It’s one-and-done for Brad Underwood and the #4 seed Illinois Fighting Illini in the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini blew a 15 point second half lead at the United Center, their home away from home, to lose 91-88 in overtime to the #5 seed Wisconsin Badgers.
The result left them 0-4 in games that went into OT this season and 0-6 in games decided by five points or less. This team is not “Semisonic” because “closing time” is a major issue.
Big Z and Humrichous coming out of the locker room! #LFG #Illini #B1GMBBT pic.twitter.com/HbuA57nROh
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) March 13, 2026
“We got to have someone nasty enough and give a shit enough that wants to go grab a rebound,” Underwood told the media scrum after the game.
“It’s very frustrating.”
When you put this loss into perspective, an alarming trend emerges. Illinois has not beaten a NCAA Tournament caliber opponent since Groundhog Day, losing to all five teams that will eventually go dancing, over that span.
They have won four games since February 1, all of which came over teams that won’t be competing in March Madness.
Brad Underwood and the #Illini coaching staff coming out of the tunnel #LFG #B1GMBBT pic.twitter.com/EllxWSxrrz
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) March 13, 2026
“We’re lucky that this is not the last game of the season,” Illini center Tomislav Ivisic said, in response to a question about what message Brad Underwood sent to his team after today’s loss.
“We got one more guaranteed game… We just got to be more focused on the defensive end…”
Brad Underwood spoke a lot about trying to find his team’s “nasty” player. He needs someone to “get nasty,” and they need “nastiness” to get over the hump. Who is this going to be?
He also used words like “toughness” and “grit” in this context, taking accountability for the loss, but admitting that he doesn’t have the answer.
In terms of figuring it out, time is running very low.
Can somebody just turn it on like a switch, and do so right now?
The single elimination NCAA Tournament is next weekend, and the Illini defense is still very suspect. T
oday, they surrendered 69 points to Wisconsin’s dynamic duo of guards, Nick Boyd and John Blackwell.
“Sometimes I think when we make shots, we get casual on the other end,” Underwood said.
Illinois has a NET ranking of 5, and the #1 rated offense on KenPom, but their hopes for a #2 seed are completely dashed now.
They might be on the lower side of the #3 seed line now.
The Illini may have also lost the opportunity to go to St. Louis for the opening weekend of March Madness as well. However, all is not lost. Brad Underwood still has a week to try and figure it out.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.