March Madness: Illini alums from 2005 Final Four team cheering for Illinois championship

ByDionne Miller WLS logo

Friday, April 3, 2026

Illini alums from 2005 Final Four team cheering for championship

CHICAGO (WLS) -- It's been 21 years since the University of Illinois danced into the Final Four, only to fall short in the NCAA National Championship game, a loss that still lingers over the Orange and Blue.

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University of Illinois Fighting Illini alums from the 2005 Final Four team are now cheering for a 2026 March Madness basketball championship.

"It hurts every day," Dee Brown said. "Understand, to win it, that was your goal... it hurts."

"I've been to 2 as a player and assistant coach, come up short both times," Roger Powell Jr. said. "It's really difficult."

Powell and Brown were part of the magic in '05, now reliving their moment and passing the torch to an Illini team they believe in.

"You can't hide togetherness, you can't hide," Brown said. "They embrace that they have a freshman leading them, they're embracing their roles, and they're playing their best basketball at the right time."

Brown and Powell are both head coaches now and cherish the bond basketball brought them, so they offered this advice as the Illini shoot for their one shining moment.

"They need to document it, they need to embrace it, bring your family around it," Brown said. "It's a really good moment and its really hard to do. I just hope that they understand that."

"It goes so fast. Take it in, the national anthem, the practice with the fans," Powell said. "Don't allow this moment to pass by. Get the moment, don't let it pass you by, but then it's business and its payback on Saturday."

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