By Chris HineCLEMSON, S.C. -- It's a bit premature to say a victory could define a season just seven games into that season. But for Illinois, victories don't come much better, or bring a team together more, than Wednesday night's 76-74 victory at Clemson.
The Illini overcame a 23-point second-half deficit to complete the largest comeback in school history and stop the bleeding from a two-game losing streak in their Thanksgiving tournament in Las Vegas.
For the first half, Illinois looked badly in need of help and continued the kind of play that cost them against Utah and Bradley. The Illini had 10 first-half turnovers against Clemson's full-court pressure defense. Demetri McCamey sat on the bench for most of the half in foul trouble and Clemson put on a 27-6 run.
Photo: Illinois players celebrate their come-from-behind victory Wednesday at Clemson. (Brett Flashnick/AP)
The Illini looked discombobulated. There was a technical foul issued to
Bruce Weber, an intentional foul call on Dominique Keller and, of course,
turnovers, one of which took the form of a needless 10-second
violation.The Illini were down 47-27 at the half, headed for an
inevitable third straight loss.
"As a coach I was embarrassed," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "Because one thing my teams have always done is competed and I didn't know if we could turn it around."
Some coaches in that situation might head into their locker room, scream at the their team, maybe break an unsuspecting clipboard or two. But that wasn't what Weber did.
Instead, he "had a chat" with his team, and used one of their previous losses as motivation. He reminded them that it wasn't long ago they had blown a16-point halftime lead of their own against Utah.
The Illini came out gangbusters in the second half. Weber's juniors finally stepped up the way he wanted them to, and freshmen Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson showed remarkable maturity in their first true road game as college players. In a 28-4 second-half run, the Illini reclaimed the lead with 8:55 remaining.
"The amazing thing to me was how quick we caught up," Weber said.
Then in a back-and-forth contest the rest of the way, the Illini prevailed, securing a seemingly impossible win from almost certain defeat.
There's a lot of basketball left to play this year, and there are certain to be a few more bumps in Illinois season. But a win like Wednesday's sure felt good.
"Maybe we grew up a little bit as a team," Weber said.
"As a coach I was embarrassed," Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. "Because one thing my teams have always done is competed and I didn't know if we could turn it around."
Some coaches in that situation might head into their locker room, scream at the their team, maybe break an unsuspecting clipboard or two. But that wasn't what Weber did.
Instead, he "had a chat" with his team, and used one of their previous losses as motivation. He reminded them that it wasn't long ago they had blown a16-point halftime lead of their own against Utah.
The Illini came out gangbusters in the second half. Weber's juniors finally stepped up the way he wanted them to, and freshmen Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson showed remarkable maturity in their first true road game as college players. In a 28-4 second-half run, the Illini reclaimed the lead with 8:55 remaining.
"The amazing thing to me was how quick we caught up," Weber said.
Then in a back-and-forth contest the rest of the way, the Illini prevailed, securing a seemingly impossible win from almost certain defeat.
There's a lot of basketball left to play this year, and there are certain to be a few more bumps in Illinois season. But a win like Wednesday's sure felt good.
"Maybe we grew up a little bit as a team," Weber said.
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