The Illinois Fighting Illini struggled in their 75-66 exhibition win over Division II West Chester on Nov. 4, but coach John Groce indicated that no major changes are coming. Groce said, "we're going to keep doing what we're doing," adding that the team was going to get better.

Illinois had 21 turnovers and only seven assists in their win over the Division II school. The Illini lost the second half by a score of 46-31 as their bench players struggled. The 21 turnovers are particularly troubling as point guard depth is thought to be the biggest weakness for Illinois; Tracy Abrams is the only veteran point guard on the roster.

This is the first year for Groce, who was the head coach of the Ohio Bobcats for the four previous seasons. Groce led Ohio to a Sweet 16 appearance in 2012. Last season Illinois finished 17-15, with a 6-12 record in the Big Ten under Bruce Weber.