Illinois vs. Arizona: 2005 Elite Eight | FULL GAME

[@wesleysilver6984]

I'll never forget when the ESPYs had the MSU vs Kentucky 2OT game as the CBB representative for game of the year..insulting if you ask me..this is a game people still talk about..this is one of the greatest comebacks ever..

[@lakerskid2013]

Now considering that Arizona has become the first team to lose to a 15 seed twice (Missouri immediately became the second after losing to Princeton in Round 2 albeit as a 7 seed) this just remains etched into the growing pile of choke jobs that Arizona does in the tournament.

[@SafetyisFirst]

@@lakerskid2013they got a title in 97’.

[@chrisuncleahmad666]

Heck even the other Saturday E8 game could have been a representative (Louisville/West Virginia)

[@bullsguy4122]

Greatest game in the history of games. I was there. No one will ever convince me otherwise.

[@tjismyname7365]

Greatest if you’re an Illinois fan.

[@jonathanvelasquez1325]

As a Arizona fan I cried. Arizona still hasn't gotten over that loss. They're 0-5 on regional finals since.

[@tonysloan892]

You are rught, greatest game, greatest team....Illinois only 2 losses, 29 wins in a row, only 10 games decided by 3 points or less(9-1), 17 weeks in a row #1 team in the nation.

[@sports3117]

I really remembered Deron Williams when he hit that tying 3 to send the game into overtime. This was my favorite game to watch

[@05chmps]

1:03 to 0:38 to go if you want to see the lethality of the ILLINI in a comeback. "Oh My !!"

[@vincentpowell5161]

1 of my favorite last minute comeback ever.👌👌👌

[@danzemacabre8899]

Yeah, dude , that three to tie, I still remember screaming at the top of my lungs and throwing my hands up in the air.. YYYESSSSSSSS!!!!! , I was in Kansas at the time around a bunch of JayHawk fans,, just felt so awesome being in foreign territory and watching your team pull off a miracle,...

[@shawnyoung8752]

Live by the 3. Die by the 3. Once they hit a 3 on break. Head? Then they woke up and played D. Arizona has been Kansas of west for 30 years. Lots of talent that comes out flat in first round. Then are in a dogfight in 2nd round. Look at Duke. Final 4 years they were given easy bracket. Duke has been beaten by 15 seed twice. Norfolk st? And the Georgia team. Those were teams that 3 or 4 played together since soph year.

[@tumbleweedconnection7906]

Imo this was the greatest weekend in college basketball history..3 of the 4 regional finals went to ot. Opened with west va bombing 3s then a furious Louisville comeback to win , followed by this great game, the next day was Wisconsin giving eventual champ unc all they could handle before ultimately losing by 6 and the weekend concluded with the double ot thriller between msu and UK with sparks hitting that crazy 3 at the end of regulation which they reviewed for what seemed like an eternity even enlarging the still frame to see if his foot was indeed behind the line. Oh what a weekend!

[@royalnpoison1547]

Most underrated Elite Eight game of all time! Great game! ILL🔶🔷

[@sneakyfox23ytvods]

INI!

[@dawesomelm1917]

ILLINI FOR LIFE

[@alanrubenstein7618]

That’s how most Illini fans have felt watching their team since 2005

[@musicman76enator]

Greatest NCAA Tournament Game ever. Period. I miss 2005 so much. Someone invent a time machine and take me back!!

[@alanrubenstein7618]

Not close to Duke Kentucky in 1992 or even Duke UNLV in 1991

[@jasKrofl]

your right, its miles above@@alanrubenstein7618

[@shawnyoung8752]

​@@alanrubenstein761889 semi ,Michigan vs illinois was as good as duke vs Kentucky. The last 6 minutes of duke Kentucky was amazing cause both teams had 4 5 guys making shots. 89 had a 2nd half that ended up with 25 26 ties and 25 or so lead changes. For the flying illini to get to final four they played Syracuse with Sherman douglas, derrick coleman, billy owens. That was a final four game .

[@RealRorschach100]

one of the greatest tournaments

[@oliviamcqueen3355]

This was on my birthday. When they got down by 15, I turned it off. About 5 minutes later, my mom calls me screaming incoherently on the phone and crying; I thought my dad had died. When I asked what was wrong she was like, don't you have the game on ??? Well, when she told me the Illini had come back to tie it and was going into OT, I didn't touch the dial. One of my greatest birthdays ever.

[@klux6585]

One of the worst last possessions I've ever seen but it was a good game.

[@musicman76enator]

15 years since this game happened. Feels like yesterday.

[@loverofhumanity]

Almost 20 now 😢. Unbelievable how life flies by. I remember this game like it was yesterday. Fun team to watch

[@PowidzMalwa]

What a choke by Arizona.

[@1funsun1]

Death and taxes.

[@vinceniederman]

One of The Best Comebacks in March Madness History With One of The Worst Chokes by a Team As Well!

[@diegoparra1541]

one of my 3 favorite NCAA tourney games of all time, this what the tourney is all about!

[@alexkain8564]

What are your other two favorite games?

[@dancrews7769]

I love this ILL team, especially Dee Brown

[@gregorygreen3077]

I’ll Never Forget How Happy I Was At 7 Watching The ILLINI Win An Go To The Final Four With My Dad❤️ Been A Die Hard Illinois Fan Since I’m 26 Now I Loved This 05 TEAM Best Team In Program History To Me🧡💙💯

[@lucasmann2308]

This game is why march madness is great

[@one7deep7savage7]

Luther Head Dee Brown and Deron Williams brought them back from 15pts down within only 2mins. Amazing!

[@tylerbean8265]

30 years old. This game I was 12. Remember being out with family for Easter and bawling my eyes out when Illinois was down. When they came back I was elated with happiness. Still, that Championship Game as an Illini fan breaks my heart every time. ILL!!!

[@Tripp2136]

My heart fall thought Arizona had this in the bag..!!!

[@lafayettewright8593]

This was a instant classic big time come back by the Illni🏀🏀

[@jstins]

The boxes of championship tshirts were brought out behind Arizona’s bench. Then Illinois had their run. Oops sorry.

[@kevinjackson7382]

The last time Lute Olson took Arizona to the elite 8….RIP coach

[@sterlingpless4335]

Seen Billy at Clemson and never seen him this hyped

[@davidpate7019]

All the elite 8 games were great. Louisville came back from 20 down in the early game and the Kentucky-Michigan State game was a double OT classic. Wisconsin also acquitted themselves better than expected against UNC. This one was still the best of the lot though.

[@markyz99]

Best set of Elite Eight games ever.

[@251to502]

After this game, Bruce Weber didn’t make another Elite 8 for 13 years (Kansas St defeated Kentucky in the Atlanta Regional Semifinal before losing to Loyola-Chicago).

[@alanrubenstein7618]

And Illinois hasn’t been to try Sweet 16 since

[@sterlingpless4335]

Never seen Bill Murray that excited when his son is coaching Luke and he's a good one at UCONN Murray has a place on Isle Of Palms...

[@MrThegov1020]

Best tournament game PERIOD

[@SigmaNuHE481]

Post the UofL/WVU Elite Eight game from earlier this day!

[@seanbravo306214]

When UA lost this game, my dad didn't talk for a week lol

[@briguy9428]

As long as you ignore that Illinois fouled repeatedly in their "comeback"... what a game.

[@kevingaray1593]

03/26/2005 - 19 years ago

[@dawesomelm1917]

I did not know D-Will could get up...

[@Tripp2136]

If I remember the Cats stop going to Fry down the stretch...!!!

[@chad3452]

man that block by luther was so big... best game of my life but that block is so ovel looked

[@lettuce_boi6630]

Gotta love them Illini

[@Antbeast23]

Down 15 with 4minutes crazy

[@otaviofrnazario]

I know the seeding is made for #1 teams benefits, with less travel and stuff, but Illinois essentially had a home game. And the Final Four was in St Louis. And they came up emptyhanded

[@blessd24]

Absolutely jobbed by refs not understanding what physical basketball is and isn't.

[@shawnbirt4161]

Those sites were selected well before the tournament started so once Illinois landed in the bracket it was as much luck of the draw those 3 rounds of games ended up all being in the midwest region and Illinois could bus to each of them . Regardless Illinois hadcthe better team if the refs let those guys play the game and didn't call the game clearly for NC Illinois wins

[@shawnyoung8752]

Illini got rob in 84 vs Kentucky. In regional final. In Lexington. Illinois didnt use kent playing on home court. The final 10 minutes were cats getting hometown calls. It was so bad that 90% of coaches made it known. Teams cannot be in bracket that is being played on home court.

[@otaviofrnazario]

@@shawnyoung8752 I guess that did not happen since... Now it happens on the same state, but not at the true home

[@sterlingpless4335]

Great classic game

[@andrewball1168]

This is when college basketball was the best

[@illini00711]

OHHHHHHH MYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bradyrhodess]

I loved this game as an ILL Fan you can probably see it but Go ILL!

[@letsgetlit2829]

Worst game in NCAA Tournament History Signed an Arizona Alum

[@danzemacabre8899]

4:03 mark , intensity picks up on the Illinois side, whole attitude of the game flips..,

[@mlopez4546]

This game still hurts. #Bear Down

[@blessd24]

Illinois and Arizona have had excellent battles over the years. I'm actually sorry you feel the pain of this one. It's obviously a wonderful memory for an Illini fan. I was pretty sour about 2001 until this one

[@123bcastle]

Jack Ingram was the unsung hero.

[@illini-100kb8]

Dee started it off and SECRET WEAPONS (LUTHER, DERON and Roger Powell finally finished it).

[@shawnyoung8752]

Those guys were chicago area kids that were tweeners. Williams was from texas. His pass to brown was a bounce passwith spin. Arizona did play great but they just got sloppy for 3 possesions with illinl hiting 3 from deep.

[@professorchunky]

What the heck was AZ doing trying to go for 3? They were only down 1! XD

[@walterlv01]

The play didn't materialize. Adams was either supposed to hand it off to Stoudamire or find Frye in the low post. Frye wasn't open and Stoudamire makes a break towards the ball at 1:24:20 but by then it was too late and Adams was forced to fire up a prayer. Their two best players were the only two guys to never touch the ball on that final sequence.

[@pookied.7738]

Dee was always one of the smallest on the court but you had better of packed a lunch if u were gonna try and out play him. Amazing skills. Love Illini nation screaming ILL - INI. LOUD AND PROUD

[@tonyjr9340]

Arizona should’ve won this game they was one of my favorite teams at this time

[@first48hitta86]

I wonder why Channing Frye didn’t play like this in the NBA 🤔

[@sumkidlowkey247]

I have a pair of shoes that were made for I think this game and it’s the last pair but I can’t find the actual game footage

[@MrKouaVang]

Where’s the women’s games at? I would love to see the final 4 Match between Baylor and LSU in 2005

[@MrKouaVang]

Never mind! Haha I forget this was the men’s page and not the ncaa one lol my bad

[@chrisuncleahmad666]

If Illinois doesn’t complete the comeback, does Arizona beat Louisville in the FF?

[@vinceniederman]

Maybe Arizona Does Beat Louisville If Not For Late 2nd Half Collapse

[@assimilatedndn642]

I thought Bill Murray was Xavier fan, 🤔

[@IWantToMature85]

Assimilated NDN his son coached there

[@assimilatedndn642]

Zechariah Cameron, I didn’t know that!

[@jordanlindsey5524]

Now he’s a Louisville fan (his son is still part of Chris Mack’s staff). I wonder if he was in the crowd during the 2005 Final Four Illinois vs Louisville game.

[@robertjames6659]

I know a guy that went to this game and he said he felt like he was about to have a heart attack with all the energy and noise coming from the crowd, he said it was a once in a lifetime experience!

[@estebantrevino8940]

they could have not posted this video

[@Antbeast23]

That was a horrible last possession by Arizona

[@ReligiousZombie]

Good grief, what's the point of fighting the whole game plus overtime all so you can dribble the ball around when you have only 11 seconds left, then throw up a desperation brick cuz it suddenly occurs to you that the game is on the line and you need a basket? Shoot the ball with a few seconds to spare, then you at least have a chance at a rebound if you miss.

[@greyfox37]

The death of Arizona basketball. The program hasn't been the same since, Before anyone brings up the three elite eights and great players we've had since then, the standards have dropped considerably, much like my Fighting Irish in football

[@chriscastillo4275]

I’m a year late, but I thought you guys were the best team this year.

[@alanrubenstein7618]

Standards haven’t dropped. You disproved your own point. Still a top 10 program. Lloyd is about to become the winningiest coach in his first two years.

[@Antbeast23]

Arizona always losing in big moments

[@alanrubenstein7618]

Illinois has not made the Sweet 16 since.

[@shawnyoung8752]

Self recruited 2005 team. Then left for Kansas cause Williams went to Heels when Dean retired. Henson let everyone poach Chicago kids. CHEEKS was ignored. Ronnie Lester took Iowa to 80 finals along with 3 other chicago kids. Aguirre, Cummings, isaiah. K took 4 or 5 kids to duke. Wade was ovelooked. Hardaway. Loyolas 2018 run was helped by 2 chicago kids as freshman. Kids who are ignored by bigs should be told. Stay at home. You will play as fresman. Started next 3 years. They play good competition. Anderson. Gill. Head. Powell. All played center againt guy witg 4 5 inches on them.

[@alanrubenstein7618]

Quite aware of all this.Anderson, Gill and Head were guards and did not play center. Anderson maybe occasionally in that lineup was a small forward.

[@alanrubenstein7618]

Henson did not let anyone poach chicago players. They did quite well in that era recruiting from chicago. That’s become a mor recent trend. Anderson and Gill are from the chicago area. Even the 2006 team had Brown and Head from the Chicago. Only now have they come the fraudulent Illini

[@pissedoffgamer]

Arizona should have won.

[@Coachlen24]

Lute Olsen coached horribly in this game.... off of a timeout up by 3 in regulation, that's the inbounds play they came up with??? a post play on the other team's side of the court??? haha.... then the last possession of the game???

[@musicman76enator]

He had one foot in the game and one foot in retirement lol.

[@Coachlen24]

@@musicman76enator HAHAHAHA!!!!

[@SeanHelf]

Arizona choked. They were up by 16 with 3 minutes left. They were the only final four team I got wrong in my bracket that year

[@DanielSong39]

Arizona got cheated

[@oliverdunn4783]

2nd

[@adamhollingsworth5669]

1st

[@spanky2284]

This is another great Illinois team that didn't win the Championship like the 1989 team bad coaching ran into a big North Carolina team were is the starter now from Carolina no Michael Jordan star.