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All-Conference



February 26, 2014
8pm CT - BTN
State Farm Center (16,618) - Champaign, IL
Nebraska Cornhuskers 16-10, 8-6 (Last: W 76-57 vs Purdue)
vs
Illinois Fighting Illini 15-12, 4-10 (Last: W 62-49 vs Minnesota)
Big Ten Standings
#16 Michigan 11-3, 19-7
#18 Michigan State 11-4, 22-6
#14 Wisconsin 10-5, 23-5
#22 Ohio State 9-6, 22-6
#20 Iowa 8-6, 19-8
Nebraska 8-6, 16-10
Minnesota 7-9, 18-11
Indiana 5-9, 15-12
Purdue 5-9, 15-12
Northwestern 5-10, 12-16
Illinois 4-10, 15-12
Penn State 4-10, 13-14
Head Coaches
Nebraska Tim Miles (314-248, 31-28 at Nebraska)
Illinois John Groce (123-81, 38-25 at Illinois)
Injury Report
Nebraska
F - Walter Pitchford - Knee - Probable
Illinois
G - Mike LaTulip - Concussion - Questionable
Scouting Illinois
The Fighting Illini head into Wednesday’s game with a 15-12 record and are 4-10 in the Big Ten following a 62-49 win at Minnesota on Feb. 19. The Fighting Illini, which had lost its last eight games, four games ago, putt freshmen Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill into the lineup and have played much better. Illinois is 2-2 since the switch, holding its last two foes under 50 points.
John Groce is in his second year at Illinois after he guided the Illini to a 23-13 record and the third round of the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Before taking the Illinois job, he led Ohio University to a 29-8 record and a berth in the NCAA Sweet 16 in 2012. Groce also served as an assistant at Ohio State, Xavier and North Carolina State before taking over the Bobcat program.
Illinois, which returned a pair of starters from the 2013 squad, won 13 of its first 15 contests, including wins against UNLV, Missouri and Indiana, before struggling at times in Big Ten action. The Illini are led by junior guard Rayvonte Rice, who ranks among the Big Ten leaders in scoring at 16.2 points per game while grabbing 5.9 rebounds per game. He is one of two Illini in double figures as junior point guard Tracy Abrams averages 11.3 points and 3.1 assists per game. Junior center Nnanna Egwu is one of the top defensive centers in the Big Ten as he ranks second with 2.3 blocked shots per contests.