Column: A crushing loss won't dissuade an Illinois basketball program that's 'not going anywhere'
BOSTON - The candid moment made its way around social media.
Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood, cracking open a can of Coca-Cola, uttered what every member of the Illini faithful felt in their souls at that moment.
"Ooh," Underwood sighed, "that sucked."
Agreed, coach.
Illinois didn't just run into the best team in college basketball. Illinois ran into the best team in college basketball that played perhaps the best basketball any team has played this season.
There is absolutely no shame in the 77-52 loss. The only teams that would've beaten UConn on Saturday night play in the National Basketball Association.
The Huskies were really that good. That materialized in the form of a devastating 30-0 run to end the first half and continue into the second half.
Pain, frustration and sorrow that comes from that loss are valid. Illinois had its best season in 19 years, only to run into a team currently on a historical run. That shouldn't take away from steps Illinois took as a program this season.
"I think we've been the winningest program in the Big Ten the last five years," Underwood said. "I think we're one of five high-major programs that have won 20 games for five years. Four or five. I think we've turned the corner a long time ago. This is a great program. We're getting guys like him out of the portal. We're getting guys like him out of high school. We've got another great recruiting class. We'll continue to add guys we want."
Underwood was clear to note the Illini didn't turn a corner. To him, turning the corner came when Illinois earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in the 2021 tourney.
Now, it's about keeping this status quo.
In this day and age in college basketball, it's possible with the likes of NIL and the transfer portal. Underwood proved that was possible in his program.
This offseason, the most important move was landing Marcus Domask from the transfer portal. Domask was outshone by Terrence Shannon Jr. overall, but Domask was the most consistent. Domask scored 17 points in his final college game.
Still, a bigger testament to Underwood and his staff is development. The Illini recruited, landed and developed players like Coleman Hawkins. Hawkins, who could have transferred, stuck with Illinois for four years.
"It's what this thing's supposed to be around," Underwood said about developing players. "It's going through the growth. It's the process of you get them as a boy, and they leave as a man. Hopefully, along the way, there's some life lessons learned not just on the basketball court."
Hawkins can take an extra year of eligibility if he wants it, but even if he does the Illini will have to reload with the likes of Quincy Guerrier, Domask and Shannon departing.
Now, Underwood will need to flex his understanding of the newer parts of college basketball to reload with the hopes of returning to the Elite Eight.
He's proven he can put together a teams that can make the NCAA Tournament on a yearly basis. Underwood has done that by sowing together a togetherness in a locker room with a mix of transfers and in-house developed players.
"It's a great group of guys, I'm going to stay in contact with them. They'll go to my wedding," Guerrier said. "Really proud of this group. Not a lot of teams can win a Big Ten Championship and go to the Elite Eight."
This includes a player like Domask, who had already given so much to another college basketball program in Southern Illinois.
"I've had a lot of fun in my last year of college," Domask said.
There were plenty of tears in the Illinois locker room after the loss. It would be strange if there weren't. But there was plenty of perspective.
The Illini, as a team, won a Big Ten Championship and won three games in the tournament.
It's the step in the right direction for a program that's been looking to recapture the same March Madness magic it had almost 20 years.
Back then, the likes of Dee Brown, Deron Williams and Luther Head created magic. Even that team lost to a No. 1 seed playing its best basketball in North Carolina.
It's hard to win a national championship. Plenty needs to go right for teams, and much of that plenty is out the coaches and player's control.
What Illinois proved this season is the program can maximize the parts of the game that are in their control.
"Hell" Underwood said, "we're not going anywhere."
Instant analysis: UConn dominates as Illinois' March Madness run ends in the Elite Eight
To open the second half, UConn played the best basketball of the season. Illinois could not stop it. Here's how the game played out.