Illini victory feels more like a loss
CHAMPAIGN - Only four games remain until Illinois digs into Big Ten play.
Looks like Illini Nation will have to hold its breath each time in hopes none of those NCAA Tournament resume games are frittered away.
Illinois put all five of its starters into double figures in an 84-77 win over Boise State on Saturday night at Assembly Hall, but only the RPI formula keepers are weighing it as an Illini victory.
"It doesn't really feel like a win," said junior forward Mike Davis, who posted 16 points and 12 rebounds. "We got dominated inside. They still penetrated on us."
Boise State shot 56 percent from the floor, including 72 percent on 2-pointers, to cling within one possession until 15 seconds remained.
Illini coach Bruce Weber, who watched Ron Zook's football team fall on a last-second touchdown and 2-point conversion while his team held its pregame shootaround, feared a sequel across the street from Memorial Stadium.
"As it got down to the end, I thought, 'Man, all of a sudden something's going to bounce the wrong way for us,' " Weber said. "But it didn't."
Demetri McCamey, Mike Tisdale and D.J. Richardson each canned 2 free throws in the final 19 seconds for the Illini (6-2).
Boise State (4-3) got 20 points and 9 rebounds from fifth-year forward Ike Okoye, who played with a fractured hand.
The only person who outscored Okoye was McCamey, who shrugged off first-half foul problems to finish with a season-high 23 points. He drilled 4 of 5 from 3-point range and attacked the basket for two crucial layups in the final five minutes.
"He shot it a little better than I thought he could shoot," said Boise State coach Greg Graham. "I thought he was kind of the key to them in the Clemson game when he was out compared to when he came in."
In Wednesday's 2-point win at Clemson, Illinois outscored the Tigers by 26 points during McCamey's 22 minutes.
On Saturday, McCamey was plus-8 during his 26 minutes.
"He doesn't look like a point guard, but he's one of those (Tim) Tebow-type guys," Graham said. "He's big and strong and athletic and a very good leader."
That last bit might be news to Weber, who probably shrieks the word "LEADERSHIP!" every night in his sleep. At the least, he asked for it in writing on the locker room grease board before the game.
"We can't keep going through the motions and we can't just slack off and let things happen," Tisdale said. "We keep saying, 'Once the Big Ten gets here, we'll be all right.' We're not."