An Embarrasment For The Orange as Illinois Loses In First Round to WKU, 72-67

(Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

After Jeff Jordan got his shot goal tended to make the score 71-68, it looked like the Illini had a fighting chance. They'd regained the momentum, they were looking fresh, and the fans were alive. This turn around was really going to happen.

Fast forward just a few moments. The Illini get the ball back, Demitri McCamey takes advantage of the turnover, drives the lane, Steffphon Pettigrew hits his shoulder, jumps into him...doesn't...draw a foul?

What?

In case you missed that...what?

McCamey had a great chance to make that easy lay up, before he was not so gently pushed from behind on the arm and shoulder, forcing the ball into the glass, before it got knocked out of bounds, and Western Kentucky got possession.

Incredible.

Even if he misses the shot, at least give him his due and let him shoot the free throws he deserved.

And take away the ridiculous amount of offensive fouls that were called on Illinois when they were just trying to drive the lane, and a poor Western Kentucky player would move his feet so he could fall over comfortably, but apparently, he would not break any rules by doing so.

I want to say "what?" one more time, but I think we get the point.

I like to end articles on some kind of a positive note, and there is one that I can think of. Illinois has a lot of youthful talent that will be a year older and wiser next season, and while they will lose a few key seniors, there are some sophomores and juniors ready to step up and try to fill those shoes.

Now, I said I like to end articles on a positive note. But I just can't. Not this time.

I'm not going to rant and rave about how there needs to be instant replay in basketball, or how there needs to be a change on the rules of fouls (though I may do an article on that later,) or something ridiculous that goes along those lines...but.

C'mon, NCAA. Most of these kids will never play in the NBA. They won't get a chance to make the big bucks at that level. They won't ever be a player on a major market team.

The least you could do is give guys like Chester Frazier a nice farewell by calling a fair game for them, especially since he couldn't even play. I can't think of a more deserving player. He's a great leader, a defensive specialist, and a team player. He represented all the good things about the Illinois Basketball program.

Hopefully he'll get another chance to help the Illini out in the future as a coach. He'd likely fit the bill, and Bruce Weber has entertained the idea before.

The refereeing tonight represented everything that is wrong with officiating, not just at the college level, but what sometimes happens in professional sports.

Hopefully the NCAA will do something about it, so future generations can play a real, fair, physical game of basketball and win based on their skill; not on their ability to fall down and make it look good (that's not a real skill).

Only time will tell if it happens, and unfortunately for the Illini, they'll have to wait until next year to find out if it does.

Great season, Fighting Illini.

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