Illinois and Arizona are more alike than you think heading into the Final Four
The first two teams in both look awfully good heading to Indianapolis.
Illinois and Arizona are more alike than you think heading into the Final Four originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Illinois and Arizona did not take the same road to get here.
They do not play the same style, they were not built the same way, and they carry very different identities on the floor. But standing in the Final Four, those differences start to fade. Because both teams did not just arrive here.
They earned it. They imposed their will on every opponent in front of them, and now two programs that have been waiting for this moment for decades are suddenly sharing the same stage at the same time. For Illinois, this has been a 21 year climb.
The last Final Four appearance came in 2005, and every season since has been chasing that standard. This team finally broke through by embracing toughness and physical play. Even when shots are not falling, they stay connected, they rebound, and they wear teams down until something gives.
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