Sixty-two years ago on Saturday — March 15, 1963 — trailing by double figures to a Bowling Green team featuring two future NBA stars, Illinois used a massive effort off the bench from sophomore Skip Thoren and a crucial mistake by Bowling Green in the final two seconds to win its opening-round NCAA tournament game in East Lansing, Mich.
Thanks to 18-first-half points from all-star guard Howard Komives, the Mid-American Conference champions raced away to an early 11-point lead. That’s when Illini coach Harry Combes called the 19-year-old, 6-foot-8 Thoren into the game. Teaming him up with big man Bill Burwell to form a double post offense turned out to be a brilliant strategy. That took the play away from Bowling Green’s 6-11 center Nate Thurmond, who was held well below his 20 points per game average.
In the final 30 seconds, with Illinois stalling to protect a one-point lead, the Falcons were forced to foul Bill Small. He made both free throws, expanding the Illini lead to three points. A Bowling Green field goal moments later once again narrowed the margin to one. With 10 seconds left, the Falcons got the ball back after forcing an Illinois turnover, but after the Illini applied a full-court press and forced a 70-foot desperation pass, the Bowling Green receiver stepped out of bounds. Small made a pair of free throws in the last second to make the final score, Illinois 70, Bowling Green 67.
Other memorable Illini moments that have happened on March 15:
— March 15, 1924: Illini pole vaulter Dean Brownell set a world record at the Big Ten meet with a leap of 13 feet, 5/8 inches. Illinois doubled up Michigan for the conference team title, 38 1/3 points to 19.
— March 15, 1930: Individual championships by Joe Sapora (115 pounds), Lou Bauerle (135) and Lloyd Burdick (heavyweight) led Illinois to the Big Ten wrestling team title.
— March 15, 1966: University of Illinois graduate and Harlem Globetrotters’ founder Abe Saperstein died at age 63.
— March 15, 1985: Ken Norman scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead Illinois past Northeastern, 76-57, in NCAA tournament first-round play in Atlanta.
— March 15, 2003: The 13th-ranked Illinois men’s basketball withstood a late charge by Indiana to win 73-72 in the semifinals of the Big Ten tournament at Chicago’s United Center. Brian Cook’s two free throws for the Illini with just 5.2 seconds left were the difference.
— March 15, 2008: Illini men's basketball defeated Minnesota for a 20th consecutive time, beating the Gophers, 54-50, in the Big Ten tournament semifinals. Shaun Pruitt paced Illinois with 16 points.
— March 15, 2022 – Illini junior center Kofi Cockburn was selected as a first-team All-American by the Associated Press. The balance of the first teamers were Ochai Agbaji (Kansas), Johnny Davis (Wisconsin), Keegan Murray (Iowa) and Oscar Tshiebwe (Kentucky).
— March 15, 2023: Illini women's track and field miler Olivia Howell was named the Big Ten Indoor Track Athlete of the Year.
— March 15, 2024: Illinois scored the final six points of the game to secure a come-from-behind 77-74 victory against Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. Terrence Shannon Jr. tallied a game-high 28 points.
ILLINI BIRTHDAYS
Saturday: Ted Karras, football (32)
Sunday: Dere Hicks, football (38)
Monday: Remeny Perez, softball
Tuesday: Kip Pope, swimming & diving (78)
Wednesday: Eva Choe, tennis
Thursday: Mark Coomes, basketball coach (73)
Friday: Forry Wells, football and baseball (54)
By Mike Pearson, author of Illinois Legends, Lists & Lore (Third Edition available online). Get more Illini birthdays, trivia and historical tidbits daily on X at IlliniLegends and on Facebook at SportsLegendsListsLore. His websites are www.SportsLLL.com and www.IlliniPosters.com .