Illinois' up-and-down season fits right in with weird year in college basketball

Illinois coach John Groce cheers on the Illini during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game at Assembly Hall in Champaign, Ill., on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013. Illinois beat Indiana 74-72. (AP Photo/John Dixon) (The Associated Press)

Indiana coach Tom Crean questions an official's call in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Illinois at Assembly Hall in Champaign, Ill., on Thursday, Feb. 7, 2013. Illinois won 74-72. (AP Photo/John Dixon) (The Associated Press)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – It's been a weird season of college basketball and no team may be more confounding than Illinois.

They started 12-0 before falling toward the bottom of the Big Ten. On Thursday, they upset No. 1 Indiana. It was Illinois' fourth win over a team now in the top 15.

Those big wins give the Illini (16-8, 3-7 Big Ten) a shot at getting to the postseason. Five of their eight remaining games are teams in the bottom half of the conference.

Coach John Groce says his team will have to move on from the big win quickly. Their next game is Sunday at No. 18 Minnesota.