ST. LOUIS – As time ran out on Illinois’ miracle season, the Fighting Illini faithful at the Edward-Jones Dome in St. Louis still cheered for their team until the end. With tears in their eyes and dejected looks on their faces, fans at the National Championship game Monday night watched as North Carolina – not their beloved Illini – celebrated the win.

Down 30-27 at halftime, Illinois fans had already been taken out of the game and were unhappy with the score and the calls the referees were making.

Abby Nickerson, junior in applied life studies, still believed the deficit was due to something other than the referees’ calls against the Illini.

“The reason we’re down is because of shooting,” she said. “Our shots haven’t been falling.”

Nickerson also predicted that North Carolina would come out sloppy in the second half, which would give the Illini the opportunity to get back in the game.

Fueled by the Illini fans and Orange Krush, the Illini fought back in the second half just as they had all season. While the loss is devastating, fans believe the Illini season speaks for itself.

“The loss does not take away from what’s been done this season,” said Colleen Sawosko, sophomore in applied life studies. “A season doesn’t come down to one moment, it comes down to all the moments and all the months of hard work that’s been put in.”

Illini fans refused to give up hope until the very end, wishing for a miracle similar to the one in the Arizona game. While a win would have put Illinois among the elite basketball schools in the country – Duke, North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky – it proved that North Carolina ultimately had too much talent for the Illini.

“UNC had five guys that are going to be first round picks (in the NBA draft),” said freshman Cody Bornfheuer. “In the end, (UNC’s talent) was just too much for us.”

Although UNC may have had too much talent, the Illini fans once again put their whole heart into the game. Students in Orange Krush chanted “I-L-L I-N-I” and sang the Alma Mater as the North Carolina players celebrated.

“You can’t be disappointed with this season,” Bornfheuer said. “The team tied for the most wins in a season. This game can go in the category with Ohio State. We came back from 15 down, so you can’t label it as a huge disappointment.”

Yet some fans said the team’s second loss of the season did leave them with an overall feeling of disappointment.

“Obviously, I’m disappointed,” said junior in business Brett Cecil. “This has been a great time with a lot of great memories. We had 37 wins this seasons; they gave us everything we could ask for. It was just too bad we couldn’t come up with the win.”

While the outcome of the game did not end like most Illini fans hoped and expected, Illinois’ 37-win season, regular season Big Ten championship, Big Ten Tournament championship and Final Four appearance cannot be taken away from them.

“We know what we’ve accomplished as a school,” Nickerson said. “We’re so proud of what we’ve done, it truly has been an amazing season.”