The Illinois basketball season concluded March 11 with an 89-58 loss to Purdue in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. The Illini started spring workouts 17 days later, and beat writer SCOTT RICHEY sat down with coach JOHN GROCE after one of them to discuss the tumultuous 2015-16 season and what’s next for the Illini:
Is it safe to say you’ve never coached through a season quite like this one?
Collectively, with everything we had to deal with, no question. It certainly makes you appreciative more. For me, I have a lot of faith in what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.