The Curse of Penn State

2.2 seconds left...Illinois trails by 1 after blowing a double-digit second half lead. McBride inbounds to Dee, who is blanketed by two Penn State defenders and after some dribbles fires a pass to Rich McBride, who drills the 3-pointer as the buzzer sounds. The scoreboard shows a final of 68-66 and some of the Orange Krush storm the court in relief.
That's how I remember it. I was there. Illinois had never lost during my life for the 20+ games when I was in attendance, even after OT games at Purdue and vs. Iowa, along with two Big Ten Tournaments and a couple NCAA games in Indy. We had a 33-game home winning streak and were 20-2 in the sequel to the 37-2 campaign. For a moment that all seemed intact and McBride's 20 points would carry us to victory and signal a breakout performance for the next great Illini guard.
Before I could celebrate, I quickly realized that the shot would be reviewed since it came at the buzzer. Perhaps Bruce Weber could have lobbied for more time before the inbounds play (it works for Duke!) but the refs made the right call and waved off the basket. King Rich was stripped of his crown and our streak was snapped. The fabric of the space-time continuum had been torn and the bizarre implications are still being felt in Champaign and beyond.
66-65, Penn State. Matt Sylvester's miracle shot gave Ohio State a 65-64 win over the unbeaten Illini and made a king out of Thad Matta, who has since enjoyed an unparalleled recruiting bonanza and has dominated the Big Ten. However, this game's implications were even greater. Illinois finished at 11-5 in the Big Ten. That win would have given Illinois a 12-4 finish, a share of the Big Ten Championship, and the 2 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. That 2 seed then went on to win the BTT while 3 seed Illinois had to play MSU twice in a row and lost the rubber match. Illinois could have had the 2-seed which the devilish Bruce Pearl received undeservedly in the NCAA Tournament but instead was stuck with a lousy 4-seed. Instead of a second-round loss to Washington, Illinois would have easily handled Wichita State (they beat them once already that season and improved since then) and could have snuffed George Mason's legendary Cinderella run to the Final Four.
Imagine the difference such a run would have made for Bruce Weber. Instead of a dull 26-7 record, he could have acheieved a sterling 32-5 mark, Big Ten Championship, Big Ten Tournament Championship, and Elite Eight appearance. The recruiting implications would have been substantial, likely impressing Evan Turner enough to hold off Thad Matta's high-pressure sales job. Eric Gordon could not have spurned a Turner/McCamey/Cole/Tisdale supporting cast for the ethically challenged crew at Indiana. Perhaps Scottie Reynolds sees a dynasty at Illinois as more impressive than a second-rate option at Villanova and signs on with Weber after his release from Oklahoma. Reynolds scores 20+ in home games against Maryland, Ohio State, and Wisconsin along with Illini hero Rich McBride, who is too concerned about his dark horse NBA hopes to ever risk getting a DUI. Jamar Smith isn't on the floor to get hurt against Austin Peay, and by Big Ten season he evolves into the third guard of a new three-headed monster that remains undefeated at home and contends for a fourth consecutive Big Ten Championship. After a sweep of Indiana and Reynolds' impressive freshman campaign, Kelvin Sampson at Indiana is widely considered to be the best thing to happen to Illinois since Bill Self left for Kansas. There is no Jamar Smith scandal because he's not out partying with the Big Ten Championship on the line.
Oh, what could have been...

The good news is that with last Saturday's win over Penn State, the curse is now reversed. Penn State already beat Iowa at home, crushing their NCAA hopes and making them easy prey in our quest to lock up an NCAA bid. Penn State will also knock off hated Indiana at home on Saturday, knocking them into the 4 seed where they will lose in Chicago to 5 seed Purdue and shockingly fail to reach the NCAA Tournament. Illinois will go on a remarkable run, defeating Iowa, Michigan State, and Purdue to win the Big Ten Tournament and be poised to capture a favorable seed in the NCAA Tournament with a 25-9 record on Selection Sunday. (Ohio State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Purdue, and Michigan State would be the 5 teams with NCAA bids out of the Big Ten.)
Oh, the possibilities...