Illini's big disappointment

The whispers will now start getting louder.

There were those who grumbled as Illinois won its first 12 games of the season. They now have some evidence to go along with their opinion that the Fighting Illini's fast non-conference start may not have Big Ten legs after the Illini's 68-61 loss to Purdue in Wednesday's conference opener.

"They got us on the glass, we had no answer for (Terone) Johnson, (D.J) Byrd got loose in the second half and they made a couple of hustle plays against us late -- that is a recipe for disaster," Illinois coach John Groce said.

Tupper