Social Media Roasts Illinois' Brad Underwood For Game Plan Versus UConn's Donovan Cligan
Illinois coach Brad Underwood went viral for all the wrong reasons during Saturday's loss to UConn in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.
After Huskies center Donovan Clingan had three early blocks, Underwood was asked about the strategy going forward during an in-game interview.
“We’re going to keep going at [Donovan Clingan]," Underwood told NCAA correspondent Andy Katz. "If he blocks a hundred, he blocks a hundred. We’re not backing down. We’re going to do what we do.”
The answer set off a firestorm on social media, with fans taking offense to Underwood's thinking. What made it worse was how Clingnan went on to dominate the game. He finished with 22 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. His defense was arguably the biggest factor in the Huskies' 77-52 blowout victory.
“We were getting the same shots we’ve always gotten, and Clingan erased a few of them,” Underwood said. “He’s good. I mean, doesn’t everybody have him projected in the (NBA) lottery or close to it? He does a great job of protecting the rim.”
By then, it was too late for Underwood. The fans already had their criticism waiting. Many felt Underwood failed at making in-game adjustments. With the score tied at 23, the Huskies took control behind a 30-0 run. Some fans were calling Clingan a modern day version of NBA great Dikembe Mutombo.
Who knows what would have happened had the Illini attempted to adjust to Clingan's dominance. After he established his presence early, the Illini still failed to make shots from perimeter despite several open looks.