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Illinois Basketball 2012: Bruce Weber Says Illini Must 'Man Up'

The Illinois men's basketball team is going through a terrible stretch in Big Ten play, capped by Saturday's blowout loss at the hands of Nebraska. As the losses mount, so too does the pressure on head coach Bruce Weber, and questions about his job security abound. But Weber says the team can't get caught up feeling sorry for themselves or they won't have much chance of salvaging what remains of the season.

"I can't have my own pity party," Weber said. "They can't have it. There's no sympathy from anyone. Obviously, you guys know it. It's out there. If we keep feeling sorry for ourselves, we're going to let the season slip by. We have to man up. Tough times stop; tough people don't."

Related: Class And Discretion Should Be The Rule As This Season Comes To An End

The Illini finish with a really tough schedule -- games against Ohio State, Michigan and Wisconsin lie ahead -- but that also means they still have a chance to make an impression on the NCAA tournament selection committee.

For updates, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage, head over to Illinois blog Hail to the Orange. And for news and notes from around college hoops, check out SB Nation's NCAA basketball news hub.