Illinois claims less glamorous rematch

~ Poplar Bluff graduate Tyler Hansbrough led the Tar Heels with 17 points.

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- It wasn't for the national title, and neither roster looked all that familiar. Still, Illinois got a measure of revenge.

Dee Brown scored 14 points and Brian Randle got a key rebound in the waning seconds, helping the 12th-ranked Illini hold off North Carolina 68-64 Tuesday night in a rematch of last season's NCAA championship game.

James Augustine added 13 points and 13 rebounds for Illinois (6-0), which improved to 3-4 in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Illini also snapped the Tar Heels' 21-game home winning streak despite scoring only four points in the final 6 1/2 minutes.

Tyler Hansbrough led North Carolina with 17 points, and fellow freshman Marcus Ginyard had 14.

No one expected a true rematch of the final because only seven remaining players on the two teams even played in that game, won 75-70 by the Tar Heels. But this one had all the drama of a matchup in March, thanks to a furious rally led by a bunch of North Carolina freshmen.

The quartet of Hansbrough, Ginyard, Bobby Frasor and Danny Green scored all 29 points in the second half, including six clutch free throws from Hansbrough and 3-pointers by Frasor and Ginyard down the stretch.

That came during a 12-0 run to make it 64-62, and after the teams traded baskets, Illinois freshman Jamar Smith missed the front end of a one-and-one with 17 seconds left. But Randle beat everyone to the rebound and quickly got the ball to Brown, who made two free throws to finally seal the victory.

Illinois took the lead for good on Randle's 3-pointer to open the second half, and Illinois stayed in control, leading by as many as 14 points, until suddenly losing its shooting touch.