on the SIDELINES

Men's tennis falls to No. 1 Illinois\nIU entered its match Friday against top-ranked Illinois, hoping for the biggest upset in team history. Unfortunately the Hoosiers were unable to pull off the upset and dropped the match to the Fighting Illini 4-0.\nAlthough the Hoosiers lost, interim coach Matt Pledger was pleased with his team's effort.\n"The match was really not that different from the one in Bloomington," Pledger said. "The conditions were difficult because it was absolutely freezing. We didn't play particularly well, but the guys played tough and gritty. Illinois is a great team, and we just were not tough enough to beat them." \nLast weekend the Hoosiers faced Illinois and were extremely close to winning the doubles point. But this weekend the Hoosiers started off slow as Illinois was able to win the doubles point easily with 8-1 wins at both No. 2 and No. 3 doubles. \nThe Hoosiers weren't able to do much better in singles as they lost in No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 singles. All of the losses were in straight sets. \nThe Hoosiers will now cross their fingers and wait until Wednesday when the NCAA Selection Committee comes out with their brackets for the NCAA Tournament. The Hoosiers have made the tournament in three of the last four years. \nMillwood pitches 1-0 no-hit win\nPHILADELPHIA -- Often overlooked and considered expendable in Atlanta, Kevin Millwood at last outdid his former Cy Young teammates.\nMillwood pitched his first career no-hitter, shutting down Barry Bonds and the NL's top team to lead the Philadelphia Phillies over the San Francisco Giants 1-0 Sunday.\nMillwood, acquired from Atlanta last December, struck out 10 and walked three to record the ninth no-hitter in team history.\nHis gem came on the first anniversary of the last no-hitter in the majors, by Boston's Derek Lowe against Tampa Bay.\n"Every pitcher's goal is to throw one. I was probably as nervous as I've ever been," said Millwood, traded for catcher Johnny Estrada in a cost-cutting move by the Braves.\n"It was one of those special days, and I don't plan on doing it every time out, but it was a lot of fun."\nMillwood used several variations of his fastball and just enough offspeed pitches to keep Bonds and the other Giants' hitters off-balance throughout the afternoon -- and kept the crowd of 40,016 cheering at Veterans Stadium.\nPacers fall to Boston again\nBOSTON -- The 24-second clock was winding down as Paul Pierce dribbled calmly in place, talking trash to defender Al Harrington.\n"He said, 'I hope you're ready, because I'm ready to bring it,'" Harrington recalled.\nBring it he did.\nPierce made a 3-pointer over the taller Harrington with 3.6 seconds left in the third quarter of Boston's 102-92 win over the Pacers on Sunday, giving him 21 of his 37 points in that period.\nThe Celtics lead 3-1 in the best-of-seven playoff series, which resumes Tuesday in Indiana.\n"We don't want to prolong the series," Pierce said. "We don't want to give them any breathing room."\nThe basket put Boston ahead 73-62 as Pierce scored the last 11 points of the quarter, which began with Indiana leading 48-36.\nPierce couldn't remember what he said to Harrington as the two stared each other down.