Jordan Karnes didn’t wait long to buy Big Ten Tournament tickets when a limited amount went on sale. Shortly after, he also ordered a costume online.
To his wife’s dismay, it arrived to their Pana, Ill., home on time.
Karnes wore the orange bodysuit and puffy wig along with an Illinois mask and bright blue sneakers Friday while waiting for the gates to open at Lucas Oil Stadium. He already had waited a whole season to see his beloved Illini play basketball.
“It’s finally open,” said Karnes, who attended Illinois’ 90-68 quarterfinal victory against Rutgers in the quarterfinal. “It’s finally here. I’ve been waiting all year. I’m pumped.”
For the first time this season, a large number of fans was allowed to attend Big Ten games after a season of COVID-19 protocols kept fans out of arenas. The conference sold limited tickets through each school, permitting up to 8,000 to attend.
The stadium welcomed 7,735 fans to the second session of games Friday — Illinois versus Rutgers and Iowa versus Wisconsin. The morning session — Michigan against Maryland and Purdue against Ohio State — brought in 7,634 fans.
“I can imagine what this place would be like if it was packed,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “It was a really cool feeling. It had a different vibe. Nice to get some fans in the building.”
Illinois controlled Rutgers from tipoff to the final buzzer. But the Illini seemed to feed off the fans.
Players appeared energized by real crowd noise rather than the artificial pumped-in sound they heard hearing all season.
Illinois fans chanted “I-L-L, I-N-I.” They roared when Ayo Dosunmu drove to the basket and Kofi Cockburn dunked. Players often raised their arms to encourage louder cheers.
Illinois players pointed to their fans in appreciation as they exited the arena.
“It was great to finally see fans supporting us and watching us play,” Dosunmu said. “It always gives you extra juice and adrenaline and pushes you to play harder. It felt good.”
A recorded public address announcement plays between breaks reminding fans to follow rules to help prevent the potential spread of COVID-19.
Fans are temperature-checked and fill out a health questionnaire before entering the arena. Signs posted throughout the stadium remind fans to wear masks. Stickers on the concourse are meant to encourage social distancing, and fans are asked to stay in their reserved seats to maintain separation between groups that arrived together.
Unsurprisingly, it was easy to spot fans not following guidelines.
When Purdue made a run from an 18-point deficit to force overtime against Ohio State, Boilermakers fans stood and screamed. It added a reminder to how games used to feel.
But many were grouped together in one section and pulling down their masks to cheer.
However, many fans at the games said they felt safe at the stadium.
“I was really not concerned,” said Chuck Armantrout, a Purdue fan and Indianapolis resident who attended with his son Brayden. “The COVID is starting to relax now. I knew there was going to be a lot of social distancing with the lack of tickets. They seem like they do a good job. They were spraying things down as soon as the game ended.”
Karnes, who attended the game with his wife, sister and brother, said his family didn’t come with many concerns.
“Not at all,” he said, adding he previously had COVID-19. “We’re not big worriers about it. We feel safe and we’re excited to be here. I feel like I’m pretty healthy.”
For some, attending the game seemed a rare opportunity too good to pass up.
Hannah Wiesnoski and Connor Black, seniors and leaders in the Orange Krush student section, drove together from Champaign to see the Illini in person for the first time this season. Missing games was difficult as Illinois worked its way to a No. 3 ranking.
“It was upsetting,” Wiesnoski said. “We all understood why we couldn’t go to the game, of course.”
She had some underlying worries about attending with a crowd, but she felt comforted knowing she is tested every few days at the university.
“I think it’s a risk I’m willing to take,” she said.
This season has been an odd one for Leah Gentry, who usually attends Illinois games to support her husband, Stephen Gentry, an assistant coach. She came to the game with her dad, Denny Wahlgren, from Kansas, and her 7-year-old daughter, Svea.
Svea wore a black mask — a tribute to the protective mask Dosunmu wears for a broken nose. She also fashioned herself with an orange cape for the occasion.
“She’s fired up,” Leah Gentry said. “It felt kind of disconnected from the whole team and everything going on (this season). We’re excited to be part of it.”
Illinois played in the semifinals Saturday afternoon against Iowa and hoped to compete for the conference championship Sunday. The Illini are aiming for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which also will be held in Indianapolis.
If they make it to the championship game, that’s seven more games for fans to attend. Well, those with tickets — and a face mask.
And Underwood hopes having fans in the stands can make a difference on the court.
“(There) are the momentum swings that can happen when you have fans in the stands,” he said.