Brad Underwood isn’t interested in ducking UConn, and he’s not pretending Illinois has pleasant recent memories against the Huskies, either.
The Illini coach said he’d welcome another crack at Danny Hurley’s group, pointing back to three painful meetings that have left a mark on his program. “Danny [Hurley] wants to play again, we’ll play,” Underwood said to CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander.
“One of the best college basketball teams I’ve ever played against was that UConn team that won it, and beat us in the Elite Eight. A game that was close for a half, and we’re still trying to score on Donovan [Clingan].
He blocked everything. But just a great, great basketball team.”
That Elite Eight defeat is the one Illinois fans know all too well: the “30-0 run” game. The score was tied at 23 late in the first half before the Huskies ripped the game open and never let go, turning it into a 53-23 cushion and leaving Illinois buried in 2024.
Underwood also revisited the Black Friday loss in New York City in 2025, a 74-61 UConn win that offered little comfort beyond Kylan Boswell’s 25 points and nine rebounds. Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic logged only 32 minutes combined, and Underwood said the team was still sorting itself out at the time.
“And then last year we were finding ourselves,” Underwood said. “You look at the box score, I hardly played Keaton [Wagler].
I had no idea what I was doing with [David] Mirkovic at that time. And we weren’t a good basketball team.”
That game, though, ended up mattering beyond the final score. Underwood said it helped spark changes that ultimately pushed Illinois toward its identity, especially the move toward Wagler.
The one time he feels Illinois matched UConn on the biggest stage came in the Final Four, and he didn’t hide his belief that the Illini had a real shot that night. “I thought we were a basketball team that had a chance to win a national championship when we played them in the Final Four,” Underwood said.
“They beat us. We didn’t have our best night.
That’s not to take anything away from them. We missed nine layups.
I give them credit.”
Underwood still made clear that the level Hurley has reached is exactly what Illinois should be chasing. He called Hurley’s run “quite remarkable” and pointed to the Huskies’ consistency as the standard.
“Danny … he’s at the pinnacle,” Underwood said. “He’s at the top of the mountain.
What he’s doing has been quite remarkable. He’s got a great staff.
They get great players. So why not play them?
Let’s find out where we are.
“And if they happen to beat us in Chicago this year, I hope we get them in Detroit. We’re never going to run from a challenge.
We’re never going to run from a fight. That’s not who I am.
And if we’re fortunate enough to get them, it’s going to be a helluva basketball game and we’re going to have to play great to beat them.”
Illinois gets that chance on Dec. 4 in Chicago. Before then, the Illini will already have been tested on the road at Texas Tech and Duke. Underwood will want his team’s identity settled by the time UConn arrives, because Hurley’s team figures to be ready no matter what.
And if Illinois wants a better shot at finally ending the Huskies’ hold over them, Underwood knows the path is obvious: get closer to its ceiling before March, not after.
In Other News...
Illinois Suddenly Has A Bigger QB Question After Michigan State Win
Illinois got the win it needed against Michigan State, but the postgame conversation shifted quickly to the quarterback spot after Katin Houser left with a left hand injury. Freshman Michael Clayton II stepped in and gave the Illini a jolt, completing 6 of 8 passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns while helping push the game into overtime before Illinois came away with a 38-37 victory.
Claytons performance was notable not just because it steadied the offense in a tense spot, but because it put him in rare company in program history. He became the first true freshman at Illinois to throw at least two touchdown passes in a Big Ten win, which leaves the Illini with a much different kind of postgame question than they expected when the injury first hit. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Is Still Waiting On A Key Piece To Fully Join In
Illinois has been working through its preseason prep without David Mirkovic, a reminder that even in October, roster availability can shape the rhythm of a teams buildup. Mirkovic is coming back from offseason foot surgery, and he has finally started taking part in limited on-court practice, a small but meaningful step after spending the months since his injury on the sideline.
Brad Underwood said Mirkovic will not be available for the upcoming exhibition game, and there is still no set timeline for when hell fully return. For now, the Illini keep practicing and planning without one of the pieces they were expecting to have in the mix, which leaves his next step as one of the more closely watched parts of the preseason. [Read more 🡒]
Sydney Brown Is Giving Illinois Fans A Real NFL Story To Watch
Sydney Browns latest NFL stop has given Illinois fans something concrete to follow, and it has come with a much bigger role than he had in Philadelphia. After the Falcons brought him in through a trade built around draft pick swaps, the former Fighting Illini safety has been on the field more often and has started to make that usage count, piling up 20 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass deflection in five games this season.
For Atlanta, Browns arrival matters beyond the box score because the secondary could look different after the season, with some of the safeties set to hit free agency. For Illinois, it is the kind of pro story that keeps a former standout in the conversation, and Browns run with the Falcons is now tied to a larger decision about where he fits next, either in Atlanta or somewhere else. [Read more 🡒]