Mark Smith to Illinois
By ADAM ZAGORIA & DENNIS CHAMBERS New Illinois
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Illinois basketball coach John Groce was fired Saturday after an 18-14 season in which his team was ninth in the Big Ten. The Illini made just one NCAA appearance in his five seasons at the school.
Assistant Jamall Walker was appointed interim coach while the school searchers for a successor. Groce has two years left on his contract and will receive the balance, about $1.7 million.
“Under his leadership, regrettably, we were not able to sustain the level of competitive excellence that we expect at the University of Illinois,” athletic director Josh Whitman said. “But that should do nothing to detract from the many wonderful things John has done on behalf of Illinois basketball during his tenure.”
Groce was considered one of the nation’s hot coaches when he was hired in March 2012. He left Ohio University after coaching the Bobcats to an 85-56 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances in four seasons.
BY CHIP MILLER
Kentucky head coach John Calipari is on hand Friday to see 2015 Cleveland (OH) Villa Angela-St.Joseph five-star forward Carlton Bragg at the Cancer Research Classic in Wheeling, W.V.
Kansas head coach Bill Self and assistant Norm Roberts and Illinois assistant Dustin Ford are also expected.
SNY.tv confirmed what was first reported by the Lexington-Herald.
Bragg, and his Villa Angela teammates, will face Arlington Country Day (Fla), which features 2015 top 100 forward Tulio Da Silva and 2016 Top 100 guards Mario Kegler and Lamonte Turner.
