CHAMPAIGN — Among the storied, rich history of Illinois basketball, there’s one team that seems to hold a uniquely special place in the hearts of Illini fans: 2004-05.
Every moment of that magical season stands the test of time. Anybody near Champaign when the Illini knocked off Chris Paul and No. 1 Wake Forest probably still hears echoes from that ear-ringing crowd pop. Most can tell you exactly where they were watching the Illini’s unforgettable Elite Eight comeback over Arizona on their way to the NCAA Championship Game and a gutting loss to a loaded North Carolina team.
The memories created and the joy brought by that historic team still live inside Illini fans — and likely always will.
That team is Illinois basketball.
So, it should come as no surprise that when the back-to-back Big Ten champions of 2004 and 2005 returned to Champaign for their 20-year reunion over the weekend, they were showered with the same adoration as when they took the then-Assembly Hall floor.
“The love is strong, but I get it,” former Illinois forward Roger Powell Jr. said. “I’m coaching at (Valparaiso) and I’ve got Illini fans at my games. Everywhere I’ve been, they love us. And I think they love us because we all stuck together and we did something special.”
For the first time since taking the college basketball world by storm with a 37-2 run — marching through the season as the No. 1 team in the country before falling in the 2005 national championship game — the 2004-05 Illini returned home together in force. Luther Head was the lone starter unable to make the trip, but most of the rest of that iconic team, including Powell, Deron Williams, Dee Brown, James Augustine, head coach Bruce Weber and many others, gathered together for Illinois football’s home opener against Western Illinois to begin a trip down memory lane.
Surrounded by their families, the crew entered through Grange Grove before gathering on the Legacy Lounge tailgate patio, ultimately sounding the air raid siren to kick off the game. The lively football crowd of over 56,000 had plenty to cheer about as the Illini scored seven touchdowns in their season-opening win, but one of the loudest roars undoubtedly came when the beloved hoops squad was introduced on the field during the first quarter. And of course, it was Brown — Big Ten championship trophy in hand — who got the biggest applause.