Why can’t Illini enjoy a win?
An old sportswriting pal returned to Champaign on Wednesday night to check out Bruce Weber’s boys.
He had two sharp observations after Illinois’ 54-52 escape against Michigan. The first one? Nobody in an Illini uniform seems to be enjoying themselves.
There does seem to be an absurdly high level of anxiety among the Orange and Blue these days. After six losses in the last nine games, it’s fair to say the prevailing feeling inside Assembly Hall on Wednesday night could best be labeled Impending Doom.
Weber said the players didn’t talk in the pregame locker room. Considering this team was thought to be too loose during the first half of this season, that’s a significant sea change.
The Illini seemed tight during the opening four minutes, when Michigan’s Tim Hardaway Jr. had TWO back-door layups as the visitors hit their first 5 shots and jumped out 11-5.
And when Illinois’ 9-point lead with 10:43 to go evaporated in just two minutes — Zack Novak missed an open go-ahead 3-pointer with 7:58 left — everyone in the joint spent the rest of the game with their hearts in uncomfortable places.
“I just thought if we lose this one, then, you know, we’re going to die,” Weber said.
Instead, the Illini lived to play Saturday at Michigan State in what was supposed to be a battle of two Top 10 teams. The ESPN Game Day crew will be there — just its second appearance in East Lansing — and Weber hopes Wednesday’s win will allow his guys to play without any pressure at MSU.
That seems to be a futile hope.
During the postgame, senior forward Mike Davis made a couple of comments about how the Illini didn’t do what they usually do in close games. Things like, “I don’t think we were tight today as usual” and “we didn’t stand around like we usually do (on offense).”
Of course, Weber is in the eye of the storm. Earlier Wednesday, athletic director Ron Guenther entertained 45 minutes’ worth of questions about the state of the Illini. A decent chunk was spent on Weber.
Guenther indicated there will be no change in the head-coaching spot, no matter how much frustration abounds among Illinois fans, and stated, “I feel very confident that Bruce can get this thing figured out. He’s a wonderful coach. Good, great human being. I just feel bad that everybody over there (in the Ubben Practice Facility) is fractured right now trying to figure it out. It’s not for lack of effort, guys.”
Weber responded in kind after his postgame news conference:
“He’s so good about just coming and giving support when he thinks he needs to. He always comes and says, ‘Are you OK? Do you need anything?’ I’m fortunate to have a good guy like that that understands. He’s been a coach. He knows ups and downs. He knows our kids. And obviously he feels bad for us, but I know he was happy today at the end.”
Then, before he headed back down into the bowels of Assembly Hall, I asked if he was happy or relieved.
“What’s the difference?” he replied quietly. “It’s the same thing.”
lwillhite@dailyherald.com