Illinois: Young But Not Immature

Groce's energy reverberates throughout his program

With a big win over B1G conference foe Penn State, Illinois moves to a 13-2 record and a 2-0 record in B1G play. And while scoring was obviously the most notable aspect of the game (Illinois won 75-55), the change in the culture of the program was not hard to see. Throughout the mid-2000s, Bruce Weber suffered through underachieving seasons simply because his teams lacked discipline down the stretch and did not always show mental toughness. Even the veteran "leaders" like Mike Davis, Brian Randle, and Rich McBride (it hurts me to even call them leaders) were immature both on and off the court.

Yet what we have seen now with John Groce in charge is a change in how the Fighting Illini approach the game. There is a toughness aspect to how they play and it is exemplified on both sides of the ball. Guys like John Ekey, Rayvonte Rice, Tracy Abrams, Joseph Bertrand, and Nnanna Egwu are the veterans on the team and have proved that they are capable of running the show as well as anyone else in the conference and it is their maturity that has now established Illinois as a soon-to-be Top 25 team.

At the beginning of the game today, Illinois jumped out to a 9-0 lead which gradually shrunk to a 28-26 lead at the half. The game was physical and offenses on both sides seemed to stall at times which is something that Illinois fans have gotten so used to seeing. And while slow or ineffective offense is sure to come at some point for any team, the Bruce Weber era was one that could never find its way OUT of those little funks. Teams used to collapse under the pressure, players would take ill-advised shots too early in the shot clock, guys would become selfish and stop running the offense, or the team as a whole would just shut down and no longer compete. It made for many long winters and constant questions as to how Illinois could plummet so far after the 2005 Final Four team.

That is exactly what makes John Groce a God-send for Illinois' program. He has instituted a competitive label to this team that is slowly making its way into the national spotlight. It began with a tough road win against UNLV and was enhanced by big late-game execution that led to wins over rivals Missouri and Indiana. The Fighting Illini played hard-nosed but smart basketball down the stretch in all three games and today was no different. Penn State continually chipped away at the Illinois lead yet it never seemed like the Fighting Illini ever changed their approach. Body language was never poor and faces never appeared scared.

Frustration was all too familiar to Weber at Illinois

But more than the maturity being shown through the game of basketball is the maturity being shown in personality and character. The game was physical and two particular instances proved that this team, though young, is ready to handle just about any controversy. In the second half, Illinois freshman Malcolm Hill was tossed to the ground on a rebound and while emotions ran high momentarily, Hill never retaliated. It took some guidance from Nnanna Egwu, but Hill walked away from the scuffle. Later in the same half, freshman Kendrick Nunn drove the lane for a lay-up and made contact with Penn State's D.J. Newbill on his way down the floor. Taking exception to the contact, Newbill shoved Nunn in the back of the head which prompted Nunn to get in the face of Newbill. There is nothing wrong with defending yourself which is why there was nothing negative about Nunn's reaction, but once again his teammates came in and separated the two players and Nunn walked away. No retaliation. No punches thrown. And while Nunn and Hill are both 18 year olds, it speaks volumes that the two freshman carried themselves so well in a high-intensity game such as today's. Credit the young men on the team for keeping composure, but also credit John Groce for coaching his team to be disciplined.

Bruce Weber was and is not a bad coach. He is currently coaching an above-average Kansas State team and did lead Illinois to a couple successful seasons. Yet Weber seemed to lose control towards the end of his time at Illinois and now John Groce has stepped in and made Illinois a competitive program once again. While Groce does have a good amount of veterans, there is no question that the maturity and ability of his freshman will soon prove to be something special. Illinois still has numerous tests to face in conference play with teams such as Ohio State, Michigan State, and Wisconsin, but if this kind of play continues, Illinois just may find themselves in the top half of the B1G at season's end. Groce has done everything right in reconstructing this program. The future is bright for Illinois.