Illini fans in Chicago lament Final Four loss, but leave season with 'something to be excited about'
The noise at Mullen’s Sports Bar and Grill in West Ridge came in waves with every dunk, missed shot and defensive miscue during the University of Illinois' Final Four matchup against the University of Connecticut.
"It's unifying," said Kayla Mendoza, who was watching alongside her sister and mother, a U. of I. alumna, at the bar Saturday night. "We're really coming together now."
It didn't all come together for the Illini, whose second-half rally fell short 71-62 to keep fans waiting at least another year for the flagship state school's first national championship. But for dozens of orange- and navy-clad patrons who packed the bar for the game, the future still looked bright.
And it sure didn't hurt business at Mullen's, uniting fans and regulars alike as the team made its biggest run in two decades.
"It's a different crowd than it is for an NCAA game," said Mullen's manager Carrie Maw said. "A lot more alumni come in... Lively people come in, they have a great time."
By halftime, fans were stressed but still optimistic as the Illini trailed 37-29.
"Our defense is not defending. We're not guarding. We need to get stops," a frustrated Mendoza said. "I don't know what's happening."
Skokie resident and lifelong fan Deb Shawver, 56 — dressed in her alumnus father's old button-down Illini shirt — had her eyes glues to the screen. She marveled at the pressure facing youngsters in the nationally televised game.
"It's crazy because these kids are like pro athletes," Shawver said. "The pressure's on them when they're like 18, 19, 20 years old."
As the Illini trailed late in the first half, Shawver kept her confidence. "I think their nerves are calm and they're getting back in there."
The crowd gradually grew louder as the Illini cut the deficit to six points with seven minutes left in the game. Chants of "I-L-L" broke out as the team looked to shift momentum.
“We have to get the f------ rebounds,” an even more frustrated Mendoza said as the game entered its final minutes. “I’m hopeful, I’m fired up.”
Some fans stood from their seats in anticipation as the Illini trailed by five with under three minutes to go. Within seconds, fans collectively groaned and cheered as UConn and Illinois traded three-pointers.
“Let’s do the math,” one patron said as he tried to calculate how the Illini could erase a two-possession deficit with under a minute left.
But as the numbers fell out of favor and the seconds ticked down on Illinois' season, Karina Mendoza — Kayla's sister — looked on with dejection. “I didn’t see the desire to continue fighting," she said. “Connecticut deserved it, honestly. They were a better team.”
Many patrons at Mullen's were in attendance to support family members who were alumni or loved ones currently attending the school. Tracy Galvin and Betsy Ross have been married over 30 years and were locked in on the game from a table in front of the biggest screen in the bar.
While neither have a direct connection to the Illini, the Rogers Park couple find joy in rooting for an Illinois team to succeed.
"Illinois fans here, they support their team and it makes it exciting to be here," said Galvin, 62.
"It's just nice to have something to be excited about in the spirit of Illinois," added Ross, 67.
Aaron Byrnes, a Mullen's regular, was optimistic about Illinois' prospects in next year's tournament.
"I think we have the coach of our now and future," Byrnes said. "He's doing a great job recruiting."