In a Big Ten basketball conference with traditional leanings, trying to win without defense is like attempting to catch a baseball without hands.
And that's why Illinois' 0-3 performance against the talented Maui field confirms the national perception of the Illini as an also-ran ... down there with Rutgers, Northwestern (a 78-59 loser to Fresno State) and a Penn State squad leveled by the early departure of Tony Carr and the suspension of center Mike Watkins for his third run-in with the law.
We must face facts as Illinois expects to reach 2-4 in today's 1 p.