For the Illinois men’s basketball team, the keys to winning in the Big Ten are simple: defense and rebounding.

Although the Illini may know the right formula, neither of head coach John Groce’s first two seasons were a cakewalk in conference play.

“We just have to do what we’ve been doing the last two games: that’s defense,” senior center Nnanna Egwu said. “(We have to keep) playing hard on defense, making it hard on teams to get points.”

Illinois has already dealt with a two-game losing streak to start the Big Ten season.

Although wins against then-No. 11 Maryland and Northwestern have given Illinois hope, a longer losing streak may be on the horizon for the depleted Illini, who have suffered major injuries to three starters.

For Groce, no matter the circumstances, there is never an excuse for losing, especially in conference play.

“You can put five guys on the floor at a time and the other team does the same thing, so we don’t have any excuses,” Groce said. “We’ve got to figure it out.”

The Illini broke the century mark twice in their first five games, but in Big Ten play, the team’s shooting percentage and points per game has dipped. Illinois has shot a lower percentage in its three conference wins than its five losses this season.

While history says the Illini may encounter another Big Ten losing streak this season, the team will continue to improve its play on the boards and on defense while trying to have a short memory in regards to its shortcomings.

“In this league, it’s the next game,” sophomore guard Jaylon Tate said. “You can’t dwell on the past. You just have to keep moving forward.”

Nicholas can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @IlliniSportsGuy.