Areas for improvement

Illinois is likely to shrink its defense toward the basket, enabling the Illini to cover a smaller area instead of pressuring farther from the basket and perhaps allowing for more dribble penetration. Illinois also will tinker more with a zone defense.

"We felt like we have to back off with pressure, make it more compact," Weber said. "We're not stretching our defense out. We haven't done real well, especially away from home."

Supinie