By Paul M. Banks and Paul Schmidt

PREGAME: Fun pregame intros!!  Lights off, orange and blue spots rolling around, a 3/4ths capacity crowd!  Already this game is better than last seasons’ blowout against Georgia (where the entire upper deck was empty). (PS)

0-0 19:03 left in the first: Interesting, frenetic start to the game. The Illini are out of sync and not diving for balls or making good passes, and the Zags already look more hungry.  They need a marquee win just about as much as the Illini do…(PS)

Gonzaga 10, Illinois 0 16:11 left 1H: And the reason why I was concerned about this game comes out…the Illini look flat, they are settling for their first look at the hoop, and now are down 8-0 as I am typing this. They can’t defend, can’t make layups, and yes, I’m saying that they are in trouble right now.  Brandon Paul has missed threes on three consecutive trips, taking the first shot on the first pass across half court. NOT GOOD. (PS)

(PMB) 15-4 Zags, 14:35 left in half

“We couldn’t be held responsible, we were merely freshmen,” the words of the one hit from 90s alt rock band Verve Pipe. Which COINCIDENTALLY came out the same year, both of us were freshmen. The lyrics about lost and confused freshmen reminds me of the DJ and Brandon’s decision making in this game

Gonzaga 24, Illinois 8, 13:37 left 1H: It is entirely possible I will quickly lose interest in this game…the crowd is now also completely out of it too.  The Zags can’t keep shooting this well: Call it the Northwestern Corrollary. Still, you can’t get 20 points behind and expect to come back against good teams (Clemson doesn’t count).  Gonzaga is a good team.  This next possession might be the game’s most important. (PS)

Gonzaga 24, Illinois 11, 12:15 left  1H: Demetri McCamey…for…THREE…sigh of relief…(PS)

Gonzaga 30, Illinois 11, 11:14 left 1H: And merely a minute later, the game is almost over. Wow.  No heart from this Illini squad today.  None whatsoever.  Maybe they are still hung over from Amateur Night — I mean New Year’s Eve…(PS)

Gonzaga 32, Illinois 11, 9:12 left 1H: I think I may just post silly music videos from here on out. Any requests? (PS)

Gonzaga 33, Illinois 16, 8:00 left 1H: A little blast from the past…and what Gonzaga is doing to the Illini…

35-23 Zags and things are looking well…in the words of Oasis “it’s getting better man” this game all of a sudden got interesting. This is where Mike Davis needs to be the leader, it needs to be his team(PMB)

Matt Bouldin is the latest in a line of Gonzaga big white outside shooters with giant sideshow bob like hair. think Dan Dickau. somehow someway Kyle Korver and Robin Lopez are now former Zags in my mind…even though Korver went to Creighton and Lopez could miss the ocean on a wide open jumpshot (PMB)

41-29 with 4 min left in half.

If ILL can get it to 8 or less before half I think we’ll have a ballgame in the 2nd half (PMB)

By the way, Bill Raftery is doing this game today…so all I can say is ONIONS!!!!!!

Gonzaga 43, Illinois 35, 2:00 left 1H: Six or eight points by halftime really would be good.  The Illini have made a game of it by pounding inside to Mike Davis, who is having a solid first half, and some mid-range jumpers.  The outside shooting of Illinois is really poor today, and they’ll need to hit some shots from three to win this game.

In another story, two interesting points: Brandon Paul has no regard for his own safety while driving to the hoop (like Allan Iverson), and Dominique Keller is REALLY doing well on the glass today. My man crush is back! (PS)

Gonzaga 43, Illinois 35 HALFTIME: Well, a good run by the Illini considering at one point in the first half it was 33-13…they need to keep chipping away early and not let the Zags get on a big run.  I’m also being texted by my college basketball partner in crime, Mark, that he’ll give me 50 bucks to maim Billy Raftery, and 75 for the kill.  I’m pretty far away though, and it would take a lot of effort to get down there…

Also, I got a Playstation 3 two days ago and have heavily been playing NCAA College Basketball 10.  Great game, unreal graphics, and the game interface is awesome, with the ESPN crew of Mike Patrick, Dickie V and Erin Andrews, or the CBS crew of Gus Johnson and Raftery…plus there’s an NCAA Selection Show every season…it’s just effing great.  How have I lived 31 years without one of these things??? (PS)

Gonzaga 43, Illinois 38 19:29 left 2H: AND HERE COME THE ILLINI!  Three point play by Cames on the steal, then coast-to-coast layup…(PS)

Gonzaga 47, Illinois 45, 17:23 left  2H: I think that Josh Heytvelt got the Zags stoned at the half on ‘shrooms…they look dazed and totally lost right now, maybe a little shell shocked.  Brandon Paul has TOTALLY redeemed himself after his horrible start to the game…10 points for both he and McCamey, and the guard play that has to lead us is FINALLY leading us.  Perhaps not shockingly, Jeff Jordan started the second half and has led this run…(PS)

And Illinois is LEADING! 52-50 with 15:41 to go (pmb)

I said during the 1st half, if Illinois gets it to 8 or less (deficit wise) we’ll have a game here. And here we are. I agree with the sentiments of Paul S. Dominique Keller should be STARTING (PB)

Illinois 54, Gonzaga 52 14:30 left 2H: Well, I said this one was over when it was 33-13…I giess it isn’t.  I’ll admit I was wrong…but hot DAMN can this team flip the switch quickly.  Although, let’s be honest…the United Center as a neutral site is a ridiculous sentiment….

To be fair, I love my man crush Dominique Keller, but I said Jeff Jordan is the one who should be starting…this team just WORKS better on the court with him out there, and we have so many guys that can score that we don’t need someone else to look for a shot — and Jeff Jordan isn’t looking for his own shots, he’s looking to distribute the ball.

Also, anyone else think it’s spooky that Jeff Jordan is having his best game of the year…in the House that Jordan Built?  Hmm…(PS)

Illinois 62-56 pmb

ONIONS! SEND IT IN BRANDON PAUL

68-60 Illini with 8 min to go

Finally we’re starting to see the Illini use their speed and athleticism in a more controlled and smooth manner. in my humble opinion at least. For most of the season, that speed and athleticism has been there, but it’s looked very sloppy, messy and disorganized.

Illinois 68, Gonzaga 66, 5:40 left 2H: Right now the Illini seem to be settling for long jumpers and are biding their time and running clock…unfortunately the Zags are on a little hot streak. They have, for the most part, been just as cold as the Illini the whole second half, so that’s helped some…(PS)

Illinois 72, Gonzaga 66, 4:43 left 2H: That’s a little better. (PS)

Gonzaga 73, Illinois 72  3:20 left 2H:  It’s an 13-4 run over the last 2:30 for the Zags…just a bad time for the Illini to run cold.  Did they use too much energy coming back to close this one out? We’ll see…(PS)

Illinois 74, Gonzaga 73, 3:09 left 2H: Illini by one, Zags heading to the line to shoot one and the bonus.  Need to get a couple stops on defense — while they still look ok offensively, on defense the  last couple of trips the Illini have looked flat-footed. (PS)

Illinois 76, Gonzaga 75 1:00 left 2H: They just keep leaving Dominique Keller open, and he just keeps hitting shots.  19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 steals for him today! (PS)

Gonzaga 77, Illinois 76 :36.0 left 2H: Nice runner to the hoop by Elias Harris, though the crowd wanted a travel and didn’t get it.  It looked pretty close…but I think that it was good. (PS)

Gonzaga 77, Illinois 76, :22.1 left 2H: I do NOT like the Brandon Paul shot selection there…the drive right into the center out of control was a poor choice.  Zags shooting a 1 and the bonus. (PS)

Gonzaga 79, Illinois 76, 22.1 left 2H: One shot for the tie…get it to Brandon Paul! (PS)

Illinois 79, Gonzaga 79 END REGULATION: DOMINIQUE KELLER!!!! MAN-CRUSH!!!  SEND IT IN BIG MAN!!! ONIONS!!  I THINK I JUST HAD A STROKE!!!! (PS)

Gonzaga 80, Illinois 79, 3:47 left 2H: The Illini FINALLY get Stephen Gray out of the game. He played with four fouls for almost 10 minutes of game time…or one minute longer than Mike Tisdale played the entire game before fouling out…(PS)

Illinois 83, Gonzaga 80, 3:06 left 2H:Four free throws by the Illini have them up 3, and now they have the ball after Gonzaga’s 21st turnover.  Slow…..it….down…..(PS)

Gonzaga 83, Illinois 83, :40.0 left OT: Eight seconds difference and Zags ball…HUGE three by Matt Bouldin to tie the game…he may rescind his trade request after the game if they manage to win.

See, that was an Anquan BOLDIN joke there…get it?  Too obscure?  Too not funny?  Meh.  I can barely form coherent thoughts right now, so that will have to do…(PS)

Gonzaga 85, Illinois 83 FINAL (OT): Wow.  What an awful loss.  TERRIBLE final possession by the Illini after Elias Harris’ running jumper went in with 12.5 left in the game…McCamey inexplicably brought the ball up and ran clock, and then handed off to Brandon Paul who hoisted a double-teamed three pointer that they didn’t need, which, perhaps not shockingly, didn’t go in.

The Illini also had a time out left that they decided to save for the next game.  Those carry over, right? (PS)

Possibly Related Posts:

• Illini Reaction to Conference Realignment
• Logo for Illinois-Northwestern game at Wrigley Field Unveiled
• Allen (Notre Dame), Clay (Wisconsin) and LeShoure (Illinois) named to Doak Walker List
• Chester Frazier Joins Illini Coaching Staff
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