Illinois is in trouble against Penn in the first round of the men’s NCAA Tournament.
Minor trouble, at the least. Unless it’s no trouble at all.
Who can be sure?
Since the tournament expanded to 64 teams in 1985, No. 14 seeds have upset No. 3 seeds 23 times in 160 tries, or 14.4% of the time. So it definitely happens, and it could happen Thursday (8:25 p.m., TNT) in Greenville, South Carolina, even though the Quakers finished third in the Ivy League during the regular season and are on the wrong end of a 24½-point spread.
Illini coach Brad Underwood isn’t taking anything for granted. That’s because 10 years ago in New York, he witnessed mentor Bob Huggins go down hard as a 3 seed, his West Virginia team smoked 70-56 by 14 seed Stephen F. Austin. Nicknamed “Press Virginia” for the havoc they created defensively, the Mountaineers instead were harassed into 22 turnovers themselves, 15 more than they created. Huggins was just plain outcoached that day — by SFA’s Underwood, who’d worked for Huggins for six seasons at Kansas State.
It led to this all-timer of a quote from a disgusted Huggins:
“I don’t know why anybody would waste energy pressing us. We’ll throw it to you regardless.”
Don’t you just have to love this tournament?
Another nice story: Former longtime Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, who was fired last year after his 15th season, landed at Penn, his alma mater. At 66, McCaffery — a temperamental coach Illinois fans loved to not love, but also close friends with Underwood — is back home in more ways than one. Penn is in Philadelphia, McCaffery’s hometown.
The Quakers (18-11) upset Yale to win the Ivy tournament, with 6-9 forward TJ Power — whom McCaffery calls “one of the best players in the country, bar none” — exploding for 44 points and 14 rebounds. They won the tournament without leading scorer Ethan Roberts, who is from Arlington Heights (Hersey). Roberts is in concussion protocol and will not play against the Illini (24-8).
“If it was his ankle, he’d be playing. Tape it up,” McCaffery said. “But the concussion stuff, you don’t mess with that. His future is too important, and we love him.”
Even McCaffery’s critics have to admit his track record of getting teams to the Big Dance is impressive. Long ago, he got Lehigh there and it helped lead him to UNC Greensboro. He took UNC Greensboro there and it helped lead him to Siena. He took Siena there three times — winning first-round games twice — and that got him to Iowa. The Hawkeyes went to the tournament seven times under McCaffery.
Now Penn is dancing for the first time since 2018.
“What he’s done with that team is just short of amazing,” Underwood said. “They’re good. It’s a good basketball team. I see Fran’s thumbprint all over it, and the competitiveness.”
By the way, that sound you hear in the distance is, in fact, McCaffery’s critics. They’re pointing out the man has taken teams to the NCAA Tournament 12 times without ever making it past the second round. It’s the truth. Barring a massive upset against Underwood — who was 9-6 head-to-head against McCaffery in Illinois-Iowa games — it’s about to be 13.
Underwood would seem to hold all the cards in this one.
“He gets pieces that fit,” McCaffery said. “He gets pieces that prioritize winning, and his teams continue to win. Because, as we know, some teams that build rosters now look good on paper, but they don’t win. His teams win, and there’s a reason for that.”
But at Bon Secours Wellness Arena — Greenvillians just call it “The Well” — anything might happen. That’s why it’s called March Madness.
Well, well, well — a 14 over a 3? Or no trouble for the Illini at all?
It’s that time.
About the Author
Discover more from USA NEWS
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
