Illinois fans cannot help but give Brad Underwood his flowers for an amazing season

It may not have ended the way that anyone wanted it to, but there is so much to be proud of for this Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team. To reach the school's first Final Four in 21 years is nothing short of special. For the Illini to have rallied and grown under Brad Underwood's watch the last several years, it was so cool to see Illinois being fully back at the front and center of everything this season.

After the game, Underwood put forth an all-time quote with the help of Kelvin Sampson as part of it.

"I feel sad. I'm sad. If you want to know the truth, I'm sad. But I'll reflect on some of the other stuff later. Seasons coming to an end stink. I'm going to steal a quote from Kelvin Sampson: 'I may not be as big a part of their life, but they are my life.' And I'm sad. I'm sad."

You just feel for him, as Underwood put everything he had into this team, only for it to come up short.

As expected, the college basketball world on social media gave Underwood a ton of respect.

College basketball world praises Brad Underwood over on social media

There is a growing belief that Underwood is going to win a national title at Illinois before he retires.

With each passing season, Underwood keeps breaking down barriers to lift Illinois to newer heights.

This is the type of head coach players all over the world will want to run through a brick wall for.

While Illinois' struggles with UConn continue, the Illini have themselves a transcendent head coach.

Brad Underwood comes out of this NCAA Tournament a better man for it

This right here is what makes the Final Four so amazing. While there can only be one national champion, there is almost always a story of a team like Underwood's Illini that achieves something together for either the first time ever, or in a really, really long time. Not every program has the illustrious history of a Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, or UConn. We have to appreciate the journey.

Prior to this NCAA Tournament, there were people out there who still did not know who Brad Underwood was or what he was all about. Getting to this big stage allowed the rest of the sports-viewing world to see him in a new light. While people may not like Dan Hurley's cockiness, Dusty May's hubris, or the lying through his teeth nature of Tommy Lloyd, Underwood is one of us, man.

In the end, basketball is and always will be a team sport. When you have the right head coach leading the right collection of players, something amazing can happen. That is what we saw this season on the hardwood for Illinois. It had been a painfully long time since the Illnois were on this same Final Four stage. While it came up two wins shy of the ultimate goal, Underwood made a name for himself.

Do not be sad that it is over, but rather, be happy that it even happened. What a season for this team!