Things started out well for the Illini, after jumping out to a 10-0 lead early it looked like Illinois was on it's way to it's first victory over a ranked non-conference opponent since 2005.The defense was swarming, the shots were falling, and Illinois was finding every loose ball. Maybe it was the jet lag of coming from the west coast to play a game at 11AM in Chicago, but Arizona just didn't look like the ranked team early.
Then the Wildcats woke up.
Arizona then spent the rest of the game slowly chipping away at the Illini lead before finally taking over themselves late in the second half. They would eventually win 78-72 in overtime, but not without controversy.
As Illinois point guard Chester Frazier drove down court at the end of regulation, he was stripped by Arizona's Nic Wise who then called for a timeout. Unfortunately for Wise, Arizona didn't have any timeouts left. Of course, the officials at the United Center were a compassionate group of men, because rather than calling the illegal timeout and sending the Illini to the free throw line for the winning points, they just chose to ignore Wise's timeout call.
It probably wouldn't have mattered anyway, though. Have you seen the Illini at the free throw line? They wouldn't have made any shots anyway.
Shaun Pruitt, who wasn't expected to get that many minutes, led the Illini with 24 points and 9 rebounds. Illinois is now 5-3 on the season.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
12-08-2007 @ 8:33PM
wally smith said...
Olson is gone for the season. OK. Kevin will do just fine, thank you...as soon as he finds the right jell for the starting group. Once AZ starts playing AZ basketball at the start of the game instead of waiting for the TV time out, you are going to see some exceptional basketball. GO CATS
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12-08-2007 @ 11:19PM
cactuspete said...
All afternoon I had to put up listening to that crap you & the announcers we spouting off about the missed Time-Out Call during th Ilinois/Arizona Game, but NOT ONE WORD about the Game/ Shot Clock "Problem". It just so happens to occur in a professional sports arena with the best clocks known to modern man and the clock Stoppage of play that the refs were calling always were to Illinois advantage. Twice Arizona had Fast break opportunities that were stopped by the Game clock not working. All this happening in the House Michael built while he watches his son's team get their hats handed to them by the tougher and definitely more Honest Team.I can't believe you guys missed that discussion. You want to talk about Home court advantage? Talk about clock management and how a Home Court advantage can be manipulated with a "Game Clock problem". In Chicago I wouldn't put ANYTHING past them, yet they still couldn't Win!
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12-09-2007 @ 9:58AM
Tyler said...
That game was all about the brutal free throw shooting of the Illini. AZ should never have escaped on that one. Shooting 45% at the charity stripe will not win any games.
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12-20-2007 @ 11:23AM
Garty said...
I know, I know, hoops is ramping... but lest us not forget January 1st 4:30 EST. gotta check out this site for pretty cool shirts too. http://www.notredone.com
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