A game that was supposed to be another textbook approach for Illinois turned into a disastrous evening. The Illinois Fighting Illini stepped into the State Farm Center against Wisconsin with the sole purpose of regaining momentum after an overtime defeat to Michigan State last week. As reality set in, another 92-90 overtime defeat awaited them, and head coach Brad Underwood believes it had a lot to do with the officiating.

Underwood’s emphasis came to light during the post-game presser, when he revealed that his team had sent 12 clips from the Spartans game to the conference for review. While he was visibly frustrated with the officiating throughout the Wisconsin game, too, the 10-second call and an out-of-bounds play in overtime were the main focus.

“We sent 12 in the other day from Michigan State,” Underwood said. “We’ll send the missed out-of-bounds play in the first play of overtime. That’s egregious, right? It’s egregious. We’ll definitely send the 10-second call that happens. He’s five feet from getting across half court, and there’s a 10-second call, and we got guys that missed that.”

The assessment mattered big time for Underwood and Illinois. It reframes the Illini head coach’s perspective, hinting that his team’s defeat is not an internal issue but the result of officiating. Reports suggest that Underwood was also immensely frustrated with some of referee Will Howard’s questionable calls on Keaton Wagler in the first half.

“I don’t know what to do with it. I’m done talking to people,” the Illinois head coach said just before walking out of the press conference with frustration. “I’m frustrated as heck, and it changes so much from game to game. We had a (ref) tonight, we haven’t had in two years. Two years.”

This was not the first time Brad Underwood has lashed out at officiating this season. The Illini head coach was also deeply disappointed with some of the calls against the Spartans’ point guard, Jeremy Fears Jr., last week. Frequent calls and fouls further hampered the continuity of the game.

Illini’s fragile performance on the court also contributed to their narrow defeat on Tuesday. Underwood’s team lacked ball security, turning it over 13 times, and the Badgers capitalized on those turnovers for 23 points. Underwood’s team missed eight free throws in a game where every point mattered, further eroding the Illini’s chances.

Freshman guard Wagler led with 34 points in the game for the Illini. Moreover, with John Blackwell and Nick Boyd combining for the Badgers’ 49 points, the limited available rotations and officiating left Underwood’s team with a lot to tackle. With this defeat, Illinois now stands at 20-5 overall and 11-3 in Big Ten play, still in a favorable spot. But with back-to-back defeats, Underwood’s team is in a mini crisis and will look to address it immediately.

Brad Underwood and Illinois Have Room to Breathe In Their Upcoming Games

Until last week, Brad Underwood’s Illinois dominated the top five of the AP rankings on the back of a 12-game winning streak. After the Michigan defeat, the tide turned, and the Wisconsin game didn’t help either. They currently sit eighth in the list but have a great opportunity to improve their record going ahead in the season.

Illini’s upcoming stretch of games includes just one ranked contest against the Michigan Wolverines. It clearly indicates that, with the games being a bit soft, Underwood’s team will need to capitalize on them to improve their record. Indiana is next on Saturday, followed by USC and UCLA. Wins in these games will become very important for the Illini, with the Big Dance coming next month.

With the momentum and performances they have shown, Underwood’s team has a high ceiling at the March Madness. But the team needs some luck with the injuries. Illinois stepped onto the court against the Badgers with just two players on the bench. Jason Jakstys and Ty Rodgers were already injured, and freshman guard Andrej Stojakovic was listed as questionable for the game.

Brad Underwood’s team can win unranked games despite limited bench strength. They do have the firepower up front with Keaton Wagler and Tomislav Ivisic. But during March Madness, these flaws will prick them harder, as every possession lost will feel like a defeat. However, for now, the emphasis is on the Indiana game, where they look to at least start clinching the victories. What’s your opinion of them for the rest of the season? Do let us know.