POST-GAME VIDEO: No. 8 Loyola Chicago 71, No. 1 Illinois 58 - Illini Coach Brad Underwood & Guard Ayo Dosunmu
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood and guard Ayo Dosunmu spoke to media via Zoom video after the Illini were defeated by Loyola Chicago 71-58 in the second round of the 2021 NCAA tournament.
In his final game in an Illinois uniform, Dosunmu’s streak of 42 consecutive games in double figures ended as the first-team All-America selection finished with nine points and a season-high six turnovers. In the last five games, Dosunmu had just one turnover but he had four in a frustrating first half that saw Illinois down 33-24. The 24 points for Illinois was a season-low total for a first half as the Illini had just one more field goal (10) than turnovers (nine) after 20 minutes of action.
Underwood has brought Illini basketball back to being a national contender with this 2020-21 team. His rebuild of the program brought success in year three of his tenure, leading the Illini to a top-25 finish and what would have been an NCAA Tournament appearance before the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. He has now directed the Illini to a No. 1 seed in year four as Illinois made its return to March Madness for the first time since 2013.
While Underwood made his first NCAA Tournament appearance with Illinois, it is his fifth trip to the event with his third program in eight seasons as a Division I head coach. He led Stephen F. Austin to three consecutive appearances from 2014-2016, advancing to the Round of 32 in 2014 and 2016. He also took Oklahoma State to the Tournament in his lone season in Stillwater in 2017. He has now led Illinois to the round of 32, owning a 3-4 career record in the NCAA Tournament.
Illinois earned a No. 1 seed after recording 12 Quad 1 wins, and a combined 17 Quad 1 and 2 wins, leading the nation in both categories.
Underwood is the 18th head coach in Illinois history, hired in March 2017. He has won more than 67 percent of his games through his first seven years as a Division I head coach, recording five 20-win seasons and making four trips to the NCAA Tournament with a fifth appearance precluded by the cancellation of the 2020 postseason due to COVID-19.