Brad Underwood shares frustrations on loss to Ohio State, emotionless stretch for Illini
Brad Underwood wasn’t happy, not at all following his team’s 87-81 home loss to Ohio State on Saturday afternoon.
The win by No. 21 Ohio State lifts the Buckeyes to 11-3 on the year and 5-3 in the Big Ten. As for No. 14 Illinois, a preseason favorite to win the conference, they are now 9-5 and 5-3 in the conference.
Illinois allowed Ohio State to shoot 53.7 percent from the floor and a jaw-dropping 52.4 percent from three-point range. It is now consecutive losses for Illinois, both coming at home.
Illinois will have the chance to bounce back midweek with a home game against Penn State, who are 3-4 on the year and 0-3 in the Big Ten. They then will play at 8-4 Michigan State on the weekend, another program that has underwhelmed this season.
Despite being down 77-67 with 2:30 left in the game, Illinois fought back to make things close and should have had a chance to win the game. Down 83-81 with 15 seconds left in the game, they should have caught a break when Ohio State guard Duane Washington Jr. appeared to step out of bounds upon receiving an inbound pass.
The ball should have gone to Illinois with a chance to tie or even win the game. Instead, the officials did not call the infraction and Ohio State would cement the game moments later.
Here is what Underwood had to say in his postgame press conference:
#illini Brad Underwood: They came in and smacked us in the mouth. I get really frustrated with really poor, lack of emotional, non-competitive starts.
— Joey Wagner (@mrwagner25) January 16, 2021
#illini Underwood: seven threes in a half "is unacceptable."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) January 16, 2021
#illini Brad Underwood: You can't come out of a locker room and come out of a pre-game huddle and be down 9-2.
— Joey Wagner (@mrwagner25) January 16, 2021
#illini Brad Underwood: We have to quit riding the emotional rollercoaster that is this team right now. It's frustrating. I wish I had the exact answer. We're going to have some tough meetings. We have to figure this out.
— Joey Wagner (@mrwagner25) January 16, 2021
#illini Underwood: "We're one of the best teams in the country when we play. When we don't … we got to put a stop to the don'ts."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) January 16, 2021
#illini Underwood: "I'm at a loss. I wish I could say I could pinpoint [coming out flat]."
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) January 16, 2021
#illini Underwood said practices have lacked emotion too, said they've ended practices "like a high school JV team."
Has chewed them out, run them.
This is concerning for a team with so many veterans.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) January 16, 2021
#Illini Underwood: There's going to a lot of things aired and that will be first thing in the morning
— Derek Piper (@DPiper247) January 16, 2021
#illini Brad Underwood asked if his team lacks toughness.
"Yup."
End of response.
Then asked how he fixes it.
"Oh, we'll get it fixed."
End interaction.
— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) January 16, 2021
