The teams had left the court. The home fans were on their way out, hustling into the Evanston night trying to run from a loss they couldn’t escape.
One shout came from the lower bowl of Welsh-Ryan Arena.
“I-L-L”
The response was a more tired than excited “I-N-I.”
It came from a fanbase with hopes already demolished, supporting a team in the midst of a lost season led by a coach very much on the hot seat. It was a momentary shout for joy; their team hadn’t won on the road in over a year.