CHAMPAIGN — Monday was a good day for the Illinois basketball program.
The athletic department honored legendary coach Lou Henson by naming the court at the renovated State Farm Center for him.
Recruiting buzz was a hot topic as word continued to spread about prime targets Xavier Simpson and Xavier Sneed making official visits this weekend.
And during Monday’s Illini Rebounders tipoff dinner at Memorial Stadium’s Colonnades Club, Illinois coach John Groce announced to the crowd of about 300 that foul-prone sophomore forward Leron Black has learned to “stop hatcheting people.”
The day of good vibes was a necessary one for the program that has been forced to spend an inordinate amount of time this summer dealing with adversity.