Illinois basketball has an unofficial mascot for its deep run into March ... Who is 'Cowboy Tommy'? The 12-year-old dancing Illini basketball fan with his own T-shirt ...

The school did have a de facto mascot from 1926 until 2007 in Chief Illiniwek, a Native American symbol representing the Illinois Confederation of tribes, also known as the Illini. Chief Illiniwek ...

Despite losing Chief Illiniwek, the University will still refer to itself as the Fighting Illini, since "Illini" is considered ... whether or not the university will adopt a new mascot to replace its ...