Sports

Illinois Fans Subjected To Unescapable Serenade On Sad Escalator Ride After March Madness Takeover

#March Madness
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© Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / © Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images


The Illinois basketball team’s season came to an end in the Final Four on Saturday night in Indianapolis. Thousands of Illini fans went home unhappy after taking over Lucas Oil Stadium.

UCONN supporters made sure to see them out on their sad exit from the venue. They serenaded the Illini with fight songs after the game. There was nowhere to run.

Illinois advanced to the national semifinal thanks to a 4-0 run in the NCAA Tournament. Included in those victories were an upset of 2-seed Houston and squashing of conference rival Iowa.

The Illini had been clicking on all cylinders both offensively and defensively during March Madness. Each of their four wins had come by double digits. They ran into the buzzsaw that is UCONN over the weekend.

Illinois’ basketball season is over.

After a back-and-forth opening 15 minutes, the Huskies closed the first half on a 16-7 run and never looked back. They took an eight-point advantage into the break before going onto win, 71-62.

Illinois closed the gap to four points in the final minute of regulation. UCONN guard Braylon Mullins, the hero against Duke, hit the dagger with a three-point shot to put the game out of reach.

For the Huskies, the win books a third national title trip in four seasons. The Illini came up just short.

Fans made the short trip from Illinois to Indianapolis in support of their school. The team was well represented. It was as close to a home game as you’ll see in the Final Four.

Those supporters were forced to endure ridicule dished out by their opponent after the contest.

UCONN fans serenaded the Illini.

Videos of the Huskies flooding the concourse to mock Illinois surfaced on social media Saturday night. They held nothing back, and there was nothing the Illini could do.

The Huskies sang fight songs to troll their foe. They did so as the Illini rode miserably down an escalator, confined by the railings. They couldn’t leave fast enough.

There was no escape as Illinois fans made their exits. It certainly added insult to injury. The Illini’s season is now over. They’ll watch UCONN compete for a national championship against Michigan on Monday night.