1988-89 Fighting Illini Basketball: A Special Season

[@tjplaya1156]

They were electrifying, ultra talented, and fundamentally sound. Kendall Gill, Nick Anderson, Kenny Battle, Steven Bardo, Lowell Hamilton, Marcus Liberty, etc...one of the most exciting teams to watch. They would've won the national championship, if Michigan hadn't gotten so lucky. I was a Jr in high school that season- I will always remember the flying Illini!

[@trr3160]

I’m not even an Illini fan, but I still remember watching this team whenever I could because they were so damn good. The night Illinois beat LSU, 127-100, I was watching Pitt-Florida on USA Network and when the score popped up my jaw dropped. All these years later and I’m seeing the first footage ever from that game in Baton Rouge. Thanks!

[@alfonsogreen2722]

R.I.P Lou Henson

[@shawnyoung8752]

Like the 2005 team. These were kids that were tweeners. Guys who played foward or center against great competion in high school. They played great defense, were jumping jacks. At times they were sloppy on perimiter but their inside passing down low was crazy. It showed what they had learned playing against bigger players. In colkege it was guys 4 5 i ches bigger. Robinson was great and Rice at 6'8 shooting bombs was just enough to beat illini. That 2nd half was in my opion the best half of final four ever.

[@tjmain2072]

If they had played anyone other than Michigan in the Final Four, the Flying Illini would have won the championship that season. Kendall Gill, Nick Anderson, Kenny Battle, Steven Bardo, Lowell Hamilton, Marcus Liberty, etc... and all from Illinois. NCAA had so many exciting teams in that era.

[@filmonhagos4058]

This team really reminds me of the 2004-2005 Illinois Fighting Illini team. The coaches Lou Henson and Bruce Weber have very similar coaching styles where they embrace hard work and discipline. The talent on the 1989 team was exactly the same as the 2005 team when they had that great season going into the 2005 National Championship game against North Carolina. You really feel proud of both teams in two different era's, "the 1989 team and the 2005 team". The narrator said this season was so special that you will one day compare it to a different season that was just as good as the 1989 season. Well, that season is the 2005 fighting Illini season. Rest in peace Lou Henson and God bless Illinois basketball.

[@jab1289]

The 05 team was good, but I would take this team over that one.

[@jasonh5547]

Thank goodness for the 6 time NCAA National Champion and 21 time Final Four participant the Elite North Carolina Tar Heels.

[@shannonwilliams1941]

Thank you so very much for uploading this amazing old video footage of the greatest Illini basketball team ever assembled!!!!

[@rickykenny4257]

The most talented team in the history of Illinois basketball! The Deron William, Dee Brown, & Luther Head team that lost in the championship game was the best team in Illinois history! Both were great teams that I enjoyed!

[@jasonh5547]

I am a fan of Elite North Carolina basketball and the 1989 Illinois was better than 2005 Illinois.

[@paulsoxl7739]

@@jasonh5547I know it doesn’t matter anymore the 2005 team won the Big 10

[@ericdailey8587]

@@paulsoxl7739 And maybe the 88/89 team might have won the Big 10 if Gill hadn't been injured.

[@joseperez1085]

RIP Lou Henson, a legend great X and o coach.

[@MrSoxfan56]

"One of the greatest teams ever not to win it all. For some reason it just wasn't meant to be".

[@igorslocks]

Illini should have way more than 2Final 4 appearances in history. They should be good for 2a decade

[@jasonh5547]

They actually have Five Final Fours. They just have had only two since 1952. Interestingly, my favorite program of Elite North Carolina holds the NCAA Record for Final Fours at 21.

[@igorslocks]

@@jasonh5547 yeah I thought i had put in there 2 in recent history but oops. And what is a big shocker to most are the national championships Illinois has in... Football. Believe most would lose a big sum of $ on a bet of that factoid. Have a good holiday!

[@jasonh5547]

@@igorslocks yeah Illinois was one of the powerhouse teams in college football in the beginning half of the 20th Century. Now it is considered a basketball school although ironically they have zero NCAA titles in basketball. Have a great holiday also!

[@vivahernando1]

Illinois is the forgotten BIG 10 school

[@ericdailey8587]

It was reported that Dale Brown (LSU head coach) said during the game "Which damn one of them is dunking on us, now!" (Something like that.)

[@danzemacabre8899]

Im turning this off after the Easter Sunday Syracuse win, the next game is just wayyy too painful to watch.

[@lafayettewright8593]

The best team in Illni history should of won it all but was upset in the last minute by Michigan

[@jab1289]

These guys were great, but I wonder what they would have been like if Benji went there and stayed all four years. Those guys and Benji? That would have been sick. Natty for sure. Also, Shaq was thinking about going there in the Fall of 89, but didn't. They could have went to the Final Four that year, at least.