Illinois survived a wild one against Minnesota, pulling out a win after one of their most uneven performances of the season. It wasn’t pretty early on-far from it-but the Illini showed resilience, made the right adjustments, and leaned on a few key contributors to flip the script.
Head coach Brad Underwood didn’t sugarcoat things in his postgame press conference. He was blunt about his team’s sluggish start, but also gave credit where it was due. Here’s a breakdown of five standout quotes from Underwood-and what they tell us about where this Illinois team is right now.
“I was really hoping our team would come out with some pop and aggression on the defensive side to see if we could make sure we had energy. Obviously, a minute in, we called timeout.”
Underwood didn’t waste time making a statement. Less than a minute into the game, he burned an early timeout-something coaches typically avoid unless absolutely necessary.
But it was clear: Illinois came out flat, and Minnesota took advantage by knocking down a pair of early threes. The energy just wasn’t there.
That timeout was a turning point. It didn’t fix everything immediately, but it sent a message.
The Illini couldn’t afford to sleepwalk through another possession, and slowly, they started to wake up. Offensively, they were scoring enough to stay in it, but defensively, that early lapse set the tone for a frustrating first half.
**“My hats off to Mihailo (Petrovic). We don’t win the game without him.
He changed the whole outlook of the game.” **
Petrovic didn’t just check into the game-he changed it. The freshman guard hasn’t seen a ton of minutes this season, but when his number was called late in the first half, he brought a spark that Illinois desperately needed.
His hustle was contagious. He dove for loose balls, fought for position, and played like every possession mattered.
That kind of energy can shift momentum, and it did. Underwood recognized it immediately, and made it clear: without Petrovic’s effort, this game might’ve slipped away.
It’s also a testament to how deep this roster is. Petrovic’s not a household name yet, but performances like this can earn trust-and minutes-when it matters most.
**“They were in some zone early, and he’s (Zvonimir Ivisic) very, very difficult to zone. For one, he can shoot it.
Secondly, he can play over the top of it.” **
Zvonimir Ivisic put together a complete performance against Minnesota, leading Illinois in both points and rebounds. And when Minnesota tried to slow things down with a zone defense, Ivisic’s versatility made that plan backfire.
He’s a matchup nightmare in that kind of setup. At his size, he can stretch the floor and knock down shots from the perimeter, but he’s also more than capable of operating in the paint. That dual-threat ability forces zones to collapse or stretch-either way, it creates openings for others.
Underwood’s praise here isn’t just about one game. Ivisic is becoming a cornerstone for this team, and his skill set makes him a weapon against any defensive scheme.
**“Not everybody, other than maybe Mihailo (Petrovic), they (the bench) don’t want the ball. They don’t need the ball to be very, very effective.
Mihailo, as a point, needs it. There’s a lot of guys who come in here, and they want to dominate it.
They think it’s their time. With us, it’s not.”
**
This quote speaks volumes about the culture Underwood is building in Champaign. Illinois isn’t built around ball-dominant players looking to pad stats-they’re built around movement, spacing, and unselfishness.
Even their top guys, like Keaton Wagler, thrive without needing constant touches. Wagler’s off-ball movement, screening, and decision-making help the offense flow. And when players come off the bench, the expectation isn’t to take over-it’s to fit in, make smart plays, and keep the rhythm going.
Petrovic, as a point guard, naturally needs the ball in his hands. But the rest of the rotation? They’re effective because they buy into the system, not because they’re chasing the spotlight.
**“There was a lot (of zone) in the first half. We got really stagnant.
In the second half, we just ran our man stuff against it, just ball-screened, and let Keaton (Wagler) find open guys.” **
When Minnesota threw a zone at Illinois in the first half, it worked. The Illini offense got bogged down, passes got slower, and the ball stopped moving. But credit to Underwood and the staff-they didn’t overthink it.
Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, they leaned into what they do best. They ran their man-to-man sets against the zone, used ball screens to create mismatches, and let Wagler go to work. The freshman guard has shown poise beyond his years, and once again, he delivered.
Wagler’s decision-making is already elite. He doesn’t force shots, he sees the floor well, and he knows when to attack and when to dish. That kind of maturity at the point guard spot is rare, and it’s a big reason Illinois was able to pull this one out.
Bottom Line
This wasn’t Illinois’ cleanest win, but it might be one of the more revealing. They showed they can win ugly.
They showed they can adjust. And they showed that even when the stars don’t shine early, the depth and culture of this team can carry them through.
There’s still work to do-especially on the defensive end-but if performances like this are the floor, the ceiling remains sky-high.