Italy: Learning experience and a great trip to boot

Throw in the fact it was the Illini's fourth game in four days and you can see why coaches were ecstatic to leave with an 89-85 win in overtime.

"We persevered," Weber said. "Our guys sucked it up and found a way to win."

"I think that game said a lot about this team," senior Sam Maniscalco added.

Illinois won four of five games in Italy, but there were no Final Four declarations afterward. Players and coaches acknowledged the foreign tour doesn't guarantee anything.

Klee