Illinois men’s basketball head coach John Groce isn’t scared to shake things up. His team ended its longest losing streak since 1973-74 because of it.

Illinois eked past Penn State 60-55 on Sunday in a game where Groce threw out everything but the kitchen sink to get the victory.

Groce sent a message to his team from the outset of the game by starting freshmen Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill over seniors Joseph Bertrand and Jon Ekey. The decision paid off, to say the least.

The freshmen duo combined for 30 points on an efficient 11-for-22 shooting from the field, combining for half of Illinois’ point total. Nunn’s performance was especially terrific, giving Illinois fans a glimpse of what can be a bright future for Illini basketball.

The lefty guard simply took over this game. Nunn topped off his career-high 19 points with a game-sealing 3-pointer to put the Illini up four with 22 seconds left. Nunn’s previous career-high was eight points, proving how much of a breakout game this was for the athletic freshman.

It’s not like this performance came completely out of a nowhere — Nunn has upped his play throughout the Big Ten slate. Nunn has scored at least seven points in five Big Ten games after doing it once in the nonconference season. I’ve been itching to see Nunn get more playing time, and he showed what he could do when given the chance.

Nunn might be the most dynamic offensive player on the Illini. He’s deadly when given space behind the arc, where he had four 3-pointers Sunday, and aggressive toward the rim. He’s especially crafty finishing with his left hand, often catching defenders off-guard. He’s more than capable to run pick-and-rolls, spot up in the corner or even handle in isolation sets. He’s fearless, versatile and exactly what this stagnant Illinois offense needs.

Hill didn’t explode to the extent of Nunn, but Groce’s confidence in the Belleville, Ill., product paid off.  Hill scored a career-high 11 points thanks to his aggressive and heady play. He’s not a polished offensive player, but his confidence is through the roof. Hill wasn’t afraid to knock down midrange jumpers or drive to the basket into the bodies of Penn State defenders when necessary.

Freshmen Maverick Morgan and Austin Colbert did an effective job of solidifying the middle. The pair combined for eight points and five rebounds on 3-for-3 shooting from the field while Nnanna Egwu finished with just two points and four rebounds. It was surprising to see Colbert in the rotation playing 11 minutes after he had six DNPs in his last seven games. Groce was willing to try anything to end this skid.

Forget the Illini as you knew them for the first 23 games of this season. Forget about seniority and forget about stability. Groce is going to play the hot hand and mix and match lineups frequently. If three of four freshmen sets are what this team needs, Groce isn’t going to be afraid to pull the trigger.

Penn State is a struggling team — there’s no denying it. The Nittany Lions are tied for last place in the Big Ten with Illinois and have lost five of their last eight games. It’s easy to say this losing streak ended because of Penn State’s ineptitude, but that’s just foolish thinking.

Illinois found something to be optimistic about on Sunday. In a game where Rice, Egwu, Joseph Bertrand and Tracy Abrams combined for 13 points, Illinois still won. Those four entered this game accounting for 69 percent of Illinois’s scoring.

It’s about time Groce gave the 31 percent its chance to shine.

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