Basketball

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood brushed off a question two weeks ago from IlliniGuys.com co-founder Brad Sturdy and the reality of that question bit him again in the Big Ten Tournament.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Brad Underwood would be wise to take the advice of the ancient philosopher Mick Jagger.

The Illinois head coach isn’t always going to get what he wants but if you try sometimes, he just might find he gets exactly what he needs.

Immediately after a 78-72 win at Maryland in the regular season finale on March 8, Underwood completely dismissed a question from one of my bosses - IlliniGuys.com co-founder Brad Sturdy - because he didn’t like the implication of Illinois struggling in close games.

“I like that’s a bunch of crap,” Underwood said. “You can think what you want to think but we pulled away in a lot of those too. Yeah, next question. I didn’t like that one very much.”

Let’s put aside the idea that Underwood “didn’t like that one very much” because there’s something every human being doesn’t particularly care for (or bemoaning the fact that they are currently unemployed) but they do it anyway because that’s called being professional.

An alternative answer could have been something like: “Yes. We know that postseason play begins starting now and the likelihood of blowouts from now on isn’t high so being able to show poise and maturity on the road against any team in this league is always a positive.”

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood and Pennsylvania head coach Fran McCaffrey have been close friends for decades and would obviously not face each other in a NCAA Tournament setting.

ILLINOIS vs. PENNSYLVANIA

Records: Illinois 24-8, 15-5 in Big Ten Conference; Pennsylvania 18-11, 9-5 in Ivy League

Date/Time/Place: Thursday March 19, 2026: 8:25 p.m. CST, Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina

Capacity: 15,000

ODDS: Illinois by 25.5

Series notes: Illinois leads 6-0. Illinois has never lost to Penn in the previous six times the two programs have face each other. The last meeting was Nov. 22, 2001 in Las Vegas when then-No. 2-ranked Illinois won 78-71. The two programs have faced each other in the first round of the NCAA Tournament once before - four-seeded Illinois defeated Penn 78-68 on March 17, 2000 in the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. This would be the final victory that Lon Kruger would earn as the Illini head coach before his Illini lost in the second round to Florida and Kruger would eventually accept the head coaching position with the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has never faced Penn in his collegiate coaching career.

TV: TNT; Ian Eagle (play-by-play), Bill Raftery & Grant Hill (color analysts), & Tracy Wolfson (sideline reporter)

Local Radio (Illinois); Brian Barnhart (play-by-play); Deon Thomas (analyst)

National Radio: (Westwood One); Noah Eagle (play-by-play) & LaPhonso Ellis (analyst); SiriusXM – 208 or 201

GREENVILLE, S.C. — When the matchup against Illinois was revealed on Sunday, Fran McCaffery didn’t even have to check his phone to know he’d been getting a text message from his NCAA Tournament first round opposing coach. McCaffery also knew the text likely wouldn’t be suitable to children of a certain age.

The only conference championship game Underwood chose to watch on Selection Sunday was the Ivy League Final to watch his friend, McCaffery, lead Pennsylvania over top-seed Yale to earn the school’s first NCAA bid since 2018.

“It was a text that you would expect Brad (Underwood) to send,” the first-year Pennsylvania head coach, who is an alum of the Ivy League school, said Wednesday with a smile.

In this event, coaches at this level have to face the reality of being opposite of some of their very favorite people in a survive-and-advance type situation that will ultimately send their buddy home and crush their dream for that season.

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

March 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini are in Greenville as they prepare to take on the Penn Quakers and a familiar face in former Iowa coach Fran McCaffrey. Penn finished 3rd in the Ivy League and defeated top seeded Yale on Sunday to grab the NCAA bid behind a massive performance from TJ Power, who appears to be under the weather. Of course, that means we may see a flu game from him, so the Illini must be prepared for this one and cannot take the Quakers lightly.

Here’s a look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage
2026 NCAA Tournament // First Round // South Region
#3 Illinois (24-8, 15-5 B1G) vs. #14 Penn (18-11, 9-5 Ivy)
Thurs, March 19 // 8:25 p.m. CT (9:25 p.m. ET) / Greenville, S.C. / Bon Secours Wellness Arena
TV: TNT – Ian Eagle (Play-By-Play), Bill Raftery & Grant Hill (Analysts), & Tracy Wolfson Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas (Analyst) National Radio: Westwood One – Noah Eagle (Play-By-Play) & LaPhonso Ellis (Analyst) Satellite Radio: SiriusXM – 208 or 201

Notable
*Perspective is a wonderful thing, although fans are often very hyper focused on their own team and it makes it difficult. Illinois is a 3 seed in the NCAA tournament for the second time in 3 seasons and the 10th overall seed. Numerous national pundits have the Illini advancing to the Final Four, and the oddsmakers give them the 7th best chance at cutting down the nets. This team is good.

*They did limp to the finish, but the question becomes if the close game losses are a pattern or a series of bad luck situations that will work themselves out over the next 3 weeks.

*The defense has been an issue, but there have been flashes as well. The first half against Wisconsin was excellent, the second half saw a let down, but it shows that it is in them. Things can get better. Purdue was 233rd in defensive efficiency in February to early March, and then were on lock in the Big Ten tournament. Illinois needs a similar transformation.

North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac could be on the same floor with his SC Derby club teammates, Tomislav Ivisic and David Mirkovic, if UNC and No. 3 seed Illinois meet in the NCAA Tournament second round.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Unable to go back to their home countries for the holiday season, Tomislav Ivisic called his former roommate and one of best friends to quickly plan a Christmas trip to the beach.

For the first time since that holiday break vacation, Ivisic and North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac find themselves in the same place, Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolona, for the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.

“Neither of us, being college basketball players and being so far from home, had more than a couple days for Christmas so I texted him if he wanted to get together,” Ivisic said. “(Bogovac) is one of my best friends in this world and probably will be for the rest of our lives.”

If both players from Balkan states see their teams win on Thursday, Ivisic and Bogavac will see themselves on the same court since being teammates at the 2023-24 SC Derby club team based in Podgorica, Montenegro.

“(Ivisic) was a roommate when we played on the road for SC Derby and he helped me with everything and just was always there for me as a teammate,” Bogovac said Wednesday. “He gives off this robotic deal in public but in private, he’s funny and he cares about people. He’s all about winning so if you’re about winning, he’ll instantly be your friend.”

He played in 55 games over the last two seasons for SC Derby where nearly half of those were spent traveling with Ivisic in a club league that includes teams from Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, United Arab Emirates and Romania. During the year he played and was roommates with Ivisic, Bogovac averaged 7.8 points and was 28 for 87 from three-point range in 26 games during the 2023-24 campaign. The bond and friendship from Ivisic, who averaged 7.1 points per game, 1.3 assists per game, and one block per game while shooting 57.4 percent from the field including 42.3 from 3-point range, allowed Bogovac to see his averages skyrocket to 14.9 points per game in 2024-25 once Ivisic was starring in his first season with the Illini.

After receiving his fourth All-America honors this season, Illinois […]

TJ Power, Pennsylvania’s top player who had 44 points […]

Penn’s five players from state of Illinois eyeing upset of 3-seed Illini on Thursday night.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 18, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

GREENVILLE, S.C. — As he approaches his fourth NCAA Tournament, Kylan Boswell had to pause when asked if he still gets nervous before playing in this event.
Boswell is one of the rare players in college basketball who have experienced the NCAA Tournament in each of his four seasons and will be making his second appearance in an Illini jersey.

“I’m sure when I’m in this locker room (Thursday) night before that first game the butterflies will be there,” Boswell said Wednesday from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena locker room. “The difference for me in this fourth time is you begin to realize its just another 40-minute basketball game.”

During last year's NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee in which then-No. 6 seed Illinois defeated Xavier in the first round but fell to Kentucky two days later, Boswell averaged 19 points, four rebounds and four assists. For his career, Boswell owns NCAA Tournament averages of 11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

“This one is different for me obviously because (Illinois head coach Brad Underwood) is stressing to me about the abruptness of the end,” Boswell said. “I want my end to be a national championship and I’ve said it before this week already but I just don’t care about anything else than doing everything I can for us to go 1-0 six different this week.”

It should not surprise fans of the Illinois program, Fran McCaffery has an offense-centric Ivy League program at Pennsylvania similar to what he coached at Iowa for 15 seasons.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 18, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy The Wharton School)

CHAMPAIGN — It may be a first in NCAA Tournament history that a head coach got first-hand knowledge of his first round opponent because he was invited to attend that team’s shoot-a-round just two months ago.

In preparation for turned out to be a 73-65 victory over Penn State on Jan. 3 in The Palestra in Philadelphia, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood invited a friend and current head coach of the tennant of that historic building, Pennsylvania head coach Fran McCaffery, to his team’s shoot-a-round.

McCaffery, who attended and played for Penn and has returned to coach his alma mater to leads his fifth different program into March Madness in his first season at the Ivy League program.

“It was great being in The Palestra this year and seeing him…and just seeing him genuinely just so happy,” Underwood said on Sunday. “He’s at Penn, in The Palestra and he’s back home. His sheer joy for coaching and being back at his alma mater is really cool.”

Illinois freshman guard Destiny Jackson confirmed Sunday she’s been inactive for practice the last few days due to a cold/flu virus since Illini returned from Big Ten Tournament.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 17, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — If you have to give Destiny Jackson credit for one thing, she’s honest.

After the Illinois first-year guard saw the Illini get announced as a 7-seed in Nashville during ESPN’s selection show on Sunday, the 19-year-old was asked about the team’s practice in the nine-day interim between a quarterfinal loss at the Big Ten tournament to Iowa. She declined to answer. Not because she didn’t want to answer - she couldn’t accurately answer the reporter’s question.

“I’m going to be honest with you I’ve been sick and haven’t been practicing so that’s a Berry Wallace question,” Jackson said with a smile.

Wallace, the sophomore All-Big Ten selection, was the other Illini player selected for this Selection Sunday media session. She has recovered from her broken nose and has been active for the 5-on-5 competitive practices inside Uben Basketball Complex in Champaign similar to the one on Sunday afternoon before the Illini women’s team were presented with the news of the program’s NCAA Tournament highest seed since 2000 and a first round matchup with 10-seed Colorado.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood wants his bigs to take his Big Ten Tournament criticism personally before the 3-seed Illini begin the NCAA Tournament on Thursday night.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 16, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — After securing just two rebounds and only one on the offensive end in the loss to Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournment quarterfinals, Tomislav Ivisic acted unsure if Brad Underwood was targeting him for lack of effort.

“I don’t know. Was he talking about me? You got to ask him that,” Ivisic said after Underwood commented that he needed “somebody to give a **** enough to get a rebound” after Friday loss to Wisconsin.

Turns out, when asked on Sunday the Illinois head coach was, indeed, talking about Ivisic and other Illinois players for being defeated in offensive rebounds and second chance points in the 91-88 overtime loss inside the United Center in Chicago.

In 24 minutes against the Badgers, Tomislav Ivisic had just two rebounds, which is tied for his season low in-game total posted just four other times in the 2025-26 season. Ivisic’s twin brother, Zvonimir, had seven rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench Friday but none of them were on the offensive end off Illini misses. Zvonimir Ivisic’s rebounding total matched the combined effort of Jake Davis and Ben Humrichous.

And in case Tomislav Ivisic is wondering, his head coach would like for the 22-year-old to be somewhat offended by Underwood’s public disappointment. In March, Underwood isn’t looking for his players to love everything he says.

On the bus ride back to campus following the 91-88 overtime loss in the Big Ten Tournament, Kylan Boswell called a players-only meeting for Saturday at his apartment.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 16, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — Kylan Boswell told media huddled around his United Center locker that thought the 137-mile bus ride back to Champaign would be more than interesting.

The small detail the fourth-year guard left out in that assessment was he would soon be sending out a text in the Illinois team group chat for everybody on the roster to meet at his house for an emotional players-only meeting.

The meeting was at least partially the result of a low-energy bus ride back to Champaign, the realization that one more loss like the one they just experienced (losing a 15-point lead in the second half) would spell the abrupt end to the 2025-26 season and a request from an unlikely source.

Illinois earned an at-large berth in back-to-back NCAA Tournament […]

Illinois gets a No. 3 seed in the South […]

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

March 14, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Lather. Rinse. Repeat. The Illini once again got a big lead, and once again failed to close it out in another overtime loss, this time to Wisconsin in the Big Ten tournament, 91-88. The Illini led by 15 points in the second half at 60-45, but Wisconsin battled back behind a monster second half from star guards Nick Boyd and John Blackwell, who combined for 69 points as the Badgers advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals where they will take on Michigan.

Here’s a look at what we saw.

These 3 Things

Missed Free Throws Kill You - Illinois was 9-15 from the line and missed 2 front ends. In a game that goes to OT and is a 3 point game after OT, that is a losing proposition.

On a night where Wisconsin shoots 10 of 41 from three-point range, Illinois still surrenders 91 points in a frustrating Big Ten Tournament loss.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 14, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHICAGO — In the days following a regular season finale victory, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood was sure his team needed two full days off to adapt to the constant elimination game mentality of college basketball’s postseason.

After a frustrating 91-88 overtime loss to Wisconsin in Illinois’ first game of the 2026 Big Ten Tournament, Underwood left the United Center Friday evening believing a mental reset would likely be needed once again to avoid a one-and-done fate in the NCAA Tournament.

“I don't like narratives. I like figuring out how to solve the problems, and that's what we've got to do,” Underwood said following the quarterfinal loss in the Big Ten Tournament. “It's just one possession here or there. That's what this group has to understand. Today, I thought it was just a lack of focus.”

Underwood said Friday he has had to learn how to coach this Illini group differently than past teams because of the personality of this 2025-26 Illini roster being more comfortable with being relaxed, free-flowing and almost care-free in their mentality. With Illinois now being 1-6 in games where the final deficit is five points of less and Illinois’ sixth loss this season when they’ve scored at least 80 points in the game, Underwood may be seeing now that free attitude is the key to turning likely wins into perplexing defeats.