Illinois ranks fourth in three-point attempts per game (25.9) through 12 games while employing coach John Groce’s philosophy to take “the first available shot that we can make.”

 “There aren’t too many bad shots in his offense,” said forward Tyler Griffey, who’s shooting 43 percent from three-point range. “He knows we can shoot. He just really instills the confidence.”

Illinois is shooting 38.6 percent beyond the arc as a team, which ranks 39th nationally.

Groce said his team, which sits 12-0 on the season and ranks No. 10 nationally, needs to expand its scoring to keep defenses honest.

“We’re starting to drive it a little more to complement our perimeter shooting, and that’s important moving forward,” he said. “We have to have that, but we are a good shooting team and we’re not going to shy away from that.”