Frank Williams will have to live with the fact that the final shot of his Illinois career was a baseline jumper he has probably made a million times. Friday night, with a chance to be a hero again and send the Illini to the Elite Eight for the second straight year, though, Williams missed it.
Four seconds to go and Illinois down by two points to Kansas–and Williams missed it.
“I think that could have changed the game,” said Williams, who will enter this June’s NBA draft. “But unfortunately I just didn’t knock it down.”
Five seconds before Williams’ miss, Brian Cook’s three-point attempt from the top of the key hit nothing but backboard.
“I had a good look,” Cook said. “I just missed it really wide. I’d like to take that shot again.”
Big Ten co-champion Illinois’ motto this season: Almost but not quite. It was that kind of night, that kind of season for the fourth-seeded Illini (26-9), who lost to top-seeded Kansas 73-69 in the semifinals of the NCAA Midwest Regional at the Kohl Center, bowing out one step short of last year’s exit point: the Elite Eight.
“Obviously, things were tough for us at times this year,” said senior center Robert Archibald, referring to the injuries to Lucas Johnson and Damir Krupalija that contributed to the Illini’s slow 4-5 start in Big Ten play.
“But I think that really pulled us together. We really developed a close bond. And we got that mentality back and we were tough to stop over the last two months.”
Illinois gave the Jayhawks a taste of that toughness Friday before succumbing to Kansas’ superior strength inside, its 46.6 percent shooting and the clutch play of two freshmen–point guard Aaron Miles and backup forward Keith Langford.
Miles scored 13 points, dished out five assists and held Williams to five points in the second half after Williams had rung up 10 before the break. With starting guard Kirk Hinrich in early foul trouble, Langford came off the bench to score 15 points and share Jayhawks scoring honors with center Drew Gooden, who also had 15 of Kansas’ 41 rebounds.
“[Miles and Langford] won the game for us,” said forward Nick Collison, who had 11 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 1:15 to go. “Jeff Boschee, Kirk and me didn’t play well. If we had normal freshmen, we probably would have lost.
“Aaron’s matchup on Frank was so tough. I don’t know how many times I’ve seen Williams on TV win a game all by himself. He tried to do it again tonight, but Aaron wouldn’t let him.”
Illinois got behind early when it missed 14 of its first 18 shots. But the Illini successfully slowed the game down, got the Jayhawks into a half-court game, tied things up at 32-32 and trailed only 40-34 at the half.
Behind Archibald, who had 15 points and 10 rebounds, Illinois caught Kansas again at 45-45, but thereafter the Jayhawks gradually widened their lead. It was 69-61 with five minutes left, but the Illini refused to fold, getting within 71-69 on an Archibald free throw with 1:15 to go.
Cook and Williams both had good looks at the basket, but Illinois wouldn’t score again. The Illini shot 38 percent for the game. Kansas closed it out on two free throws by Langford with 2 seconds to go.
“We’re disappointed,” Self said. “We played well. These guys lost to a great team tonight. They made one more shot than we did. I guarantee you Kansas knows they escaped today.”
Archibald said his last game in an Illinois uniform was bittersweet.
“I’m kind of upset with finality of it,” he said. “I told the guys in the locker room, `There’s nobody I would rather have done it with than you.’ I’ve got nothing but good memories.”
Illini Tournament history
ILLINOIS (29-23)
Bill Self
2002: beat San Diego State 93-64; beat Creighton 72-60; lost to Kansas 73-69.
2001: beat Northwestern State 96-54; beat Charlotte 79-61; beat Kansas 80-64; lost to Arizona 87-81.
Lon Kruger
2000: beat Pennsylvania 68-58; lost to Florida 93-76.
1998: beat South Alabama 64-51; lost to Maryland 67-61.
1997: beat Southern California 90-77; lost to Chattanooga 75-63.
Lou Henson
1989: beat McNeese State 77-71; beat Ball State 72-60; beat Louisville 83-69; beat Syracuse 89-86; lost to Michigan 83-81. Final Four.
1995: lost to Tulsa 68-62.
1994: lost to Georgetown 84-77.
1993: beat Long Beach State 75-72; lost to Vanderbilt 85-68.
1990: lost to Dayton 88-86.
1988: beat Texas-San Antonio 81-72; lost to Villanova 66-63.
1987: lost to Austin Peay 68-67.
1986: beat Fairfield 75-51; lost to Alabama 58-56.
1985: beat Northeastern 76-57; beat Georgia 74-58; lost to Georgia Tech 61-53.
1984: beat Villanova 64-56; beat Maryland 72-70; lost to Kentucky 54-51.
1983: lost to Utah 52-49.
1981: beat Wyoming 67-65; lost to Kansas State 57-52.
Harry Combes
1963: beat Bowling Green 70-67; lost to Loyola 79-64.
1952: beat Dayton 80-61; beat Duquesne 74-68; lost to St. John’s 61-59; beat Santa Clara 67-64. Final Four.
1951: beat Columbia 79-71; beat North Carolina State 84-70; lost to Kentucky 76-74; beat Oklahoma A&M 61-46. Final Four.
1949: beat Yale 71-67; lost to Kentucky 76-47; beat Oregon State 57-53. Final Four.
Doug Mills
1942: lost to Kentucky 46-44; lost to Penn State 41-34.
Regional finals
SAME CONFERENCE MATCHUPS
2002: Missouri vs. Oklahoma, Big 12
2000: Wisconsin 64, Purdue 60, Big Ten
1992: Michigan 75, Ohio State 71, OT, Big Ten
1992: Cincinnati 88, Memphis 57, Great Midwest
1990: Arkansas 88, Texas 85, SWC
1988: Kansas 71, Kansas State 58, Big Eight
1987: Providence 88, Georgetown 73, Big East
1986: LSU 59, Kentucky 57, SEC
1983: North Carolina State 63, Virginia 62, ACC
