CHAMPAIGN – Just before halftime Saturday, Illinois point guard Tracy Abrams crashed into the Ohio State bench chasing a loose ball. After bending over in pain for a long minute, he hobbled off the court without the ball.

Abrams’ tough play already had the respect of first-year coach John Groce.

And after a game of similar hard-nosed effort by Abrams and his teammates, the 11th-ranked Illini had a 74-55 blowout win over No. 8 Ohio State just days after dropping their Big Ten opener – and getting out-toughed, as Groce put it – to Purdue.