A sign reading "The Chief is Dead" was held in the hands of a Nittwit, and no opposition was in sight.

But after operating under the disguise of "Let's go PSU" chants and blue and white apparel prior to the game, a mass of 150 orange shirts emerged behind the backboard.

As soon as the Penn State student section had become fired up, it just as quickly became smothered by the "Orange Krush."

While the Nittany Lions were outplayed, and admittedly out-hustled in a loss to Illinois, the Penn State student section was left silenced. It fell victim to an Illinois student section that had made a 14-hour bus ride from Champaign, Ill., and later exclaimed of the Bryce Jordan Center: "This is our house."

"They overpowered quite a bit," Illinois junior Brian Randle said. "They got good fans here, but the Orange Krush is the Orange Krush. That's how I feel."

The Nittwits were outwitted all day long. First, they chanted, "Where's your mascot," referring the absence of Chief lliniwek, which Illinois fans said goodbye to at their last home game.

Quickly, and without hesitation, the Illinois student section responded, "What's your record," to the Lion fans who were supporting a last-place Big Ten team. Silence ensued.

As the Penn State men's basketball team trailed 37-27 with 1:16 remaining in the first half, the Krush chanted, "We can't hear you." They were quiet, but also lifeless, as only two Nittwits were jumping up and down.

Illinois head coach Bruce Weber recalled an immediate energy boost from his players when they saw the orange block emerge behind the backboard opposite the Penn State Blue Band. Randle had never seen the Krush so close to the floor.

Illini junior Shaun Pruitt, who slammed down and was loudly applauded for most of his game-high 20 points, felt the Krush's presence -- not so much the Nittwits'.

"It just made us comfortable," Pruitt said. "At times, when we went up, they were way louder than their fans and their fans kind of died out when we got the lead. So, I think it definitely helped us relax more."

Both Randle and Weber were expecting the section, which makes two away trips a year, the other this season was to Purdue. Schools like Purdue, Weber said, tried to block tickets for the Krush, but Penn State afforded the group a block underneath the backboard, an area usually reserved for students.

"I know you guys are a long way from us, but people around us know they love our team. They have great enthusiasm, they are just so loyal," Weber said. " ... Depends where they can get tickets."

While the Illini built a substantial lead in the second half on the court, the Krush poured it on in the stands. In succession, they chanted, "You got crushed," "Thanks for watching" to the ESPN television audience, and "Walk home safely" to the Penn State students exiting the arena before the end of the game.

And they didn't stop with declaring the Jordan Center their house. They went on to pose for photos with the Lion mascot, announced, in place of the Chief, "He's our mascot."

"I knew they were coming, but to have them right behind the basket kind of shocked me," Randle said. "We were thankful for it, you know, and thankful to the ticket people who gave them those seats."