Kruger: 'Friends in Champaign'

Lon Kruger built some lifelong relationships with folks in the Champaign area during his time as the Illinois coach. If some of those friends are mad at him late Friday night after his No. 8 seed plays No. 9 Illinois in the NCAA tournament, Kruger has done his job.

"We have a lot of good friends in Champaign, Chicago, the Illinois area," he said. "They have a great basketball tradition, very good fans. We'll see a lot of people we haven't seen in a while and that will be good."

Marcus Jackson