Boswell, a junior and one of only three Illini players on the active roster with NCAA Tourney experience, is urging the newbies to embrace the moment but also have a sense of urgency — because it's one-and-done with the next loss.

Wherever the floor is now in terms of expectations, this season’s Illini definitely haven't risen above it. Going backward isn’t an option.

Illinois got perhaps the slightly tougher matchup between Xavier and Texas, who played for the No. 11 spot in the Midwest on Wednesday. Xavier put Texas away 86-80 and now faces a team in the Fighting Illini that,