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Let's Look Back at the Last Time UCF Faced Illinois State in Hoops

B.J. Taylor's Finest Hour

Junior point guard B.J. Taylor hasn't played since Nov. 10. Will he make his return Tuesday versus the No. 12 Cincinnati Bearcats? (Photo: Derek Warden)
Junior point guard B.J. Taylor hasn't played since Nov. 10. Will he make his return Tuesday versus the No. 12 Cincinnati Bearcats? (Photo: Derek Warden)

UCF and Illinois State have agreed to a home-and-home for men's basketball, starting this year at CFE Arena on December 21st, and returning the favor in the 2019-2020 season in Normal, Illinois, outside of Chicago.

This gives us a chance to revel in the last time these two met up in Illinois in the 2017 NIT, when the Redbirds carried their #1 seed and a 22-game home winning streak into their first-ever meeting with the Knights.

Let's pick it up with 11.5 seconds left and UCF up one:

B.J. Taylor recovered from a late reach-in call (and all-time classic reaction) to force the issue, draw a foul, and nail two of the biggest free-throws in recent UCF Basketball history.

It had been a while since UCF played a game of that magnitude (Yes, I know it's the NIT) and won it on the road - probably since the A-Sun days. But a big moment it was, and it led to the greatest home moment in UCF hoops history - the win over Illinois.

Illinois State finished that year 28-7, winning a share of the MVC regular season title. Last year they came back to earth a bit at 18-14, 3rd in the MVC.