University of Illinois basketball coach John Groce has his 23rd ranked Illini playing well heading into a matchup against 4th ranked Wisconsin Badgers Wednesday. While the attention is on the four other ranked Big 10 teams as various analysts make their picks to win the conference this year, Groce is quietly building a strong contender for the future in Champaign, Illinois.
So far this year, the Illini have cruised to an 11-2 non-conference record including a win over the then unbeaten Missouri Tigers. Illinois is now 2-0 in the Big Ten with wins over Indiana and Penn State. Groce is doing a great job blending a team with only ten scholarship players and one walk-on that includes five freshman and two transfers.
The current Illini are led by redshirt junior guard Rayvonte Rice who transferred from the Drake Bulldogs, junior guard Tracy Abrams, redshirt senior guard Joseph Bertrand, fifth-year transfer forward Jon Ekey, and second-year starter, junior center Nnnanna Egwu. Three of the freshman players, Malcolm Hill, Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate, have also garnered important minutes. Both Hill and Nunn factored importantly in the win against Penn State Saturday.
But it is the steady improvement in recruiting by Groce that will help resurrect the Illini from the Bruce Weber era. While much was made by the Cliff Alexander snub where he faked putting on an Illini cap before choosing Kansas, what was forgotten was that a player ranked fourth in the nation by Rivals 150 was picking between Kansas and Illinois.
Point guard Quentin Snider decided the same day as the Alexander decision to decommit from Illinois and sign with his hometown Louisville. However, again Snider was deciding between Louisville and Illinois. Illinois was back in the recruiting game again for the first time since the Bill Self era at Illinois.
Despite the Alexander and Snider set backs, Groce still has a strong 2014 recruiting class that includes White Station forward Leron Black who is ranked 41st by ESPN and Champaign Centennial forward Michael Finke. The 2015 recruiting class already has commitments from Simeon forward D.J. Williams and Plainfield East guard Aaron Jordan.
It is process of rebuilding that Groce is focusing on and changing the culture of losing late in the season that occurred during the end of the Weber era. It may take some time and the Illini may end up on the bubble again trying to make the NCAA tournament this year. However, Groce is building a strong contender in Champaign in the years to come.
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