All The Way Back

Photo Courtesy of University of Illinois Communications

Immediately after the final buzzer sounded tonight, I was so bummed. I mean, I’m always distraught after any Illinois basketball loss, but I realllly wanted this one.

After watching the Illini players run on to the floor for the final time before tip-off and seeing the reception from the United Center crowd - I just kept thinking all night was “please don’t waste this”. The crowd tonight wasn’t just “better than expected”. It was flat out electric. The building was jammed, it was loud, and it was ORANGE.

I was actually fretting about the crowd all week because the relationship status between the Illinois program and the Chicago? It’s complicated.