Flashback #57: Illinois Beats Arizona In The Elite 8 (2005)

As of 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary on January 3rd, the station has begun to reveal (in chronological order) the Top 100 Chicago Sports Stories that have occurred since they first went on the air 20 years ago. Once all 100 of these "flashbacks" have been revealed, fans will be able to vote for which stories they believe are the most significant in the 20 year history of The Score. To see all of the Flashbacks that The Score has posted so far, please visit 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary page.

March 26, 2005 - Illinois beats Arizona in the Elite 8

This was a game Illini fans will never forget.

It was the Elite 8 round of the NCAA basketball tournament, and No. 1 Illinois faced off against No. 3 Arizona.

The game was competitive early, as Illinois led by just two at the half. The second half, however, was a completely different story, as the Wildcats came back and stretched their lead to 15 points -- thanks to an 18-6 run -- with less than four minutes to play.

That's when the unthinkable happened.

With Deron Williams and Luther Head leading the way, Illinois went on an amazing 20-5 run in the game's final minutes, tying the game on Williams' 3-pointer, forcing overtime.

Illinois held on in overtime to send Arizona to a crushing 90-89 defeat in the Chicago Regional Finals.

"It's heart man, it's just heart," Illinois' Dee Brown said. "The whole time I was saying 'If it was meant to be, it was meant to be.' And I guess it was meant to be that we go to the Final Four."

The win pushed the Illini to the Final Four where they defeated Louisville before losing to North Carolina in the National Championship.

Check out this video of the comeback.

The Score will continue to release a new Flashback each weekday until they reach 100. Check back tomorrow for a new one, or check out all of the previous Flashbacks: 670 The Score's 20th Anniversary »