Interpretive Dance: Steadfast Groce has team making Illinoise

Still recuperating from your midweek bar crawl? Are you nostril deep in term paper research? Have no fear, fellow bracketeers. As a companion to the Bracket Big Board, the I.D. is here to highlight all the college hardwood action from the week that was and preview the most pivotal matchups of the weekend. 

An emotional, often nauseating roller coaster ride filled with numerous dips, loops and corkscrews.

That’s how most college basketball coaches would describe a typical season.

Illinois’ John Groce would undoubtedly agree.

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In Champaign, it’s been a year defined by peaks and valleys. For a relatively young Illini team (16-8, 6-5 Big Ten), frustration has given way to elation and vice versa.  After storming out of the gates to a 6-0 start, including an increasingly impressive win on a neutral floor against Baylor, the Illini, hampered by injuries and suspensions, have played unevenly since. However, riding a three-game win streak, highlighted by a critical road triumph at Michigan State last Saturday, they’re on the fast track to the NCAA tournament. That’s an outcome no fan would’ve bought even if a pre-fibbing Brian Williams reported it a while back. Three weeks ago Illinois was on the ropes at 3-5 in Big Ten action.

Groce’s resoluteness is primarily responsible for the turnaround.

The second-youngest, and quite possibly the bounciest, coach in the Big Ten, the 43-year-old Groce makes coffee nervous. He’s boundless, fearless and sometimes austere in his teachings, qualities molded during his days as a player and later assistant at Taylor University and while working alongside Herb Sendek (at N.C. State) and Thad Matta (at Butler, Xavier and Ohio State) at previous stops.

Those characteristics embody this year’s Illini.

Ask any coach what attribute they want most to impart and many wouldn’t say outside shooting, footwork or passing, they would remark "toughness."  A prize-fighter mentality thickens the skin and prepares players for the week-in, week-out tribulation of the months-long college season.

In an attempt to enroot teamwork, endurance and grittiness, Groce has brought in former Navy SEALs over the summer, an annual training ritual. He along with his staff and players participate in the grueling exercise. He’s also had players wear "T-n-T" (Togetherness ‘n Toughness) wristbands as a constant motivational reminder.

That established culture along with timely tweaks has helped his bunch bust through brick walls, earning the respect of an impatient and largely unsatisfied fan base that believes the magic of the Bill Self era still hangs in the prairie air.

Illinois’ effort last week in East Lansing was a prime example.

The Illini overcame one of the most egregious refereeing gaffes in recent memory. After a free throw attempt from Travis Trice with 1:20 left, point guard Jaylon Tate entered the lane, blocked out Trice with his caboose and made what most would deem normal contact. Refusing to let the incident go, the officiating crew stopped action and went to the monitor. After a brief discussion, a dumbfounding Flagrant 1 was issued, a call that nearly turned Groce into the Incredible Hulk and later triggered a Twitter war between the Mayor of Champaign and ESPN color man Dan Dakich who witnessed the play firsthand.

But instead of being demoralized by the moment, the Illini D’ed up, showed remarkable poise and escaped Breslin with their first standout road win of the season. And they did so sans leading scorer Rayvonte Rice and valuable sixth man Aaron Cosby. The pair missed their third-consecutive game due to suspensions stemming from a violation of team rules. Malcolm Hill, Nnanna Egwu and Kendrick Nunn, who’s flourished over the past month netting 17.3 points per game (in eight games), carried the mail scoring 45 of the school’s 59 points. Collectively, Illinois surrendered a mere 0.892 points per possession, one of its finest defensive efforts this year. Post-game, Groce, who's officially entered the Big Ten Coach of the Year conversation, harped on his kids’ perseverance.

"I was most proud of the way we responded to things like that throughout the game, the adversity," he said. "We were able to make that next play and I was really proud of our guys."

Despite the marquee victory, Illinois isn’t completely out of the woods. To secure a spot in the Big Dance it must defend home court in remaining games against Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern and Nebraska. Do so and the Selection Committee would be hard-pressed to deny a 10-win B1G club with five RPI top-100 wins an at-large berth. The résumés of presumed tourney entrants West Virginia, Dayton and Texas aren’t as strong.

Still, with Rice and Cosby’s return imminent and given Groce’s leadership, the arrow is again pointing up at Illinois.

Credit its togetherness and toughness.

Rehearse your choreographed moves one last time. Get into costume. And press "play" on your boombox. It's time for an Interpretive Dance …

MARKET MOVERS

Here are this week's bracket bulls and bears:

DA BULLS (MOVING UP)

Oklahoma Sooners (17-7, RPI: 12, SOS: 4, Current Seed: 3)

When conversations about placing a seven-loss team on the 3-seed line occur, cursory viewers would probably go all "Kanye" and retort a 22-2 Northern Iowa or 18-4 Utah are more deserving. However, peel back the layers of the onion and their high standing is completely warranted. OU is a legitimate Final Four contender. No team has more RPI top-50 wins. Lon Kruger, whose sterling track record at numerous locales (Kansas State, Florida, Illinois and UNLV) speaks for itself, is a criminally underrated coach. He's imprinted a tough defensive mindset on the Sooners. Yielding just 0.863 points per possession on the season, they rank No. 3 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Spearheaded by prolific scorer Buddy Hield, who's eclipsed the 20-point mark in nine games this year, they're also spectacular in transition. Most important, OU can play variable styles. It's suplexed both uptempo (e.g. Iowa State on Monday) and crawling clubs (e.g. Texas). Hield along with Isaiah Cousins and Jordan Woodard make up one of the better backcourts on the college scene. Paint patrollers Ryan Spangler and Tashawn Thomas make Oklahoma multidimensional. It can get a bit three-happy at times, but checking in at 8-4 in the toughest conference around and given its strong overall profile, this is a team no No. 1 seed wants in its bracket.

Arkansas Razorbacks (19-5, RPI: 23, SOS: 74, Current Seed: 6)

Commit to watching an Arkansas game and you better have an oxygen tank nearby. Mike Anderson, a disciple of Nolan Richardson, has revived the "Forty Minutes of Hell" style made famous by his mentor. The Razorbacks play at an exhaustive pace. According to KenPom.com, they average 71.0 possessions per game, the eighth-most in Division I. That speed accompanied with their considerable size explains why they excel in transition and on the offensive glass. Teams simply get worn out against them. Still, this isn't an impeccable club. The Razorbacks do force turnovers on 23 percent of opponent possessions, but their base man defense is hardly stingy. They've made improvements in that area, allowing less than 1.000 points per possession in four of their last five, but ranking No. 81 nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency on the year, their ugly side could make a cameo at any time. However, at 8-3 in the SEC, Arkansas is starting to plant roots as the league's second-best team. Future NBA lottery pick Bobby Portis is a handful. His scoring abilities and length are highly disruptive. Power forward Michael Qualls and floor general Rashad Madden are fantastic complementary players who carry out their tasks efficiently and effectively. With road tussles at Ole Miss and Kentucky along with home tangos against Texas A&M and LSU remaining, Arkansas has several chances to boost its tourney standing. Split those contests and handle the low-lights and it could climb as high as No. 4 seed.

Temple Owls (18-7, RPI: 32, SOS: 46, Current Seed: 11)

Hootie hoo! Over the past three weeks, the Owls, who've reeled off six-straight wins, including a résumé-padding triumph over Cincinnati, bought a cup, pumped the keg and became a fixture at the party. That streak combined with a 25-point smashing of Kansas before Christmas has them in the field, for now. Offensively, Fran Dunphy's group is largely a train wreck. Overall, they rank No. 186 nationally in offensive efficiency. However, key early season setbacks to Jesse Morgan and Devin Coleman are mostly to blame. When operating at full strength, Temple has executed at a high level, evident in its recent string of scintillating performances. Since Jan. 22, it's scored a respectable 1.062 points per possession. Senior guard Will Cummings has especially turned it on, contributing 15.3 points per game over that span. On the opposite end, the Owls are marvelous defenders. Their 0.895 points per possession allowed ranks 10th-best in the country. They're currently in the projected field, but another signature win would greatly firm up their at-large résumé. With back-to-back road games at Tulsa and SMU on the docket, opportunity knocks.

Others Flaming: Oklahoma State, Iowa, Rhode Island

DA BEARS (MOVING DOWN)

Michigan State Spartans

(16-8, RPI: 47, SOS: 44, Current Seed: 9)
Normally this time each year Sparty plunges short swords into the competition, elevating its seeding while prepping for a deep NCAA tourney run. However, this year, its on the receiving end. This year's Michigan State brand is not characteristic of previous versions under Tom Izzo. The Spartans still attack the boards with vim and vigor. They rank top-10 nationally in defensive rebounding percentage and tuck inside the top-40 on the offensive end. Additionally, they share the sugar extraordinarily well (No. 11 in D-1 in A/FGM), splash often from downtown (39.1 3PT%) and body up defensively (0.974 pts/poss allowed in B1G play). However, prolonged scoring droughts have become a common occurrence. Denzel Valentine and Branden Dawson have maintained a fair level of consistency, but Travis Trice has occasionally channeled Harry Houdini, disappearing often in meaningful games. In four of MSU's last six losses, he failed to cross the 10-point threshold. Worst of all, the Spartans are mental midgets at the free-throw line. They've shot a wretched 62.3 percent from the charity stripe in league play. Those missed freebies have plagued them in close games. Their rigid strength of schedule is a plus, but with only a pair of RPI top-50 wins on the résumé, their profile is far from robust. Unless they add W's against Ohio State (at home) and Wisconsin (in Madison), a double-digit seed is probable.

West Virginia Mountaineers (19-5, RPI: 30, SOS: 77, Current Seed: 7)

The heat under Bob Huggins' pullover is starting to build. His young, inexperienced team has hit the proverbial February wall. Slaughtered at Oklahoma and at home against Baylor, the Mountaineers are falling fast. A win against fading Kansas State on Wednesday temporarily halted the slide, but with a murderous schedule remaining (at Iowa State, Kansas, at Oklahoma State, Texas, at Baylor, at Kansas, Oklahoma State) there are no guarantees this team, which sported an 18-3 record at the end of January, will punch a ticket for the NCAA tournament. Entering the season, expectations were low in Morgantown. Eron Harris and Terry Henderson, who transferred to Michigan State and N.C. State, respectively, left enormous voids. With Juwan Staten, Devin Williams and Garry Browne back, the cupboard was far from bare. M]Still, most forecasters anticipated a transition year, pegging WVU for the NIT. However, they underestimated Huggins. The savvy coach implemented a frenetic, hard-pressing scheme to mask his squad's weaknesses (No. 276 in eFG% offense), particularly in the halfcourt. As a result, West Virginia leads the nation in turnover percentage defense, forcing miscues on 30.5 percent of opponent possessions. Unfortunately, foes with adequate guard play and size (e.g. Iowa State, Oklahoma and Baylor) have greatly exposed its problems. Two more wins should get the Mountaineers into the Dance, but, pending the draw, another early exit is entirely likely.

Seton Hall Pirates (15-9, RPI: 69, SOS: 62, Current Seed: 11)

The Pirates, the definition of inconsistent, are slowly sinking toward Davey Jones' locker. Up and down like a whack-a-mole, Seton Hall simply can't decide if it wants to be a tournament team. Wins against George Washington, St. John's, Villanova and Xavier beautify an otherwise unattractive résumé. Black eyes suffered against DePaul (twice) and Marquette have the Hall wading in murky waters. The Pirates' latest debacle, a 19-point mauling at the hands of the Hoyas, has them firmly planted on the bubble. In the midst of a troublesome month, they've dropped six of their last eight games. Sterling Gibbs and Angel Delgado have contributed useful numbers during the stretch, but Isaiah Whitehead, Khadeen Carrington and Brandon Mobley haven't established a steady rhythm. More concerning, the Pirates, who rank No. 97 in defensive efficiency nationally, have guarded too softly. With their next three on the road against Providence, 'Nova and St. John's, they could quickly find themselves completely out of the tourney picture.

Others Laming: VCU, LSU, Miami (Fla.)

SOWING THE SEEDS

This segment sifts through the bountiful weekend slate to highlight five titanic games that will bear the greatest impact on a team's "Bracket Big Board" standing.

1. Villanova at Butler – At the present time roughly eight teams are fighting for the top-four Big Board slots. Villanova, currently chilling on the No. 2 line, is one. Every triumph, especially against noteworthy competition on the road, could sway the Selection Committee. Butler is one of the biggest surprises this season. Thanks to the Bulldogs' defensive stiffness (0.908 pts/poss allowed) and scoring jolt provided by Roosevelt Jones and Kellen Dunham they're nipping at 'Nova's heels at 8-3 in the Big East. Butler was drop-kicked by the Wildcats 67-55 Dec. 31. However, in what should be a rowdy crowd at historic Hinkle, the Bulldogs will earn their Kibbles 'n Bits.

Prediction: Butler 64, Villanova 62 

2. Baylor at Kansas – For a Bears team still licking its wounds after a shocking home loss to Oklahoma State, a win at Phog Allen would instantly cure its ills. Rico Gathers' brutalizing size and rebounding ability is a matchup problem for a KU team that ranks outside the top 150 in defensive rebounding percentage. However, the Jayhawks, who shoot over 40 percent from distance, are equipped with numerous zone busters, a problem for 2-3-heavy Baylor. KU hasn't lost a home conference game in two years, but its win streak is in serious jeopardy. In a contest that should mirror the first (a 56-55 Kansas W Jan. 7), the Bears return the favor.

Prediction: Baylor 66, Kansas 65

3. Ohio State at Michigan State – As stated above, MSU's résumé is somewhat meatless. Another formidable win or two against luminous competition would do it wonders. Ohio State is one possible shot in the arm. D'Angelo Russell, fresh off a triple-double at Rutgers, is a beast, but potentially down marksman Marc Loving (suspension), he'll again have to shoulder a massive load. If Matta reverts to the zone, it's likely to get picked apart. The Spartans' outstanding three-point shooting and rebounding brawn should exploit it. In the teams' only meeting in the regular season, MSU prevails.

Prediction: Michigan State 68, Ohio State 63

4. VCU at George Washington – What Rams team, still reeling from the loss of Briante Weber, will show up in the nation's capital? Will it be the one that throttled George Mason or the one that was snake-bitten at St. Bonaventure? I'm betting the latter. The Colonials, an excellent, plus-sized defensive team that also cleans up on the offensive glass, are angling for another standout win. They own notable W's against Wichita State and Dayton, but a third RPI top-50 victory would certainly appease the tourney gods. Point man Joe McDonald must protect the rock and navigate cleanly through VCU's press. If he does successfully, GW should ravage the Rams around the basket. The Colonials, led by 6-foot-10 forward Kevin Larsen, simply have too much size.

Prediction: George Washington 65, VCU 63

5. Green Bay at Valparaiso – There are a number of games that could be discussed here, but little guys need love to. This week's battle at Valpo is the Game of the Year, up to this point, in the Horizon. The Crusaders, Phoenix and Cleveland State Vikings all have only two marks in the loss column. Whichever team emerges unscathed Friday will have "hand" entering the conference tournament. Valpo is 9-1 at home this year, but was bounced by the slimmest of margins in its first clash with Green Bay three weeks ago. The Phoenix boast the best player on the floor (Senior PG Keifer Sykes), however, look for Valpo's Alec Peters to blaze the nets early and often. With the game on the line late, Green Bay's horrific free-throw (61.5 FT%) and three-point efforts (28.5 3PT%) do them in.

Prediction: Valparaiso 61, Green Bay 58 

Season Record (Straight up): 4-1

Other Notable Games: West Virginia at Iowa State, Arkansas at Ole Miss, St. John's at Xavier, Colorado State at San Diego State, Illinois at Wisconsin, Minnesota at Indiana, Oregon at UCLA, Wichita at Illinois State

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