Back to earth

And in the big picture, a lackluster showing in an exhibition game -- played in October -- could provide more positives than negatives over the long haul. For one, it brought Illinois back to earth, since, apparently, playing in the NIT last season didn't. It also gave the coaches something to holler about during film sessions Sunday and Monday.

"We probably needed a little bit of humbling and wake up and realize exactly where we're at," Weber said.

Klee