Brad Underwood: “We Were Tired of Hearing Houston in Houston”

Illinois basketball head coach Brad Underwood spoke with CBS Sports analyst Jon Rothstein on his “Inside College Basketball Now” podcast and reflected on the Illini’s Final Four run last season.

“We were tired of hearing Houston in Houston,” Underwood said.

Brad Underwood and Jon Rothstein

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Underwood did not hold back when discussing his team’s motivation to beat Houston in its home city. The Cougars were favored in the Sweet 16 matchup and were playing in front of their home crowd, but Illinois did not let that get between them and the Elite Eight.

The Illini clearly used the doubters as motivation. They came out ready to play defensively and executed their game plan nearly perfectly. A defense that struggled for much of the season held the Cougars to just 22 first-half points and 55 points overall. Houston shot just 34% from the field and 22% from beyond the arc.

The game plan appeared to dare Houston freshman Chris Cenac to take two-point shots, and the five-star freshman finished just 3-for-12 from the field. The Illini also held five-star freshman and future lottery pick Kingston Flemings to just 11 points on the night.

Illinois vs Houston Sweet 16 Highlights

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The game had an Elite Eight feel to it, as both teams knew No. 9 seed Iowa would be waiting in the next round. Underwood had his team ready to fight, and the Illini out-rebounded one of the toughest and best rebounding teams in the country, 43-34.

The doubters who believed Illinois could not beat Houston in its home city likely provided even more motivation for the Illini, helping propel them to the Elite Eight and eventually the Final Four.

Underwood mentioned that he thinks back on the Final Four run often, but he will not bring up last season with his team. It is a new season, and he wants his players focused on the task at hand: making another Final Four run.

The Illini have as good a chance as any team in the country to make the Final Four next season, with five of their eight rotation…

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Publish date : 2026-09-11 13:00:00

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