Brad Underwood praises Illinois for marquee win over No. 8 UCLA
Illinois looked dead in the water at the start of the 2nd half.
The Illini were down bug to No. 8 UCLA, but roared back to snag a 79-70 win behind an insane performance from Terrence Shannon Jr. The Texas Tech transfer nailed 8 of 9 3-pointers to dispatch the Bruins on a neutral site.
Head coach Brad Underwood spoke after the game, praising the atmosphere created by the fans and Shannon’s late game heroics.
“I’m really proud of this group, 15 down, 8th ranked team in the country. A lot of unknowns”#Illini head coach Brad Underwood after Illinois comes back to upset UCLA in Las Vegas
“Now it was a home court for us, how about the #Illini Nation and how we travel?” pic.twitter.com/GBOubveOnq
— Bret Beherns (@WCIA3Bret) November 19, 2022
Shannon had his best game as an Illini, but it doesn’t seem like that will hold for long. He was the best player on the court in a game with numerous NBA players.
Underwood explained why it looked so effortless for him postgame.
#Illini Underwood on Terrence Shannon Jr:
“I think our style helps him and we’ve encouraged his speed downhill. 1000 shots a day and getting in at 4:45 in the morning, it’s amazing how success finds hard work”
— Bret Beherns (@WCIA3Bret) November 19, 2022
The Illini take on Virginia next this Sunday. The Cavaliers defeated No. 4 Baylor Friday 86-79.
