CHAMPAIGN — After all the pregame angst, a call to show support for the controversial Chief Illiniwek symbol at Thursday's Illinois-Purdue men's basketball game was fairly uneventful.
The "Paint the Hall Chief" event drew extra Chief shirts in the crowd, some pro-Chief flyers, 40 protesters outside and a prank, but no appearance by the Chief.
Event organizers had asked Illini fans to wear Chief apparel to the game. Anti-Chief activists, who consider it a racist mascot, organized a protest and called on UI officials to cancel the event.
The current Chief portrayer, Omar Cruz, was at the game but did not don his costume and appear at halftime, as he has for other games.