Fans of Illinois basketball spent the 2004-05 season celebrating the program's 100th anniversary, with hopes of making something very special happen during the historic centennial season. They got their wish, beginning with an early December victory over top-ranked Wake Forest giving the Illini the number-one ranking in America, a position they would never relinquish for the remainder of the season. The magic continued, with the team's second-straight outright Big Ten championship, an emotional championship in the Big Ten Tournament, the overall number-one seed in the NCAA Tournament, national honors for Coach Bruce Weber, and an amazing run to the 2005 Final Four, highlighted by the "Revival in Rosemont," when the Illini overcame a 15-point deficit with four minutes to play to defeat Arizona in overtime for the Chicago Regional championship, a game widely considered to be one of the greatest ever played in college basketball history.
During the most historic and record-setting year in Illinois basketball history, the Illini captured the hearts of fans everywhere. Those fans can now celebrate the 2005 championship run in One for the Ages: The 2004-05 Fighting Illini's March to the Arch. The first title to be available on the market following the Illini's nearly perfect season and run to the Final Four, the book is full of vibrant full-color photos from The News-Gazette in Champaign, taking readers through the regular and postseasons. Included are statistics and game recaps for the most significant games as well as complete coverage of the Big Ten Tournament, the NCAA Tournament, and the Final Four. In addition to complete game coverage from the award-winning News-Gazette sports staff, fantastic player profiles featuring the Illini starting five and key bench contributors are also included.
