Illinois soaking in fans at open practice ahead of Final Four battle with UConn

INDIANAPOLIS, IN (WAND) -- We are less than 24 hours away from Illinois taking on UConn in the programs first final four game in 21 years. 

The Illini held their second practice of the week in Indy in front of over 17,000 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium. 

"I know I've played in a lot of big games, big venues and all of this. This will be a different animal," Senior Guard Kylan Boswell said. "Honestly it's kind of nervous in the sense thinking about that being packed out and I got to play out there, at the end it's going to be just a basketball game at some point, all that zoned out and your focus just on hoops that'll be a good feel to just see what it kind of feel like with some people in the stands and trying to imagine everybody out there."

For some players they were excited to see the Orange and Blue in the stands and let them see what a practice looks like. 

"It's one of those things that you don't really think about, having an open practice when you get into the tournament. But it's part of the deal," Junior Guard Andrej Stojakovic said. "So we're excited to go make some shots for everybody seeing us out there and for them to actually see what an Underwood practices like in the tournament."

A big talking point during the season was how strong the offense was for the Illini but in the post season they seem to be hitting their stride at the right time on the defensive side of the ball. 

"I think the aggression and the aggressiveness we have offensively, just trying to reciprocate that energy on the other side of the floor, has helped us," Stojakovic said, "We're a lot more aggressive on the ball. I know earlier in the year we were one of the lowest teams in the country in terms of fouling. So just being able to be more aggressive and being able to take more of those fouls, knowing that we have room for that. But yeah, it's pretty much, just being more aggressive on that end."

"So far in this run we've had our defensive mindset has been way more aggressive. The intensity, mental focus and mental discipline we applied on that end I think has been a huge factor for us. So I think just sticking to who we are and sticking to our course has been the biggest thing," Boswell said. 

And for Indiana natives Ben Humrichous and Jake Davis playing in the final four has always been a dream and to get to do it in their home state is more then they could imagine.

"We were never going to pay for these tickets. So I never, my family and I being so close, we were able to kind of do some of the festivities, like the way Fan Fest was for us yesterday, we would come and do some that stuff, but no I was never able to come to the games, Humrichous said, "It's just it's special to be able to finish here in Indianapolis. I would have never thought that I'd be playing basketball in Lucas Oil Stadium. But now here, being here, it's truly special."

"Awesome, you know? I mean, I've always said it was a dream of mine to play at the college level. And then even play in the Final Four is, awesome," Davis said. "And then the fact that it's in Indiana is even better."

Illinois takes on UConn April 4 in the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium. Tip off is scheduled for 5:09 p.m. (CT) 

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