March 12--There's one way other teams can't compare to Illinois this season, junior guard Malcolm Hill said.
Sitting in the locker room at Bankers Life Fieldhouse after an 89-58 loss to Purdue in Friday's Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, Hill recalled what was, what could have been and what could be for Illini basketball.
"We got hit with a pretty hard curveball this year," said Hill, who had 16 points and seven rebounds in the blowout. "With the injuries, a player getting kicked off the team before the season starts, we've been through a lot. We've been through more than any team in the NCAA, I think."
Now the season is over and the Illini have an offseason to allow their bruises to heal. They can't afford to take many hits next season.
Illinois will be absent from a third straight NCAA tournament, something that hasn't occurred for 36 years. That's a lifetime to fans in Champaign.
Coach John Groce received a vote of confidence from new athletic director Josh Whitman, but it's clear by his bold moves with the football program that Whitman isn't afraid to make changes. Illinois will be under pressure to return to the NCAA tournament next season.
"We want to play in it every year," Groce said. "You've got to control what you can control. For us, it's more about building on, getting better and getting stronger."
Illinois (15-19) finished with its worst record since a 14-18 season in 1998-99. Numerous players missed games for reasons ranging from knee injuries to the birth of a child to a case of the mumps.
Promising forward Darius Paul was kicked off the team in August after an arrest in France during an exhibition tour. Sophomore forward Leron Black played in only seven games because of a knee injury and then was arrested after a nightclub altercation, putting his availability for next season in jeopardy.
Graduate-transfer forward Mike Thorne Jr. played only eight games before season-ending knee surgery and will apply for a medical hardship waiver. The Illini also missed point guard Tracy Abrams, who sat out for a second straight season with an Achilles injury.
So on health alone, it's easy to expect the Illini to be better next season. Players were often asked to play out of position; the 6-foot-6 Hill played every spot except center.
"We'll have guys playing our natural positions and being more comfortable on the court," Hill said. "If we have everyone back, we'll be good. If everyone is healthy, it should be a lot easier on everyone, which should make us a dangerous team."
Hill and guard Kendrick Nunn will return for their senior seasons, as will vastly improved center Maverick Morgan. Promising forward Michael Finke and streaky-shooting guard Jalen Coleman-Lands lead a host of potential-filled freshmen from this season.
Groce has signed 2016 recruit Tejon Lucas, a three-star point guard out of Milwaukee, and has commitments for 2017 from four-star point guard DaMonte Williams of Peoria -- the son of former Illini star Frank Williams -- and three-star shooting guard Javon Pickett from Belleville, Ill.
Five-star power forward Jeremiah Tilmon of Indiana and four-star shooting guard Jordan Goodwin of Belleville also are strongly considering the Illini.
While Groce said he can't detail exactly what Illinois will look like next season, he does see reasons to believe. Despite the blowout loss to Purdue, the Illini unexpectedly won two Big Ten tournament games, beating Minnesota and upsetting Iowa.
"I think our team has really improved individually and as a team," Groce said. "The last couple of weeks, the light bulb started to go off a little bit. Obviously to come here and play two back-to-back very consistently (was good). All of those things bode well for us moving forward."
Next season, bad luck or not, Illinois needs to show forward progress.
sryan@tribpub.com
