2005 Final Four Illinois v Louisville Highlights

[@asdude99]

Dee Brown and this Illini team is the reason i love basketball so much.

[@joshdude6431]

I couldn't agree more. We will see if we have a team this year. It looks like it.

[@fluffynoses]

there'll never be another Illini team like this one again. such great memories. even they didn't win at the end, it was a great run for sure

[@columbusohio72]

We got 1 this year

[@StqddOfficial]

I’m a diehard Illinois fan, I despise NC for cheating in the final.

[@oldtimer794]

@@StqddOfficial Not to mention the terrible foul calling on James Augustine early to take him out of the game. That hurt the Illini.

[@whitegoosejuvy]

As an Illini fan this will always be the greatest team I’ll ever watch damn near an undefeated perfect season and what an awesome time that was

[@jonathankoon1960]

Illinois has the capability to do this again this 2020-2021 season. Ayo and Kofi, lead us deep in the NCAA tournament once again!

[@jonathankoon1960]

@10Lifer Very premature ending, but hey, that's just how it goes sometimes. Illinois will make a final four appearance before Brad Underwood retires

[@jimmyjames5175]

@@jonathankoon1960close this year. I was really hoping they could get past UConn but what buzzsaw they are.

[@DRonak23]

As an illini fan, looking back at this makes me proud man, we produced really good players from that team

[@campincarl37]

Dee Brown... He was my childhood hero.

[@Simeballsolid]

campincarl37 no 🧢

[@colefreese]

Best back court I have ever seen..Period

[@gregstock3943]

I don't think it was said near enough at the time, but the sportsmanship shown by this Illini team was remarkable. It's getting tougher and tougher to find that these days.

[@rickykenny4257]

We drove down from Chicago to St.louis for this final four! We watched the games from a sports bar on the same site as our hotel! Never will forget the excitement because there were fans in the bar from Louisville, Michigan State, and Illinois; the mid west in effect, don't remember any North Carolina fans at the bar on Saturday, but they were at the bar for the Championship game on Monday!

[@rodanste]

This Illini team is one of the best teams I've ever seen. Why didn't they crush UNC you ask? James Augustine "fouled out" in the first 7 minutes of the game and the refs gave Sean May free reign to bang and buck around in the paint

[@thrasherx2k1]

You Shall Not Pass 8vs5 that game

[@josephweber2502]

This is truth.

[@jjsmith8348]

Illinois was robbed. And the refs didn't even try to hide it. No one fouls out in 7 minutes. No one, doesn't happen.

[@maxwellcampbell5946]

And somehow Illinois only lost by 5

[@shawnyoung8752]

Ok so it just wasnt me. Same thing happen to Notre Dame in elite 8 vs undefeated Kentucky. Irish running pick n roll at will till 6 8 center is called for 3 fouls in 8 minutes. Fouled out playing 5 minutes in 2nd half. Played 13 minutes. 7 ft towns and Cousins were outrebounded by 6 5 irish white guy.

[@setheheart4911]

god damn.. i never noticed how luther saved our asses. beautiful stroke.

[@jamminjake117]

it was so awesome seein all these guys (illini) come into my work back in the day

[@stephenmurphy1003]

That was a great year.

[@thevrilpill]

This team was so good.

[@alexwiley12]

that illinois team had probably the best shooting backcourt of the last twenty years

[@rasheedjeffries5754]

deron williams vision @ 5:26 finding luther head for the 3, sick

[@251to502]

Many of those players for Illinois were recruited by: Bill Self

[@Zdub811]

Man this team was legendary… D will, Dee brown, Luther head, Dj Augustine…

[@pointguard12]

I remember watching Dee Brown that year and thinking he was going to be the next big thing in the NBA....boy was I wrong!

[@dancrews7769]

I love that team, especially Dee Brown

[@MrAaronconner1]

05 Fighting Illini was so fun to watch they gave you a show Damn near cried when they lost to UNC

[@Jesmith112]

coming from a louisville fan, that illinois team was something else they were fantastic and i wish they would have beaten unc

[@Zaney2Fresh1]

gotta be one of the best teams to not win a championship ever in any sport. Miss this team so much, got screwed by the refs against UNC. Hopefully the Illini will get back to this level someday! GO ILLINI 💙🧡

[@MrHitStick757]

Huge Louisville fan, was punch for punch until this game got late.

[@Jschacht21]

Illinois had two great pt guards

[@derrickheron2720]

damn deron williams n dee brown

[@jeremyevans505]

The best I have ever seen at playing the game

[@251to502]

Both schools met in the Sweet 16 back in 1989 (Minneapolis, MN), in what was Kenny Payne’s final game in college.

[@osgood54]

Patino had no answer. Great job Illini!!

[@oldcat7]

3:52 was the best individual play of the 2005 Final Four.

[@Kyle.reeves]

this was such a TEAM. each one could shoot the lights out but seemed to almost be more happy to get an assist. its a shame they got beat by buffet buster sean may

[@251to502]

Notes: 1. Per notes from Verne Lundquist (during the Louisiana-Lafayette game in Nashville), Louisville was seeded #4 with a (29-4) record due to non-conference strength of schedule. Some of the teams we played at home had rough RPI numbers. Strength of C-USA outside of us, Charlotte, Cincinnati, UAB were factors as well. 2. In November 2004, we played in the Maui Invitational (headlined by North Carolina) and was defeated by Iowa (then coached by Steve Alford, faced him in the 2012 NCAAT with New Mexico) who lost in the Maui championship game to the Tar Heels. 3. Biggest non-conference win was at Florida (74-70) who we didn’t face until the 2012 West Regional Final. Gators won the 2005 SEC tournament, lost to #5 Villanova in Nashville (same Sunday we beat GT by double digits).

[@R.I.P.]

Damn the Rev was such an underrated player !!!! I miss this team so much it hurts !!

[@MrHitStick757]

I had almost forgotten just how much of a run and gun style Louisville had that year, too bad Fransisco Garcia had one of his worst games, but still a great run though.

[@caleboconnors1919]

This game made me want to be dee brown

[@campincarl37]

I don't mean to one-up you but I have the number 11 jersey with the shorts, and I have the Sports Illustrated Cover with Brown on the cover. "Dee Brown and five guys that might stop him..." Sadly, Raymond Felton was one of those listed.

[@osgood54]

How many 3 did Illini make this game? Wow

[@SFFOOL76]

That Louisville team was not a Cinderella team my friend, I think they were a worthy #2 or even #1 seed, they got badly seeded as a #4 and played some great basketball in the tournament.

[@natekenny7106]

Jschacht21 Don't you mean they had three great point guards?

[@zaylewis8377]

i still dont understand why dee brown did not go to the nba

[@timgrills2306]

wish Weber could have signed Shannon Brown. They were so much fun to watch at PE. Would've been a great tandem at U of I

[@alpaul18]

You know everyone talking shit about Nick Smith and i agree with some of it but he was the winningeat player at Illinois and was on the best Illinois team ever and plyed in a national championshit game so I don't think he realy gives a shit

[@jeremiahebert1]

We need a new coach, we can be great again!

[@DoeBoyy21]

@cmfishskins excuse me but how does a #4 seeded team, ranked 14in the ap polls, tht finishes 33-5 considerdd to be a cinderella team?

[@brandonasbury7334]

Kills me that Louisville team was much more talented then what was shown. Maan L1C4

[@TheSmittel]

Lol.. I agree. Zone isn't good when a team is draining 3s. He's still sorting out that issue this year

[@osgood54]

Hey Patino I don't think a zone is good strategy against this team.

[@W1ldPotato]

Why was Nick Smith playing?

[@terpsfan013]

also they were the big east tourney champs not the big east champs.

[@terpsfan013]

2005 championship game, wait where was louisville at.

[@osgood54]

Sorry it's Pitino but Illini still won.

[@251to502]

Illinois was the top team that year, until UNC stoppped them in the title game. The Cardinals should be watchful if John Beilein gets his crew past Syracuse.

[@fluffynoses]

wow nick smith actually scored in this game. didn't even know that. I-L-L

[@zaylewis8377]

i want dee brown to play for the pistons

[@warned2820]

where is Louisville????

[@22tbrads22]

same here!

[@terpsfan013]

ok i will. they went 10-8 in conference, syracuse were the big east champs. they went on a nice run and won the big east tourney but they are not the big east champs.

[@MrLegoHead501]

Illinois is pretty decent now but they shoot for 3 WAY too much

[@rogercosta5179]

Also UNC had 3 ineligible players ...May, Felton and 1 other player. Somehow no one knew. 😕

[@kingadalou]

y didnt dean get drafted?

[@terpsfan013]

clearly right now louisville is doing better but when you look up a 2005 final four game and your team loses there is no need to go bragging about your team, we all know who is currently better. im not even an illini fan, i was just a fan of this specific illini team.

[@josephweber2502]

They cheated to be better. NCAA is a joke.

[@sportsfranchisestories]

damn luther didn't miss that day, did he?

[@SeymourPettigrew]

Man that Illini squad was good ...35-2...got cheated in the title game but they were a force!

[@pp3k3jamail]

How they got cheated in the title game? I just think North Carolina was just better and more talented.

[@Maal7432]

@@pp3k3jamail Those early foul calls were garbage. Blatantly trash.

[@ronrubicon1593]

Pitino sticking with that awful zone is what cost them.

[@251to502]

Obviously he relied on it because we weren’t as deep that year. That strategy also hurt in the second half (Elite 8) against Michigan St nearly four years later.

[@251to502]

Obviously he relied on it because we weren’t as deep that year and dealt with injuries. That strategy also hurt in the second half (Elite 8) against Michigan St (who that night was hammered by North Carolina on the same floor) nearly four years later.

[@terpsfan013]

louisville was a really good team all year, they were poorly seeded.

[@simplygu]

Why was the last 3 minutes skipped? Lame!

[@AJShotDat]

they shot hella 3s

[@cubybull]

@PJSEN882 and then he traveled after that!

[@fluffynoses]

did wooden really say that? well can't go wrong with that i mean the guy has won 11 titles for god sake i watch these highlights and most of the time, i am just awestruck. but sometimes i just get angrier knowing that if the Illini had Villanueva, we would have slaughtered UNC and made Roy Williams cry like a little bitch just like he did when Kansas lost to Melo and Syracuse

[@coreymongiat3101]

O'bannon isnt taller than powell lol! wtf is packer talking about

[@joshritter5369]

Look at all the Louisville but hurt fans lol We get that Illinois isn't as good as they were in this video. but every team has a stretch where they struggle to be good. Louisville wasn't that great at times either. So calm down.

[@campincarl37]

Beats me

[@dumbjolly]

damn that was a good feeling NC and Duke fans are spoiled rotten.lol

[@mt22222222]

Lol Francisco Garcia and Luther Head both on the Kings yet they have a bad season already

[@shanea3956]

should have went in 88 when michigan cheated!

[@22tbrads22]

ahahha alright alright i met hi soo lmao

[@powerinself]

Garcia blew the game,Coach should have taken him out.