Article updated: 11/30/2012 6:21 PM

Illinois off to hot start no one saw coming

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Illinois coach John Groce gestures as Illinois' Tyler Griffey scrambles for a ball with West Chester's Tim Flecken during an exhibition game at Assembly Hall. The No. 22 Illini are off to an 8-0 start.

Associated Press/Nov. 4, 2012

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Last weekend, Illinois' surprising unbeaten start was 4.4 seconds away from running head-on into a wall. A season ago, Illinois probably would have cracked under that pressure. That team — essentially the same group of players — lost 12 of its last 14, missed the NCAA tournament and saw its coach fired. Not this time.