| Lineup | New Mexico | PG - John Scruggs (fresh) SG - Johnny Hanna (fresh) SF - Michael Gregory (fresh) PF - Anthony Pickens (fresh) C - Shawn Bergert (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Roger Maciel (fresh) SG - Edward Schrader (fresh) SF - Matthew Lane (fresh) PF - Raymond Haddix (fresh) C - Gary Bradley (fresh) | |
| 20:00 | Illinois | Gary Bradley wins the tip | 0-0 |
| Game Plan | New Mexico | New Mexico is playing a flex offense (slowdown) and a 2-3 zone (+2) | |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a motion offense (slowdown) and a man to man (0) | |
| 19:42 | Illinois | Raymond Haddix buries a fadeaway from the right side on a nice dish by Matthew Lane | 0-2 |
| 19:14 | New Mexico | Michael Gregory is bothered by a doubleteam and misses badly on a pull-up jumper from the left side | 0-2 |
| 19:13 | Illinois | Gary Bradley pulls down the rebound | 0-2 |
| 18:51 | Illinois | Matthew Lane is hacked by Michael Gregory - foul #1 on Michael Gregory, team foul #1 | 0-2 |
| 18:23 | Illinois | Edward Schrader's pass is off the mark and out of bounds | 0-2 |
| 17:54 | New Mexico | John Scruggs scores on a 3pt shot from straight away on a great pass from Shawn Bergert | 3-2 |
| 17:37 | Illinois | Matthew Lane is hacked by Michael Gregory - foul #2 on Michael Gregory, team foul #2 | 3-2 |
| Subs | New Mexico | James Winters (PG), Raymond Axford (SG), Sean Ament (SF), Arthur Greenway (PF), Allen Hitt (C) John Scruggs, Johnny Hanna, Michael Gregory, Anthony Pickens, Shawn Bergert | |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| 17:17 | Illinois | Raymond Haddix misses short on a 3 pointer from the left corner | 3-2 |
| 17:15 | Illinois | Edward Schrader misses the tip | 3-2 |
| 17:14 | Illinois | Matthew Lane grabs the offensive rebound | 3-2 |
| 16:53 | Illinois | Gary Bradley makes the turnaround near the basket on a great pass from Edward Schrader | 3-4 |
| 16:35 | New Mexico | James Winters hits a 3pt attempt from the right corner on a nice dish by Sean Ament and the foul's on Roger Maciel - foul #1 on Roger Maciel, team foul #1 | 6-4 |
| 16:35 | New Mexico | James Winters misses the free throw | 6-4 |
| 16:35 | Illinois | Gary Bradley grabs the board | 6-4 |
| 16:08 | Illinois | Gary Bradley hits a fadeaway from close range on a great pass from Edward Schrader | 6-6 |
| 15:42 | New Mexico | James Winters clanks a pull-up jumper from the left wing | 6-6 |
| 15:40 | Illinois | Edward Schrader grabs the board | 6-6 |
| Lineup | New Mexico | PG - James Winters (fresh) 3 pts. SG - Raymond Axford (fresh) SF - Sean Ament (fresh) PF - Arthur Greenway (fresh) C - Allen Hitt (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Roger Maciel (fresh) SG - Edward Schrader (fresh) 2 ast. SF - Matthew Lane (fresh) 1 ast. PF - Raymond Haddix (fresh) 2 pts. C - Gary Bradley (fresh) 4 pts. 2 reb. | |
| 15:11 | Illinois | Raymond Haddix is whistled for a carry | 6-6 |
| Subs | New Mexico | John Scruggs (PG), Johnny Hanna (SG), Anthony Pickens (PF), Shawn Bergert (C) James Winters, Sean Ament, Arthur Greenway, Allen Hitt | |
| Subs | Illinois | Kwabena Abdel (SF), Johnny Boone (C) Matthew Lane, Gary Bradley | |
| 14:48 | New Mexico | Johnny Hanna is fouled on the floor by Edward Schrader - foul #1 on Edward Schrader, team foul #2 | 6-6 |
| Subs | New Mexico | | |
| Subs | Illinois | Jeffrey Hall (C) Raymond Haddix | |
| 14:22 | New Mexico | Johnny Hanna misses badly on a fadeaway jumper from the right side | 6-6 |
| 14:20 | Illinois | Jeffrey Hall grabs the board | 6-6 |
| 13:53 | Illinois | Edward Schrader can't connect on a pull-up jumper from the right side | 6-6 |
| 13:51 | Illinois | Roger Maciel tips it home | 6-8 |
| 13:35 | New Mexico | Raymond Axford misses badly on a pull-up jumper from the right side | 6-8 |
| 13:34 | Illinois | The rebound goes to Jeffrey Hall | 6-8 |
| 13:29 | Illinois | Kwabena Abdel loses the ball out of bounds | 6-8 |
| Subs | New Mexico | James Winters (PG), Sean Ament (SF), Arthur Greenway (C) John Scruggs, Raymond Axford, Shawn Bergert | |
| Subs | Illinois | Matthew Lane (SG), Raymond Haddix (PF), Gary Bradley (C) Edward Schrader, Johnny Boone, Jeffrey Hall | |
| 13:05 | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens misses short on a jumpshot from the right wing | 6-8 |
| 13:04 | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens tips it home | 8-8 |
| 12:41 | Illinois | Gary Bradley comes up short on the fadeaway jumper from the right wing | 8-8 |
| 12:39 | Illinois | Roger Maciel tips it in | 8-10 |
| 12:22 | New Mexico | Johnny Hanna can't connect on a pull-up jumper from the left wing | 8-10 |
| 12:21 | Illinois | Kwabena Abdel grabs the defensive rebound | 8-10 |
| 11:53 | Illinois | Roger Maciel hits a 3pt shot from the left wing set up by Matthew Lane | 8-13 |
| 11:31 | New Mexico | Matthew Lane is called for the reach on Johnny Hanna - foul #1 on Matthew Lane, team foul #3 | 8-13 |
| Subs | New Mexico | John Scruggs (PG), Raymond Axford (SG), Allen Hitt (PF), Shawn Bergert (C) Johnny Hanna, Sean Ament, Anthony Pickens, Arthur Greenway | |
| Subs | Illinois | Edward Schrader (SG) Roger Maciel | |
| Lineup | New Mexico | PG - John Scruggs (fresh) 3 pts. SG - Raymond Axford (fresh) SF - James Winters (fresh) 3 pts. PF - Allen Hitt (fresh) C - Shawn Bergert (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Kwabena Abdel (fresh) SG - Edward Schrader (fresh) 2 ast. SF - Matthew Lane (fresh) 2 ast. PF - Raymond Haddix (fresh) 2 pts. C - Gary Bradley (fresh) 4 pts. 2 reb. | |
| 11:07 | New Mexico | James Winters misses the fadeaway jumper from the left side but he's hacked by Matthew Lane - foul #2 on Matthew Lane, team foul #4 | 8-13 |
| Subs | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens (PF) Allen Hitt | |
| Subs | Illinois | Johnny Boone (C) Matthew Lane | |
| 11:07 | New Mexico | James Winters makes the 1st free throw | 9-13 |
| 11:07 | New Mexico | James Winters makes the 2nd free throw | 10-13 |
| 10:49 | Illinois | Kwabena Abdel misses long on a 3 pointer from straight away | 10-13 |
| 10:47 | New Mexico | Shawn Bergert gets the rebound | 10-13 |
| 10:30 | New Mexico | Kwabena Abdel steps in front of the John Scruggs pass | 10-13 |
| 10:13 | Illinois | Johnny Boone misses short on a pull-up jumper from the right side | 10-13 |
| 10:11 | New Mexico | Raymond Axford grabs the defensive rebound | 10-13 |
| 09:43 | New Mexico | John Scruggs can't connect on a pull-up jumper from the right side | 10-13 |
| 09:42 | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens snags the offensive board | 10-13 |
| 09:28 | New Mexico | Raymond Axford comes up short on the 3pt shot from the right wing | 10-13 |
| 09:26 | Illinois | Edward Schrader gets the rebound | 10-13 |
| 09:06 | Illinois | Edward Schrader misses the shot from the right wing but he's hacked by Raymond Axford - foul #1 on Raymond Axford, team foul #3 | 10-13 |
| Subs | New Mexico | Johnny Hanna (SG), Sean Ament (SF), Arthur Greenway (PF), Allen Hitt (C) James Winters, Raymond Axford, Anthony Pickens, Shawn Bergert | |
| Subs | Illinois | Roger Maciel (PG), Richard Burns (SF), Jeffrey Hall (C) Kwabena Abdel, Raymond Haddix, Gary Bradley | |
| 09:06 | Illinois | Edward Schrader makes the 1st free throw | 10-14 |
| 09:06 | Illinois | Edward Schrader misses the 2nd free throw | 10-14 |
| 09:06 | New Mexico | Allen Hitt grabs the defensive rebound | 10-14 |
| 08:45 | New Mexico | John Scruggs can't connect on a 3 from straight away | 10-14 |
| 08:43 | New Mexico | Allen Hitt gets the offensive rebound | 10-14 |
| 08:25 | New Mexico | Allen Hitt throws a bad pass out of bounds | 10-14 |
| Subs | New Mexico | Raymond Axford (PG), Anthony Pickens (PF), Shawn Bergert (C) John Scruggs, Arthur Greenway, Allen Hitt | |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| 08:01 | Illinois | Roger Maciel comes up short on the 3 from the left wing | 10-14 |
| 08:00 | New Mexico | Shawn Bergert pulls down the rebound | 10-14 |
| 07:55 | New Mexico | Johnny Hanna makes the jumper from the left wing and he's fouled by Edward Schrader - foul #2 on Edward Schrader, team foul #5 | 12-14 |
| Subs | New Mexico | James Winters (PG), Arthur Greenway (PF), Allen Hitt (C) Raymond Axford, Anthony Pickens, Shawn Bergert | |
| Subs | Illinois | Kwabena Abdel (SG) Edward Schrader | |
| 07:55 | New Mexico | Johnny Hanna makes the free throw | 13-14 |
| 07:36 | Illinois | Jeffrey Hall misses the easy layup but he's hacked by Allen Hitt - foul #1 on Allen Hitt, team foul #4 | 13-14 |
| Subs | New Mexico | John Scruggs (PG), Raymond Axford (SF), Anthony Pickens (PF), Shawn Bergert (C) James Winters, Sean Ament, Arthur Greenway, Allen Hitt | |
| Subs | Illinois | Raymond Haddix (SG), Gary Bradley (PF) Richard Burns, Johnny Boone | |
| 07:36 | Illinois | Jeffrey Hall misses the 1st free throw | 13-14 |
| 07:36 | Illinois | Jeffrey Hall makes the 2nd free throw | 13-15 |
| Lineup | New Mexico | PG - John Scruggs (fresh) 3 pts. SG - Johnny Hanna (fresh) 3 pts. SF - Raymond Axford (fresh) PF - Anthony Pickens (fresh) 2 pts. 2 reb. C - Shawn Bergert (fresh) 2 reb. | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Roger Maciel (fresh) 7 pts. SG - Raymond Haddix (fresh) 2 pts. SF - Kwabena Abdel (fresh) PF - Gary Bradley (fresh) 4 pts. 2 reb. C - Jeffrey Hall (fresh) 1 pts. 2 reb. | |
| 07:08 | New Mexico | John Scruggs is called for a charge - foul #1 on John Scruggs, team foul #5 | 13-15 |
| Subs | New Mexico | James Winters (PG), Sean Ament (SF) John Scruggs, Raymond Axford | |
| Subs | Illinois | Richard Burns (SF) Jeffrey Hall | |
| 06:49 | Illinois | Johnny Hanna takes the ball from Roger Maciel | 13-15 |
| 06:22 | New Mexico | Shawn Bergert blows the layup but he's fouled by Roger Maciel - foul #2 on Roger Maciel, team foul #6 | 13-15 |
| Subs | New Mexico | John Scruggs (PG), Michael Gregory (SF), Arthur Greenway (PF) James Winters, Sean Ament, Anthony Pickens | |
| Subs | Illinois | Johnny Boone (C) Roger Maciel | |
| 06:22 | New Mexico | Shawn Bergert makes the 1st free throw | 14-15 |
| 06:22 | New Mexico | Shawn Bergert makes the 2nd free throw | 15-15 |
| 05:59 | Illinois | Raymond Haddix misses short on a pull-up jumper from the free throw line but he's fouled by Shawn Bergert - foul #1 on Shawn Bergert, team foul #6 | 15-15 |
| Subs | New Mexico | Raymond Axford (PG), Allen Hitt (C) John Scruggs, Shawn Bergert | |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| 05:59 | Illinois | Raymond Haddix makes the 1st free throw | 15-16 |
| 05:59 | Illinois | Raymond Haddix misses the 2nd free throw | 15-16 |
| 05:59 | New Mexico | Arthur Greenway gets the rebound | 15-16 |
| 05:39 | New Mexico | Gary Bradley denies the turnaround by Arthur Greenway | 15-16 |
| 05:37 | Illinois | Johnny Boone snags the defensive board | 15-16 |
| 05:25 | Illinois | Johnny Boone is hacked by Allen Hitt - foul #2 on Allen Hitt, team foul #7 | 15-16 |
| Subs | New Mexico | John Scruggs (PG), Anthony Pickens (PF) Raymond Axford, Arthur Greenway | |
| Subs | Illinois | Jeffrey Hall (C) Gary Bradley | |
| 05:25 | Illinois | Johnny Boone misses the 1st free throw | 15-16 |
| 05:25 | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens pulls down the rebound | 15-16 |
| 04:56 | New Mexico | Michael Gregory evades the doubleteam but misses long on a 3pt shot from the right corner | 15-16 |
| 04:54 | New Mexico | Allen Hitt snags the offensive board | 15-16 |
| 04:33 | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens connects on the driving attempt in the lane | 17-16 |
| 04:15 | Illinois | Kwabena Abdel throws a bad pass out of bounds | 17-16 |
| Subs | New Mexico | James Winters (PG), Raymond Axford (SG), Arthur Greenway (PF), Shawn Bergert (C) John Scruggs, Johnny Hanna, Anthony Pickens, Allen Hitt | |
| Subs | Illinois | Gary Bradley (PF) Jeffrey Hall | |
| 03:51 | New Mexico | Michael Gregory splits the doubleteam but misses short on a jumpshot from the right side but he's fouled by Richard Burns - foul #1 on Richard Burns, team foul #7 | 17-16 |
| Subs | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens (PF) Arthur Greenway | |
| Subs | Illinois | Roger Maciel (PG), Edward Schrader (SG), Matthew Lane (SF) Kwabena Abdel, Raymond Haddix, Richard Burns | |
| 03:51 | New Mexico | Michael Gregory makes the 1st free throw | 18-16 |
| 03:51 | New Mexico | Michael Gregory makes the 2nd free throw | 19-16 |
| 03:22 | Illinois | Edward Schrader misses the 3pt attempt from the right wing | 19-16 |
| 03:20 | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens snags the defensive board | 19-16 |
| Lineup | New Mexico | PG - James Winters (fresh) 5 pts. SG - Raymond Axford (fresh) SF - Michael Gregory (fresh) 2 pts. PF - Anthony Pickens (fresh) 4 pts. 4 reb. C - Shawn Bergert (fresh) 2 pts. 2 reb. | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Roger Maciel (fresh) 7 pts. SG - Edward Schrader (fresh) 1 pts. 2 ast. SF - Matthew Lane (fresh) 2 ast. PF - Gary Bradley (fresh) 4 pts. 2 reb. C - Johnny Boone (fresh) | |
| 03:00 | New Mexico | Michael Gregory misses long on a fadeaway from the left wing | 19-16 |
| 02:59 | New Mexico | James Winters grabs the offensive rebound | 19-16 |
| 02:34 | New Mexico | Michael Gregory misses the lay-in over the doubleteam | 19-16 |
| 02:32 | Illinois | The rebound goes to Gary Bradley | 19-16 |
| 02:10 | Illinois | Gary Bradley hits the front of the rim on the fadeaway in the paint but he's hacked by Anthony Pickens - foul #1 on Anthony Pickens, team foul #8 | 19-16 |
| Subs | New Mexico | John Scruggs (PG), Johnny Hanna (SG), Sean Ament (SF), Arthur Greenway (C) James Winters, Raymond Axford, Anthony Pickens, Shawn Bergert | |
| Subs | Illinois | Raymond Haddix (PF) Johnny Boone | |
| 02:10 | Illinois | Gary Bradley makes the 1st free throw | 19-17 |
| 02:10 | Illinois | Gary Bradley makes the 2nd free throw | 19-18 |
| 01:41 | New Mexico | John Scruggs misses badly on a 3 pointer from the left wing | 19-18 |
| 01:39 | Illinois | Raymond Haddix grabs the board | 19-18 |
| 01:20 | Illinois | Edward Schrader is whistled for an offensive foul - foul #3 on Edward Schrader, team foul #8 | 19-18 |
| Subs | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens (PF), Shawn Bergert (C) Sean Ament, Arthur Greenway | |
| Subs | Illinois | Kwabena Abdel (SF), Jeffrey Hall (C) Edward Schrader, Gary Bradley | |
| 00:55 | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens is fouled on the floor by Raymond Haddix - foul #1 on Raymond Haddix, team foul #9 | 19-18 |
| Subs | New Mexico | James Winters (PG), Arthur Greenway (C) John Scruggs, Shawn Bergert | |
| Subs | Illinois | Johnny Boone (C) Jeffrey Hall | |
| 00:55 | New Mexico | Anthony Pickens misses the 1st free throw | 19-18 |
| 00:55 | Illinois | Raymond Haddix gets the rebound | 19-18 |
| 00:36 | Illinois | Johnny Boone is whistled for a carry | 19-18 |
| Subs | New Mexico | John Scruggs (PG), Sean Ament (SF), Allen Hitt (C) James Winters, Anthony Pickens, Arthur Greenway | |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| 00:07 | New Mexico | Matthew Lane is called for the reach on Johnny Hanna - foul #3 on Matthew Lane, team foul #10 | 19-18 |
| Subs | New Mexico | James Winters (PG), Anthony Pickens (PF), Shawn Bergert (C) John Scruggs, Sean Ament, Allen Hitt | |
| Subs | Illinois | Richard Burns (SF) Matthew Lane | |
| 00:07 | New Mexico | Johnny Hanna misses the 1st free throw | 19-18 |
| 00:07 | New Mexico | Johnny Hanna misses the 2nd free throw | 19-18 |
| 00:07 | Illinois | Johnny Boone grabs the defensive rebound | 19-18 |
| 00:01 | Illinois | Anthony Pickens denies the turnaround by Johnny Boone | 19-18 |
| 00:00 | New Mexico | Shawn Bergert grabs the defensive rebound | 19-18 |