Each day in March, we'll look back at a memorable Illini performance in the NCAA tournament, thanks to writers from the News-Gazette and Jim Turpin's audio.

Today: IIlinois' run of two straight Sweet 16 berths comes to an end with a second-round loss to Notre Dame in what was Bill Self's final game as coach.

Headline: Worn-out Illini cannot finish job well started

Date: March 22, 2003

By LOREN TATE

INDIANAPOLIS – The 10-year record shows the Big Ten has done vastly better in NCAA play since the league tournament was instituted in 1998.

Maybe so. Maybe these eyes played tricks Saturday.

Here at the RCA Dome was a Notre Dame team that tailed off badly late this season, was eliminated in the Big East shootout at midday a week ago Wednesday and was playing its second game in 10 days. Having caught their breath, the Irish had pop. They were energized. Seasonlong viewers said this was the Notre Dame team that whacked Marquette, Maryland and Texas consecutively in early December.

Here was an Illini team that roared into March but was playing its fifth game in nine days. The defense was a step slow in defending the arc. The offense was flat. Dee Brown missed more mad-dash layins than he had in the previous 31 games. Brian Cook's short turnarounds wouldn't fall. This was the UI team that lost consecutively at Iowa and Indiana in early January.

Much as Illinoisans enjoy disapproving of Lute Olson, we have a better idea what he meant when he indicated his Arizona Wildcats might benefit from returning home early in the Pac-10 tournament. If it's uplifting to raise the league tournament trophy, it's heavy duty to get home late Sunday (after three hard games) and leave Tuesday for the NCAA.

There has to be some explanation why the Illini suffered through their worst shooting game of the season, 34.9 percent .. at the same time turning in their worst first half of defense. That's a bad combination.

Nothing worked in a 68-60 loss. For example, in 40 minutes of rapid-paced action, Illinois managed three fast-break points.

And against a rival that elected to set up behind (rather than front) the post, the UI's three big men went 9 for 33 (27.3 percent). Contrast that to Notre Dame's raiders of the arc, raining long-range threes at a 13-for-24 rate. Refiguring, that's 39 Irish points on two dozen attempts.

Plenty of weapons

If Indianapolis native Chris Thomas, playing with what he called "a free mind," set up the show, Maryland transfer Dan Miller applied the knockout punches. Some of his treys were breathtaking. A scowling, tough-minded battler, playing in his 12th NCAA game, Miller thrived in the role of a 5 1/2-point underdog.

"Doubt (by others) fueled our fire," Miller said. "When (the Illini) backed off of me, I pulled the trigger."

Coach Mike Brey was jubilant on his 44th birthday. His inside "D," geared to stop Illinois' high-low game, worked as Cook encountered one of his recently frequent poor starts. In this case, he never recovered (6 for 23). The No. 3 scorer in UI history, Cook fell to worse than 50 percent for the only time in his four seasons.

"We play behind," Brey said. "If you can beat us with jump hooks and turnaround jumpers, we shake your hand."

Of the Irish offense, which had Illinois reeling with 11-for-16 accuracy on first-half treys, he said:

"There are times when the threes don't go in, but today they did. We have to make shots to win."

Lack of execution

UI coach Bill Self called it "the tale of two halves," pointing out:

"Notre Dame shot lights out, and we didn't guard the way we should in the first half. Then we played great defense in the second half, held them to 8 for 26, and we couldn't make shots. With each timeout, the pressure became greater. And we began to feel it."

Down 6-0 on two quick Irish treys, Illinois never caught up. Two stunning Miller treys put Notre Dame up 27-21, and the Illini didn't get back within six again until it was too late at 64-58.

"We got a lot of looks along the way, but we couldn't take advantage," Self said. "We've made a living with Brian converting the same shots he missed today. And we must have missed 10 layups, though most were challenged. Dee is one of the best finishers in America, and today he couldn't finish. We fumbled away too many opportunities. We got some runouts, didn't score and we became frustrated."

Then Self mentioned a problem that could carry into the future, the coach describing "perimeter shooting as our Achilles' heel all season."

If the Illini had survived Saturday, two factors would have changed in Anaheim, Calif. First, they would have been more rested. Second, the Illini might have been more comfortable as underdogs.

"It would have been interesting to see what would have happened with the target on somebody else's back," Self said.

Other March Memories:

Illini look good vs. Louisville in 1989 - Link

Illini end Sweet 16 drought with '01 win in Dayton - Link

Illini quiet Cincinnati in '04, finally beat a higher seed - Link

Empty seats, big win in 2006 tourney opener - Link

Illini stun Arizona to reach 2005 FInal Four - Link

Call goes to Kentucky in 1984 regional final - Link