Feb. 12--Maybe early in his career, Illinois coach John Groce said, he would hear about an opponent's injury and view it clinically and detached, seeing it as a competitive advantage.
Now? No way. He has been through too much. Especially this season.
"The longer you're in it, you feel for the kids when they get injured," he said Wednesday. "I wouldn't wish that upon anybody. I try the best I can to feel those kids' pain."
Groce and Michigan coach John Beilein can relate to each other by more than just comparing Big Ten basketball schedules. They can commiserate over the chaos and scrambling an injury -- or two as it happens to be on each of their teams -- can cause.
"It happens," Groce said. "It's part of sports. We're different than when we played them the first time, and I would think (Beilein) would say they're a lot different as well."
Since the Illini lost 73-65 in overtime on Dec. 30 in Ann Arbor, Mich., blowing a 13-point, second-half lead, Illinois lost Rayvonte Rice and Aaron Cosby to injuries and then suspension. Both were described Wednesday as "indefinitely suspended" with no word on their chances of playing against the Wolverines.
Michigan guard Caris LeVert, who scored 19 points in the first meeting against Illinois, is out for the season. Also, point guard Derrick Walton Jr. has missed the last four games to injuries.
Thursday night's rematch in Champaign will be a collision of teams with similar circumstances headed in different directions.
The Wolverines (13-11, 6-6 Big Ten) have lost three straight games and their last two on the road.
Illinois, meanwhile, has seemed to turn a corner, even without star player Rice, who has averaged 17.4 points per game.
"We've been able to get everybody on the same page," said Groce, who also had to deal with the preseason loss of point guard Tracy Abrams to a season-ending knee injury. "Everybody knows what we expect. ... If you keep doing that every day, swinging that hammer, at some point the rock will crack."
A victory against Michigan would continue to propel the Illini (16-8, 6-5) toward a satisfying Selection Sunday. Michigan, it seems now, would have to win the Big Ten tournament to earn an automatic qualifying invitation to the NCAA tournament.
The State Farm Center will be sold out, fans plan to wear attire according to the "orange out" dress code, and even Dee Brown bobble head dolls will be given out.
"Our fans have really appreciated every thing we've been through, the toughness our guys have displayed," Groce said. "They have been a huge part of it. It's almost like they felt they needed to help us and carry us a little bit. We needed them and they came through big time."
The Big Ten bottleneck has Illinois in a group with seven other teams three to four games behind Wisconsin. The bracket experts have Illinois among an especially wobbly group of conference bubble teams.
This isn't the time to slip.
"It is February," Groce said. "They've bought into the process at a much higher level. We've played harder for longer periods of time. When you do those things that gives you a chance to reach your potential. We want this team to reach its potential."
sryan@tribpub.com
