When Northwestern steps onto the Assembly Hall floor Thursday, its elements will look markedly different from the team last season that notched a 74-70 victory on the same floor over the Illinois men’s basketball team.

Three of the Wildcats’ top five scorers from last season will not be playing from circumstances that include graduation, suspension and injury. But the Northwestern offense, which draws from the legendary Princeton offense and relies on exact passing and back cuts toward the basket, remains at the center of the Wildcats attack.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge of really competing against a precise offense,” Illinois head coach John Groce said. “You watch them on film and how hard they cut, how well they screen, how well they move the basketball. There’s some possessions where I just rewinded to watch it because I liked watching it.”

John Shurna, who averaged 20 points per game last season, graduated, and JerShon Cobb, who came on late last season for Northwestern, is serving a season-long suspension for poor grades. The biggest blow, however, was losing senior guard Drew Crawford for the season after shoulder surgery in December. Crawford led the team in scoring prior to the injury.

“I was talking to (Crawford) earlier, just seeing what time they get in and what not,” Illinois guard Brandon Paul said. “(He’s) one of my good friends. It’s obviously going to be tough not playing against him. We’re both seniors. It’s unfortunate what happened to him.”

Groce pegged two Northwestern players — Reggie Hearn and Tre Demps — as scorers picking up the offensive load for the team. Hearn has eclipsed Crawford as Northwestern’s leading scorer, and Demps comes off the bench to invigorate its offense.

“They can do it within their offense, from what I’ve seen on film, and they can do it outside the offense,” Groce said. “That’s what makes them, in my mind, good scorers.”

Illinois had its own set of problems to iron out in practice after the drubbing it received at Wisconsin on Saturday. Some of the practice emphasis, Paul said, was committing to defense for the entire length of the shot clock, which is a quirk Northwestern shares with Wisconsin on the offensive end.

“They’re going to hold the ball for the whole shot clock,” Paul said. “If one person gets lazy or break down, it’s going to be a score after guarding for 35 seconds.”

On one particular defensive possession on Saturday, which was highlighted in film sessions by Illinois’ coaches this week, Illinois played defense for a minute and 40 seconds straight.

“That’s never fun,” Paul added.

As for offense, Illinois swingman Joseph Bertrand  said the team has strayed away from the scoring opportunities that were abundant on fast breaks earlier in the season. Bertrand said practices this week stressed a more transition-oriented approach.

Mike Shaw, the seldom-used Illini forward who was the only player to draw a compliment from Groce in the Wisconsin postgame, may take on a larger role Thursday against Northwestern. Groce said that Shaw led the team in rebounding in practice Monday, and Shaw is prepared to get the call from his head coach.

“I just have to stay ready the whole season. I have to be ready at all times,” Shaw said. “Whenever I get the opportunity, I have to take advantage of it.”

Thomas can be reached at [email protected] and @ThomasBruch.