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: For the second consecutive year, Bill Self's team headed to the Sweet 16 for a game against Kansas. Crushing Creighton in Chicago was the easy part.

Date: March 17, 2002

Headline: Illinois ready for Sweet 16 underdog role

CHICAGO — It's not so bad being Goliath.

Not when you're an Illinois basketball team playing in front of a virtual home crowd at the United Center. Not when you're taking apart Creighton 72-60 in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Not when your point guard can overpower your opponent's small forward.

Turns out, being Goliath can be a pretty sweet deal. But the Illini will be all too happy to switch seats with David from here on out.

Sunday's battering of the Bluejays sends Illinois to the NCAA's Sweet 16 for the second straight season, and after a weekend stint as the overdog, the Illini won't complain about a chance to play the hunter's role for a change.

"I think the rest of the way out we're obviously going to be underdogs, so it's going to be good for us to be able to adapt that mind-set," center Robert Archibald said. "Creighton's one of those tough, gritty teams that loves to compete, and at times we struggled to match their intensity. That's obviously not going to be a problem from here on."

In Chicago, it was hard to feel like the hunter. In two games, Illinois played a No. 13 and a No. 12 seed, and the overwhelming majority of fans at both games cheered for the orange and blue.

The road gets rockier in Madison, Wis., where Kansas awaits at approximately 9:20 p.m. Friday. Illinois bounced the Jayhawks from last season's tournament, and its motivation — plus its truckload of talent — likely will make Kansas a favorite.

And that's just the way Illinois wants it.

"I think we play our best when our back's against the wall," said forward Brian Cook, who scored 14 of his 16 points in the first half against Creighton. "With all the controversy we've taken all year, I think we're used to that approach."

Illinois thrived this season when criticism was its harshest, but there won't be many fingers pointed at the Illini this week.

Save perhaps Maryland and Missouri, the Illini were as dominant as any team in the field this weekend, winning their two games by an average of 20.5 points. Creighton put up a fight, but Frank Williams' 20 second-half points and Illinois' physical presence inside proved too potent, as the Illini held a double-digit lead the final seven minutes of the game.

There weren't many holes in Illinois' performance here. But the Illini are aware that much of the nation expects Kansas to pick them apart Friday. And no wonder. The Jayhawks spent much of the season ranked No. 1 and enter the game with a gaudy 31-3 record.

But Illinois, which has thrived on adversity all season, relishes the opportunity to be doubted.

Even playing in front of a partisan crowd at the United Center against lower-seeded opponents, Illinois's strategy was to paint its foes as the favorites.

"We came into this weekend trying to be the hunter," guard Sean Harrington said. "Maybe people on the outside were looking at us as the big dog at this site, but we didn't take that approach. We came in with the attitude that we have something to prove."

That approach has served Illinois well, and it's an outlook the Illini adopted before the tournament began.

In early February, after a homecourt loss to Michigan State dropped Illinois to 4-5 in the Big Ten, the UI really was the underdog, a scrapper that had to battle its way back to a share of the Big Ten title.

"Last year, we had a hungry team," Illinois coach Bill Self said. "This year, we've really generated our hunger over the last six or seven weeks. That's not being negative, that's just being realistic. I don't think we played with a chip on our shoulder until it was almost too late."

It's there now.

It showed Sunday, when Creighton closed to within two points midway through the second half. That's when Williams took over, and the Illini outscored the Bluejays 26-16 in the final 12 minutes.

And it showed after the final buzzer, when Illinois players welcomed the chance not only to play an underdog's role, but to match up with one of the nation's elite teams.

"It's exciting just to think about (playing Kansas), with all the different individual matchups," Archibald said. "We know they're a great team with great players, but we look forward to the challenge. We respect them, but we don't fear them."

Illinois doesn't have much to fear these days. After all, the Illini are heading into familiar territory.

As good as it can be to be Goliath, the Illini have always figured themselves for a bunch of Davids. They're anxious to get started slinging.

"I think not being the favorite, it's going be good for us, personally," Williams said. "We know Kansas is probably the best team in the nation, and they're playing like it. But we aren't going to bow down to that team, no matter what people say. We still have a lot to prove, and guys are playing like it."

Other March Memories:

Arizona ruins Final Four dream in 2001 - Link

Close call in 2005 opener - Link

Austin Peay pulls a shocker in 1987 - LInk

Bill Self's finale game a 2003 loss - Link

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