Just waiting for our game to get here and thinking about previous years...
I started at Illinois in 1998-1999 so my first R32 experience was in 2000.
2000 L vs. Florida - I think I was flying back from Spring Break? and didn't get to see the game. I did hear that we lost and was bummed.
2001 W vs. Charlotte - I don't remember this game at all. That's the nice thing about a deeper run. Was a nice win. I probably didn't get to watch it at all during Spring Break again.
2002 W vs. Creighton - This one is fuzzy too. It really sucked when March Madness lined up with Spring Break and the games weren't televised out of state.
2003 L vs. Notre Dame - This one I remember. Maybe it was on CBS nationally in the afternoon? Was helping my brother move and meanwhile Notre Dame is raining 3-pointers down on us. I was stunned.
2004 W vs. Cincinnati - I remember going to a sports bar so I could finally see the whole game in Maryland. This was the Deron Williams "too pretty" game and he destroyed them with 31 points. So much fun.
2005 W vs. Nevada - I was at this game! Augustine > Fazekas. Took care of business. Really weird watching a basketball game in a football stadium in Indy. Who knew this would be the last S16 for so long.
2006 L vs. Washington - Felt like we fouled every possession in the 2nd half as Washington came back on us. Sad to see Dee and Augie go out like that. Hated those refs. I blame the PSU loss for our 4 seed.
....
2011 L vs. Kansas - Those stupid Morris twins were just too much for us. Too many close losses that year turned a talented squad into a 9 seed that had to see a 1 seed too soon. Still mad at Self then.
.
2013 L vs. Miami - Valiant effort. Almost took down the 2 seed. Amazing what happens in the bottom of the bracket. Of course we all remember the "Illinois rule" from this game. Groce did nothing after that.
.......
2021 L vs. Loyola - Pure heartbreak. Watched the beginning at home and was in shock. Then I was outdoor at a COVID-era party and kept checking score on my phone hoping for something good. Eventually I cracked and went inside to see the last few minutes for a team that I loved. There's a wound from that game that still hasn't healed. Sort of glad I didn't see most of it.
2022 L vs. Houston - Frustrating game as their athletes took us out of our offense. That Illinois team really struggled to score with Frazier's eye trouble and Grandison's arm issues. Signs of life with RJ and Goode inserted then the technical foul finished it off. Tough matchup. Saw the whole game but it was fairly obvious early on that it wasn't happening for us.
.
Some takeaways: 7 straight years in the Round of 32 was an achievement that I hadn't fully appreciated. It also reminds me that beating teams in the Round of 32 as a favorite isn't really that hard or that memorable when you actually do it. Good teams just take care of business. This has become way too big of a mountain in our minds when for a program like ours it should be a molehill.
Also, internet streaming and all 4 games being shown on 4 channels everywhere in the country is something that was not always there in my adult life. It is so much easier to follow Illinois basketball as an out-of-state fan these days. I probably shouldn't even complain about $5.99/month for Peacock. I missed so many good games in the early 2000's when I wasn't on campus.
Final thought: Underwood is only 0-4 in this round and Illinois is only riding a 5-game losing streak. This isn't exactly the Curse of the Bambino. Let's just take care of business tonight and move on.
I started at Illinois in 1998-1999 so my first R32 experience was in 2000.
2000 L vs. Florida - I think I was flying back from Spring Break? and didn't get to see the game. I did hear that we lost and was bummed.
2001 W vs. Charlotte - I don't remember this game at all. That's the nice thing about a deeper run. Was a nice win. I probably didn't get to watch it at all during Spring Break again.
2002 W vs. Creighton - This one is fuzzy too. It really sucked when March Madness lined up with Spring Break and the games weren't televised out of state.
2003 L vs. Notre Dame - This one I remember. Maybe it was on CBS nationally in the afternoon? Was helping my brother move and meanwhile Notre Dame is raining 3-pointers down on us. I was stunned.
2004 W vs. Cincinnati - I remember going to a sports bar so I could finally see the whole game in Maryland. This was the Deron Williams "too pretty" game and he destroyed them with 31 points. So much fun.
2005 W vs. Nevada - I was at this game! Augustine > Fazekas. Took care of business. Really weird watching a basketball game in a football stadium in Indy. Who knew this would be the last S16 for so long.
2006 L vs. Washington - Felt like we fouled every possession in the 2nd half as Washington came back on us. Sad to see Dee and Augie go out like that. Hated those refs. I blame the PSU loss for our 4 seed.
....
2011 L vs. Kansas - Those stupid Morris twins were just too much for us. Too many close losses that year turned a talented squad into a 9 seed that had to see a 1 seed too soon. Still mad at Self then.
.
2013 L vs. Miami - Valiant effort. Almost took down the 2 seed. Amazing what happens in the bottom of the bracket. Of course we all remember the "Illinois rule" from this game. Groce did nothing after that.
.......
2021 L vs. Loyola - Pure heartbreak. Watched the beginning at home and was in shock. Then I was outdoor at a COVID-era party and kept checking score on my phone hoping for something good. Eventually I cracked and went inside to see the last few minutes for a team that I loved. There's a wound from that game that still hasn't healed. Sort of glad I didn't see most of it.
2022 L vs. Houston - Frustrating game as their athletes took us out of our offense. That Illinois team really struggled to score with Frazier's eye trouble and Grandison's arm issues. Signs of life with RJ and Goode inserted then the technical foul finished it off. Tough matchup. Saw the whole game but it was fairly obvious early on that it wasn't happening for us.
.
Some takeaways: 7 straight years in the Round of 32 was an achievement that I hadn't fully appreciated. It also reminds me that beating teams in the Round of 32 as a favorite isn't really that hard or that memorable when you actually do it. Good teams just take care of business. This has become way too big of a mountain in our minds when for a program like ours it should be a molehill.
Also, internet streaming and all 4 games being shown on 4 channels everywhere in the country is something that was not always there in my adult life. It is so much easier to follow Illinois basketball as an out-of-state fan these days. I probably shouldn't even complain about $5.99/month for Peacock. I missed so many good games in the early 2000's when I wasn't on campus.
Final thought: Underwood is only 0-4 in this round and Illinois is only riding a 5-game losing streak. This isn't exactly the Curse of the Bambino. Let's just take care of business tonight and move on.
