Dec. 07--CHAMPAIGN -- Coach John Groce wants Illinois' reserves to think of themselves as relief pitchers.
"You aren't expecting them to throw all strikes," he said. "That's pretty rare. But you do expect them to throw more strikes than balls."
Credit Maverick Morgan and the rest of the Illini bench for retiring American.
The Illini bench outscored the Eagles 28-3 Saturday en route to a 70-55 victory at State Farm Center, rebounding from their first loss of the season to Miami five days before.
Morgan scored a career-high eight points with four rebounds in 11 minutes off the bench, following the Miami game when he sat out because of Groce's dissatisfaction with his play.
"He needed to make some positive plays for our team," Groce said. "He did that. It's great to see him do that and hopefully a step in the right direction for him.
Also off the bench for the Illini, guard Jaylon Tate had eight points and Kendrick Nunn added six.
That production from the reserves will be important as the season wears on. The Illini (7-1) play No. 10 Villanova on Tuesday in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden.
"The bench is really important," said Malcolm Hill, who led the Illini with 13 points. "I would say we have a bench full of starters. If (the starters) really play hard we should need a sub."
Morgan, a 6-foot-10 sophomore, said he's still working avoiding fouls; he picked up three against the Eagles (5-4). But riding the bench against Miami didn't alter how he approached Saturday's game, he said.
"Same as it always is," he said. "Nothing changed."
Starting center Nnanna Egwu scored five points with seven rebounds and three blocks.
Illinois forced American into 19 turnovers, but Groce was more concerned about the 14 turnovers the Illini "uncharacteristically" committed. Ten of them came in the second half and Groce described about six of them as unforced.
"Offensively, we were good," he said. "We were just sloppy. More often than not, that's a mindset."
Against the deliberately slow-paced Eagles, Groce commended his players for not wearing down.
"I was really proud of the way our guys grinded," he said. "In that type of game it takes a great deal of mental and physical toughness. I think that's going to bode well for us."
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