SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Shauna Green has said it herself: No one expected Illinois — winners of 7 games last season — to qualify for the NCAA Tournament in her first year in Champaign.
But the Illini did.
In its first tournament appearance since 2003, Illinois failed to keep up with No. 11 Mississippi State in a __ loss Wednesday night in the First Four in South Bend. Illinois is the first team eliminated from this year’s 68-team field.
After many believed they were unfairly relegated to a play-in game, Illinois demonstrated in the first half that it deserved to be part of the tournament.