Column: If Brad Underwood took the blame, it's on him to lift Illinois basketball to its potential

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Brad Underwood wasn’t afraid to take the blame.

At the State Farm Center on Friday night, Michigan came in and beat down the Illini. A seven-point halftime deficit ballooned to 21 as the points in the paint and 3-pointers kept falling, while Illinois kept settling for shots.

Michigan center Aday Mara played 12 minutes in the second half. He had 15 points on 7 of 8 shooting in eight minutes, and didn’t need to score in the other four. Former Illini forward Morez Johnson Jr. was heartily booed in his return to Champaign and stuck it to his former team with a double-double.

The Wolverines won the Big Ten Championship outright. Johnson got a Gatorade bath in the visitor’s locker room as the home team had to just sit there and lick their wounds.

Underwood sees the problem.

"That's on me," Underwood said. "I got to do a much better just of getting us much nastier in those situations."

Seeing it is one thing. He’s got to fix it. If Underwood is going to take the onus of a loss like Friday night, then the obligation to get over that hump solely lies in his lap now with a team that could be his best in Champaign.

Big picture view:

This isn’t just about winning the games. The Illini have won 22 of those so far this year.

This Illinois has the potential to be a Final Four team. It’s deeper and has more potential than the 2024 team that went to the Elite Eight. Freshmen Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic have seemingly alternated the Big Ten’s Freshman of the Week award once they’ve settled into their roles.

They have the tools. They have the talent. What gives? How does this team end February losing four of its last six?

"We've gotten a little bit, maybe content," Underwood said. "That's on me."

This Illinois team has enough talent to win against most of the Big Ten on its own. Unfortunately, Michigan isn’t most of the Big Ten. 

The Wolverines might be the best team to come out of the Big Ten in years. The front court of Morez Johnson Jr., Yaxel Langenborg and Aday Mara is as talented as it is versatile. They dropped 42 points in the paint against an Illinois front court that has experience and talent. The trio combined for 54 points and 23 rebounds against Illinois.

If they weren’t clear national title favorites before, they are now and have a chance to improve that resume against rival Michigan State in the regular season finale.

Meanwhile, Illinois could still be nursing its bruises.

"They took the belt off and beat our behinds with it," Underwood said. "If you like that too much, then you should probably go to the rec center and play."

How’s that for imagery?

What's next:

Meanwhile, Michigan head coach Dusty May has won the outright Big Ten title in his second season in Ann Arbor. He credited his wife for helping push him to the Michigan job and the team he has for playing as good as it has been.

"Gimmie a ball, a gym and some dudes that want to work, and I’m happy," May said.

Underwood has all three of those things.

He has a calming presence in Kylan Boswell, a player that most of the Big Ten wishes it could have. He’s a one-person firehouse that can put out any threatening fires that plague the Illini. 

A despondent Boswell took the blame for the loss. When Underwood heard this, he replied: "Good."

It’s good to want accountability. Boswell has been the same when Illinois lost games it had no answers to. He was the same type of despondent when the Illini lost to Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament’s second round last year and when Alabama raced to a win over Illinois at the United Center.

He has the players with enough talent and leadership. Underwood has to find that next level himself as a coach, too. Especially if he’s going to take the blame for losses like Friday this late in the season.

To be clear, it’s not just flipping a switch.

The elephant in the room is Underwood's performances against the best of the best, especially on his home court. He hasn’t won a home game against a top-10 team since 2022 when Illinois beat Michigan State. He’s 7-6 against top-10 teams on the road, and 3-5 against top-five teams on the road.

In contrast, he’s 4-9 against top-10 teams at home and 1-6 against top-five ranked teams at home.

If it were that easy, then everyone would win games against top-10 and top-five ranked teams. Winning that kind of game is reserved for a select list of head coaches in college basketball. The Big Ten has three of those coaches in May, Purdue’s Matt Painter and Michigan State’s Tom Izzo. Those three coaches have their teams in the top 15 of the AP Poll.

Illinois is in the mix there. They have five wins over ranked teams so far this season. Whatever the reason, Illinois is complacent. 

"It always catches you at some point. It smacks you in the face and doesn't feel very good," Underwood said. "I don't like saying that about my team very often. They played harder and nastier."

This is arguably Underwood’s best team in Champaign.

They have the roster to go deep into the NCAA Tournament. If they want to go where they want to be – the Final Four with eyes set on a national championship – then Underwood has to find a way to lift this roster to win the games where it matters the most.

If it’s not Michigan, they’re going to see a top-10 team later. Underwood is in Year 9, and you have to credit him for the work he’s done reviving the Illini program.

He took the blame for Friday night. There’s more work to do.

"I hope this just reignites a flame under us," Underwood said.

This late in the season, he has to find the matches.

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