Illinois Staves Off Chattanooga’s Upset Bid, 54-53

By Jeff Mayfield

[March 19, 2022]  Pittsburg, PA-Sometimes basketball games don’t go as planned. Sometimes you wake up on the wrong side of the bed and nothing works out. The Illini’s first round game in Pittsburg, PA last night was one of those times.

Illinois was seeded #4 and Chattanooga #13 so the prevailing wisdom is maybe a first half struggle and then pull away in the second half. Apparently the Moccasins didn’t get that memo. How ‘bout leading for 39 minutes and 35 seconds? That’s what Chattanooga did…they deserved a better fate. But somehow the Illini pulled out a 54-53 victory and advanced to Sunday’s next round where they will face the winner of UAB vs. Houston.

It’s a 1-point win but nobody cares. The only thing that matters is who is leading at the final buzzer. Thank goodness-it was the good guys!

Illinois Coach Brad Underwood says he was relieved after the Illini defeated Chattanooga 54-53!

Illini coaches draw-up the winning defensive strategy

3 Stars

#1- Alfonzo Plummer- if Fonso doesn’t get hot in the 2nd half Illinois goes home and their season is over. He got hot and led the Illini comeback by making 3-of-8 threes and two huge free throws on his way to scoring 15 points! (Dear Big Ten coaches and media, are you sure he’s only 3rd team All-Conference…I had him a lot higher on my neglected and uncounted ballot!)

#2 Kofi Cockburn-maybe didn’t have the best game of his career but still finished the night with one of his routine double-doubles tallying 17 points and 13 rebounds. But he solidified things when he had to and clogged the lane keeping the Mocs from any more last second miracles.

#3 Coleman Hawkins-just keeps playing better and better. Tonight’s stat line of 10 points and 8 rebounds just shows you how valuable he is to this team’s success. But he may be even more valuable on the defensive end. The rugged way he is rebounding the ball and his humongous block at the end of the game sealed the win for the Illini!

Years ago I remember UCLA won yet another NCAA championship. But what I remember more than that title was their first-round game against Missouri. I didn’t think the Bruins played very well that night so much so that I thought they were going down. With just a few seconds left in the game it was tied and instead of a timeout UCLA guard Tyus Edney took the ball coast to coast and calming laid the ball in the basket to beat the buzzer and advance the Bruins. It was only a first-round game, but without that narrow escape there would’ve been no National Title.
Why bring up ancient basketball history? Here’s why-wouldn’t it be great if the Illini’s Houdini-like escape last night was just a footnote in their first title? Just a post-game thought to share with LDN fans! Go Illini!

[By JEFF MAYFIELD]

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