Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is revisiting a controversial moment from his team’s recent overtime loss to Michigan State - and this time, he’s not brushing it off.
The play in question came in the first half, when Spartans freshman guard Jeremy Fears Jr. appeared to trip an Illinois player in transition. At the time, Underwood challenged the play, but the officials let it stand - no foul, no flagrant, no whistle. After the game, Underwood downplayed the moment, saying “there was nothing on the trip.”
But a few days removed from the emotional finish, Underwood’s tone has shifted. Speaking with media on Monday, the Illini coach made it clear that, in his eyes, the call was missed.
“It wasn’t called, but a trip has always been a foul,” Underwood said. That’s a far cry from his initial postgame stance - and it suggests he’s had time to go back, watch the tape, and consult with others in the officiating world. According to Underwood, he’s heard from “400 officials” who weighed in on the play, and he implied the majority saw it the same way he now does: that it should’ve been whistled.
To be clear, Underwood didn’t accuse Fears of acting with intent. He stopped short of calling the play dirty or suggesting it was malicious. But by emphasizing that a trip is a foul - regardless of intent - he’s drawing a line on what should and shouldn’t be acceptable in a high-stakes Big Ten matchup.
This moment adds another layer to the growing conversation around Fears, who’s become a lightning rod on social media in the past week. The freshman guard has been at the center of a handful of heated debates, and Underwood’s updated comments are only going to keep that fire burning.
Still, the coach’s words seem focused more on the officiating process than on the player himself. It’s not uncommon for coaches to reassess calls after watching film, and Underwood’s willingness to publicly change his stance shows he’s not afraid to speak up when he feels the game wasn’t called the way it should’ve been.
Michigan State’s win over Illinois was a statement victory - a gritty, overtime thriller that shook up the Big Ten standings. But now, it’s the fallout from a single, no-call moment that’s stealing the spotlight.
Whether or not the conversation around Fears and the trip dies down remains to be seen. But for now, it’s clear that Underwood - and a whole lot of officials, apparently - believe that play deserved a different outcome.