If you watched the Fighting Illini’s Sweet Sixteen win against the University of Houston on Thursday you never would’ve guessed the game took place in the Cougars’ home city, given how Illinois performed.
Asked if he minded the homecourt disadvantage in a tournament where the location is supposed to be more or less neutral, Illini Coach Brad Underwood left no doubt — not at all.
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“I’ll be honest, I (couldn’t) care less,” he said in an interview before the game. “I’m going to sound really selfish here. I’m an old JUCO ball coach. I drove 16-passenger vans. I drove from Dodge City, Kansas, to Mesa, Arizona, for a basketball tournament in a bus. If you would have told me back then that I’m getting to coach basketball in the Sweet Sixteen and play Houston, I would sign up for it. I would crawl to get there.”
In an era defined by NIL deals and constant player movement, it’s easy to assume college basketball has become purely transactional. This March is proving otherwise. With Illinois and Michigan both in the Final Four, the Big Ten has a real chance to produce its first national champion in 26 years. The two even could play each other in the title game!
Underwood’s unfiltered way of speaking may help explain why this year’s team has played the way they do — disciplined, unbothered by circumstance and prepared for moments like this. More than that, it underscores the standard he sets, built on effort, accountability and a willingness to embrace the moment.
It’s a similar tone other coaches have struck in interviews this season.
Michigan State great Tom Izzo, put on the spot last week over his intense coaching style, defended himself, saying players need someone pushing them. Earlier this year, he described his role with his players this way: “The best thing I could do for you is to hold you accountable to your dreams and goals — not mine.”
Izzo’s Spartans were the most recent Big Ten team to win a national championship, and that was more than a quarter century ago against Florida. His philosophy of accountability over comfort has long defined the Big Ten’s best teams.
UConn coach Dan Hurley has a near-maniacal bearing with his players, emphasizing the hard work and commitment it takes to get this far, and his teams correspondingly always are at their best this time of year. The Huskies gave fans a comeback victory for the ages over Duke Sunday, when freshman Braylon Mullins hit a long three to beat the buzzer after having been down 19 in the first half.
The big story in college sports these days is how NIL has shifted power toward players. We’ve seen how that changes the game, with players cycling through programs in search of better deals, often with little time to build continuity. As is their prerogative.
And yet while money is certainly a desirable benefit, we know that what outlasts a paycheck is what you learn from your coaches and teammates.
While we won’t be cheering for Hurley’s Huskies on Saturday, we can appreciate the passion he has for his team. The same is true for Underwood.
In a season defined by money and movement, this March is offering a reminder that the teams still standing aren’t just talented, they’re connected. And that still wins. Illinois embodies that mindset this year.
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