Best IL. Team ever! Better than the 2005 team also I think. But that is my opinion. Deron Williams was not even that good of a player until his last year with the team. He was not much of a shooter untii his last year. It was like someone flipped a switch, and all of a sudden he was a good player/shooter!
Great team! I have been following the Fighting Illini for the past 32 years and have one question. Who is Tyler Cottingham? Did I watch many 'Flying Illini' games during that wonderful season and never notice a playing named Cottingham on the court?
To say I love this video is an understatement. This is my favorite Illini team of alltime. I love any video that shows the Illini taking it to Iowa especially.
MINE TOO! HOLY CRAP they really excited me as a 14 year old! I'm a diehard Tarheel fan, but maybe only two or three UNC teams actually matched this one for pure electrifying excitement (the '95 team with Wallace and Stack, and then the '97, '98 teams with Vince and 'Twan)
also, i remember a SI writer commenting that, since this team ddn't have anyone over 6-8, it came back to bite em when sean higgins at 6-9, tipped in the shot at the end to send michigan to the championship game. WHY LAPHONSO ELLIS PICKED NOTRE DAME OVER ILLINOIS IS BEYOND ME!
There's only one guy to blame for the Illini not winning it all in '89: LaPhonso Ellis
Majesticon 3 months ago
Best IL. Team ever! Better than the 2005 team also I think. But that is my opinion. Deron Williams was not even that good of a player until his last year with the team. He was not much of a shooter untii his last year. It was like someone flipped a switch, and all of a sudden he was a good player/shooter!
Vendingguy1961 5 months ago
Great team! I have been following the Fighting Illini for the past 32 years and have one question. Who is Tyler Cottingham? Did I watch many 'Flying Illini' games during that wonderful season and never notice a playing named Cottingham on the court?
mbecker130 1 year ago
Comment removed
nolanola 3 months ago
This was a great team during a great era of Big Ten Basketball. There was talent throughout the Big Ten.
Michigan w/Glen Rice
Iowa w/ BJ Armstrong
Indiana w/ Steve Alford
And the Flying Illini
garybernardgray 2 years ago
i think it's indisputable that the 89 Illini team would have slaughtered the 05 team during the heyday of the Flyin' Illini
fluffynoses 2 years ago
To say I love this video is an understatement. This is my favorite Illini team of alltime. I love any video that shows the Illini taking it to Iowa especially.
saffle82 2 years ago
I met Kenny Battle and got his qutograph at the 100th year celebration. Probably my favorite autograph that I have, and I have a lot of autographs
DailySportsDudes 2 years ago
Junior Year High School... Ohhhhhhh how I miss those days...
I cried (no Joke) when they lost to Michigan. NO team, I mean no team could top the Flying Illini.
Best in history!
RadReese73 3 years ago
btw, that guy fouled anderson! i hate, HATE when the referees take over the game like that, it saps the energy
Majesticon 3 years ago
i damn near cried when they lost to michigan in final four. my favorite college team of alltime.
srsvll 3 years ago
MINE TOO! HOLY CRAP they really excited me as a 14 year old! I'm a diehard Tarheel fan, but maybe only two or three UNC teams actually matched this one for pure electrifying excitement (the '95 team with Wallace and Stack, and then the '97, '98 teams with Vince and 'Twan)
Majesticon 3 years ago
also, i remember a SI writer commenting that, since this team ddn't have anyone over 6-8, it came back to bite em when sean higgins at 6-9, tipped in the shot at the end to send michigan to the championship game. WHY LAPHONSO ELLIS PICKED NOTRE DAME OVER ILLINOIS IS BEYOND ME!
Majesticon 3 years ago
one of the greatest to never win it all. lol at that charge call. i guess refs were brutal back then as well.
yulewave 3 years ago
LOU!
FlyingIllini33 3 years ago
Big time jams
clearedfortakeoff 3 years ago
One of my top 5 teams of all time... 1991 UNLV, 1982 Houston (Phi Slamma Jamma), 2005 Illini
189King 4 years ago
lol@ed horton!
loved this illinois team!
Majesticon 4 years ago