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

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.