Two-thirds of the way through the second half. Another dream Illini season about to end in flatulence. Then......
19 years ago
Still get goosebumps when thinking of that game.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
My occasional plea for the BTN to show the Wake Forest game rather than that one.
While it was a moment I will never forget and one of my greatest sports memories of all time, as a full TV program we played SO badly for 35 minutes of that game and it's the beautiful symphony of basketball against Wake I want to remember that team by.
While it was a moment I will never forget and one of my greatest sports memories of all time, as a full TV program we played SO badly for 35 minutes of that game and it's the beautiful symphony of basketball against Wake I want to remember that team by.
ChiefGritty
- Chicago, IL
Even in a desperation scramble drill off of a turnover, four guys touch the ball, a ball screen leads to an open shot, and the extra pass is wide open to Powell down low.
That team's fundamental understanding of how to work together to cut open a defense was bone deep.
My 13th birthday 
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Does anybody else now judge literally every deficit of any game you are watching by the Arizona game? Lol. If a team is down by 15 or more with 4:00 to go or 8 or more with 1:00 to go, I consider it "in excess of the Arizona comeback" and therefore judge it likely impossible. 
Anything less than that is at least somewhat realistic.
What a truly amazing comeback.
Anything less than that is at least somewhat realistic.What a truly amazing comeback.
Just did exactly this during the Texas A&M Houston game lolDoes anybody else now judge literally every deficit of any game you are watching by the Arizona game? Lol. If a team is down by 15 or more with 4:00 to go or 8 or more with 1:00 to go, I consider it "in excess of the Arizona comeback" and therefore judge it likely impossible.
What a truly amazing comeback.
watched that Epic comeback with a dear friend of mine who is no longer with us. We almost turned it off at one point, but I'm so glad we didn't. One of the memories with him that I will never forget.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Bill Murray's expression during the comeback is an absolute classic, and one that we can certainly all relate to.
Illini in OC
In. The. Alley.
Well said Fighter.Does anybody else now judge literally every deficit of any game you are watching by the Arizona game? Lol. If a team is down by 15 or more with 4:00 to go or 8 or more with 1:00 to go, I consider it "in excess of the Arizona comeback" and therefore judge it likely impossible.
What a truly amazing comeback.
Prior to that I would throw something at the TV when the smarmiest guy on the announce team would say, "Well xxx, stranger things have happened." pfft
Until Penn State established that down 7 with 37 seconds left is the new benchmark. And before you all boo me off the board, I truly believe that gameās outcome kicked our team into the more focused state we have seen since.Does anybody else now judge literally every deficit of any game you are watching by the Arizona game? Lol. If a team is down by 15 or more with 4:00 to go or 8 or more with 1:00 to go, I consider it "in excess of the Arizona comeback" and therefore judge it likely impossible.
What a truly amazing comeback.
The almost give up for me is when Dee lost the ball out of bounds on offense scrambling for the ball on the floor against an Arizona defender. I think weāre down 12 or 14 with about 4-5 minutes left. I said right there āI think that might do itā. It was a sinking feeling Iāll never forget because of what happened after that.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
For some reason, it was Powell getting stuffed underneath the basket for me that made me believe it was over. Then, when Arizona hit both FTs to go up 8 with a minute, I had given up hope in the back of my mind, as I thought 6 was the threshold to be at where we had any real chance at all ... but by that point, I was so wired and just trying not to think about the loss that I hadn't fully given up hope yet!
Chad Fleck
- Eureka, IL
This game was just 2 months prior to me getting married. I watched this game with my father in law, who is also a fan. He's a pretty subdued guy. When Ingram batted the ball away and Deron made the shot to tie, he jumped around like a maniac that I hadn't seen before and haven't seen since. It's a memory I'm fond of.
This is exactly the context I view the game in. When my wife has asked me how I know when a game is pretty much over when there's still some time left on the clock, I say if it's more than 15pts and less than 4 minutes to go, game is pretty much over. The greatest comeback we'll likely ever witness as fans, and one of those memories I'll never forget. "Williams to tie it with a threeeee. *hundreds of engines roaring* He does!".Does anybody else now judge literally every deficit of any game you are watching by the Arizona game? Lol. If a team is down by 15 or more with 4:00 to go or 8 or more with 1:00 to go, I consider it "in excess of the Arizona comeback" and therefore judge it likely impossible.
What a truly amazing comeback.
Yes and the shot clock was 35 (17% longer) compessing number of possessions with 4 to go
For me as well. I remember sitting down at that point, hands on my face, almost curling into a ball. My mom walked out saying she was really sorry and some things just aren't meant to be as I stared sullenly in disbelief of what I was seeing (mainly Channing Frye bouncing around with that ear to ear grin). And then just the most beautiful thing I've ever witnessed happened. By the time Deron hit the tying three, my standing 6 inch vertical had increased to a full 6 feet. I was jumping pretty much through the ceiling. What memories
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
This is a great point that I never really think of ... it would be an interesting analysis to see how much of those 4:00 Arizona was able to just bleed off the clock, because we really had only made up less than half of the deficit from 4:00 to 1:00, and it took an unbelievable 8-0 run in the next SEVENTEEN SECONDS to finally tie it.
I'm not sure it had anything to do with focus compared to the inability of our coaches to draw up an effective inbounds play in the moment. This is when you need a guy like Wayne McClain on your bench.
At some time in the future many will look back on the three comebacks in the BIG10 tournament as significant moments. It also provides confidence in the NCAA tournament that no deficit is insurmountable especially with the firepower and speed of the Illinois offense. Running up 10 to 12 points in a minute is most possible and by any number of players on the Illini.Does anybody else now judge literally every deficit of any game you are watching by the Arizona game? Lol. If a team is down by 15 or more with 4:00 to go or 8 or more with 1:00 to go, I consider it "in excess of the Arizona comeback" and therefore judge it likely impossible.
What a truly amazing comeback.
The shot is what we all remember, but Jack Ingram's bat of the inbounds pass was what started that amazing play.
He's now an engineer. That U of I degree came in handy!
He's now an engineer. That U of I degree came in handy!
Where are they now? Jack Ingram
A look at former Illinois basketball player Jack Ingram.
www.sj-r.com
Still sounds more impressive than 7 in 37 for Penn State to me...and in a much more meaningful gameThis is a great point that I never really think of ... it would be an interesting analysis to see how much of those 4:00 Arizona was able to just bleed off the clock, because we really had only made up less than half of the deficit from 4:00 to 1:00, and it took an unbelievable 8-0 run in the next SEVENTEEN SECONDS to finally tie it.