After Illinois’ Big Ten Tournament victory Sunday, Bruce Weber joked about not having enough room in the basketball office for all the team’s trophies. On Monday, the Illini head coach added another honor to the list – being named National Coach of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

“I know that it’s because you have a good team, obviously, and we have a good team,” Weber said. “Beside our team, our staff does a great job. If I’m the National Coach of the Year, then they’re the national assistants of the year.”

Last week, Weber was named the Big Ten Coach of the Year by both the media and the coaches. He also earned All-District Coach of the Year honors from the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, but Monday’s announcement is the first national coaching award he’s received.

“It’s a good feeling, in the mix of the whole weekend and everything,” Weber said.

Weber’s weekend was an emotional one in which he led the Illini to their second Big Ten Tournament championship in three years while dealing with his mother’s death Friday. But the team rallied behind its coach, securing a key victory over Minnesota in Saturday’s semifinals.

“It kind of shows you how with a group, a leader can be so important,” Weber said. “They played off of my emotions.”

Weber said that on Saturday the team recorded its best numbers of the year on the Matto chart. Named after former Illinois guard Matt Heldman, who played for the Illini from 1995-98, the Matto chart tracks players’ hustle, deflections and dives, among other things.

“I think that was a compliment, it made me feel good,” Weber said. “They played their butts off after playing the day before and knowing there was another game coming up.”

While he is happy to receive the award, Weber said he has bigger goals for the season.

“Obviously, it’s a good feeling when you get selected to something like this, but I would trade the award for a national championship any day,” he said.

Hoosier-bound

While on Monday it was still uncertain when the team would leave for Indiana, head coach Bruce Weber said he hoped to get to the site of the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament as early as possible, as to help the players focus on the game ahead. The Illini do not play until 8:40 p.m. Thursday, but will leave some time this evening.

“When you get them together, you can keep them away from distractions,” Weber said. “You can feed them, you make sure they’re in their beds. You hope they’re focused, but there are a lot of distractions for the kids right now.”

Weber’s worries

Coach Bruce Weber said basketball helped him get through the difficult weekend and will continue to be a welcome distraction as the team prepares to face Fairleigh-Dickinson on Thursday. Weber flew to Milwaukee early this morning for his mother’s funeral, a private service, and will travel to Indianapolis with the team later tonight.

“(I’m) just trying to survive,” he said Monday. “It’s kind of, I guess you’d call it punch-drunk.”

The Weber family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Dawn Weber Memorial Fund, c/o Mt. Lebanon Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4809 North 60th St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53218.