Big Ten Basketball: Bruce Weber Gets Standing Ovation in Return to Illinois
Bruce Weber received nothing but love in his return to Champaign on Monday night. The former Illinois coach was in town as part of Big Ten Network's broadcast coverage of the Fighting Illini's matchup against Arkansas-Little Rock.
Weber, who was the head coach at Illinois from 2003-12, was introduced by the public address announcer early during Monday night's game. Fans at State Farm Center gave the former Fighting Illini leader a standing ovation.
State Farm Center crowd on its feet to welcome back former #Illini head coach Bruce Weber. He’s on the call for Big Ten Network for tonight’s game. pic.twitter.com/9wVs4eQ8Pq
— Zeno ‘Jeno’ Jo (@jenozenojeno) November 26, 2024
Illinois had an impressive 92-34 win over Little Rock to improve to 5-1 on the season.
Weber enjoyed plenty of success during his nine seasons in Champaign. He posted a 210-101 record during his time at Illinois, leading the Fighting Illini to six NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the National Championship Game in 2005.
Illinois also won two Big Ten regular season titles (2004 and 2005) and a Big Ten Tournament championship (2005) under Weber's guidance. The team had just one losing season in nine years.
After his time at Illinois concluded, he coached at Kansas State from 2012-22, winning a pair of Big 12 titles and playing in five NCAA Tournaments. The Wildcats posted a 184-147 record.
Prior to becoming a head coach, Weber was an 19-year assistant coach for Hall of Fame coach Gene Keady. He spent one season as a graduate assistant on Keady's staff at Western Kentucky before following the coach to Purdue in 1980. Weber then served as a full-time assistant with the Boilermakers from 1980-98 before taking a head coaching job at Southern Illinois.
Weber was 103-54 in five seasons at Southern Illinois with two NCAA Tournament appearances and a trip to the NIT. Overall, Weber posted a career coaching record of 497-302.
Weber currently works as a college basketball analyst at Big Ten Network.
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