It was the mid-80s when Kansas State guard Brad Underwood stepped to the free throw line with the game on the line. He missed two free throws and the Wildcats lost the game.
Underwood said he couldn’t remember the game, but he remembered the feeling.
The Illinois coach shared that memory on Monday night with freshman guard Trent Frazier, who had an emotional night at State Farm Center.
Frazier’s story had a happier ending than Underwood’s from that game long ago. Although Frazier missed two free throws with eight seconds remaining and the game on the line, the Illini hung on — in large measure because of Frazier’s 19 points — for a 73-71 victory against Indiana for their first Big Ten win of the season.
“Here’s a young man who was happy we won and crying because he knew it wasn’t perfect,” Underwood said of Frazier.
In the closing seconds he pulled Frazier aside near the bench, put his hands comfortingly on Frazier’s chest and told him, “You need to understand for the rest of your career I’m going to put you in that spot.”
The Illini (11-11, 1-8) have thrown away similarly close games this season.
It was an inexplicably long inbound pass that cost Illinois in a one-point loss against Maryland. Another botched inbound pass that could have given them a lead was costly in a loss to New Mexico State.
It was a 3-pointer at the buzzer that spelled defeat four games ago at Nebraska.
On Wednesday night down the stretch against Indiana, the Illini weren’t error-free. But they survived.
For a young team seeking its way, that’s all that mattered.
“The gorilla, the monkey, the piano gets lifted off your back,” said Underwood, who’s in his first season with the Illini and broke out the famed orange jacket Illinois coaches wear for special games.
The Illini let an eight-point lead dwindle in the final 56 seconds. A Frazier turnover led to a layup from Indiana’s Juwan Morgan (28 points) followed by Frazier committing a costly foul with 40 seconds left as Morgan made a 3-point play to cut it to a three-point edge for Illinois.
Frazier then missed the two free throws.
But it was the Hoosiers’ horrendous 16 of 29 effort at the free throw line that assisted the Illini.
“We’re becoming a true team,” said Frazier, who shot 7 of 15 from the floor. “We’re finally building that culture. We had to bring that energy tonight. We were going crazy in the locker room.”
A video the team posted online shows the players dancing in the middle of the room with their coaches for the long-awaited victory. The Illini had earned a reputation as the best conference-winless team in the nation due to its close losses.
But now they finally have a victory, something that they have not felt since Dec. 30.
“They’ve persevered through some very interesting times,” Underwood said. “I think it’s part of the process.”
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