After a hard-fought matchup with Illinois, Colorado State head coach Niko Medved didn’t mince words about the challenge his team faced-or the effort they brought to the floor.
“Illinois is a terrific team,” Medved said postgame. “I’ve known Coach Brad Underwood for a long time, and I think he does an unbelievable job. This is a team that wouldn’t surprise me if they’re playing for a Big Ten championship-or even deep into March.”
That kind of praise from Medved wasn’t just lip service. Illinois brought the kind of physicality and depth that has become a trademark of Underwood’s squads. And while Colorado State didn’t come away with the win, they didn’t back down either.
“I thought our guys came in with a good mindset,” Medved said. “They battled and gave everything they had.”
The Rams threw different defensive looks at Illinois throughout the game, trying to disrupt rhythm and force mistakes. And to their credit, it worked in stretches. But as Medved pointed out, the game ultimately came down to one of basketball’s most fundamental elements: rebounding.
“We were changing defenses, which was effective,” he explained. “But would we come up with enough defensive rebounds to give ourselves a chance? And to nobody’s surprise, we just couldn’t come up with enough defensive rebounds to get over the hump.”
That was the difference. Colorado State hung around, kept it close, and gave themselves a shot late. But second-chance opportunities for Illinois proved too much to overcome.
“We had a chance there late as we hung around,” Medved said. “But ultimately we just couldn’t get enough stops.”
It’s the kind of game that offers both frustration and fuel. For Colorado State, this was a measuring stick contest against a team with serious postseason aspirations. And while the result wasn’t what they wanted, the fight they showed-and the lessons they’ll take from it-could pay dividends down the stretch.