Illinois team leaders called a players-only meeting last weekend after an early exit from the Big Ten tournament.
It allowed the Fighting Illini to regroup as they await the chance to reset for the NCAA Tournament.
Third-seeded Illinois meets No. 14 Penn in a South Region first-round game on Thursday in Greenville, S.C. The Illini (24-8) hope it’s a springboard to additional road trips in the next three weeks.
“This is the last time this group of guys will ever play together,” senior guard Kylan Boswell said. “All of us have to go different routes, different ways. We don’t want to leave the season with any regrets or anything we feel like we left behind or left on the court. So, take the Penn game as seriously as we can, try our best to take care of business and just play with the right mentality.”
Illinois will meet a familiar foe, at least on the opposing bench.
First-year Quakers coach Fran McCaffery guided Big Ten rival Iowa for 15 seasons before being fired a year ago. But McCaffrey’s crew won’t be at full strength. Leading scorer Ethan Roberts (concussion) traveled with the team to South Carolina but isn’t ready to return from a concussion.
Illinois counterpart Brad Underwood called McCaffery “a great, great friend and obviously a guy that we had some battles with over the years.”
On Sunday, McCaffery became the fifth coach to lead five or more different schools to the NCAA Tournament as Penn (18-11) edged top-seeded Yale 88-84 in overtime to win the Ivy League tournament.
“They’re all incredible,” McCaffery said. “But I do think this was a little different. Not only coming home to my alma mater, I just feel blessed to have this opportunity. I feel blessed that I had the group of guys that I had when I first met them.”
It’s a group that has a different makeup without Roberts, who also missed the conference tournament, but the concern is wider than that entering Thursday’s game.
Junior forward TJ Power, who previously played at Duke and Virginia, was unable to practice Wednesday due to illness. He torched Yale for 44 points and 14 rebounds and averages 16.8 points a game. He knows the Quakers face a tougher test in Illinois but also feels the team is up for the challenge.
McCaffrey said the team is optimistic Power can still play Thursday.
“They have talent everywhere,” Power said. “Individually, if you look on paper, you might not favor us or our matchups defensively. But if we can be more connected, if we can be on the same page, we can [succeed].”
To be sure, Illinois brings size, with the 6-foot-2 Boswell the only starter listed below 6-6. All five starters average in double figures, led by Big Ten Freshman of the Year Keaton Wagler (17.9). Andrej Stojakovic and David Mirkovic follow at 13.4 points apiece.
Wagler shoots 40.2% from long range, one of multiple threats from deep.
“We just need to enjoy the moment,” Boswell said. “I think we’ve played our best all year when we’re super intense, aggressive and we play with the right mentality. Coach says, ‘Let it rip.’ I think us understanding one another and how much we love one another will be our biggest advantage.”
–Field Level Media
