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Illinois HC Brad Underwood's Final Four message is much bigger than college basketball originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Illinois Fighting Illini coach Brad Underwood didn’t hide from the microphone. He didn’t mask the pain. He didn’t try to be the tough guy. He didn’t try to be the coach who always has the answers.
He let himself be, as he made eye contact with me in a busy media room in the underbelly of Lucas Oil Stadium, upon reflecting on Illinois' best season since its run to the national title game in 2005.
“I’m sad,” Underwood told reporters. “If you want to know the truth, I’m sad.”
Illinois’ 71–62 loss to UConn Saturday night wasn’t just the end of a season. It was the end of a journey that Underwood said brought him “more joy than any group I’ve ever coached.” It was the end of a run that reconnected a fan base to its program. It was the end of a year where Illinois rediscovered its national relevance.
And Underwood felt every bit of it.
“I’ve never been around a group of guys who have given me more joy,” Underwood said. “They played for the name [Illinois] on the front.”
He praised guard Keaton Wagler’s growth. He praised center Tomislav Ivisic’s maturity. He praised guard Andrej Stojakovic’s evolution. He praised the character of guard Kylan Boswell, forward Ben Humrichous and guard AJ Redd — the latter earning Final Four Scholar-Athlete honors.
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“If you want to put a contest together about good human beings, we’ll win,” Underwood said.
He didn’t talk about missed layups. He didn’t talk about the three-point gap. He didn’t talk about the three assists. He didn’t talk about the math that doomed Illinois.
He talked about people.
He talked about relationships.
He talked about the moments that don’t show up in a box score.
“I may not be as big a part of their life,” Underwood said. “But they are my life.”
Underwood has coached at Dodge City, Macomb, Daytona Beach, Manhattan, Columbia, Nacogdoches, Stillwater and Champaign. He’s won everywhere. He’s rebuilt everywhere. But he’s never been this close to a national title.
And that’s why this one hurt.
“This was one of the most joyful and unbelievable events of all time,” he said. “Even though we lost today.”
Illinois will hang banners. They will return talent. They will recruit well. The program is back.
MORE: Dan Hurley's UConn magic all over Huskies' march to still another NCAA Championship game
But this group — this exact group — won’t be again.
And that’s why Underwood cried.
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