Notes: Celebrations getting bigger for Illini
Mar. 29—BOSTON — Illinois fans turned out in significant numbers at TD Garden — and the various establishments surrounding the arena — on Thursday for the Sweet 16. Seeing that much orange in the stands, though, didn't surprise the Illinois players.
"This fan base, since I got here three years ago, has been nothing but supportive," Illinois guard Luke Goode said. "It started in (Las Vegas in 2022) when they filled the arena. Ever since I've been here, the fans have been amazing. We appreciate it. It means a lot to have that many fans travel and come watch us."
While the Illini almost assuredly outdrew Iowa State fans in the 19,144-strong crowd at TD Garden, Connecticut fans showed up in droves. Geography helps. The Huskies' campus in Storrs, Conn., is roughly a 90-minute drive from downtown Boston.
"It means a lot just to be able to travel with our fans," UConn guard Stephon Castle said. "We travel very well. I feel like it gives us kind of a boost, a little bit of an advantage. Our coach said before, we tried to make it like Storrs North. They showed out for us, and it was definitely electric in there."
"We had to win a s--- ton of games to get that," UConn coach Dan Hurley chipped in.
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Terrence Shannon Jr.'s postseason average dipped a big after Illinois' Sweet 16 win against Iowa State. The veteran Illinois guard went from averaging 31.6 points to 31.2 points after dropping 29 on the Cyclones on 10 of 19 shooting, which included of 4 of 10 mark from three-point range.
Shannon's 29-point game gives him at least 25 points in seven straight games and was his 21st game with at least 20 points this season.
"We didn't do a great job from the start," Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger said about his team's efforts on Shannon. "He got some clean looks early and got his confidence going. We need to be more intentional closing out to him, and then he is so fast in space, especially that left hand, and we let him get left.
"He's a really tough cover. He's as aggressive of an offensive player as there is in the country, and he is playing at such a high level. You can't let a guy like that get the opportunities that we allowed for him early where he got his confidence going."
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UConn clinched its spot in the Elite Eight with an 82-52 win against San Diego State. That 30-point margin gives the Huskies an average margin of victory of nearly 23 points in their last nine tournament games.
"We suck at winning close games, so you have to go with the alternative," Hurley quipped after Thursday's win against the Aztecs. "No, I think the group, we have killer instincts. We play every possession with great desperation. We have NBA-level players that are incredibly well-prepared by Luke Murray and Kimani Young, two of the best coaches in the country, assistant head coaches. Two of the best that do it."
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UConn's win against San Diego State made the Huskies the first reigning champion to make the Elite Eight since Florida did it in 2007. The Gators, of course, went on to win a second straight national title. The past two NCAA champions bowed out in the second round (Baylor in 2022 and Kansas in 2023).
"The way the defending champs have fared in recent history, it's kind of been against the odds in terms of the season we're having following up the national championship with an even better season, winning the Big East regular season by multiple games and setting a program record now for wins on the season and winning the Big East Tournament and now getting to an Elite Eight," Hurley said. "This team has defied what past champions have done and taken this program to a completely different level. With about 13 seconds left I allowed myself to enjoy it, as I screamed to get the ball to (son and walk-on guard Andrew Hurley's) hands so he could dribble out the clock. That's been another superstition. Get him the ball, please."
