CHAMPAIGN – So the Illini reach the point in the basketball season for the typically emotional Senior Night.
You know the drill. The coaches and players all talk about the seniors, about how they’re the old men on the roster, about how they overcame all the odds to hang in there and surpass the hurdles to achieve greatness. While Aaron Jordan, Adonis De La Rosa and Drew Cayce all have their own life stories, it seems a bit cliché.
Call me cynical. I’ve seen dozens of these things.
The biggest loss in the program might be the full retirement of Rod Cardinal, the former athletic trainer turned special assistant who is the conduit to the players and glory in days gone by. But we’ll hit on that someday later.
Seniors come and go. Their impact can be measure truly by wins and losses. Of course, it can also be gauged by a change in direction. A program that appeared to turn the corner a month ago now seems to be a bit stuck in neutral. But with the game against rival Indiana Thursday and a rematch with Penn State in Happy Valley Sunday before entering the Big Ten Tournament next week in the former home away from home on Madison in Chicago, the Illini get one last chance to make a good last impression and build some momentum. Of course, that’s if they don’t do something remarkably crazy over the next two weeks.
After losing eight of 10 games, then bouncing back with four consecutive wins to pump life into anything orange, is there one last surge by this group?
“Sure,’’ said Illini freshman Giorgi Bezhanishvili. “Why not? Why not? We work for it. Wins are always great. It’s a good feeling. We work so much for it. It’s been tough for us. To close it out well would be good for us.’’
If there’s a hint of 1999 in this group, it would be a great thing, because it’s not just about posting a few wins this year to pad the record and get Giorgi some feel good moments. Taking some momentum on the recruiting trail, showing some improvement and movement in a positive direction to recruits would also be tangible evidence coach Brad Underwood has it going down the right path.
Of course, it’s always fun when border rivals with some history play, but Underwood isn’t thinking about the past in a matchup of coaches in their second seasons on the job.
“I don’t worry too much about that stuff,’’ Underwood said. “I’m worried about winning the game and trying to help this team position itself as best as we can for postseason and the Big Ten Tournament.’’
With how upsets have unfolded recently, Underwood hinted at the wide-open field in the conference tournament, where the reward is an automatic NCAA berth for the winner. Indiana sits on the bubble again, after sweeping Michigan State to, at least temporarily, bury the bad mojo. Illinois has endured plenty of struggles, but the Illini haven’t given up on the season.
With Illinois, Penn State and Indiana knocking off some of the league’s best teams, it’s time to watch out, Underwood warned.
“I don’t know how you pick a team to win (the conference tournament),’’ Underwood said. “I don’t know right now if you’re better off playing one of the top four teams or the bottom four. You want to be playing your best. We played our best half of basketball all year in the first half against Northwestern.’’
Unfortunately, the Illini don’t have Northwestern again in these next two games. Like Illinois, Indiana has improved, and the Hoosiers returned guard Rob Phinisee, who missed the first matchup with a concussion.
It’s been months since the Illini lost 73-65 in Bloomington to the Hoosiers, who entered the game with in the top 25 with a 12-2 record in the first days of January.
“I think we were four-and-something,’’ said Underwood, referring to the Illini record. “We did some good things. We did some things very poorly. We had a very selective, small portion of the offense in. That was evident. They’re very good defensively. We had four or five shot clock violations.’’
While the Illini want to earn a better seed and avoid playing on the first day of the Big Ten Tournament, the Hoosiers might be America’s most intriguing team. Indiana lost 12 of 13 at one point but have wins over Michigan State (two), Wisconsin, Marquette and Louisville. Overall, the Hoosiers have six Quadrant 1 wins.
But, like Illinois, they desperately need another victory Thursday.
“We’re a much different team,’’ said Illini freshman Ayo Dosunmu. “Any team you play the first time, we’re a completely different team (for the second meeting). I’m sure they’re a much better team. They’re trying to make the NCAA Tournament. They’re right on the cusp. We’re trying to make history.’’
It’s all or nothing for the Illini in Chicago, where the only NCAA hope for the Illini is stealing that automatic berth. The Illini haven’t been to the NCAA bracket since 2013, when John Groce rode Bruce Weber’s players to the tournament. That was long before Jordan arrived.
“He’ll be the guy I will never forget because he’s part of the solution,’’ Underwood said. Our record doesn’t show how much we’ve improved. I love coming to practice every day because I love the guys in the locker room. He’s a big part of that. His leadership, his commitment, dedication and improvement is everything we want this program to be.’’
So maybe it will be a little emotional when Jordan steps onto the State Farm Center court for the final time. If his efforts as a complementary player can push the Illini more around the corner, then he’s more than earned a standing ovation.
