With a whirlwind schedule that included a trip to Hawaii, four games in six days and eight games total in the first 2 1/2 weeks of the season, Illinois needed a break.

The Illini (8-0) got it with five days off, and now they hope Western Carolina (3-5) serves as another opportunity to catch their breath. After Tuesday's game at Assembly Hall, they will travel west again to take on Gonzaga on Saturday in Spokane, Wash.

"We had a pretty rigorous schedule," coach John Groce said. "No question (we needed a break). It allowed them to get their minds and bodies right."

Shannon Ryan