The Critical Balance Illinois Must Strike in the Postseason

The NCAA Tournament is one of the greatest spectacles in sports for a reason: upsets. Few games have the ability to produce unexpected outcomes as often as basketball, and that’s what makes March Madness – a one-and-done event – an unforgettable affair for fans, but also a mighty tough trek for the teams participating in it.

Once the first round tips off, every single club, regardless of seedings, has the same goal: win six in a row. All it takes is one off night, or an unforeseen heater from an opponent, to send even a promising squad home early.

All. The. Basketball. 🏀 #B1GMBBT pic.twitter.com/raniUxvox6
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) March 12, 2026

So to have the best shot of making a deep run, teams must control every imaginable facet: effort, communication, game plans. It must be abundantly clear to every player and coach that there can't be any let-up, any avoidable mistakes.

At the same time, too much self-created pressure can be disastrous. Heavily scrutinizing every possession or sending a message that a single miscue is unacceptable may only backfire. Coaches naturally want their squads playing with confidence – but also with just the right amount of caution.

Creating a sense of urgency while also giving players license to let 'er rip is an extraordinarily tough task. It's one of those unquantifiable coaching skills that isn't reflected by any data points but is mastered by some of the best head men in the game. And it's something every coach playing in March is hoping to tap into in the coming days.

Illinois' Brad Underwood attempts to blend two messages

“I think you got to understand the abruptness of the end,” said Illinois coach Brad Underwood on Wednesday ahead of the Big Ten Tournament. “But I think you also have to understand how loose and free you got to be. And we got nothing to lose. Now’s the time to cut it loose. Now’s the time to go have fun.”

But especially for a team like Illinois – whose distance between its ceiling and floor is arguably greater than any team headed to the NCAAs – a nothing-to-lose philosophy must be paired with a no-plays-off mentality. That's a notion Underwood clearly seconds.

“Now’s the time to not have an off day," he said. "You’ve got to find that inner motivation yourself, to not let it be just a day. It’s got to be a great day. And I think that’s one of things that we talk about throughout the course of the year. We don’t just wait until right now.”

So how exactly does a coaching staff send both of those messages in a synergistic manner? Well, according to Underwood, half the battle is already won because the “fun” side of things is simply part of his club’s makeup.

As for the other half, shouldn’t the level of competition in postseason play be fuel enough? If it isn’t, Underwood has a building on Peabody Drive to send his players.

“We’ll have fun because this team has got that personality and that mantra about it," he said. "We’re going to keep it that way – and loose. It’s just knowing we’re so good at what we do. We want to be great at what we do. And it’s just effort. Every game from this point on is going to be of the highest level, and you have to be sharp. So if that doesn’t pique their attention, then there’s a rec center over here they can go play in.”