CHAMPAIGN — Alex Wittinger shared a hug with Jaelyne Kirkpatrick, who was dressed in an orange pullover near the bench. Sarah Shewan, who was a few steps behind Wittinger, followed by also sharing an embrace with Kirkpatrick.
A State Farm Center crowd of 1,532 fans greeted the three seniors on the Illinois women's basketball team with a standing ovation with 38 seconds left in regulation as Wittinger and Shewan walked off Lou Henson Court for the last time.
But, after the remaining seconds elapsed off the clock, and the final buzzer sounded, the harsh reality of what the scoreboard said set in for the Illini.