Words from the wise

We asked a group of former Illini – all NCAA tournament veterans – what advice they would give to Illinois' youngsters, most of whom are dancing for the first time.

"Everybody is going for the kill, there's no tomorrow in that tournament. When you lose it's very bad and you want to keep playing to the end. I went to the tournament all four years and every time I lost and didn't come away with the prize it was a very, very, very bad feeling. You've got to go in with a kill or be killed attitude." – Kendall Gill

"When you play in the NCAA tournament, the intensity level, the magnitude and everything just automatically goes up, so you've got to be ready mentally and physically. The problem with the NCAA tournament is the distractions. So if you haven't played in it before you get out there and you get out of your normal practice routine and playing on a court you probably haven't played on before. You've just got to remind yourself that there's a job to do and if you don't do it you're going to be done. You've got to understand the level of intensity is going to be stepped up a few notches. All these teams can play, they're all good. These teams got in the tournament because they can play and they're all going in with a lot of confidence. Play in a positive frame of mind." – Doug Altenberger

"Every team you play, you know is a good team. Back when we played (1949) there were eight teams – the eight conference champions went to the tournament – so you knew there weren't going to be any easy games. There's more now so there's going to be more pressure to perform. You need to make plays that are necessary to win. It's a goal everybody shoots for in college basketball, just to get there. When you get there perform to the best of your ability. You win as a team and there's certainly a lot more pressure than there is in the regular season." – Ted Beach

"The NCAA tournament is one of the great sports events of the year, I think. We're not really clearly a favorite over anybody. We don't have that superstar who's going to carry us while we're waiting to get our feet on the ground. I think they'll be pretty excited and it'll be a nice experience." – Dave Downey

"Going to the NCAA tournament, it's a new season and I think the intensity picks up from the regular season to the postseason. A lot of it is momentum swings and every possession is important. Not that you don't value every possession in the regular season but it's just heightened now because it's one and done. In the regular season, you lose a game, you watch film and try to get better. Now, you lose a game, you've got a whole summer to get better." – Jerry Hester

"It's war. You're fighting for your brothers who have led you up to this point. This is the season. The Big Ten and everything that you've been through so far has just been practice to get you to this point. You've got to go in there with a mind-set of conquering and coming out with the hardware. If you lose, the season's over. For the young guys, play to the best of your abilities and keep your head on a clean slate because you're out there playing for the seniors that have been showing you the ropes. You're out there fighting for your bigger brothers. One day you're going to be a senior and you're going to want the young bucks to fight hard for you so just go out there and take care of your business." – Sergio McClain

"Obviously it's a situation where you're one and done. Every possession is huge so you don't want to put yourself in a hole and you've just got to come out ready to play because it's a one-and-done situation. The Big Ten tournament gets you ready. Obviously the stakes aren't quite as high but just don't be overwhelmed. You don't have to beat all 64 teams at once. Just one at a time, don't worry about the brackets and take each game as it comes." – Sean Harrington

"Once all the teams are announced, all the rankings and positioning and all that garbage goes out the window. Whoever plays well, plays with confidence, can win it. Anything can happen. Put it all on the line, listen to your coach and your teammates and go out there and compete and let the chips fall where they may. You've got to play every play like it's the last play of the game. Don't wait until the last minute, two minutes, three minutes, five minutes to give your all. You're cheating yourself, you're cheating your university, you're cheating your teammates. Give it your all from the time the jump ball starts. You've got to play the first possession like it's your last. Give your all from the beginning." – Ken Norman

"Nobody can really prepare you for it. Yeah, you're gonna get advice, wisdom, speeches and all that. But once you walk on that court and experience it, it's a different feeling. Every game feels like a national championship game with the atmosphere, the media, everything. Every possession is like life or death and we can say all we want about it but until they actually experience it, they won't know how it feels. It's probably one of the greatest experiences I was a part of. " – Jerrance Howard