Illinois’ Brad Underwood uses stunning 4-word rally message ahead of possible victory at Nebraska originally appeared on Sports news. Add The Sporting News as Favorite source by clicking here.
Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball coach Brad Underwood watched his team overcome adversity on the road once again, earning a critical road victory Sunday afternoon to extend his winning streak to 11 defeating a talented #5 ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers team, 78-69.
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It wasn’t just any victory. It’s a microcosm of a season marked by raw and elite talent finally coming together as the critical stretch of the season really gets underway. Sunday at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln was no different, as for the second straight weekend the No. 9-ranked Illini beat an AP Top 5 road opponent after doing the same. against the Purdue Boilermakers in West Lafayette last Saturday.
This is the first time the Illini I did it in the history of the programbut that came with a bit of extra motivation that has since started to flow in the hours following the revenge victory.
Specifically, the team whiteboard. There were no X’s and O’s, and there was also no diagram explaining how Illinois can continue to stay atop a crowded Big Ten title race with just over a month left in the season.
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Instead, he was four simple words: “Robbe the (expletive) bank.”
Whether it was a criticism of the arena name or something else, it certainly seemed to ignite Illinois, which now holds a win against every conference opponent it has faced thus far.
Underwood said his players were relaxed and calm in the second half after overcoming a 39-33 halftime deficit. The Illini outscored the Cornhuskers 45-30 in the final 20 minutes, as freshman guard Keaton Wagler finished with 28 points.
“Chemistry and connectivity” Underwood told reporters. “Just the communication…We’ve made huge strides there and we’re competing on every play,” Underwood said.
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The Illini will look to keep their winning streak going Wednesday night at the State Farm Center in Champaign, hosting the Northwest Wildcats. Unlike Illinois, Northwestern has struggled to stay above .500 for much of the season and is trying to bounce back after losing a 76-62 game to the Washington Huskies on Saturday night.
Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET on the Big Ten Network as the Illini attempt to sweep the season series.
