Feb. 02--CHAMPAIGN -- Through the first 15 games of the season, there was no question when the clock was ticking down with the game on the line, the ball would be in Illinois guard Rayvonte Rice's hands.
It was clear in Saturday's 60-58 victory over Penn State that the final shot would be safest coming from Malcolm Hill. The 6-foot-6 sophomore guard nailed the driving layup against two defenders with 4.4 seconds left to secure the victory.
"We're fortunate he's delivered," coach John Groce said. "I'm not just talking about shot-making. You have to have that type of disposition to make that type of play late in a game to make that shot."
In Rice's absence of seven games, Hill has averaged 17.9 points per game. He scored 27 points against the Nittany Lions. That was just one point off the career high he set against Maryland, a victory in which Hill led the way in Rice's first game sidelined with a broken hand.
Rice, along with teammate Aaron Cosby, has been indefinitely suspended for an undisclosed violation of team rules.
In the past, Hill has said he would internalize issues. Now, he relishes learning from negative experiences.
"It's not always perfect," Groce said. "I think he was a little disappointed in some of the plays he was involved with at the end of the Indiana game (an 80-74 loss). It hit home for him, like, 'Wow, I have to be a little more disciplined, a little more detailed.' We went into some situations (and went) right back to him again. I think he's shown more poise and composure in those situations."
Hill shrugged off his ability to make a physical play to win Saturday's game.
"That's what we have to do," he said. "We shouldn't be credited for playing hard. That's what we should be known for to begin with."
Nunn's game: Groce said Kendrick Nunn's shooting against Penn State wasn't typical. But he contributed in other ways.
Although Nunn shot 2 of 14, finishing with 10 points, he had four assists and five steals. The 6-3 guard also had a highlight-worthy block when he soared to stuff Penn State's 6-10 center Julian Moore.
"He had a lot of balls go in and out," Groce said of Nunn. "I like how he defended. He had a huge, big-time, high-level block on the baseline."
Offer extended: Illinois offered a scholarship for 2016 to Simeon guard Zach Norvell, who was at the Penn State game. He also has offers from Nebraska, Bradley, Memphis and Oklahoma.
Though Groce can't comment on unsigned recruits under NCAA rules, he did talk about the necessity of recruiting and how this season's injury toll emphasized that.
"If someone asked me today, (how often) are you recruiting? Every day," he said. "If this year isn't a microcosm of why, I don't know what is," he said. "Depth, depth, depth."
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