Brad Underwood stays locked on the title chase after Illinois throttles Penn
brad underwood did not let a 35-point NCAA Tournament opener linger for even a moment, despite Illinois throttling Penn and moving on. The Illinois head coach spoke in a postgame press conference right after the win, making it clear the blowout was not the end goal. The focus shifted immediately to what comes next, with Illinois scheduled to face VCU in the second round.
Brad Underwood: the win was loud, but the mission is louder
Illinois opened its NCAA Tournament run with a 35-point victory over the Penn Quakers, a result that would satisfy many coaches for at least a day. Not here. In the minutes after Illinois advanced, Brad Underwood framed the night as a step, not a destination.
“There’s nothing better than being a part of the NCAA Tournament and having an opportunity to win a National Championship, ” Underwood said in the postgame press conference.
That quote defined the tone. Even with weeks remaining until the National Championship game tips off, Underwood made his priority explicit: win it all. The immediate challenge, though, is straightforward and urgent—Illinois still has to get through VCU before any bigger talk becomes relevant.
Illinois answers key questions on the floor as the numbers pile up
The performance itself delivered emphatic answers, especially around Illinois freshman point guard Keaton Wagler and how he would handle his first NCAA Tournament appearance. Wagler looked comfortable from the start, producing a career night with 18 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block. He shot 50 percent from the field, hit four of his seven three-point attempts, finished with just one turnover, and was called for two fouls—signs that the moment did not rattle him.
Wagler’s impact paired with another freshman surge. David Mirkovic led Illinois in scoring, exploding for 29 points and 17 rebounds in the rout.
Team-wide, Illinois leaned into two areas that were front and center in Underwood’s asks: rebounding and perimeter shooting. Illinois finished with 48 total rebounds, including 28 defensive boards, while Penn managed 25 rebounds and seven offensive boards. From deep, Illinois hit 15-of-36 threes, good for 42 percent, accounting for 45 of its 105 total points.
In the middle of the celebration, brad underwood had already shifted the conversation from what Illinois just did to what Illinois still must do, with the second round looming and the ultimate goal still clearly stated.
Immediate reactions center on the next opponent and a familiar coaching connection
The next game comes with a notable subplot on the sideline. Underwood acknowledged that VCU may be an unfamiliar foe, but he described the Rams’ head coach as a “good friend. ” That coach is Fran McCaffery, the long-time head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes who is now leading VCU. Underwood and McCaffery have faced each other dozens of times in Big Ten play, adding a layer of familiarity even as Illinois prepares for a new tournament matchup.
Quick context and what’s next at tipoff
VCU arrives after an attention-grabbing first-round result, upsetting North Carolina. Illinois now meets the Rams with a spot in the next round on the line.
Illinois, the No. 3 seed, is scheduled to tip off against the No. 11-seed Rams on Saturday, March 21 at 7: 50 p. m. ET. The broadcast is set for CBS. The roadmap is clear: advance again, then keep advancing—because brad underwood has already put the destination on record, and the next checkpoint comes fast.
