"Down the stretch, they turned it up a notch and they outplayed us. That's why they're 30-4 and that's why they haven't lost (22-0) in the games that Kendall Gill has played. They're good players," Louisville coach Denny Crum said.

"No spring break for us," Illini forward James Augustine said Sunday. "But at least we're going somewhere warmer than we live."

For Illinois, it's Destination: Atlanta, site of this week's NCAA regional games. Fifth-seeded Illinois punched its ticket by hammering fourth-seeded Cincinnati 92-68 on Sunday at Nationwide Arena.

"Our goal is not to get to the Sweet 16," UI coach Bill Self said. "But it's a relief that we are there. It's a measuring stick."

One that's been out of reach for too long, the UI suffering four second-round setbacks since its trip to the Final Four. If this season's team with its Big Ten championship, its Big Ten Player of the Year, its high RPI, its No. 1 seed and its tournament-proven coach didn't make it, shock might have set in for a fan base on the edge.

How odd it was to compare an empty arena Thursday night to a year ago when Illinois drew thousands for practice, not to mention its playoff games. Two minutes prior to the lineups being announced, a thin line of carefully inspected fans began to trickle back in. At the first four-minute timeout, there were perhaps 2,000 fans in their seats, and the building was roughly half full with 9 1/2 minutes gone.

But Hank Nichols, who sent Lou Henson leap-frogging off the bench with a five-second call on Illinois' first possession, saved his most hurtful decision for last. This is the same Nichols who, as an Atlantic Coast Conference ref, participated in an NCAA commercial to show what human fellows these refs are.

ROSEMONT – He broke down amid the bedlam, tears streaming down his cheeks and sweat creeping through his suit. Bruce Weber, the loudest man in the business, was at a loss for words.

And why not?

EACH WEEK, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK BACK AT A MEMORABLE MOMENT IN ILLINI HISTORY, THANKS TO THE WORDS OF LOREN TATE AND THE MEMORIES OF JIM TURPIN.

This week: Lou Henson's final regular season game at Illinois, a costly loss to Minnesota that ensured that the Illini would miss the 1996 NCAA tournament

EACH WEEK, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK BACK AT A MEMORABLE MOMENT IN ILLINI HISTORY, THANKS TO THE WORDS OF LOREN TATE AND THE MEMORIES OF JIM TURPIN.

This week: Lou Henson's team rallied past Ohio State 55-53 on its way to the 1984 Big Ten title.