Illinois loses to Kentucky in 2nd round of March Madness tournament

MILWAUKEE (WLS) -- The University of Illinois men's basketball team's season came to an end Sunday after losing to the University of Kentucky in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

The final score was 84-75.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

The Illini played against the 3rd-seeded Wildcats Sunday at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Illinois defeated Xavier University with a score of 86-73 Friday night in the first round of the March Madness tournament.

Illinois made its a sixth straight tournament appearance this year.

It was a bit of deja vu for the Fighting Illini fans as success in March is something they have gotten used to in the last few years.

It was a packed the house Sunday at Joe's on Weed St. on the North Side, with many having hopes of witnessing some Illini Madness. But fans left with a bitter feeling as the season once again ended too soon.

It was a rollercoaster of emotions for Illini basketball fans, ending in the agony of defeat.

Fans rushed into Joe's, which is a hub for Illinois sporting events.

With the tough loss to Kentucky in the second round, fans said it's frustrating seeing another season end like this.

"Their inconsistent defense and turnovers were killing them today when they made a push they just couldn't finish it," Illini fan Dave Jahnke said.

Despite the loss, fans from all across the region were in Chicago enjoying the atmosphere together.

"I love it," Chicago resident Illini fan Matt Zondor said. "I was thinking of staying home and maybe watching there, but I wanted to be around other Illini lovers, and this is top notch. It's great."

"We went to school when the flying Illini were there were good friends with a lot of those guys, so these disappointing years and close years where they make it and fall out early are hard," said Donna Pepper, a U of I graduate visiting Chicago from Champaign .

As the Illinois men's basketball team continues to build up its program, fans are optimistic that this loss can lead to even more improvement in years to come.

"It's disappointing but they gave us a really good ride this year," U of I graduate Kara Cash said. "I love the team. I love the guys, and I'm really looking forward to next year."

Fans told ABC7 they're ready for some Chicago baseball to start later this week.

Pre-game stats

The Fighting Illini's record in Big Ten action is 13-9. Illinois is ninth in college basketball scoring 83.9 points per game while shooting 45.1%.

The Wildcats' record in SEC play is 11-9, and their record is 12-2 in non-conference play. Kentucky is third in the SEC scoring 85.0 points while shooting 48.2% from the field.

Illinois averages 9.4 made 3-pointers per game this season, 0.9 more makes per game than Kentucky gives up. Kentucky averages 9.6 made 3-pointers per game, 2.9 more made shots than the 6.7 per game Illinois gives up.

Ben Humrichous is shooting 34.3% from beyond the arc with 1.8 made 3-pointers per game for the Fighting Illini, while averaging 7.8 points. Will Riley is shooting 48.3% and averaging 14.9 points over the past 10 games.

Amari Williams is averaging 10.9 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.1 assists for the Wildcats. Koby Brea is averaging 2.6 made 3-pointers over the last 10 games.

Fighting Illini: 6-4 in their last 10 games, averaging 80.8 points, 34.3 rebounds, 15.1 assists, 3.8 steals and 3.8 blocks per game while shooting 45.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 83.1 points.

Wildcats: 6-4 in their last 10 games, averaging 82.1 points, 32.6 rebounds, 15.4 assists, 8.1 steals and 3.4 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.2 points per game.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.