Season 2004–05 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team

1 season

1.1 overview
1.2 regular season
1.3 post-season
1.4 accolades

season

a promotional image 2004-05 season featuring dee brown, luther head, , deron williams.


overview

illinois celebrated 100th season of varsity basketball in 2004-05. in second season head coach @ illinois, bruce weber’s illini put successful season in u of history. illini tied all-time ncaa record victories in season 37 wins en route 37–2 record (since surpassed 2011–12 kentucky 38–2 record , 2014–15 kentucky 38–1 record). illinois made fifth all-time ncaa final 4 appearance , first since 1989. illini defeated louisville in national semifinal advance ncaa championship game first time in school history. illinois finished national runner-up, falling north carolina in title game.

above else, team noted impeccable ball movement on offense. team led nation in assists. constant flow of passes allowed open looks three-point line on every play. led 3 guard starting lineup, team did not rely upon sheer size , height many other teams in order dominate, rather skill , teamwork. illinois relied upon three-point shooting offensive firepower. illinois effective offense largely attributable team chemistry had developed amongst starting five, had gone unchanged on 2 previous seasons. defensively, team 1 of best @ guarding against three-point shot. illinois averaged 77.0 points per game, while allowing 61.1 points per game, average point differential of 16 points.

in blowout home games, 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) senior nick smith, tallest player in university of illinois basketball history, take three-point shots top of key. made 4 of 11 on season.

regular season

the illini started season setting school record 29 straight wins, third best start in big ten history , tying 12th best start in ncaa annals. illinois won second-ever game on no. 1-ranked opponent, crushing wake forest 91-73 @ assembly hall on december 1. after win, illini took on number 1 overall spot in national polls , held remainder of regular season, run of 15 straight weeks. on january 25, 2005, illinois defeated wisconsin 75-65 @ kohl center, snapping badgers nation-leading 38-game home court winning streak. in process, illinois handed badgers first home court loss since defeat to, coincidentally, wake forest, on december 4, 2002, , assumed nation s longest home court winning streak themselves.

illinois ranked no. 1 in final associated press poll of 2005, first program. illini went on win second straight outright big ten championship 15-1 record, weber became first coach in 100 years of big ten basketball win consecutive outright league championships in first 2 seasons.

post-season

the illini won big ten tournament, becoming second team win both outright big ten regular season title , big ten tournament in same season. in ncaa tournament, overall number 1 seeded illini won first 3 games double digits.

in elite 8 matchup, illinois fell behind university of arizona due poor shooting behind three-point line , sensational play arizona s leaders salim stoudamire , channing frye. game featured 15-point comeback illini, triggered several steals , deron williams clutch three-point shooting, including several nba range threes, in last 3 minutes , 30 seconds of game.

the illini defeated university of louisville 72-57, team s largest margin of victory in tournament, move on 2005 national championship game against north carolina.

in national championship game, illinois defeated north carolina 70-75. north carolina relied upon stellar post play sean may, managed james augustine , jack ingram foul trouble, while illinois struggled offensively had succeeded rest of season, converting 12 of championship game record 40 three-point field goal attempts. james augustine played 9 minutes due foul trouble, forcing jack ingram play huge role in second half comeback illini made. entire season, illinois ranked #1 , north carolina ranked #2, respectively, in polls, , both teams favorites meet in national championship game. north carolina squad go on field 6 players in nba draft.

accolades

bruce weber named national coach of year 9 organizations. dee brown, 1 man fast break , named sporting news national player of year , swept conference honors well, being named both big ten player of year , big ten defensive player of year. illini had 3 players earn consensus all-america honors in same season first time ever. in addition brown earning consensus first-team all-america honors, deron williams , luther head named consensus second-team all-americans. following season, both williams , head chosen in first round of nba draft, head being drafted no. 24 overall houston rockets while williams became highest illinois player ever drafted when chosen no. 3 overall utah jazz.