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Illinois rips through UW-Milwaukee

Arizona's Salim Stoudamire puts up the game-winning shot in the final seconds to beat Oklahoma State 79-78 in their Chicago Regional semifinal game during the NCAA tournament at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois on Thursday. Defending are Oklahoma State's Terrence Crawford, left, and Daniel Bobik. PHOTO: AP

Deron Williams and Dee Brown gave upstart University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee all it could handle and then some Thursday, combining for 42 points, 10 assists and some nasty defense to lead Illinois to a 77-63 victory and a spot in the Chicago Regional finals.

Williams had 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting and eight assists. Brown scored 15 of his 21 from 3-point range, and had two assists and two steals. Roger Powell Jr. and Luther Head added 12 each, and James Augustine finished with 11.

The top-seeded Illini (35-1) will play Arizona on Saturday for a chance to go to their first Final Four since 1989.

Joah Tucker led UW-Milwaukee (26-6) with a career-high 32 points, but he was essentially a one-man offense. UW-Milwaukee shot 39 percent, and leading scorer Ed McCants was 4-of-17 overall for 13 points. Illinois forced the 12th-seeded Panthers into 12 turnovers while committing only nine.

The victory was some payback for Illinois fans, who still harbor a grudge against UW-Milwaukee coach Bruce Pearl for the role he played in a recruiting scandal some 15 years ago. Pearl gave the NCAA a tape of a secretly recorded phone call in 1989, touching off a 16-month investigation. Illinois was cleared of the most serious violations, but had to skip the 1991 postseason.

Arizona 79, Oklahoma State 78

At Rosemont, Illinois, Salim Stoudamire hit an off-balance jumper from the left side with 2.8 seconds left, sending Arizona within one win of the Final Four.

When John Lucas' last-ditch attempt went off the rim at the buzzer, the Wildcats had another memorable victory under coach Lute Olson. Arizona (30-6) will meet top-seeded Illinois on Saturday for a trip to St. Louis.

Joey Graham, who led Oklahoma State (26-7) with 26 points, drove to the middle, lowered his shoulder and dropped in a short shot from the lane to give OSU a 78-77 lead with 18.8 seconds left.

After a timeout, Stoudamire waved his hand to clear out the floor and then maneuvered past Daniel Bobik and popped in a jumper from the left side, putting the Wildcats up 79-78 with 2.8 seconds left.

Stoudamire and Hassan Adams finished with 19 points each.

Louisville 93, Washington 79

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Francisco Garcia went on a shooting tear, leading Rick Pitino and underrated, fourth-seeded Louisville into the regional finals.

This was billed as a matchup between Washington (29-5), the team trying to prove it really did deserve a top seed, and Louisville (32-4), the team that couldn't believe it was only a No. 4.

Garcia finished with 23 points -- including three 3-pointers during a 14-0 run in the second half -- to help the Cardinals end the debate and move on to Saturday's regional final against West Virginia.

West Virginia 65, Texas Tech 60

In Albuquerque, New Mexico, Kevin Pittsnogle and his unheralded teammates spoiled Bobby Knight's return to the round of 16, beating Texas Tech to move within one win of a surprising trip to the Final Four

Pittsnogle scored 22 points, including a pair of clutch free throws with 17.2 seconds left to send the seventh-seeded Mountaineers (24-10) to Saturday's regional final against Rick Pitino's fourth-seeded Louisville Cardinals (32-4).

The Mountaineers led 62-55 with 3:54 left after Pittsnogle hit a pair of free throws, then held on despite not scoring a field goal the rest of the game.

West Virginia, a former bubble team and No. 8 seed in the Big East tournament, added another dramatic win to its best run in the NCAA tournament since 1959, when Jerry West and the Mountaineers lost in the national title game.

Pittsnogle carried the Mountaineers down the stretch. His 3-pointer with 6:10 left put West Virginia ahead to stay at 56-53.
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