Illinois basketball had a big night for the program, as we took down Houston in in the Sweet 16.
The Cougars fought hard, but the Illini had too much firepower on both ends of the court. Houston would go on little runs, but Illinois didn’t allow them to get too much momentum.
Brad Underwood is now going back to the Elite 8 for the second time in three seasons. He has formed this unit into a national title contender, and he took to the mic after the big win over Houston to say a few words in the postgame press conference.
Here are five interesting Brad Underwood quotes from the Illinois basketball presser vs Houston
- “That first half probably set basketball back a few years in terms of the excitement level and the shooting.”
Underwood nails it with this quote. Illinois and Houston had one of the roughest starts offensively I have ever seen in an NCAA tournament game. Some had to do with defense, but there was also just bad shooting.
Illinois got on the board first, less than a minute into the game. The next point that was scored was at the 15:31 mark in the first half. It was a slog early on, but Illinois would eventually start clicking.
- “Start of the second half, I thought we found a rhythm.”
I honestly believe that the game could have turned completely with how Illinois started the second half. If we let Houston gain a ton of momentum, this score could have been completely different.
Houston had the game tied, and then Illinois flipped a switch. Up 27-26, the Illini went on a 17-0 run. The next time Houston scored, it was to bring the score to 44-29. This is what changed the game.
- “We didn’t want to give them layups and twos. And if they did, it was going to be over a contested hand, or what we call a Mozgov.”
This was one of the more interesting quotes from Underwood in the postgame press conference. Illinois’ focus against Houston was to limit their easier shots around the bucket.
It was one of the most impressive defensive performances I can remember. Illinois held Houston to 34.4% from the field. This is the sixth-worst shooting percentage from an Illinois opponent this season.
- “I thought Jake (Davis) was elite early on (Emanuel) Sharp. He used some physicality.”
I love it when Jake Davis gets love from the coaching staff. He is one of the most underrated players in the history of the Illinois program.
Davis didn’t do a ton on the court. He finished with five points and four rebounds in 13 minutes of action. But his defense was needed early on. He set the tone for the rest of the Illini squad. Underwood gave him a little recognition after the game.
- “To win this war, we had to win the rebounding battle. We outrebounded a very good rebounding team by nine.”
It was always going to be about rebounds at the end of the day. Illinois couldn’t lose the rebounding battle against Houston, and Underwood made that a point of emphasis.
Illinois unleashed a barrage of talented rebounders against the Cougars. Our two freshmen, David Mirkovic and Keaton Wagler, combined for 22 rebounds. This was a great effort on the glass and a huge reason we won the game.