Twelve days ago, a traveling band of 150 Illinois students arrived at the Bryce Jordan Center and created a home court feel for the visiting Illini.
This group, dubbed the "Orange Krush," sat directly behind one of the baskets, an area normally reserved for Penn State fans, and ripped off blue and white disguises to reveal their trademark bright orange shirts and school affiliation minutes before tip-off.
Then they consistently made the loudest noises in the building during the game, supporting Illinois to its 18-point victory on Penn State's Senior Day. When a shot attempt by Penn State's Geary Claxton was blocked in the second half, they even chanted "Not in your house" without any rebuttal.
Today, the Nittany Lions expect to see those same people, plus more.
At 5 p.m., Penn State faces the Illini again, this time in the first round of the Big Ten tournament at the United Center in Chicago, located less than 200 miles from the Illinois campus.
"They had a decent crowd when they came all the way over here," Penn State sophomore forward Jamelle Cornley said. "I guess we could expect the same thing, and even more people when we're in the United Center."
Penn State is seeded last in the conference tournament after registering just two Big Ten wins during the regular season. Illinois, winners of nine conference games and 21 overall, is seeded sixth. The game will be televised on ESPN2.
During the Feb. 24 game in State College, a 68-50 victory by Illinois, Penn State limited talented guard Rich McBride, who averaged 10 points per game this year, to just three on one shot from behind the arc, but let opposing big men to score at will in the paint.
Illinois center Shaun Pruitt and for wards Brian Randle and Warren Carter combined for 47 points, just three less than Penn State scored as a team.
"We were so concerned about McBride on the perimeter that we really exposed the high posts," Penn State Coach Ed DeChellis said. "We have to do a much better job the second time around."
The Lions allowed several uncontested dunks and lay-ins, a stark comparison to their play during last year's one-point upset win of the then-No. 6 Illini in Champaign, Ill.
During that win, plenty of orange-clad Illinois fans were in attendance. More of the same is expected a few miles to the north today.
"I didn't realize until someone told me [Sunday] that Chicago is in Illinois, so I expect the whole arena to be full of orange shirts," said Milos Bogetic, a native of Montenegro. "I kind of like that. We played there last year and we won, so that shouldn't be a reason not to win this time."
Notes & quotes: Cornley, who suffered a hip pointer when Penn State and Illinois last played, said he is still feeling pain, but is, "ready to get this show on the road ... If it's going to hurt, it's going to hurt. Pain is pain. I can't do anything about that."
Junior guard Mike Walker, on playing the point in place of the injured Ben Luber: "Instead of being able to watch Ben get harassed and kind of just jog up playing the two spot, now every time you're going to get picked up full court. It's a challenge going against guys like [Ohio State guard Mike] Conley or the guards from Indiana just trying to get the ball up the court."
