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Illinois Basketball: Illini McDonald’s All-American History

By Rees Woodcock

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Mar 23, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; A general view of official NCAA Tournament basketballs prior to the game between the Louisville Cardinals against the South Florida Bulls in the second round of the women
Mar 23, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; A general view of official NCAA Tournament basketballs prior to the game between the Louisville Cardinals against the South Florida Bulls in the second round of the women /

Next: 1982: Efrem Winters

The end of the Harper era was coming but the final season he was with the program Illinois also brought in another McDonald’s All-American.

Guard Bruce Douglas held this great honor in 1982 and joined the Illini that season.  He was Illinois’ second big time recruiting in the last three years.

In the first season that Douglas was with the team they flourished.  Illinois ended up making the tournament and losing in the first round, but it was the beginning of some great things to come.

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Douglas put up 9.4 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and led the team in assists with 5.9 APG that year.

The following season he helped lead the Illini back the tournament once again and this time they made a run to the Elite 8.  Illinois fell just short to No. 1 seed Kentucky that year 54-51.

Douglas continued to improve on this great career with the Illini that year.  He managed to put up 13.1 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 5.4 APG.

In Douglas’ junior year the Illini ended up getting back to the Sweet 16 but then fell to Georgia Tech.  Douglas didn’t have the type of season he had the last couple of years though.

Douglas finished that year averaging 8.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 5.75 APG.  His production decreased but I think that had a lot do with the amount of talent that was being brought into the program.

The final year for Douglas in an Illini uniform was a little down.  Illinois lost in the second round to Alabama and he only averaged 8.8 PPG, 2.8 RPG and 6.2 APG.

While the ending to Douglas’ career wasn’t exactly how most wanted it to be, he still had a great run with the Illini.  He will go down as one of the best.

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