Best game ever

HarryCaray · Sep 11, 2015

Just watched it for the millionth time. Can't even glance away.

If you were an Illinois fan during this game, you remember exactly where you were. What you were wearing. Everything.

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Vlad the Impaler · Sep 11, 2015

Dee Brown and Deron Williams. I watched the Final 4 that year from a cruise ship. I got threatened with cruise jail because I wanted to steer the ship. I remember I was drunk saying "I demand to see the captain"

Redagger029 · Sep 11, 2015

Cruise jail? LOL Didn't even know there was such a thing.

Illini · Sep 13, 2015

Thanks for posting. I'm a cold blooded gambler these days and not much of a fan. But it gives me chills every time I watch it. I was 13 rows behind the Arizona bench sitting next to poster D2Bets. I remember when they called timeout after Illinois tied it up. I had to look at the scoreboard three times to really believe it was 80-80. I was such a huge fan at that time in my life, and I had already felt the pain of losing as soon as Roger Powell got his shot blocked with 1:45, and AZ had the ball and was running clock. That's when I knew there was zero chance to win. And it hurt. It hurt so bad in my gut, like being punched. I'll never know how they pulled this game out, but it was the best sports moment of my life, and one sweet ride home. I guess the best part about it for me is that it was pure. I paid $400 for that seat and had no money on the game whatsoever, and no futures. I was just a fan. It sucked not winning the national championship, but nothing can take away what that moment gave me. It was miraculous.

Jstack34 · Sep 13, 2015

I was in my old house - I was a sophmore in highschool. I remember going to take a shower at halftime and watching the end of the game by myself in my parents room to switch the mojo

HarryCaray · Sep 13, 2015

Illini said:
Thanks for posting. I'm a cold blooded gambler these days and not much of a fan. But it gives me chills every time I watch it. I was 13 rows behind the Arizona bench sitting next to poster D2Bets. I remember when they called timeout after Illinois tied it up. I had to look at the scoreboard three times to really believe it was 80-80. I was such a huge fan at that time in my life, and I had already felt the pain of losing as soon as Roger Powell got his shot blocked with 1:45, and AZ had the ball and was running clock. That's when I knew there was zero chance to win. And it hurt. It hurt so bad in my gut, like being punched. I'll never know how they pulled this game out, but it was the best sports moment of my life, and one sweet ride home. I guess the best part about it for me is that it was pure. I paid $400 for that seat and had no money on the game whatsoever, and no futures. I was just a fan. It sucked not winning the national championship, but nothing can take away what that moment gave me. It was miraculous.

Unreal that you were there. That's awesome.

Yeah I remember that gut punch feeling.

I was living in Peoria. My friend owns a bar there and the same group of 15-20 of us had watched every Illinois tournament game there. As the tournament wore on he was reserving all the seats at the bar for all of us.

I was sitting there with my head in my hands when we were down 15, and the bartender nudges me. Friend of mine had sent me down a double shot of Goldschlager, and I looked across the bar at him and he mouthed the words "let's go". We downed the shot and the comeback began.

That place went CRAZY at the end. People rolling around on the dirty ass bar floor, hugging. Just pure joy.