Tale of the Tape: Orange Krush vs. Wildside
We here at WildcatReport have commented extensively on the atmosphere at Welsh-Ryan Arena this season, and for good reason. The 7,039-seat arena has been a bastion of Wildcat pride during Northwestern's impressive and historic season.
Students have packed the baselines game in and game out to cheer on the Cats. It’s paid, off too. The fans stormed the court after beating then-No. 1 Purdue, and head coach Chris Collins and Wildcat players have repeatedly credited the home crowd for fueling wins over Indiana and Iowa last week.
But while Welsh-Ryan has slowly turned into one of the more difficult places to play in the Big Ten, I’m sorry to report that it still needs that extra push to break into the upper echelon.
I was lucky enough to sit in the stands for the 186th edition of Wildcats vs. Illini on Thursday night in Champaign, a game the Illini won, 66-62, in a thriller.
And wow, the Orange Krush blew me away. Let’s break down why.
It was a sea of orange under the concrete dome at tip despite rumors circulating pregame that the Illini were struggling to fill the State Farm Center and a Twitter post advertising reduced $10 tickets for students.
But the student section's were almost filled an hour before tipoff. The first display of its power came during the Northwestern player introductions. Students read copies of The Daily Illini student newspapers emblazoned with "MILD CATS" on the front to distract themselves while the PA announcer read off the Wildcat starters -- though they paid attention enough to yell, "Sucks!" after every player's name.
When it was time for Illinois' starting five, the papers were traded for ear-shattering cheers and side-to-side swaying. Jets of fire flew up as the players ran onto the court and you could feel the heat during the well-choreographed production. The fans may have reached their crescendo when, "Introducing your sixth man... THE ORANGE KRUSH!" rang over the speakers.
Once the game started, the buzz was constant. Much like the Wildside, the Orange Krush was extremely loud when the Illini were on defense, and then laid off to let their offense work. Their energy levels in the first half waned as Northwestern jumped out to a hefty lead, save for some specific moments like a thunderous Sencire Harris dunk.
The second half was a different story. There was some clear demoralization at the start, documented by an extremely weak "I-L-L... I-N-I" chant. It didn't last long. As Illinois worked its way back into the game, so did the crowd.
I had never experienced that type of loudness before. Constant, deafening roars filled the arena, amplified by the domed concrete roof. At times, like when the Jumbotron asked the fans to "Unleash the fury", it felt like that top was going to pop off and we would be watching outdoor basketball.
Chaotic is the only way to describe the arena once the Illni took the lead. Being there connected the dots for me as to why Illinois is so good at home. Any team would be with that crowd behind them.
When Illinois completed its comeback from a 19-point deficit and the buzzer finally sounded, celebration ensued. The Illini players took the long way to the tunnel. They passed in front of the Orange Krush, and each player high-fived as many hands as they could, bringing everyone into the victory vibes. Their elation was palpable
One major difference that I noticed was the U of I crowd's lack of organized chants. Northwestern may benefit from its smaller size because every chant can be heard throughout the stadium, allowing for every fan to join in. This phenomenon does not occur in the SFC, save for the nationwide standards of "bulls***" and "airball."
That's not to say that there weren't good chirps. The Orange Krush rode Wildcat coaches, players and the referees incessantly. Our Louie Vaccher documented one of the best ones:
There were more solid one-liners, but nothing like Northwestern fans with their "Start your tractors!" or "Where's your daddy?" chants against Iowa. The closest the Orange Krush got was booing at Boo Buie, but they must not have been aware that those boos only fuel him. Buie wound up dropping a career-high 35 points on the Illini.
One thing the Krush did well was props. I already mentioned the papers, but that wasn't the only trick up their sleeves. They busted out a Orange Krush banner, evoking the image of tifos in international soccer. There were also different signs and posters, my favorite being a cut-out of Nick Offerman's face. As a school that claims a lot of famous Hollywood alumni from late-night shows (Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers) to sitcoms (Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Schwimmer), the Wildside should take note.
The location of the student sections also differed. At Welsh-Ryan, the Wildside is situated behind both baselines. This orientation is beneficial for the Cats, as it spreads the most passionate fans out across the stadium.
Illinois takes a different approach. Their student section wraps half the floor, behind one of the baskets, as well as the benches along the sideline, which allows them to wreak havoc for opposing teams. They don't need to spread the fan wealth like Northwestern does. The rest of the arena is also loud.
That's one place where Northwestern's home crowd doesn't measure up. While the Wildside generates a lot of energy, the rest of the arena is often half-filled with opposition fans. It makes for a unique environment, with cheers going back-and-forth, but it doesn't compare to the noise generated at Illinois, where virtually every fan is cheering for the home team.
Overall, it seemed like the Illini fans cared more about the basketball being played. That's not to say the Northwestern fans don't care, because they do. It's just that having an arena filled to the brim with basically only one fan base does wonders for the atmosphere.
Location helps the Illini out some in filling their arena with orange. There's not much else to do in Champaign on a Thursday night, while Wildcat fans have many other options in the Chicago area. A history of poor play in the past has knocked Northwestern basketball down in the pecking order.
Couple this with Chicago being a post-grad hub for the entire Big Ten, and it's hard to have an exclusively-purple Welsh-Ryan. But it's not impossible.
"Field of Dreams" was right. If you build it, they will come, and Northwestern is building. Now it's just up for the fans to come.