Illinois has new coach, new culture and 10-0 record after win at Gonzaga

So now Groce is the first Illinois coach to win his first 10 games in more than a century, the Illini are 10-0 and on the verge of breaking into the top 10 of the Associated Press poll, and Paul has to be under consideration for Player of the Year honors on both the Big Ten and national levels. Put another way, things are going well in the world of Illinois basketball. And it's hard to remember the last time anybody could've reasonably typed those words.

"I'm happy for Illini Nation," Groce said following his team's 85-74 victory here inside the McCarthey Athletic Center that represented just the ninth time in 118 outings that Gonzaga has lost in this building. "I'm happy for our students, our fans, all of our alums. It's great. But I'm most happy for our guys. They've been through a lot."

Gary Parrish