ROSEMONT, Ill. - It'll be the middle of the night in Israel when top-seeded Illinois tips off, so Deon Thomas won't get to see the game live.

As soon as he wakes up Friday, though, Illinois' all-time leading scorer will log on to the Internet, check the score and then go watch the replay.

He'll also have to read about the soap opera surrounding Thomas' recruitment, a secretly recorded phone call, allegations of wrongdoing, an NCAA investigation, which is being dredged up again as top-seeded Illinois (34-1) plays upstart 12th-seed Wisconsin-Milwaukee (26-5) in the Chicago Regional semifinal tonight.

UWM coach Bruce Pearl was the one who taped Thomas and turned it over to the NCAA, prompting an investigation that ended with sanctions against Illinois. Everyone involved has moved on, geographically and emotionally, but Illini fans aren't so quick to forgive.

Instead of another step toward the Final Four, the game has become a chance to finally avenge past wrongs.

"Regardless of who takes the floor against Illinois, do you think that team's going to be cheered?" Pearl said Wednesday. "Will there be a little more noise because I'm coaching the opposition? Sure there will. I understand that."

Thomas, a Chicago native, was one of the country's top prospects in 1989, and he verbally committed to Iowa. But he later changed his mind, opting to stay close to home and go to Illinois.

Pearl, then a young assistant at Iowa, was convinced something shady was going on. So he secretly taped a phone call in which Thomas seemed to confirm that Illini assistant Jimmy Collins had offered him $80,000 and a Chevrolet Blazer.

To this day, Thomas denies Illinois did anything improper, saying his comments were simply those of a naive 17-year-old player trying to get Pearl off his back without offending him.

"I'm not that person that Coach Pearl tried to say that I was. That's not me at all," Thomas said Tuesday.

The tape touched off a 16-month investigation by the NCAA. Though Illinois was cleared of the allegations involving Thomas and Pearl's tape, other infractions were found and the Illini were barred from postseason play in 1991.

Thomas went on to become Illinois' all-time leading scorer, but he says his ability to trust people was forever shaken. Both Pearl and Collins saw once-promising careers derailed.

Pearl He maintains he did nothing wrong, and says he would do the same thing again. But his past won't stay buried. It's rehashed every time UWM plays Horizon League rival Illinois-Chicago, where Collins now coaches and refuses to shake Pearl's hand.

And now this. UWM's first trip to the regional semifinals, and Pearl draws Illinois.

"At some point, that was just going to happen," he said. "I didn't say a word to (the Panthers). It has nothing to do with the game."