It might have been somewhere amid the 26-0 run. Or it could have been when the color announcer said, “Griffey’s been a real force on the offensive glass.” Or maybe when my roommate said I was wrong, that Northwestern didn’t look like a high school team — it looked more like a middle school team.

Whenever it was, for what seems like the seventh or eighth time this season, Illinois has made me ask myself, Where was this team a month ago?

Exactly one month before Sunday night, the Illini’s hapless 68-54 home defeat to Northwestern marked one of the lowest points in a 2-7 stretch to open Big Ten play and one of the lowest points during my four years at Illinois.

My notes from the game look like this:

When is Illinois going to start playing defense? Look totally confused.

Northwestern is getting literally any shot it wants, layups, 3’s …

Um, Illinois might just really suck?

I just want to get home so I can eat food.

I want to gouge my eyes out.

Fast-forward to Sunday’s game, where my notes look more like this:

Uhh, I know they lost Swopshire, but Illinois is making Northwestern look baaaaad.

Seriously, how many of these dudes on Northwestern could start for my high school team?

Carmody looks like he needs to crack open a Steel Reserve (translation: He desperately needs to drink this game away).

What happened? Just a month after being embarrassed on their home court, the Illini looked like a varsity team beating up on a hapless junior varsity Northwestern squad Sunday night. What changed?

Following the win over Purdue a week ago, I wrote that more sustained offensive balance was keying Illinois’ recent win streak, and that held true again last night. Brandon Paul was again the second or third offensive option on most possessions, finishing the game with just eight points on only six shots. But the team’s leading scorer still managed to affect the game in other areas, tallying six rebounds, five assists, one steal and one block while spearheading an impressive defensive effort.

That type of night signifies a more mature Paul than we have seen over the last four years. Last year’s Paul might have let his lack of shots or poor shooting creep into his mind and submarine his other contributions, but this year Paul seems to understand that the team functions best when he has help.

This is what was envisioned when Paul and D.J. Richardson arrived as freshmen almost four years ago: a potent, Batman-and-Robin-type 1-2 punch on the perimeter. Richardson is gaining confidence as this win streak continues to build, looking more like the player on offense that we all expected him to be following his Big Ten Freshman of the Year award. Granted, he won’t be playing against a team of Rudys every game, but his mid-range game and penetration to the lane is markedly better.

A month ago, the Illini’s tourney chances appeared dire. Three losses in the four games following the Illini’s loss to Northwestern fed those flames. It was almost unimaginable that they could turn it around. But they have, and now face a manageable five games before the Big Ten Tournament.

And if Paul gets it going again, the Illini could be very dangerous come March.

Daniel is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @danielmillermc.