The dream that was Illinois’ season died amid the dust of Texas.

Confronted with a powerful Miami team, the Illini eventually succumbed, falling 63-59 in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

I’ve never been a believer in moral victories. In my experience, coming close to winning just makes the pain of losing worse.

But that was not the case following the end of Illinois’ run Sunday night. The Illini went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the country, a team that outmatched them in size, athleticism and talent, and didn’t give an inch. Entering the game a healthy underdog, Illinois hung tough for a half, managing to stay close thanks to a combination of solid defense and timely shot-making by Tyler Griffey. Still, it felt like the Illini were hanging on for dear life as the giant that was Miami attempted to shake them off its back.

In the second half, though, that dynamic changed. Somehow, Illinois seized control. Despite the Hurricanes employing the services of one of the nation’s best point guards in Shane Larkin, it was the Illini who were dictating the tempo. It was Miami head coach Jim Larranaga, not John Groce, who was forced to alter his game plan, going small and playing his stretch forward Kenny Kadji as the lone big man for vast stretches of the second half. It was Brandon Paul and Tracy Abrams throwing down thunderous dunks and rousing the crowd.

It was incredible. For a wondrous 20-minute stretch, it was Illinois that felt like the powerful No. 2 seed and Miami the No. 7 seed, struggling to hang on.

That all came crashing down with a minute remaining, when Larkin buried a step-back 3-pointer that was a nearly indefensible shot. The following controversial play will be infamous for years in the memories of Illinois fans. D.J. Richardson’s three from the right wing came up short and the ball was knocked out of bounds. The referees awarded Miami the ball despite it appearing to have glanced off Kadji’s hand last. Replays confirmed it should have been the Illini’s ball out of bounds with 43 seconds left, but under NCAA rules, the officials were unable to review the call. Miami sunk six free throws in the ensuing seconds and Illinois was unable to mount a comeback. 

For the first time I can remember, though, a season-ending loss didn’t really feel like a loss. Despite shooting just 7-of-27 (25.9 percent) from behind the arc, the Illini dominated the glass and played what Larranaga said was the best defense the Hurricanes had faced all year. They left it all on the court.

Even though it ended in defeat, that effort forever changed how we will look at the careers of Paul, Richardson and Griffey. For a much-maligned senior class that has had more highs and lows than any I can remember, that has had its effort questioned, its mental makeup and investment brought into doubt, that type of effort was all anyone could ask for or expect.

Perhaps it’s fitting that Illinois’ season ended in Texas, the setting for one of my favorite sports movies, “Friday Night Lights” (spoiler alert if you haven’t seen it. Go watch it now; it’s awesome. Then cry yourself to sleep as you listen to the soundtrack). In the movie’s final scene, after the Permian Panthers fall one yard short of winning the Texas state championship and the players return to clean out their lockers one last time, Panthers quarterback Mike Winchell spots a group of kids playing football in a field outside Permian’s stadium. Winchell calls to them and lofts a football their way. Go watch it. The meaning is clear: He’s passing on his love for the game to the next generation, and as he does, his sorrow from the championship defeat melts away (Winchell doesn’t have a lot to feel sorry about now. Last I heard, he’s street racing and learning how to drift with Bow Wow in Tokyo. You had to know I was going to work a “Fast and Furious” reference in here. It was a sign when “2 Fast 2 Furious” was playing on TNT in the media room after the Illinois-Miami game).

Like Winchell, the departing Illini seniors should feel good about the end of their season and what they’ve left behind them. They went from a team picked to finish ninth in the Big Ten to coming inches away from a Sweet 16 appearance. They bought into Groce’s system at a high level and laid the groundwork for the continued return of the Illinois program to excellence, for which Groce said he would forever be grateful.

As Paul, Richardson, Griffey and McLaurin clean out their lockers, they can do so knowing Illinois is in as good a place as it has been in years. Groce has proven he can win even when the cupboard’s not fully stocked, and he has shown in less than a year on the job that he can compete with other elite programs to bring in the top-level talent (his first recruiting class is ranked No. 17 by ESPN, and class of 2014 No. 1 recruit Jahlil Okafor, who Groce is recruiting, tweeted, “Lets go Illinois! Groce got them boys ready” during the Miami game).

This particular Illinois team’s dream may have prematurely ended, but it built the foundations to fulfill the dreams for the future teams to come.

Daniel is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him @danielmillermc.