1999–2000 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team

American college basketball season March 2026 August 2023 Basketball 1999–2000 Illinois Fighting Illini Fighting Illini logo.svg 175px Big Ten Conference Big Ten 21 22–10 11–5 Lon Kruger Robert McCullum Rob Judson Steve Henson 4th 4th 4th 3rd Victor Chukwudebe Cory Bradford Assembly Hall NCAA tournament second round The 1999–2000 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team represented the University of Illinois. Regular season In 2000, for the third time in four seasons, Illinois advanced to the NCAA tournament, this time as a #4 seed. After defeating Penn in the opening round, the Illini season ended with a defeat to eventual national runner-up Florida. The Fighting Illini spent much of the season ranked in the Top 25, climbing as high as No. 15 in late December. An early three-game losing streak in Big Ten play put the Illini in a hole to start league play at 1–3. But, Illinois went on to win 10 of the last 12 league games before finishing second in the Big Ten tournament. During the February 19th game vs. Northwestern, the Illini would set an NCAA record fewest points allowed in the first half of a game by giving up only 6 points.NCAA Division I record book pg. 5 Cory Bradford earned second-team All-Big Ten honors after leading Illinois in scoring and the Big Ten in three-point field goals. Forward Brian Cook was named Co-Freshman of the Year in the conference and earned All-Tournament honors with strong play in the Big Ten tournament. Roster 1999 Illinois Fighting Illini y yes Victor Chukwudebe 00 F 6 7 230 SR Springfield, Illinois Lanphier High School n C Gareth Breunlin 3 G 6 0 180 FR yes La Grange, Illinois Lyons Township High School n Nate Mast 5 G 5 11 160 JR Champaign, Illinois Champaign Central High School n Joe Cross 12 G 6 2 205 JR Carbondale, Illinois Carbondale Community High School n Cory Bradford 13 G 6 3 200 SO Yes Memphis, Tennessee Raleigh Egypt High School y Robert Archibald 21 F/C 6 11 230 SO Ballwin, Missouri Lafayette High School y Lucas Johnson 22 F 6 8 215 SO Des Plaines, Illinois Maine West High School n Sean Harrington 24 G 6 3 185 FR Bartlett, Illinois Elgin High School n Jerrance Howard 25 G 6 1 180 FR yes Peoria, Illinois Peoria High School y Frank Williams 30 G 6 3 200 FR yes Peoria, Illinois Manual High School y Frank Williams (basketball) Cleotis Brown 32 F 6 5 220 SR Pittsview, Alabama Russell County High School n Damir Krupalija 33 F 6 9 215 SO Rockford, Illinois Rockford Boylan High School y Brian Cook 34 F 6 10 220 FR Lincoln, Illinois Lincoln Community High School y Brian Cook (basketball) Sergio McClain 40 F 6 4 220 JR Peoria, Illinois Manual High School y Clayton Thomas 42 F 6 6 210 FR Elgin, Illinois Larkin High School n W Marcus Griffin 52 F 6 9 235 JR Peoria, Illinois Manual High School/Lincoln College n Lon Kruger (Kansas State) (4th year) Rob Judson (University of Illinois) (4th year) Robert McCullum (Seminole State) (4th year) Steve Henson (Kansas State) (3rd year) https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/1999-00 Schedule SourceUniversity of Illinois Fighting Illini Statistics Summary for 1999-2000 https://web.archive.org/web/20140222013700/http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/m-baskbl/records/year-1999.html 2014-02-22 , FightingIllini.com yes yes |- !colspan=12 style="background:#DF4E38; color:white;"| Non-Conference regular season 11/19/1999 ESPN+ 17 yes 1999 Western Illinois Leathernecks Western Illinois Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 76–53 14,421 1–0 11/22/1999 MVCN 15 yes yes 1999 Bradley Braves Bradley Carver Arena Peoria, IL 72–62 11,430 2–0 11/30/1999 ESPN 16 yes yes 17 Duke United Center Chicago, IL Big Ten-ACC Challenge 69–72 20,143 2–1 12/4/1999 MASN 16 yes yes Maryland Verizon Center Washington, D.C. BB&T Classic Basketball Tournament 67–69 13,536 2–2 12/5/1999 16 yes yes Seton Hall Verizon Center Washington, D.C. BB&T Classic Basketball Tournament 72–61 13,703 3–2 12/8/1999 yes 1999 Texas–Pan American Broncs Texas-Pan American Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 98–61 11,705 4–2 12/11/1999 ESPN2 22 yes 1999 Kansas State Wildcats Kansas State Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 81–48 14,022 5–2 12/18/1999 ESPN 20 yes yes 8 Kansas United Center Chicago, IL 84–70 16,714 6–2 12/21/1999 ESPN+ 15 yes yes Missouri Scottrade Center St. Louis, MO Braggin' Rights 72–78 22,484 6–3 12/28/1999 20 yes 1999 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats Bethune-Cookman Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 97–47 12,070 7–3 12/30/1999 20 yes 1999 Loyola Ramblers Loyola (Chicago) Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 107–71 12,462 8–3 |- !colspan=9 style="background:#DF4E38; color:#FFFFFF;"|Big Ten regular season 1/6/2000 ESPN 19 13 Ohio State Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 80–77 13,756 9–3 1–0 1/8/2000 Raycom 19 yes Wisconsin Kohl Center Madison, WI 59–63 17,142 9–4 1–1 1/12/2000 ESPN2 22 Purdue Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 66–69 15,473 9–5 1–2 1/16/2000 CBS 22 yes Michigan Crisler Arena Ann Arbor, MI 91–95 ot 11,367 9–6 1–3 1/22/2000 ESPN+ 1999 Penn State Nittany Lions Penn State Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 87–76 16,038 10–6 2–3 1/26/2000 ESPN+ yes Iowa Carver–Hawkeye Arena Iowa City, IA Rivalry 69–58 15,500 11–6 3–3 1/30/2000 CBS yes 9 Michigan State Breslin Student Events Center East Lansing, MI 66–91 14,659 11–7 3–4 2/2/2000 ESPN+ 1999 Minnesota Golden Gophers Minnesota Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 73–59 12,977 12–7 4–4 2/6/2000 ESPN+ yes Penn State Bryce Jordan Center University Park, PA 51–50 13,001 13–7 5–4 2/9/2000 Michigan Assembly Hall Champaign, IL 75–59 15,539 14–7 6–4 2/12/2000 IowaSports Iowa Assembly Hall Champaign, IL Rivalry 78–50 16,450 15–7 7–4 2/17/2000 ESPN yes Minnesota Williams Arena Minneapolis, MN 89–80 13,795 16–7 8–4 2/19/2000 ESPN+ yes 1999 Northwestern Wildcats Northwestern Welsh-Ryan Arena Evanston, IL Rivalry 63–30 8,117 17–7 9–4 2/22/2000 ESPN 16 Indiana Assembly Hall Champaign, IL Rivalry 87–63 16,450 18–7 10–4 2/27/2000 4:00 pm CBS yes 6 Ohio State Value City Arena Columbus, OH 51–64 19,100 18–8 10–5 3/4/2000 ESPN+ 25 Northwestern Assembly Hall Champaign, IL Rivalry 73–44 16,450 19–8 11–5 |- !colspan=9 style="text-align: center; background:#DF4E38"|Big Ten tournament 3/10/2000 ESPN2 21 yes 13 5 4 Indiana United Center Chicago, IL Quarterfinals 72–69 21,141 20–8 3/11/2000 2:30 pm CBS 21 yes 9 4 Penn State United Center Chicago, IL Semifinals 94–84 22,011 21–8 3/12/2000 4:00 pm CBS 21 yes 5 2 4 Michigan State United Center Chicago, IL Championship 61–76 19,663 21–9 |- !colspan=9 style="text-align: center; background:#DF4E38"|NCAA tournament 3/17/2000 CBS 21 4E 13E yes Penn Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum Winston-Salem, NC First Round 68–58 14,252 22–9 3/19/2000 CBS yes 21 4E 5E Florida Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum Winston-Salem, NC Second Round 76–93 14,252 22–10 |- Central Time Player stats PlayerGames Played2 pt. Field Goals3 pt. Field GoalsFree ThrowsReboundsAssistsBlocksStealsPointsCory Bradfordhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 326096828063131490Frank Williamshttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 32834270135204116366Marcus Griffinhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 27110070135204116290Brian Cookhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 321001251143242822287Cleotis Brownhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 3260214011333424223Sergio McClainhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 296745110971553197Lucas Johnsonhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 3221296710662725196Damir Krupalijahttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 273851611228620107Robert Archibaldhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 30350319715712101Sean Harringtonhttp://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf Season Stats pg. 125 2011-03-18 2011-07-08 https://web.archive.org/web/20110708212650/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2009-10_Guide05.pdf dead 306202015291992Victor Chukwedebe 23180154579351Nate Mast 212188161615Joe Cross 1031030029 NCAA basketball tournament East regional Illinois 68, Pennsylvania 58 Florida 93, Illinois 76 2000 NCAA Tournament Awards and honors Frank Williams Fighting Illini All-Century team (2005) Brian Cook Big Ten Freshman of the Year Fighting Illini All-Century team (2005) Cory Bradford Team Most Valuable Player http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/05_mbb_guide_06.pdf List of MVPs 2013-01-15 2014-10-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20141030004049/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ill/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/05_mbb_guide_06.pdf dead Rankings 1999–2000 NCAA Division I men's basketball rankings References Illinois Fighting Illini Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball seasons Illinois Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team