Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball: Difference between revisions
m svg, using AWB |
Sorebearmat (talk | contribs) →External links: current roster template |
||
Line 380: | Line 380: | ||
{{University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus}} |
{{University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus}} |
||
{{Illinois Fighting Illini current roster}} |
|||
{{Big Ten men's basketball}} |
{{Big Ten men's basketball}} |
||
{{CurrentB10BBCoaches}} |
{{CurrentB10BBCoaches}} |
Revision as of 03:07, 14 March 2010
![]() | For current information on this topic, see 2009–10 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team. |
Illinois Fighting Illini Men's Basketball | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
File:Illini logo.svg | ||||
University | University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | |||
Head coach | Bruce Weber (6th season) | |||
Conference | Big Ten Conference | |||
Arena | Assembly Hall (capacity: 16,618) | |||
Nickname | Fighting Illini | |||
Student section | Orange Krush | |||
Colors | Blue and Orange | |||
Uniforms | ||||
| ||||
Pre-tournament Helms champions | ||||
1915 | ||||
NCAA tournament runner-up | ||||
2005 | ||||
NCAA tournament Final Four | ||||
1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, 2005 | ||||
NCAA tournament Elite Eight | ||||
1942, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1989, 2001, 2005 | ||||
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen | ||||
1942, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1985, 1989, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 | ||||
NCAA tournament second round | ||||
1981,1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 | ||||
NCAA tournament appearances | ||||
1942, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009 | ||||
Conference tournament champions | ||||
2003, 2005 | ||||
Conference regular season champions | ||||
1915, 1917, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 |
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is an NCAA Division I college basketball team competing in the Big Ten Conference. Home games are played at Assembly Hall, located on University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's campus in Champaign.
The team's head coach is currently Bruce Weber. Weber's assistant coaches are Wayne McClain, Jay Price and Jerrance Howard.
All-Time statistical leaders
Career leaders
- Points Scored: Deon Thomas (2129)
- Assists: Bruce Douglas (765)
- Rebounds: James Augustine (1023)
- Steals: Bruce Douglas (324)
Single-season Leaders
- Points Scored: Donnie Freeman (668, 1966)
- Assists: Deron Williams (264, 2005)
- Rebounds: Skip Thoren (349, 1965)
- Steals: Kenny Battle (89, 1989)
Single-game leaders
- Points Scored: Dave Downey (53, 1963)
- Assists: Demetri McCamey (16, 2010), Tony Wysinger (16, 1986)
- Rebounds: Skip Thoren (24, 1963)
- Steals: Bruce Douglas (8, 1984)
Source for all statistical leaders[1]
Notable alumni
- Johnny "Red" Kerr, former head coach and announcer for the Chicago Bulls.
- Donnie Freeman, played 10 seasons in the new defunct ABA.
- Eddie Johnson, NBA veteran of 17 seasons.
- Derek Harper, Dallas Mavericks guard, 11th all-time NBA steals leader.
- Ken Norman, former All-Star forward for the Los Angeles Clippers.
- Kendall Gill, current Chicago Bulls analyst who played 16 NBA seasons.
- Steve Bardo, basketball analyst and announcer with ESPN.
- Nick Anderson, played 14 seasons in the NBA, 10 with the Orlando Magic.
- Deon Thomas, a European league player.
- Sergio McClain, former head coach of the Parkland College men's basketball team.
- Brian Cook, currently a forward/center who has played for the Lakers, Magic, and presently for the Rockets.
- Deron Williams, point guard for the Utah Jazz and member of 2008 US Men's National Team, which won a gold medal in the 2008 Olympics.
- Luther Head, currently a member of the Indiana Pacers
- Dee Brown, currently playing in Europe, formerly of the Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards.
All-Century Team
During the celebration of the program's 100th year of basketball as a varsity sport, the University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics announced its All-Century Team. The 20-man team was selected after voting by fans on www.fightingillini.com and the Illinois Basketball Centennial Committee. The honorees were feted during the Illinois Basketball Centennial Reunion Weekend, Jan. 28-30, 2005.[2]
- Ray Woods (1915–17)
- Chuck Carney (1920–22)
- Andy Phillip (1942–43, 1947)
- Gene Vance (1942–43, 1947)
- Dwight "Dike" Eddleman (1947–49)
- Johnny "Red" Kerr (1952–54)
- Dave Downey (1961–63)
- Duane "Skip" Thoren (1963–65)
- Don Freeman (1964–66)
- Nick Weatherspoon (1971–73)
- Eddie Johnson (1978–81)
- Derek Harper (1981–83)
- Bruce Douglas (1983–86)
- Ken Norman (1985–87)
- Kenny Battle (1988–89)
- Nick Anderson (1988–89)
- Kendall Gill (1987–90)
- Deon Thomas (1991–94)
- Frank Williams (2000–02)
- Brian Cook (2000–03)
Season-By-Season Records
Season | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Elwood Brown (1905–1906) | |||||||||
1905 - 06 | Elwood Brown | 6 - 8 | 3 - 6 | 4th | |||||
F.L. Pinckney (1906–1907) | |||||||||
1906 - 07 | F.L. Pinckney | 1 - 10 | 0 - 8 | 5th | |||||
Fletcher Lane (1907–1908) | |||||||||
1907 - 08 | Fletcher Lane | 20 - 6 | 6 - 5 | 3rd | |||||
Herb Juul (1908–1910) | |||||||||
1908 - 09 | Herb Juul | 7 - 6 | 5 - 6 | 4th | |||||
1909 - 10 | Herb Juul | 5 - 4 | 5 - 4 | 4th | |||||
Herb Juul: | 12 - 10 | 10 - 10 | |||||||
T.E. Thompson (1910–1912) | |||||||||
1910 - 11 | T.E. Thompson | 6 - 6 | 6 - 5 | 4th | |||||
1911 - 12 | T.E. Thompson | 8 - 8 | 4 - 8 | 5th | |||||
T.E. Thompson: | 14 - 14 | 10 - 13 | |||||||
Ralph Jones (1912–1920) | |||||||||
1912 - 13 | Ralph Jones | 10 - 6 | 7 - 6 | 5th | |||||
1913 - 14 | Ralph Jones | 9 - 4 | 7 - 3 | 3rd | |||||
1914 - 15 | Ralph Jones | 16 - 0 | 12 - 0 | 1st(T) | National Champions | ||||
1915 - 16 | Ralph Jones | 13 - 3 | 9 - 3 | 2nd(T) | |||||
1916 - 17 | Ralph Jones | 13 - 3 | 10 - 2 | 1st(T) | |||||
1917 - 18 | Ralph Jones | 9 - 6 | 6 - 6 | 4th(T) | |||||
1918 - 19 | Ralph Jones | 6 - 8 | 5 - 7 | 5th | |||||
1919 - 20 | Ralph Jones | 9 - 4 | 8 - 4 | 3rd | |||||
Ralph Jones: | 85 - 34 | 64 - 31 | |||||||
Frank Winters (1920–1922) | |||||||||
1920 - 21 | Frank Winters | 11 - 7 | 7 - 5 | 4th(T) | |||||
1921 - 22 | Frank Winters | 14 - 5 | 7 - 5 | 4th(T) | |||||
Frank Winters: | 25 - 12 | 14 - 10 | |||||||
J. Craig Ruby (1922–1936) | |||||||||
1922 - 23 | J. Craig Ruby | 9 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 4th(T) | |||||
1923 - 24 | J. Craig Ruby | 11 - 6 | 8 - 4 | 1st(T) | |||||
1924 - 25 | J. Craig Ruby | 11 - 6 | 8 - 4 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1925 - 26 | J. Craig Ruby | 9 - 8 | 6 - 6 | 5th(T) | |||||
1926 - 27 | J. Craig Ruby | 10 - 7 | 7 - 5 | 4th(T) | |||||
1927 - 28 | J. Craig Ruby | 5 - 12 | 2 - 10 | 9th(T) | |||||
1928 - 29 | J. Craig Ruby | 10 - 7 | 6 - 6 | 5th(T) | |||||
1929 - 30 | J. Craig Ruby | 8 - 8 | 7 - 5 | 4th(T) | |||||
1930 - 31 | J. Craig Ruby | 12 - 5 | 7 - 5 | 5th | |||||
1931 - 32 | J. Craig Ruby | 11 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 5th | |||||
1932 - 33 | J. Craig Ruby | 11 - 7 | 6 - 6 | 5th(T) | |||||
1933 - 34 | J. Craig Ruby | 13 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 4th | |||||
1934 - 35 | J. Craig Ruby | 15 - 5 | 9 - 3 | 1st(T) | |||||
1935 - 36 | J. Craig Ruby | 13 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 3rd(T) | |||||
J. Craig Ruby: | 148 - 95 | 94 - 74 | |||||||
Douglas Mills (1936–1947) | |||||||||
1936 - 37 | Douglas Mills | 14 - 4 | 10 - 2 | 1st(T) | |||||
1937 - 38 | Douglas Mills | 9 - 9 | 4 - 8 | 8th(T) | |||||
1938 - 39 | Douglas Mills | 14 - 5 | 8 - 4 | 3rd | |||||
1939 - 40 | Douglas Mills | 14 - 6 | 7 - 5 | 4th(T) | |||||
1940 - 41 | Douglas Mills | 13 - 7 | 7 - 5 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1941 - 42 | Douglas Mills | 18 - 5 | 13 - 2 | 1st | |||||
1942 - 43 | Douglas Mills | 17 - 1 | 12 - 0 | 1st | |||||
1943 - 44 | Douglas Mills | 11 - 9 | 5 - 7 | 6th | |||||
1944 - 45 | Douglas Mills | 13 - 7 | 7 - 5 | 3rd | |||||
1945 - 46 | Douglas Mills | 14 - 7 | 7 - 5 | 5th(T) | |||||
1946 - 47 | Douglas Mills | 14 - 6 | 8 - 4 | 2nd(T) | |||||
Douglas Mills: | 151 - 66 | 88 - 47 | |||||||
Harry Combes (1947–1967) | |||||||||
1947 - 48 | Harry Combes | 15 - 5 | 7 - 5 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1948 - 49 | Harry Combes | 21 - 4 | 10 - 2 | 1st | NCAA 3rd Place | ||||
1949 - 50 | Harry Combes | 14 - 8 | 7 - 5 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1950 - 51 | Harry Combes | 22 - 5 | 13 - 1 | 1st | NCAA 3rd Place | ||||
1951 - 52 | Harry Combes | 22 - 4 | 12 - 2 | 1st | NCAA 3rd Place | ||||
1952 - 53 | Harry Combes | 18 - 4 | 14 - 4 | 2nd | |||||
1953 - 54 | Harry Combes | 17 - 5 | 10 - 4 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1954 - 55 | Harry Combes | 17 - 5 | 10 - 4 | 2nd(T) | |||||
1955 - 56 | Harry Combes | 18 - 4 | 11 - 3 | 2nd | |||||
1956 - 57 | Harry Combes | 14 - 8 | 7 - 7 | 7th | |||||
1957 - 58 | Harry Combes | 11 - 11 | 5 - 9 | 8th(T) | |||||
1958 - 59 | Harry Combes | 12 - 10 | 7 - 7 | 5th(T) | |||||
1959 - 60 | Harry Combes | 16 - 7 | 8 - 6 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1960 - 61 | Harry Combes | 9 - 15 | 5 - 9 | 7th | |||||
1961 - 62 | Harry Combes | 15 - 8 | 7 - 7 | 4th(T) | |||||
1962 - 63 | Harry Combes | 20 - 6 | 11 - 3 | 1st(T) | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
1963 - 64 | Harry Combes | 13 - 11 | 6 - 8 | 6th(T) | |||||
1964 - 65 | Harry Combes | 18 - 6 | 10 - 4 | 3rd | |||||
1965 - 66 | Harry Combes | 12 - 12 | 8 - 6 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1966 - 67 | Harry Combes | 12 - 12 | 6 - 8 | 7th(T) | |||||
Harry Combes: | 316 - 150 | 174 - 104 | |||||||
Harv Schmidt (1967–1974) | |||||||||
1967 - 68 | Harv Schmidt | 11 - 13 | 6 - 8 | 7th(T) | |||||
1968 - 69 | Harv Schmidt | 19 - 5 | 9 - 5 | 2nd(T) | |||||
1969 - 70 | Harv Schmidt | 15 - 9 | 8 - 6 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1970 - 71 | Harv Schmidt | 11 - 12 | 5 - 9 | 5th(T) | |||||
1971 - 72 | Harv Schmidt | 14 - 10 | 5 - 9 | 8th(T) | |||||
1972 - 73 | Harv Schmidt | 14 - 10 | 8 - 6 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1973 - 74 | Harv Schmidt | 5 - 18 | 2 - 12 | 10th | |||||
Harv Schmidt: | 89 - 77 | 43 - 55 | |||||||
Gene Bartow (1974–1975) | |||||||||
1974 - 75 | Gene Bartow | 8 - 18 | 4 - 14 | 9th(T) | |||||
Lou Henson (1975–1996) | |||||||||
1975 - 76 | Lou Henson | 14 - 13 | 7 - 11 | 7th(T) | |||||
1976 - 77 | Lou Henson | 16 - 14 | 8 - 10 | 6th | |||||
1977 - 78 | Lou Henson | 13 - 14 | 7 - 11 | 7th | |||||
1978 - 79 | Lou Henson | 19 - 11 | 7 - 11 | 7th | |||||
1979 - 80 | Lou Henson | 22 - 13 | 8 - 10 | 6th(T) | NIT 3rd Place | ||||
1980 - 81 | Lou Henson | 21 - 8 | 12 - 6 | 3rd | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
1981 - 82 | Lou Henson | 18 - 11 | 10 - 8 | 6th | NIT 2nd Round | ||||
1982 - 83 | Lou Henson | 21 - 11 | 11 - 7 | 2nd(T) | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
1983 - 84 | Lou Henson | 26 - 5 | 15 - 3 | 1st(T) | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
1984 - 85 | Lou Henson | 26 - 9 | 12 - 6 | 2nd | NCAA Sweet 16 | ||||
1985 - 86 | Lou Henson | 22 - 10 | 11 - 7 | 4th(T) | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
1986 - 87 | Lou Henson | 23 - 8 | 13 - 5 | 4th | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
1987 - 88 | Lou Henson | 23 - 10 | 12 - 6 | 3rd(T) | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
1988 - 89 | Lou Henson | 31 - 5 | 14 - 4 | 2nd | NCAA Final Four | ||||
1989 - 90 | Lou Henson | 21 - 8 | 11 - 7 | 4th(T) | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
1990 - 91 | Lou Henson | 21 - 10 | 11 - 7 | 3rd(T) | |||||
1991 - 92 | Lou Henson | 13 - 15 | 7 - 11 | 8th | |||||
1992 - 93 | Lou Henson | 19 - 13 | 11 - 7 | 3rd(T) | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
1993 - 94 | Lou Henson | 17 - 11 | 10 - 8 | 4th(T) | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
1994 - 95 | Lou Henson | 19 - 12 | 10 - 8 | 5th(T) | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
1995 - 96 | Lou Henson | 18 - 13 | 7 - 11 | 9th | NIT 1st Round | ||||
Lou Henson: | 423 - 224 | 214 - 164 | |||||||
Lon Kruger (1996–2000) | |||||||||
1996 - 97 | Lon Kruger | 22 - 10 | 11 - 7 | 4th(T) | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
1997 - 98 | Lon Kruger | 23 - 10 | 13 - 3 | 1st(T) | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
1998 - 99 | Lon Kruger | 14 - 18 | 3 - 13 | 11th | |||||
1999 - 00 | Lon Kruger | 22 - 10 | 11 - 5 | 4th | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
Lon Kruger: | 81 - 48 | 38 - 28 | |||||||
Bill Self (2000–2003) | |||||||||
2000 - 01 | Bill Self | 27 - 8 | 13 - 3 | 1st(T) | NCAA Elite Eight | ||||
2001 - 02 | Bill Self | 26 - 9 | 11 - 5 | 1st(T) | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
2002 - 03 | Bill Self | 25 - 7 | 11 - 5 | 2nd | NCAA 2nd Round | ||||
Bill Self: | 78 - 24 | 35 - 13 | |||||||
Bruce Weber (2003–present) | |||||||||
2003 - 04 | Bruce Weber | 26 - 7 | 13 - 3 | 1st | NCAA Sweet Sixteen | ||||
2004 - 05 | Bruce Weber | 37 - 2 | 15 - 1 | 1st | NCAA Championship Game | ||||
2005 - 06 | Bruce Weber | 26 - 7 | 11 - 5 | 2nd(T) | NCAA 2nd round | ||||
2006 - 07 | Bruce Weber | 23 - 12 | 9 - 7 | 4th(T) | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
2007 - 08 | Bruce Weber | 16 - 19 | 5 - 13 | 9th(T) | |||||
2008 - 09 | Bruce Weber | 24 - 10 | 11 - 7 | 2nd(T) | NCAA 1st Round | ||||
Bruce Weber: | 152 - 57 | 64 - 36 | |||||||
Total: | 1609-853 | ||||||||
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
|
NCAA Tournament seeding history
The NCAA began seeding the tournament with the 1979 edition.
Years → | '79 | '80 | '81 | '82 | '83 | '84 | '85 | '86 | '87 | '88 | '89 | '90 | '91 | '92 | '93 | '94 | '95 | '96 | '97 | '98 | '99 | '00 | '01 | '02 | '03 | '04 | '05 | '06 | '07 | '08 | '09 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seeds → | - | - | 4 | - | 7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 | - | - | 6 | 8 | 11 | - | 6 | 5 | - | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 12 | - | 5 |
Coaching history
Coach | Years | Record | Conference Record |
Conference Titles |
NCAA Appearances |
Elwood Brown | 1906–1907 | 6-8 | 3-6 | ||
F. L. Pinckney | 1907–1908 | 1-10 | 0-8 | ||
Fletcher Lane | 1908–1909 | 20-6 | 6-5 | ||
Herb V. Juul | 1909–1910 | 12-10 | 10-10 | ||
T. E. Thompson | 1910–1912 | 14-14 | 10-13 | ||
Ralph R. Jones | 1912–1920 | 85-34 | 64-31 | 2 | |
Frank J. Winters | 1920–1922 | 25-12 | 14-10 | ||
J. Craig Ruby | 1922–1936 | 148-95 | 94-74 | 2 | |
Douglas R. Mills | 1936–1947 | 151-66 | 88-47 | 3 | 1 |
Harry Combes | 1947–1967 | 316-150 | 174-104 | 4 | 4 |
Harv Schmidt | 1967–1974 | 89-77 | 43-55 | ||
Gene Bartow | 1974–1975 | 8-18 | 4-14 | ||
Lou Henson | 1975–1996 | 423-224 | 214-164 | 1 | 12 |
Lon Kruger | 1996–2000 | 81-48 | 38-28 | 1 | 3 |
Bill Self | 2000–2003 | 78-24 | 35-13 | 2 | 3 |
Bruce Weber | 2003–Present | 150-53 | 63-34 | 2 | 5 |
Totals | 1607-849 | 860-616 | 17 | 27 |
Seasons
2009–2010
2008–2009
2007–2008
In the 2007-08 season, the Illini tied for 9th in the Big Ten. They reached the finals of the Big Ten tournament despite their 10-seed, where they lost to Wisconsin. The Illini failed to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since the 1998–99 season.
2006–2007
In the 2006-07 season, the Illini finished tied for 4th place in the Big Ten, earning the 6th seed in the Big Ten tournament, and losing in the seminfinals to Wisconsin. The Illini were selected as a 12-seed in the NCAA tournament; losing their opening-round game to Virginia Tech by a score of 54–52. This was the first time the Illini failed to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament since 2003.
2004–2005
In 2004-2005 the Illini went 37–2, tying the NCAA record for most wins in a season. They lost in the National Championship to the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Illini won the Big Ten regular season and tournament which was held in Chicago. They gained a #1 seed in the "big dance" and posted one of the most memorable games in NCAA history against Arizona. Down 15 points with around 4 minutes left, the Illini sparked a run led by Luther Head and Deron Williams. The game was sent into overtime and the orange and blue pulled off the one point win to advance to the Final Four in St. Louis. Against the Louisville Cardinals in the Final Four they won their final game of the season. The Illini had all 5 starters; Deron Williams, Luther Head, Dee Brown, James Augustine, and Roger Powell, Jr.; eventually play in the NBA. Deron Williams and Dee Brown both joined the Utah Jazz roster where Williams still plays and Luther Head plays for the Houston Rockets. Coach Bruce Weber also won many Coach of the Year awards.
Lon Kruger/Bill Self era
After longtime coach Lou Henson's Departure, Illinois hired Lon Kruger to fill the vacancy for the 1996 season. Kruger inherited players such as Victor Chukwudebe, Jerry Hester, Kevin Turner, Jerry Gee, Matt Heldman, Brian Johnson, Kiwane Garris and Cleotis Brown. During his four seasons at Illinois, three of which resulted in NCAA Tournament berths, (all three of which saw the Illini eliminated in the 2nd round) Kruger became the only Big Ten coach to successfully sign three consecutive Illinois Mr. Basketball winners, inking Sergio McClain, Frankie Williams, and Brian Cook between 1997 and 1999.
The University of Illinois picked Tulsa coach Bill Self from a list of numerous candidates, including popular assistant Jimmy Collins to succeed Kruger, who moved on to the NBA to coach the Atlanta Hawks. In 2001, his first season at Illinois, Self took over an immensely talented team, and coached his new Fighting Illini squad to a 27-8 record, a share of the Big Ten title, and a number 1-seed in the NCAA Tournament. McClain, Cook and preseason Big Ten player of the year Cory Bradford led the Illini to the Elite Eight where they met and fell to eventual finalists Arizona in a much disputed contest. The Illini were accused of being overly physical most of the season, especially McClain and pesky guards Sean Harrington and Lucas Johnson (younger brother of former Illini forward Brian Johnson) and the Illini were the clear target of questionable officiating. The '01 Illini team also included Robert Archibald, Damir Krupalija and Marcus Griffin. With mostly the same core, Illinois followed up the seaon with impressive 2002 and 2003 campaigns, but fell in the sweet 16 in 2002 and the second round in 2003.
Lou Henson era
1990's
The early 1990s Illini were dominated by players such as guards Andy Kauffman, Richard Keene, and Kiwane Garris, as well as centers Shelly Clark and Deon Thomas. Thomas was at the center of a false report of misconduct by Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball assistant coach Bruce Pearl, who alleged that Thomas had been offered cash to attend Illinois. The Illini were suspended from postseason play for one season for violations uncovered during the investigation.
Flyin' Illini
The top-seeded and top-ranked 1989 Illini were upset 83-81 in the Final Four on a last second basket by Michigan's Sean Higgins, ending the school's deepest run in the tournament at that time. Illinois had beaten the Wolverines by 12 and 16 points in two previous meetings that season. The "Flyin' Illini" were so named because of the team's athletic players, such as NCAA slam dunk champions Kenny Battle and Kendall Gill, as well as Lowell Hamilton, Nick Anderson, Marcus Liberty, and Steve Bardo.
Early 1980's
See also
- NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coaches
- ACC–Big Ten Challenge
- Deron William's Annual Illini Legends Charity Game
References
- ^ "Illini Basketball History" (pdf). Retrieved 2008-03-14.
- ^ http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/101604aaa.html