Illinois Basketball: Five things John Groce has done well

Oct 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach John Groce speaks with the media during Big Ten media day at the Marriott Washington Wardman Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach John Groce speaks with the media during Big Ten media day at the Marriott Washington Wardman Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
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Illinois baskteball
Oct 13, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach John Groce speaks with the media during Big Ten media day at the Marriott Washington Wardman Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

The Illinois basketball team isn’t finished this season. They have a tough matchup against Michigan in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.

Hopefully, this game turns out in favor of the Illini because I want to watch more meaningful basketball. This team has too much talent to just end the season with a loss to the Wolverines.

Illinois does have a coach that I am not a fan of, though. He has only one trip to the NCAA tournament in four completed years so far as the leader of this program.

Full disclosure, I think Groce is a good guy that just isn’t cut out for this Illinois basketball job. But, over the years he has done some good with this program. Everything he has done isn’t terrible.

I compiled a list of five things that I think Groce has done well since becoming the head coach of the Illini. Every item on this list can be disputed but the numbers don’t lie, he has done certain things well during his time in Champaign.

Here are five things that I think Groce has done well over the last five years of being the head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini basketball program.