Illinois shocked the Big Ten last year when it won its first three games in the conference tournament as a No. 10 seed before losing to No. 1 Wisconsin 61-48 in the championship game.

The Illini’s improbable run in the 2008 Big Ten Tournament, which left them one win shy of an automatic NCAA Tour…Illinois shocked the Big Ten last year when it won its first three games in the conference tournament as a No. 10 seed before losing to No. 1 Wisconsin 61-48 in the championship game.

The Illini’s improbable run in the 2008 Big Ten Tournament, which left them one win shy of an automatic NCAA Tournament bid, has given them confidence heading into this year’s conference showdown.

“It lets us know we can do it,” senior guard Chester Frazier said. “We’re a totally different team than last year, but I think that gave us a start to this year. We’re going to try and steamroll some of that momentum into the tournament.”

Last year’s tournament success also provides a warning to the No. 2-seeded Illini that they can’t take any opponent for granted.

“Any Big Ten team now is dangerous,” sophomore Mike Tisdale said. “Last year, nobody thought we’d have a chance, and we made the championship game. Any team can beat any team.”

Illinois head coach Bruce Weber has pushed his players to match last season’s entertaining run to the conference title game.

“I asked them, ‘Wasn’t it fun?’ It was a blast to go back to the hotel and the fans and just to keep playing and the attention again,” Weber said. “I said, ‘Man, wouldn’t you like that again?'”

Missing sweet home Chicago

In 2006, the Big Ten agreed to a five-year extension to host the men’s and women’s conference basketball tournament at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis from 2008-12. Though Weber thinks highly of the facilities, he wouldn’t mind seeing the conference tournament moved back to the United Center in Chicago, which hosted the tournament from 1998-2001 and again in 2003, 2005 and 2007.

Illinois won the Big Ten Tournament title twice and had three runner-up finishes in the tournament’s seven years in Chicago.

When asked what the difference between hosting the tournament in Chicago as opposed to Indianapolis was, Weber said, “About 14,000 fans in orange.”

“We’ve been very fortunate to have great fan support in Chicago,” Weber said. “But at the same time, I think we’re one of the only teams to have sold out our allotment in Indianapolis. We have great support there. For the central and southern Illinois fans, it’s a lot easier to get to Indy.

“But if we had our choice we’d much rather be in Chicago.”

Put a ring on it

Chester Frazier enrolled at Illinois the summer after the Illini won the Big Ten regular season title, won the conference tournament title and made it all the way to the NCAA Championship Game.

Needless to say, he thought he’d add some jewelry to his fingers during his Illini career.

Frazier came close as a freshman when the Illini finished third in the regular season, just one game behind conference winner Ohio State. He again came close as a junior, but the Illini fell to Wisconsin in the Big Ten conference title game.

Now a senior, Frazier is running out of time to add that much-wanted finger ornament. He joked that a recently dislocated ring finger cannot be an encouraging omen.

“It must not be meant for me to get a ring,” Frazier said. “God must not want me to get one. There’s one last chance. I’m willing to die for it. I’m willing to go out there and do anything possible to win it.”