When it comes to the great Illini moments of the 2017-18 seasons, the first one that comes to my mind had no bearing on the season. It had no bearing on the future. However, it did have an impact on me.
The date was December 30, 2017. The venue was the State Farm Center. The task at hand was to take down the Grand Canyon Antelopes.
Following a five-point halftime deficit, the Illini had to find a way to muster a second-half comeback. Sitting at 9-5 on the season, Illinois still very much had NCAA Tournament aspirations, but a loss to Grand Canyon would make the climb to the Round of 64 infinitely more difficult.