'Inexcusable': Illini basketball coach doesn't hold back after weekend loss
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Brad Underwood got straight to the point.
The Illinois men's basketball coach had pointed words for his No. 17-ranked team after a 74-59 loss to Penn State on Saturday — which came just four days after a nationally televised OT win over No. 2 Texas at Madison Square Garden.
“Put it in bold, damn print: leadership, lack of (it),” Underwood said. “And no effort. That's what happens in this league when you have none of that.”
The transcript: What Brad Underwood said after Illinois lost to Penn State
Penn State (7-3, 1-1 Big Ten) earned its first road Big Ten win against a top-20 team since beating No. 16 Michigan State in 2020.
After Illinois fell to 7-3 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten, Underwood didn't hold back. He spent nearly all of his postgame news conference lamenting the Illini's lack of leadership and effort.
Illinois Basketball Postgame Press Conference after losing to Penn State
Illinois Basketball Postgame Press Conference after losing to Penn StateWATCH Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood and the Illini discuss a 74-59 loss to Penn State in front of a sold out State Farm Center crowd Saturday morning, as the Illini fall to 0-2 in Big Ten play
Posted by WCIA 3 News on Saturday, December 10, 2022
Underwood read the team a text from former Illini Trent Frazier, who is playing basketball professionally in Serbia. Underwood implied the text was too expletive-laden to share publicly.
“(Frazier) is leading from Serbia,” Underwood said. "Every day guys, every day. It's not about having the media and everyone else kiss their butt when you play in Madison Square Garden and beat a good team.”
At one point in the news conference, a reporter asked about the leadership of Terrance Shannon Jr. Underwood responded by blowing a raspberry into the microphone and saying, “that’s what I thought of that today.”
On Sunday, Shannon Jr. jumped on Twitter to defend his coach.
"We got the best coach in the country remember that," Shannon posted, "he’s going to get the best out of his players at all times. See you’ll Saturday."
We got the best coach in the country remember that , he’s going to get the best out of his players at all times. See you’ll Saturday🟠🔵
— Terrence Shannon Jr (@Sn1per_T) December 11, 2022
The Illini hit the court at 3 p.m. Saturday at State Farm Center against Alabama A&M.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois basketball: Brad Underwood doesn't hold back after loss
