Pregame: Illinois vs Kentucky, Sunday, March 23rd, 4:15pm CT, CBS

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#153      
I'm not sure how well this would translate to today's players, but they should fly Efrem in to speak to the team prior to taking the court on Sunday, just to reinforce how a loss sticks in your craw for 51 years.





Official Obituary of

Efrem Winters​

December 19, 1963 ~ January 27, 2025 (age 61)

you might need to keep up more with the facts of life..................
 
#154      





Official Obituary of

Efrem Winters​

December 19, 1963 ~ January 27, 2025 (age 61)

you might need to keep up more with the facts of life..................
Apparently, so do I Pru. I completely missed this. R.I.P. Much too young to pass.
 
#159      
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#161      
People may not know that Illinois played Kentucky twice in that 83-84 season. The Illini lost by 2 in Champaign before the elite 8 loss in Lexington. Also, Efrem Winters sadly passed away just this January. Maybe he’s looking out for the team up there. We haven’t played Kentucky since he graced our team.

The infamous game on Christmas Eve when the weather was so bad that Assembly Hall was only about half full and they had to pull high school refs out of the stands because the actual refs couldn't get there. My dad was at that game, front row, and actually ended up with Doug Altenberger landing in his lap at one point :LOL:
 
#164      
#165      
Anyone know the Illinois seating sections for Sunday?
Just making sure it doesn’t go unread:

Sections 107 and 210 for the Illini fans.

Good news is you won’t be alone though anywhere if it’s anything like last night. But, don’t take that for granted. 2 other very passionate fan bases will be there. I can assure you Iowa St. does not think too highly of the Illini as well.

I’ll be in 119 with 3 others. Again, hope to see a bunch of you tomorrow.

Go Illini
 
#166      





Official Obituary of

Efrem Winters​

December 19, 1963 ~ January 27, 2025 (age 61)

you might need to keep up more with the facts of life..................
If he was cremated maybe his family can attend and bring his ashes for good luck?
 
#170      
For those who are too young to have watched it, or (like me) sometimes go long periods without thinking about it, read these:



That was my first season of Illini fandom. I visited campus in September, got in and accepted in during the fall as the football team soared to great heights, and then settled in to enjoy a great basketballs season. The boys won the conference for the first time in ~ 20 years (right before the Slush Fund scandal when the BT forced us to fire Pete Elliott and Harry Combes and set our programs back for two decades) and the program was fully back. It was Lou's 10th season. Those of us who saw it will never forget that game and that Saturday afternoon. It was such clear injustice, and such a great team. (and, as SI notes, Louisville got similarly shafted in the Sweet 16 the preceding Thursday night.) If Efrem had been at full strength we might have won the title that year.

As someone else noted, it will be 41 years to the day on Monday. Bury these guys tomorrow, heap another few shovelfuls of dirt on the memory, and grow a garden on it.
One of my favorite Illini teams of all time. Probably #1. Royal screw job.
 
#172      
Was at the game last night, atmosphere absolutely electric. Our fan base is amazing. Kentucky fans sitting in front of me called us special. They are confident but worried about our team. I just wish we could keep this group together for just one more year at least. Really feel they could win a title or maybe even back to back. 🤷🏻‍♂️
 
#174      
Their Rivals board is free, extremely active and shockingly reasonable and down to Earth.
Much of it shows as premium for me, but I particularly like the thread entitled:

Why are we playing Illinois in a city 1.5 hours from their alumni's biggest population center?

With one of the first commenters saying:

"...and 30 minutes from the illinois border.

We're 3 seed lines ahead of them. This seems like it should be against NCAAT regulations."
 
#175      
The infamous game on Christmas Eve when the weather was so bad that Assembly Hall was only about half full and they had to pull high school refs out of the stands because the actual refs couldn't get there. My dad was at that game, front row, and actually ended up with Doug Altenberger landing in his lap at one point :LOL:
I drove over from Springfield with my roommate (both U of I 1984 grads. The refereeing was some of the best we saw all year. As I recall, both coaches were very complimentary. Payback Sunday.
 
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