12/2/2006 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Challenge, US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ


 15 years ago today...

December 2, 2006 - Phoenix, AZ 

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Challenge brought four top college basketball programs to US Airways Center.
This inaugural event saw Gonzaga defeat Texas 87-77 and Arizona gained minor revenge over Illinois 84 - 72 in a college basketball doubleheader.
Texas got 29 points from freshman sensation Kevin Durant in the only year he would play collegiately.
The year prior, Arizona suffered one of the most amazing come-from-behind losses in hoops history when it lost to Illinois 90-89 in the 2005 Regional Final in Chicago, setting the stage for the Fighting Illini to reach the NCAA Final Four and an appearance in the championship game versus eventual champ North Carolina. In a role reversal, the Illini blew a 16 point lead in this game. The starters who went to the Final Four had graduated and this was a whole new team. Bruce Weber got T'd up complaining about the severe foul differential.
My mom was in town and got to see her Illini, the highlight of the day for me.



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