FIGHT SCENES

​​In 2005, I negotiated an all-access pass with the University of Illinois basketball team as the Fighting Illini tried to run the table undefeated and win the national title. They didn't quite make it, ultimately losing to North Carolina in the championship game, but Deron Williams and Co. provided many magical moments along the way. And for a home-and-road stretch, we got an inside look—at practice, in meetings, on the team plane, even sitting on the bench during a game.