| Lineup | Northwestern | PG - David Smith (fresh) SG - Patrick Webber (fresh) SF - James Carey (fresh) PF - William Carter (fresh) C - Scott Stemple (fresh) | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - John Pledger (fresh) SG - Clarence Maroney (fresh) SF - James Young (fresh) PF - Ronald Sink (fresh) C - James Dailey (fresh) | |
| 20:00 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple wins the tip | 0-0 |
| Game Plan | Northwestern | Northwestern is playing a motion offense (uptempo) and a fullcourt press (-2) | |
| Game Plan | Illinois | Illinois is playing a motion offense (slowdown) and a 3-2 zone (-1) | |
| 19:53 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple misses the 3pt attempt from the right wing | 0-0 |
| 19:51 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney pulls down the rebound | 0-0 |
| 19:44 | Illinois | Ronald Sink misses the turnaround in the paint | 0-0 |
| 19:42 | Illinois | Ronald Sink tips it back up and in | 0-2 |
| 19:33 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber misses short on a 3pt shot from the left corner | 0-2 |
| 19:32 | Northwestern | James Carey grabs the offensive board | 0-2 |
| 19:22 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple hits the front of the rim on the shot from just outside the lane | 0-2 |
| 19:21 | Illinois | Ronald Sink grabs the board | 0-2 |
| 18:52 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney comes up short on the pull-up jumper from just outside the lane but he's fouled by Patrick Webber - foul #1 on Patrick Webber, team foul #1 | 0-2 |
| 18:52 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney makes the 1st free throw | 0-3 |
| 18:52 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney misses the 2nd free throw | 0-3 |
| 18:52 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple snags the defensive board | 0-3 |
| 18:36 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber knocks in the 3 pointer from the right wing on a nice dish by James Carey | 3-3 |
| 18:12 | Illinois | James Dailey is open and scores on a shot from the right block on a great pass from John Pledger | 3-5 |
| 17:58 | Northwestern | David Smith can't connect on a 3pt jumper from the right wing | 3-5 |
| 17:57 | Illinois | James Dailey snags the defensive board | 3-5 |
| 17:43 | Illinois | James Dailey is fouled on the floor by Scott Stemple - foul #1 on Scott Stemple, team foul #2 | 3-5 |
| Subs | Northwestern | Michael Foster (PG), David Appling (SG), Robert Damron (SF), Thomas Smith (PF), Peter Hines (C) David Smith, Patrick Webber, James Carey, William Carter, Scott Stemple | |
| Subs | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson (SG), John Stich (C) Clarence Maroney, James Dailey | |
| 17:25 | Illinois | James Young is open but misses the lay-in | 3-5 |
| 17:24 | Illinois | The offensive rebound goes to James Young | 3-5 |
| 17:06 | Illinois | Ronald Sink can't finish the uncontested layup | 3-5 |
| 17:05 | Illinois | John Stich tips it in | 3-7 |
| 16:51 | Northwestern | Peter Hines works out of a doubleteam but hits the front of the rim on the driving attempt from close range but he's fouled by James Young - foul #1 on James Young, team foul #1 | 3-7 |
| Subs | Northwestern | | |
| Subs | Illinois | Larry Newell (SF), Floyd Kent (C) James Young, Ronald Sink | |
| 16:51 | Northwestern | Peter Hines misses the 1st free throw | 3-7 |
| 16:51 | Northwestern | Peter Hines makes the 2nd free throw | 4-7 |
| 16:48 | Illinois | David Appling is called for the reach on Larry Newell in the backcourt - foul #1 on David Appling, team foul #3 | 4-7 |
| 16:36 | Illinois | Floyd Kent drills a driving attempt near the basket set up by Sebastian Jackson and the foul's on Michael Foster - foul #1 on Michael Foster, team foul #4 | 4-9 |
| 16:36 | Illinois | Floyd Kent misses the free throw | 4-9 |
| 16:36 | Northwestern | Peter Hines snags the defensive board | 4-9 |
| 16:26 | Northwestern | Thomas Smith misses short on a 3 pointer from the right wing | 4-9 |
| 16:24 | Illinois | Larry Newell pulls down the rebound | 4-9 |
| 16:05 | Illinois | John Stich comes up short on the shot from close range but he's hacked by Thomas Smith - foul #1 on Thomas Smith, team foul #5 | 4-9 |
| Subs | Northwestern | James Carey (SF) Robert Damron | |
| Subs | Illinois | Clarence Maroney (PG), James Dailey (C) John Pledger, Floyd Kent | |
| 16:05 | Illinois | John Stich makes the 1st free throw | 4-10 |
| 16:05 | Illinois | John Stich makes the 2nd free throw | 4-11 |
| 15:48 | Northwestern | David Appling hits the front of the rim on the wide open 3 pointer from the right wing | 4-11 |
| 15:46 | Northwestern | The offensive rebound goes to James Carey | 4-11 |
| Lineup | Northwestern | PG - Michael Foster (fresh) SG - David Appling (fresh) SF - James Carey (fresh) 2 reb. PF - Thomas Smith (fresh) C - Peter Hines (fresh) 1 pts. | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - Clarence Maroney (fresh) 1 pts. SG - Sebastian Jackson (fresh) 1 ast. SF - Larry Newell (fresh) PF - John Stich (fresh) 4 pts. C - James Dailey (fresh) 2 pts. | |
| 15:36 | Northwestern | Peter Hines is called for the illegal screen - foul #1 on Peter Hines, team foul #6 | 4-11 |
| Subs | Northwestern | David Smith (PG), Patrick Webber (SG), Joe Zarate (PF), Scott Stemple (C) Michael Foster, David Appling, Thomas Smith, Peter Hines | |
| Subs | Illinois | Ronald Sink (PF) John Stich | |
| 15:10 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson misses short on a jumpshot from the left wing | 4-11 |
| 15:09 | Northwestern | The rebound goes to Joe Zarate | 4-11 |
| 14:53 | Northwestern | James Carey is denied on a layup by James Dailey | 4-11 |
| 14:51 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney pulls down the rebound | 4-11 |
| 14:33 | Illinois | Ronald Sink can't connect on a fadeaway jumper from the free throw line but he's fouled by Joe Zarate - foul #1 on Joe Zarate, team foul #7 | 4-11 |
| Subs | Northwestern | Michael Foster (PG), David Appling (SF), William Carter (PF), Peter Hines (C) David Smith, James Carey, Joe Zarate, Scott Stemple | |
| Subs | Illinois | John Pledger (PG), James Young (SF), John Stich (C) Sebastian Jackson, Larry Newell, James Dailey | |
| 14:33 | Illinois | Ronald Sink misses the 1st free throw | 4-11 |
| 14:33 | Illinois | Ronald Sink makes the 2nd free throw | 4-12 |
| 14:20 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber buries a jumper from the right side set up by Michael Foster | 6-12 |
| 13:55 | Illinois | John Pledger misses the 3pt attempt from the right wing | 6-12 |
| 13:53 | Northwestern | David Appling gets the rebound | 6-12 |
| 13:38 | Northwestern | David Appling makes the wide open 3pt attempt from the right wing on a great pass from Patrick Webber | 9-12 |
| 13:34 | Illinois | John Pledger throws a bad pass out of bounds in the backcourt | 9-12 |
| Subs | Northwestern | David Smith (PG), Scott Stemple (C) Patrick Webber, Peter Hines | |
| Subs | Illinois | Floyd Kent (C) Ronald Sink | |
| 13:19 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple is whistled for a carry | 9-12 |
| Subs | Northwestern | James Carey (SF) David Appling | |
| Subs | Illinois | Larry Newell (SF) Clarence Maroney | |
| 12:51 | Illinois | James Young misses the pull-up jumper from the right side | 9-12 |
| 12:49 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple grabs the defensive rebound | 9-12 |
| 12:31 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple hits the front of the rim on the 3 from the left corner | 9-12 |
| 12:30 | Northwestern | William Carter grabs the offensive rebound | 9-12 |
| 12:15 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple drills a jump hook in the paint on a great pass from David Smith | 11-12 |
| 12:13 | Illinois | James Young is fouled in the backcourt by David Smith - foul #1 on David Smith, team foul #8 | 11-12 |
| Subs | Northwestern | Robert Damron (PG), David Appling (SG), Thomas Smith (PF), Peter Hines (C) David Smith, Michael Foster, William Carter, Scott Stemple | |
| Subs | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson (SG), Ronald Sink (PF), James Dailey (C) Larry Newell, John Stich, Floyd Kent | |
| 12:13 | Illinois | James Young makes the 1st free throw | 11-13 |
| 12:13 | Illinois | James Young misses the 2nd free throw | 11-13 |
| 12:13 | Northwestern | The rebound goes to Peter Hines | 11-13 |
| 11:54 | Northwestern | James Dailey steals the ball from Peter Hines | 11-13 |
| 11:30 | Illinois | Robert Damron takes the ball from Ronald Sink | 11-13 |
| Lineup | Northwestern | PG - Robert Damron (fresh) SG - David Appling (fresh) 3 pts. SF - James Carey (fairly fresh) 2 reb. PF - Thomas Smith (fresh) C - Peter Hines (fresh) 1 pts. 2 reb. | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - John Pledger (fairly fresh) 1 ast. SG - Sebastian Jackson (fresh) 1 ast. SF - James Young (fairly fresh) 1 pts. PF - Ronald Sink (fresh) 3 pts. 2 reb. C - James Dailey (fresh) 2 pts. | |
| 11:21 | Northwestern | James Carey is open but comes up short on the jumper from just outside the lane | 11-13 |
| 11:19 | Northwestern | Peter Hines tips it back up and in | 13-13 |
| 11:00 | Illinois | James Young misses badly on a jumper from the left block | 13-13 |
| 10:59 | Illinois | James Dailey tips it but misses | 13-13 |
| 10:57 | Northwestern | David Appling gets the rebound | 13-13 |
| 10:40 | Northwestern | James Carey is hacked by James Young - foul #2 on James Young, team foul #2 | 13-13 |
| Subs | Northwestern | David Smith (PG), Patrick Webber (SG), Michael Foster (SF), Scott Stemple (C) Robert Damron, David Appling, James Carey, Peter Hines | |
| Subs | Illinois | Larry Newell (SF), John Stich (PF), Floyd Kent (C) James Young, Ronald Sink, James Dailey | |
| 10:28 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple can't connect on a runner near the basket but he's fouled by Floyd Kent - foul #1 on Floyd Kent, team foul #3 | 13-13 |
| Subs | Northwestern | William Carter (PF) Thomas Smith | |
| Subs | Illinois | Clarence Maroney (PG) John Pledger | |
| 10:28 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple makes the 1st free throw | 14-13 |
| 10:28 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple makes the 2nd free throw | 15-13 |
| 10:15 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney's pass is intercepted by David Smith | 15-13 |
| 09:59 | Northwestern | Michael Foster comes up short on the pull-up jumper from the right side but he's hacked by Floyd Kent - foul #2 on Floyd Kent, team foul #4 | 15-13 |
| Subs | Northwestern | | |
| Subs | Illinois | John Pledger (PG), James Dailey (C) Sebastian Jackson, Floyd Kent | |
| 09:59 | Northwestern | Michael Foster makes the 1st free throw | 16-13 |
| 09:59 | Northwestern | Michael Foster makes the 2nd free throw | 17-13 |
| 09:42 | Illinois | The pull-up jumper by John Pledger is blocked by Scott Stemple | 17-13 |
| 09:41 | Illinois | John Stich tips it back up and in | 17-15 |
| 09:31 | Northwestern | Clarence Maroney takes the ball from Patrick Webber | 17-15 |
| 09:28 | Illinois | John Stich misses the easy layup | 17-15 |
| 09:26 | Northwestern | William Carter pulls down the rebound | 17-15 |
| 09:10 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber clanks a floater from the right wing | 17-15 |
| 09:09 | Illinois | James Dailey pulls down the rebound | 17-15 |
| 09:04 | Illinois | David Smith steps in front of the Larry Newell pass in the backcourt | 17-15 |
| 08:52 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple misses badly on a fadeaway near the basket | 17-15 |
| 08:51 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney grabs the defensive rebound | 17-15 |
| 08:44 | Illinois | John Pledger travels in the backcourt | 17-15 |
| Subs | Northwestern | Robert Damron (PG), David Appling (SG), James Carey (SF), Thomas Smith (PF), Peter Hines (C) David Smith, Patrick Webber, Michael Foster, William Carter, Scott Stemple | |
| Subs | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson (SG), Ronald Sink (PF) Clarence Maroney, John Stich | |
| 08:29 | Northwestern | James Carey hits the front of the rim on the jump hook near the basket | 17-15 |
| 08:27 | Illinois | Larry Newell snags the defensive board | 17-15 |
| 08:23 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson connects on the driving attempt from the right block on a great pass from Larry Newell | 17-17 |
| 08:06 | Northwestern | Peter Hines splits the doubleteam and buries a shot from close range on a nice dish by James Carey | 19-17 |
| 08:04 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson is fouled in the backcourt by David Appling - foul #2 on David Appling, team foul #9 | 19-17 |
| Subs | Northwestern | Patrick Webber (SG) David Appling | |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| 08:04 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson makes the 1st free throw | 19-18 |
| 08:04 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson misses the 2nd free throw | 19-18 |
| 08:04 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber snags the defensive board | 19-18 |
| 07:48 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber hits the front of the rim on the wide open 3pt attempt from the left corner | 19-18 |
| 07:47 | Illinois | Ronald Sink snags the defensive board | 19-18 |
| 07:26 | Illinois | Ronald Sink is open and lays it up and in on a great pass from Sebastian Jackson and the foul's on Patrick Webber - foul #2 on Patrick Webber, team foul #10 | 19-20 |
| Subs | Northwestern | David Smith (PG), Michael Foster (SG) Patrick Webber, James Carey | |
| Subs | Illinois | Clarence Maroney (SG), John Stich (C) Sebastian Jackson, James Dailey | |
| 07:26 | Illinois | Ronald Sink makes the free throw | 19-21 |
| Lineup | Northwestern | PG - David Smith (fresh) 1 ast. 2 stl. SG - Michael Foster (fresh) 2 pts. 1 ast. SF - Robert Damron (fresh) PF - Thomas Smith (fresh) C - Peter Hines (fresh) 5 pts. 3 reb. | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - John Pledger (tiring) 1 ast. SG - Clarence Maroney (fresh) 1 pts. SF - Larry Newell (fairly fresh) 2 reb. PF - Ronald Sink (fresh) 6 pts. 3 reb. C - John Stich (fresh) 6 pts. 2 reb. | |
| 07:06 | Northwestern | Michael Foster comes up short on the 3pt shot from the left wing | 19-21 |
| 07:04 | Illinois | John Stich grabs the defensive rebound | 19-21 |
| 06:48 | Illinois | Ronald Sink drills a floater in the paint set up by Larry Newell | 19-23 |
| 06:26 | Northwestern | Peter Hines evades the doubleteam and hits a floater near the basket on a great pass from David Smith | 21-23 |
| 05:59 | Illinois | John Pledger drills a jumper from the free throw line set up by Clarence Maroney | 21-25 |
| 05:48 | Northwestern | Michael Foster misses the wide open fadeaway jumper from the left side | 21-25 |
| 05:46 | Illinois | John Pledger pulls down the rebound | 21-25 |
| 05:21 | Illinois | Ronald Sink hits a wide open fadeaway from the right block on a great pass from John Stich | 21-27 |
| 05:06 | Northwestern | Peter Hines clanks a jumper in the paint | 21-27 |
| 05:04 | Illinois | Ronald Sink grabs the board | 21-27 |
| 05:02 | Illinois | Peter Hines is called for the reach on Clarence Maroney in the backcourt - foul #2 on Peter Hines, team foul #11 | 21-27 |
| Subs | Northwestern | James Carey (SF), William Carter (PF), Scott Stemple (C) Robert Damron, Thomas Smith, Peter Hines | |
| Subs | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson (SG), James Young (SF), Floyd Kent (C) John Pledger, Larry Newell, John Stich | |
| 05:02 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney makes the 1st free throw | 21-28 |
| 05:02 | Illinois | Clarence Maroney makes the 2nd free throw | 21-29 |
| 04:53 | Northwestern | William Carter throws a bad pass out of bounds | 21-29 |
| 04:24 | Illinois | James Young knocks in the turnaround from the left block and the foul's on James Carey - foul #1 on James Carey, team foul #12 | 21-31 |
| 04:24 | Illinois | James Young misses the free throw | 21-31 |
| 04:24 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple gets the rebound | 21-31 |
| 04:16 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple scores on a runner in the paint set up by Michael Foster | 23-31 |
| 03:58 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson is hacked by David Smith - foul #2 on David Smith, team foul #13 | 23-31 |
| Subs | Northwestern | David Appling (PG), Patrick Webber (SG) David Smith, Michael Foster | |
| Subs | Illinois | John Pledger (PG) Clarence Maroney | |
| 03:58 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson makes the 1st free throw | 23-32 |
| 03:58 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson misses the 2nd free throw | 23-32 |
| 03:58 | Northwestern | William Carter gets the rebound | 23-32 |
| 03:49 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber hits the front of the rim on the 3pt jumper from the left corner | 23-32 |
| 03:47 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple tips it home | 25-32 |
| 03:19 | Illinois | James Young buries a pull-up jumper from the free throw line | 25-34 |
| Lineup | Northwestern | PG - David Appling (fresh) 3 pts. SG - Patrick Webber (fresh) 5 pts. 1 ast. SF - James Carey (fresh) 2 reb. PF - William Carter (fairly fresh) 3 reb. C - Scott Stemple (fairly fresh) 8 pts. 4 reb. | |
| Lineup | Illinois | PG - John Pledger (tiring) 2 pts. 1 ast. SG - Sebastian Jackson (fresh) 4 pts. 2 ast. SF - James Young (fresh) 5 pts. PF - Ronald Sink (tiring) 10 pts. 4 reb. C - Floyd Kent (fresh) 2 pts. | |
| 03:08 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber misses short on a shot from the right side | 25-34 |
| 03:07 | Northwestern | The offensive rebound goes to David Appling | 25-34 |
| 03:02 | Northwestern | James Carey makes the turnaround in the paint on a nice dish by David Appling | 27-34 |
| 02:42 | Illinois | David Appling steals the ball from Ronald Sink | 27-34 |
| 02:29 | Northwestern | Scott Stemple connects on the driving attempt in the lane | 29-34 |
| 02:11 | Illinois | James Young is fouled on the floor by James Carey - foul #2 on James Carey, team foul #14 | 29-34 |
| Subs | Northwestern | David Smith (PG), Thomas Smith (PF), Joe Zarate (C) David Appling, William Carter, Scott Stemple | |
| Subs | Illinois | Clarence Maroney (PG), John Stich (PF), James Dailey (C) John Pledger, Ronald Sink, Floyd Kent | |
| 02:11 | Illinois | James Young misses the 1st free throw | 29-34 |
| 02:11 | Illinois | James Young makes the 2nd free throw | 29-35 |
| 01:56 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber double dribbles | 29-35 |
| Subs | Northwestern | Peter Hines (C) Joe Zarate | |
| Subs | Illinois | | |
| 01:53 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson is hacked by Thomas Smith in the backcourt - foul #2 on Thomas Smith, team foul #15 | 29-35 |
| 01:53 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson makes the 1st free throw | 29-36 |
| 01:53 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson makes the 2nd free throw | 29-37 |
| 01:43 | Northwestern | Peter Hines misses the easy layup | 29-37 |
| 01:42 | Northwestern | The offensive rebound goes to Peter Hines | 29-37 |
| 01:24 | Northwestern | Patrick Webber is open and buries a pull-up jumper from just outside the lane on a great pass from Peter Hines out of a doubleteam | 31-37 |
| 01:02 | Illinois | Sebastian Jackson is by himself and knocks in the floater from the right side on a great pass from Clarence Maroney | 31-39 |
| 00:42 | Northwestern | James Carey throws a bad pass out of bounds | 31-39 |
| Subs | Northwestern | Michael Foster (PG), David Appling (SG), Robert Damron (SF), Joe Zarate (PF), Scott Stemple (C) David Smith, Patrick Webber, James Carey, Thomas Smith, Peter Hines | |
| Subs | Illinois | John Pledger (PG) Sebastian Jackson | |
| 00:18 | Illinois | John Stich lays it in | 31-41 |
| 00:04 | Northwestern | John Pledger picks off the pass by Michael Foster | 31-41 |
| 00:00 | Illinois | John Pledger drills a halfcourt shot | 31-44 |