March 16, 2005
Normal, Ill. -
Fans who attend Illinois State's 2005 NCAA Tournament basketball game in Seattle as well as fans who stay home in Central Illinois will have opportunities to cheer Coach Robin Pingeton's Redbirds on Saturday.
The fans in Seattle will have a pep rally at 9:15 a.m. pacific time at the Mayflower Park Hotel before the Redbirds head to Bank of America Arena for their game with Baylor, which begins at 11 a.m. pacific time.
Fans who can't make the trip can be part of the Redbird Watch Party at the Pub II sponsored by the Redbird Club, in downtown Normal. Fans will gather to watch the game starting at 1 p.m. central time.
Illinois State, the 2005 State Farm Missouri Valley Conference Tournament Champions, play the Bears, who are 27-3 and won both the regular-season and post-season tournament Big 12 titles.
The Redbirds leave for Seattle with an official sendoff (open to the public) at 7:15 a.m. Thursday in parking lot G-82 on the north side of Horton Field House.
