will play, and if they don't they will not play.

"The truth of the matter is right now I don't know if they will play or not because it's really in their hands. But it's not at zero. They have been working towards this all the time. It's not like we're waiting for them to get started."

Jankovich would not specify what those activities and responsibilities entail. Both players have gone through preseason conditioning and will take part in Saturday's official start of practice.