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CHAMPAIGN — It took less than a half for University of Illinois basketball fans who had gathered in the ledge one week ago to come in from the cold.

A sizzling start and a brand of basketball not seen in the State Farm Center in many years fueled Illinois’ 102-55 blowout over Southern University on Friday in what was both the season-opener and Brad Underwood’s Illini coaching debut.

When Underwood stalked onto the court before the game, his first gesture was to face the Orange Krush student section and applaud enthusiastically. The revved up students stood and returned the gesture.

The Orange Krush had plenty of reasons to stand and holler.

Illinois hit Southern with a wave of pressure defense and forced seven turnovers in the first eight minutes, flying to a 25-7 lead. Offensively, there was quick-twitch ball and player movement that looked like a foreign language after years of going in much slower motion. And this Illini team attacks the basket, something previous teams talked about but rarely did.

Early-on it was Michael Finke and Leron Black making amends for their sub-par performance one week ago in an exhibition loss at Eastern Illinois. That performance was so disconcerting that fans were taking virtual jumps from the ledge of despair on social media.