Team preview: Illinois

Blue Ribbon Illustrated previews the 2003-04 college basketball season, exclusively on Insider.

Updated: November 8, 2003, 2:41 PM ET
Blue Ribbon Yearbook
Editor's Note: Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, long known as the Bible of college basketball, to provide a comprehensive look at all 327 Division I teams.

COACH AND PROGRAM
How did North Carolina's struggles and Marquette's success lead to a Southern Illinois coach moving upstate to take over one of the highest-profile head coaching jobs in the country? Sit back. It's quite a tale.

The dominos began to fall at the Final Four last April when North Carolina relieved head coach Matt Doherty of his duties. Kansas' Roy Williams, a former Tar Heel fresh off a run to the NCAA Tournament title game, took the UNC job, leaving a vacancy in Lawrence that was just too tempting for Illini coach Bill Self to ignore.


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