To me, my favorite moment should seem pretty obvious. When Illinois upset a top-10 Michigan State team at State Farm Center, sending Orange Krush rushing for the floor for the first time in years, it was special. It was memorable, and it was what the program deserves.
It was a trying year for plenty of Illinois teams, and men’s basketball was no exception. Yet, moments like that make the entire journey worth it. I won’t go as far to say that beating the Spartans, who eventually made the Final Four, took the sting out of losing to Florida Atlantic in overtime at home, but it certainly made me proud to be following this team.