A little over a third of the way through its season, Illinois sits at 4-7, but its next game might tell the story of the rest of the season.
It’s no secret that the Illini played a tough non-conference schedule. Squaring off against Gonzaga — one of the best teams in the country — in the third game of the season is a tough draw for any school. But, that task only becomes harder when your program returns just four scholarship players from the season before. Illinois showed heart, going toe-to-toe with the Bulldogs until the final minute, but a six-point loss at a neutral site to a likely No.