| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Brian Shea (fresh) 2 pts. 2 ast. SG - Eddie Gerhard (fresh) 2 pts. SF - Shane Ferguson (fresh) 2 ast. PF - Samuel Birdsell (fresh) 7 pts. 3 reb. C - Rickey Anderson (fresh) 6 pts. | |
| Lineup | Mercer | PG - Mario Ortiz (fresh) 2 pts. SG - Jeffrey Gurule (fresh) 5 pts. 1 ast. SF - Jeff McGoey (fresh) 7 pts. PF - Bernard Cooper (fresh) 3 pts. 2 reb. C - Thomas Carrera (fresh) 3 pts. | |
| 20:00 | Illinois | Shane Ferguson inbounds the ball | 34-31 |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a flex offense (slowdown) and a man to man (0) | |
| Game Plan | Mercer | Mercer is playing a triangle offense and a man to man (0) | |
| 19:36 | Illinois | Brian Shea steps out of bounds on the baseline | 34-31 |
| 19:14 | Mercer | Thomas Carrera misses long on a 3pt shot from the right corner | 34-31 |
| 19:13 | Mercer | Bernard Cooper hits the follow up shot | 34-33 |
| 18:59 | Illinois | Jeff McGoey picks off the pass by Eddie Gerhard | 34-33 |
| 18:56 | Mercer | Bernard Cooper dunks the ball on a nice dish by Jeff McGoey | 34-35 |
| 18:39 | Illinois | Samuel Birdsell is whistled for traveling | 34-35 |
| 18:25 | Mercer | Mario Ortiz hits a jumpshot from the right side | 34-37 |
| 18:06 | Illinois | Brian Shea makes the 3 from straight away on a nice dish by Eddie Gerhard | 37-37 |
| 17:53 | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule scores on a 3pt jumper from the left wing | 37-40 |
| 17:36 | Illinois | Brian Shea buries a 3 pointer from the left corner | 40-40 |
| 17:15 | Mercer | Jeff McGoey comes up short on the jumper from the left side but he's fouled by Rickey Anderson - foul #1 on Rickey Anderson, team foul #1 | 40-40 |
| Subs | Illinois | Richard Kruse (PG) Brian Shea | |
| Subs | Mercer | John Thibault (PF), Andrew Clayton (C) Bernard Cooper, Thomas Carrera | |
| 17:15 | Mercer | Jeff McGoey misses the 1st free throw | 40-40 |
| 17:15 | Mercer | Jeff McGoey makes the 2nd free throw | 40-41 |
| 16:58 | Illinois | Eddie Gerhard hits a jumpshot from the left wing on a great pass from Richard Kruse | 42-41 |
| 16:45 | Mercer | Andrew Clayton misses badly on a 3pt jumper from the right corner | 42-41 |
| 16:43 | Illinois | The rebound goes to Samuel Birdsell | 42-41 |
| 16:14 | Illinois | Richard Kruse misses long on a shot from the free throw line | 42-41 |
| 16:12 | Illinois | Richard Kruse pulls down the offensive rebound | 42-41 |
| 15:52 | Illinois | The short jumper by Rickey Anderson is denied by John Thibault | 42-41 |
| 15:51 | Mercer | The rebound goes to John Thibault | 42-41 |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Richard Kruse (fresh) 17 pts. 1 ast. SG - Eddie Gerhard (fairly fresh) 4 pts. SF - Shane Ferguson (fairly fresh) 2 ast. PF - Samuel Birdsell (fairly fresh) 7 pts. 4 reb. C - Rickey Anderson (fairly fresh) 6 pts. | |
| Lineup | Mercer | PG - Mario Ortiz (fairly fresh) 4 pts. SG - Jeffrey Gurule (fairly fresh) 8 pts. 1 ast. SF - Jeff McGoey (fairly fresh) 8 pts. PF - John Thibault (fresh) 5 pts. 3 reb. C - Andrew Clayton (fresh) | |
| 15:33 | Mercer | Eddie Gerhard steals the ball from Jeff McGoey | 42-41 |
| 15:15 | Illinois | Shane Ferguson comes up short on the fadeaway from the left wing | 42-41 |
| 15:14 | Illinois | Eddie Gerhard tips it back up and in | 44-41 |
| 14:53 | Mercer | Richard Kruse takes the ball from Andrew Clayton | 44-41 |
| 14:50 | Illinois | Eddie Gerhard lays it up and in on a nice dish by Richard Kruse | 46-41 |
| 14:35 | Mercer | Samuel Birdsell blocks the short jumper by Jeff McGoey | 46-41 |
| 14:34 | Mercer | John Thibault hits the follow up shot | 46-43 |
| 14:13 | Illinois | Richard Kruse misses short on a 3pt attempt from the right wing | 46-43 |
| 14:11 | Mercer | The rebound goes to Andrew Clayton | 46-43 |
| 13:49 | Mercer | Andrew Clayton misses the easy layup | 46-43 |
| 13:47 | Mercer | Mario Ortiz grabs the offensive board | 46-43 |
| 13:30 | Mercer | Mario Ortiz can't connect on a pull-up jumper from the right side but the foul's on Shane Ferguson - foul #2 on Shane Ferguson, team foul #2 | 46-43 |
| Subs | Illinois | Brian Shea (PG), Scott Staton (SG), Ryan Linkous (PF) Richard Kruse, Eddie Gerhard, Samuel Birdsell | |
| Subs | Mercer | Scott Hauer (PG), Marcus Hampton (SF), Bernard Cooper (PF), Thomas Carrera (C) Jeffrey Gurule, Jeff McGoey, John Thibault, Andrew Clayton | |
| 13:30 | Mercer | Mario Ortiz makes the 1st free throw | 46-44 |
| 13:30 | Mercer | Mario Ortiz makes the 2nd free throw | 46-45 |
| 13:14 | Illinois | Rickey Anderson drills a driving attempt from the left block | 48-45 |
| 12:54 | Mercer | Marcus Hampton clanks a 3pt attempt from straight away | 48-45 |
| 12:52 | Illinois | Scott Staton pulls down the rebound | 48-45 |
| 12:28 | Illinois | Shane Ferguson connects on the fadeaway from the free throw line and the foul's on Scott Hauer - foul #4 on Scott Hauer, team foul #1 | 50-45 |
| Subs | Illinois | Richard Kruse (SG) Scott Staton | |
| Subs | Mercer | Heriberto Yazzie (PG), Michael Ellington (SF) Scott Hauer, Mario Ortiz | |
| 12:28 | Illinois | Shane Ferguson misses the free throw | 50-45 |
| 12:28 | Mercer | Bernard Cooper grabs the defensive rebound | 50-45 |
| 12:11 | Mercer | Marcus Hampton misses badly on a shot from just outside the lane but the foul's on Richard Kruse - foul #1 on Richard Kruse, team foul #3 | 50-45 |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| Subs | Mercer | John Thibault (SF) Michael Ellington | |
| 12:11 | Mercer | Marcus Hampton makes the 1st free throw | 50-46 |
| 12:11 | Mercer | Marcus Hampton makes the 2nd free throw | 50-47 |
| 11:59 | Illinois | Brian Shea can't connect on a 3 pointer from the right corner | 50-47 |
| 11:57 | Mercer | Marcus Hampton gets the rebound | 50-47 |
| 11:40 | Mercer | Marcus Hampton can't connect on a 3 from straight away | 50-47 |
| 11:38 | Illinois | The rebound goes to Ryan Linkous | 50-47 |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Brian Shea (fresh) 8 pts. 2 ast. SG - Richard Kruse (fresh) 17 pts. 2 ast. SF - Shane Ferguson (tiring) 2 pts. 2 ast. PF - Ryan Linkous (fresh) C - Rickey Anderson (tiring) 8 pts. | |
| Lineup | Mercer | PG - Heriberto Yazzie (fresh) SG - Marcus Hampton (fresh) 5 pts. SF - John Thibault (fresh) 7 pts. 4 reb. PF - Bernard Cooper (fresh) 7 pts. 4 reb. C - Thomas Carrera (fresh) 3 pts. | |
| 11:16 | Illinois | Brian Shea throws a bad pass out of bounds | 50-47 |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| Subs | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule (SG), Andrew Clayton (C) Marcus Hampton, Thomas Carrera | |
| 11:04 | Mercer | Andrew Clayton scores on a floater near the basket on a great pass from Heriberto Yazzie | 50-49 |
| 10:53 | Illinois | Brian Shea can't connect on a 3 from the right corner | 50-49 |
| 10:52 | Illinois | Shane Ferguson tips it back up and in | 52-49 |
| 10:31 | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule misses short on a 3 from the right wing | 52-49 |
| 10:30 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous gets the rebound | 52-49 |
| 10:05 | Illinois | Richard Kruse hits a floater from the left block on a nice dish by Brian Shea | 54-49 |
| 09:50 | Mercer | Heriberto Yazzie comes up short on the 3pt attempt from straight away | 54-49 |
| 09:48 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous gets the rebound | 54-49 |
| 09:27 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous connects on the shot from the right side on a nice dish by Shane Ferguson | 56-49 |
| 09:11 | Mercer | Bernard Cooper misses badly on a jumpshot from the right side | 56-49 |
| 09:10 | Illinois | Rickey Anderson grabs the defensive rebound | 56-49 |
| 08:47 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous misses short on a shot from the left side but the foul's on Bernard Cooper - foul #1 on Bernard Cooper, team foul #2 | 56-49 |
| Subs | Illinois | Samuel Birdsell (PG), Eddie Gerhard (SG), Scott Staton (SF), Henry Lambright (C) Brian Shea, Richard Kruse, Shane Ferguson, Rickey Anderson | |
| Subs | Mercer | Mario Ortiz (PG), Jeff McGoey (SF), Marcus Hampton (PF), Thomas Carrera (C) Heriberto Yazzie, John Thibault, Bernard Cooper, Andrew Clayton | |
| 08:47 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous misses the 1st free throw | 56-49 |
| 08:47 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous makes the 2nd free throw | 57-49 |
| 08:27 | Mercer | Henry Lambright blocks the jumper by Thomas Carrera | 57-49 |
| 08:26 | Mercer | Mario Ortiz grabs the offensive rebound | 57-49 |
| 08:05 | Mercer | The short jumper by Marcus Hampton is denied by Ryan Linkous | 57-49 |
| 08:04 | Illinois | Scott Staton pulls down the rebound | 57-49 |
| 07:43 | Illinois | Scott Staton is hacked by Jeff McGoey - foul #1 on Jeff McGoey, team foul #3 | 57-49 |
| Subs | Illinois | Shane Ferguson (SF) Ryan Linkous | |
| Subs | Mercer | Scott Hauer (PG), Bernard Cooper (PF) Mario Ortiz, Jeffrey Gurule | |
| 07:36 | Illinois | Scott Staton misses long on a floater from the left wing | 57-49 |
| 07:35 | Mercer | Bernard Cooper snags the defensive board | 57-49 |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Scott Staton (fresh) 1 ast. SG - Eddie Gerhard (fresh) 8 pts. 2 reb. SF - Shane Ferguson (tiring) 4 pts. 3 ast. PF - Samuel Birdsell (fresh) 7 pts. 4 reb. C - Henry Lambright (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Mercer | PG - Scott Hauer (fresh) 3 pts. 2 ast. 4 pf. SG - Marcus Hampton (fresh) 5 pts. SF - Jeff McGoey (fresh) 8 pts. PF - Bernard Cooper (fairly fresh) 7 pts. 5 reb. C - Thomas Carrera (fresh) 3 pts. | |
| 07:09 | Mercer | Jeff McGoey knocks in the jumper near the basket on a great pass from Scott Hauer | 57-51 |
| 06:57 | Illinois | Samuel Birdsell clanks a 3pt jumper from the right wing | 57-51 |
| 06:55 | Illinois | Henry Lambright pulls down the offensive rebound | 57-51 |
| 06:34 | Illinois | Eddie Gerhard buries a jump hook from the left block on a great pass from Scott Staton | 59-51 |
| 06:17 | Mercer | Thomas Carrera hits the front of the rim on the 3pt attempt from the left wing | 59-51 |
| 06:15 | Illinois | Scott Staton pulls down the rebound | 59-51 |
| 05:56 | Illinois | Eddie Gerhard hits a floater from the left side | 61-51 |
| 05:38 | Mercer | Bernard Cooper clanks a 3pt attempt from the right corner | 61-51 |
| 05:37 | Mercer | Bernard Cooper grabs the offensive rebound | 61-51 |
| 05:16 | Mercer | Scott Hauer misses the pull-up jumper from the left side | 61-51 |
| 05:15 | Mercer | Thomas Carrera pulls down the offensive rebound | 61-51 |
| 04:57 | Mercer | Jeff McGoey makes the pull-up jumper from the left side on a nice dish by Scott Hauer | 61-53 |
| 04:57 | Illinois | Illinois calls a full timeout (2 :30 3 full remaining) | 61-53 |
| Subs | Illinois | Brian Shea (PG), Richard Kruse (SF), Rickey Anderson (C) Scott Staton, Shane Ferguson, Henry Lambright | |
| Subs | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule (SG), John Thibault (PF), Andrew Clayton (C) Marcus Hampton, Bernard Cooper, Thomas Carrera | |
| 04:35 | Illinois | Richard Kruse hits the front of the rim on the pull-up jumper from the free throw line | 61-53 |
| 04:34 | Illinois | Samuel Birdsell hits the follow up shot | 63-53 |
| 04:22 | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule misses long on a fadeaway jumper from the left wing but he's fouled by Rickey Anderson - foul #2 on Rickey Anderson, team foul #4 | 63-53 |
| 04:22 | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule makes the 1st free throw | 63-54 |
| 04:22 | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule makes the 2nd free throw | 63-55 |
| 04:01 | Illinois | Richard Kruse clanks a fadeaway in the paint | 63-55 |
| 03:59 | Mercer | Jeff McGoey pulls down the rebound | 63-55 |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a flex offense (slowdown) and a man to man (0) | |
| Game Plan | Mercer | Mercer is playing a triangle offense (uptempo) and a man to man (0) | |
| 03:55 | Mercer | Scott Hauer is hacked by Brian Shea - foul #1 on Brian Shea, team foul #5 | 63-55 |
| 03:42 | Mercer | Brian Shea is called for the reach on Scott Hauer - foul #2 on Brian Shea, team foul #6 | 63-55 |
| Subs | Illinois | Ryan Linkous (PF) Eddie Gerhard | |
| Subs | Mercer | | |
| 03:37 | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule knocks in the 3 pointer from the left wing on a great pass from Jeff McGoey | 63-58 |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Brian Shea (fresh) 8 pts. 3 ast. SG - Samuel Birdsell (fresh) 9 pts. 5 reb. SF - Richard Kruse (fresh) 19 pts. 2 ast. PF - Ryan Linkous (fresh) 3 pts. 3 reb. C - Rickey Anderson (tiring) 8 pts. | |
| Lineup | Mercer | PG - Scott Hauer (fresh) 3 pts. 4 ast. 4 pf. SG - Jeffrey Gurule (fresh) 13 pts. 1 ast. SF - Jeff McGoey (fresh) 12 pts. 2 reb. PF - John Thibault (fresh) 7 pts. 4 reb. C - Andrew Clayton (fresh) 2 pts. | |
| 03:17 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous's layup is rejected by John Thibault | 63-58 |
| 03:15 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous snags the offensive board | 63-58 |
| 02:58 | Illinois | Andrew Clayton is called for the reach on Richard Kruse - foul #1 on Andrew Clayton, team foul #4 | 63-58 |
| Subs | Illinois | Shane Ferguson (SF) Samuel Birdsell | |
| Subs | Mercer | Mario Ortiz (PG), Thomas Carrera (C) Scott Hauer, Jeff McGoey | |
| 02:37 | Illinois | Shane Ferguson scores on a floater from the free throw line | 65-58 |
| 02:37 | Mercer | Mercer calls a full timeout (2 :30 3 full remaining) | 65-58 |
| Subs | Illinois | Eddie Gerhard (SG), Samuel Birdsell (PF) Richard Kruse, Ryan Linkous | |
| Subs | Mercer | Scott Hauer (PG), Jeff McGoey (SF), Bernard Cooper (PF) Mario Ortiz, John Thibault, Andrew Clayton | |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a flex offense (slowdown) and a man to man (0) | |
| Game Plan | Mercer | Mercer is playing a triangle offense and a man to man (0) | |
| 02:22 | Mercer | Jeff McGoey's pass is off the mark and out of bounds | 65-58 |
| 01:53 | Illinois | Rickey Anderson hits the front of the rim on the 3 pointer from straight away | 65-58 |
| 01:51 | Mercer | Bernard Cooper snags the defensive board | 65-58 |
| 01:28 | Mercer | Scott Hauer scores on a floater from the free throw line | 65-60 |
| 01:06 | Illinois | Samuel Birdsell scores on a 3pt jumper from the left corner on a great pass from Brian Shea | 68-60 |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a flex offense (slowdown) and a man to man (0) | |
| Game Plan | Mercer | Mercer is playing a triangle offense (uptempo) and a man to man (0) | |
| 00:51 | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule misses badly on a 3pt shot from the right corner | 68-60 |
| 00:49 | Mercer | Thomas Carrera grabs the offensive board | 68-60 |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a flex offense (slowdown) and a man to man (0) | |
| Game Plan | Mercer | Mercer is playing a quick shot offense (quick shot) and a man to man (0) | |
| 00:46 | Mercer | Jeffrey Gurule misses badly on a 3 pointer from the right corner | 68-60 |
| 00:44 | Illinois | The rebound goes to Samuel Birdsell | 68-60 |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a spread offense (hold ball) and a man to man (0) | |
| Game Plan | Mercer | Mercer is playing a quick shot offense (quick shot) and intentionally fouling (-1) | |
| 00:43 | Illinois | Samuel Birdsell is hacked by Jeffrey Gurule in the backcourt - foul #3 on Jeffrey Gurule, team foul #5 | 68-60 |
| Subs | Illinois | Scott Staton (SG), Richard Kruse (SF), Ryan Linkous (PF) Eddie Gerhard, Shane Ferguson, Samuel Birdsell | |
| Subs | Mercer | | |
| 00:42 | Illinois | Ryan Linkous is hacked by Bernard Cooper - foul #2 on Bernard Cooper, team foul #6 | 68-60 |
| 00:41 | Illinois | Brian Shea is fouled on the floor by Jeffrey Gurule - foul #4 on Jeffrey Gurule, team foul #7 | 68-60 |
| 00:41 | Illinois | Brian Shea makes the 1st free throw | 69-60 |
| 00:41 | Illinois | Brian Shea makes the 2nd free throw | 70-60 |
| 00:35 | Mercer | Scott Hauer is whistled for traveling | 70-60 |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| Subs | Mercer | Mario Ortiz (PG), Marcus Hampton (SG), Michael Ellington (SF), John Thibault (PF), Andrew Clayton (C) Scott Hauer, Jeffrey Gurule, Jeff McGoey, Bernard Cooper, Thomas Carrera | |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a spread offense (hold ball) and a man to man (0) | |
| Game Plan | Mercer | Mercer is playing a quick shot offense (quick shot) and a man to man (-1) | |
| 00:09 | Illinois | Brian Shea misses the easy layup but the foul's on Marcus Hampton - foul #1 on Marcus Hampton, team foul #8 | 70-60 |
| Subs | Illinois | Eddie Gerhard (SG), Shane Ferguson (SF), Samuel Birdsell (PF) Scott Staton, Richard Kruse, Ryan Linkous | |
| Subs | Mercer | | |
| 00:09 | Illinois | Brian Shea misses the 1st free throw | 70-60 |
| 00:09 | Illinois | Brian Shea makes the 2nd free throw | 71-60 |
| 00:04 | Mercer | John Thibault buries a 3 pointer from straight away on a nice dish by Mario Ortiz | 71-63 |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a spread offense (hold ball) and a man to man (0) | |
| Game Plan | Mercer | Mercer is playing a quick shot offense (quick shot) and a man to man (-1) | |
| 00:00 | Illinois | Brian Shea runs out the clock | 71-63 |