When one hears talk over a “sixth man,” they’re prone to thinking of someone coming off the bench. Illini fans know that the sixth man is not merely a man, but a sea of passionate students standing behind the basket and the benches at State Farm Center. 

The Orange Krush is Illinois basketball’s premier student section that goes loud and proud each and every single game. Orange Krush is just one section of the Illini Pride organization on campus, and if a student is looking for some excitement at basketball games, Krush is the place to be. 

For the past few years, the student section tickets have sold out in just a short period of minutes after they have been released, and rightfully so. Sitting behind the benches or behind the basket allows fans to become completely immersed in Illini culture. The Orange Krush brainstorms chants for students to shout, creates merchandise for fans to wear at the games, engages in taunting the opponents at the free-throw line and so much more.

Along with the standard cheering at sporting events, the Orange Krush allows students to go beyond State Farm Center. The group takes trips to away games on occasion and does a unique tradition in which they arrive at the opponents’ arenas appearing as fans of the home team. But when the game gets underway, the Orange Krush reveals its true identity, taking off their disguises and creating a mass of orange in the stands of the rivals’ stadium, something you truly cannot ignore. 

Undergraduate freshman Carter Wood briefly touched on his experience with Orange Krush and what he loves so much about the organization.

“My favorite thing is definitely, kind of the bonds you’re able to build by just cheering about a sport,” Wood noted. “It’s just really awesome to be able to do all these amazing things. I would have never imagined going to Boston or taking these road trips to Purdue and Michigan. Secondly, It got me into other sports here as well. Without Krush, I don’t think I would have gone to a random tennis or baseball game, but because I knew people who were involved with that stuff, it kind of expanded my view.” 

Furthermore, the Orange Krush hosts pre-game tailgates for their members and others to join in and soak up all the festivities before heading into the games. The group has truly created an Illini community amongst students, and they put all their heart and soul into supporting the basketball teams. 

Not only do the students themselves know the impact they make at games, but head coaches Shauna Green and Brad Underwood have praised the Orange Krush numerous times for their relentless energy during competitions. 

“They’re huge, I absolutely love Orange Krush,” Green stated in a postgame press conference in March. “I kind of like having them right behind me. I looked back a couple times and just laughed at them because I’m like, ‘That was good’ and I wish I could say some of the things they’re saying … Orange Krush is awesome.”

While the highlighted element of Orange Krush is to cheer on the basketball teams and show support to the athletics, there’s another component to the organization that may be overlooked. Members of Orange Krush take on a philanthropic role as well, raising money for local and national charities. This, in fact, is actually part of the enrollment process for Krush members. One of the main requirements for students to be part of Orange Krush is to raise funds that would be donated to those in need. 

According to the Illini Pride site, the Orange Krush has donated over two million dollars to charity, and this is because of all the hard work and dedication that goes into this student section. Not only are they taking pride in the schools’ basketball programs, but they are taking pride in their willingness to help others. 

“We went to this senior home in Savoy the night before the Purdue game, and got to talk to some of the citizens there,” Wood mentioned. “We just had a fun time.”

Membership continues to grow for the Orange Krush, and thousands of students look forward to being part of something so exciting each and every single year. The atmosphere the Orange Krush creates is like no other, and while students come for the up-close intensity of basketball, they stay in Krush for the friendships they make and the memories they’ll never forget. 

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