The Fighting Illini didn’t show any fight in this game. Illinois suffered its worst loss in program history. The 43-point loss on the national stage at MSG proved that Illinois doesn’t deserve a spot in the field of 68.
Illinois didn’t make a three-pointer in the first half. That sounds bad, but it gets worse when you see their attempts. Head coach Brad Underwood’s team went 0-for-15 from three in the first half. The rest of the game didn’t go much better, as they finished just 2-for-26 from beyond the arc—an abysmal 7.7%
They were simply unable to adjust to their cold shooting. As a team, they are shooting 31.7% from three, ranking 305th in the nation. So, the obvious solution would be to avoid forcing up threes, right? Well, they still seem to believe that the more they take, the more they’ll make. Shooting 7.7% from deep should make them never want to attempt another one again.
Unfortunately, they likely won’t change their strategy. Illinois attempted 30 or more threes in each of their last two games—both losses. Will they adjust in their three remaining games? That remains to be seen, but Illinois fans certainly hope so.
The Fighting Illini weren’t ready for Duke, which fell on Brad Underwood. Illinois’ head coach never adjusted to Duke’s offensive onslaught.
Duke had a balanced attack, and Illinois had no answers on defense. Player of the Year candidate Cooper Flagg led the Blue Devils’ starters with 16 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists. He was one of five Duke starters to score in double figures. They simply dominated this game, never giving Illinois any hope.
The third-ranked team in the nation dished out 28 assists compared to Illinois’ 10. The Fighting Illini had too many possessions with stagnant ball movement. That falls not only on the players but also on the coach. Underwood didn’t draw up the right plays to put his team in positions to succeed. While some credit goes to Duke’s defense, the responsibility ultimately lands on Underwood.
Underwood has had a solid career in Champaign, compiling a 160-98 record over eight seasons. The issue is that all those wins have yet to produce a national championship or a Final Four appearance.
Underwood is making $4.7 million this season, the eighth-highest salary in college basketball. Just below him on the pay scale is Houston’s Kelvin Sampson, who earns $4.6 million per year. The difference is minimal, but the fact that Underwood is even in the same conversation is ridiculous.
His successful seasons at Illinois don’t overshadow his struggles this year. The Illini have suffered multiple losses to teams they should have beaten and haven’t shown they have what it takes to be a tournament team. They’ve dropped their last three games in uncompetitive fashion. The Fighting Illini can’t afford any slip-ups to end the season or they may very well miss the tournament.
Underwood deserves to be let go when this season ends. He has shown this season that he is unable to make the necessary adjustments in games for the Illini to win. Illinois needs a fresh start, and this Duke game was just the latest reminder.
It will be interesting to see how Underwood’s team finishes the season. They’re on a three-game losing streak, sitting at 17-11. Could they miss the tournament entirely? Crazier things have happened, and they don’t deserve a spot with the way they’re playing right now. It’s quite unfortunate, really.
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