Illinois proves it's a true contender

Win to brag about: Just beating Gonzaga isn't all that impressive, considering Kansas State and San Diego State did it last month. But the way Illinois beat the Zags on Saturday -- by shooting 52 percent from 3-point range, by limiting Steven Gray to just two points until midway through the second half, by holding Mark Few's team to 19 percent shooting from beyond the arc -- was impressive, and the Illini's 73-61 victory in Seattle reinforced my belief that they're an excellent candidate to join Duke and two other schools at the Final Four in Houston.

Gary Parrish