NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: FIRST ROUND - ILLINOIS VS ARKANSAS

March 15, 2023

Brad Underwood

Terrance Shannon Jr.

Coleman Hawkins

Wells Fargo Arena

Illinois Fighting Illini

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Pleasure to have with us representing Illinois, Terrence Shannon, Jr., Coleman Hawkins. At this time we will take questions.

Q. Guys, thanks for being here. Y'all were -- y'all seasons were similar to Arkansas in terms of being ranked in the top 16 early and you had some speed bumps, concussions and stuff. Do you see the similarities? Talk about fighting through things no matter what happened and being here ultimately where everybody wants to be at the NCAA Tournament.

TERRENCE SHANNON, JR.: I mean, I feel like every team is going to go through some things. If you're winning and not losing, it's just being in the shadows and it be won't be out to the public. But when you are losing things come to light, you find reasons to why you were losing, everybody has an opinion.

But the guys that's here now, they stuck through it and fought through adversity that we faced. It just brought us closer together and that's how we got here now.

COLEMAN HAWKINS: I would say similarities, as far as being a younger team, I think we had talked about we're one of the only teams in the country who didn't get the returning starting five, just got guys who never played any college minutes.

It's just finding guys to step in roles, and ultimately they're new to the college game so we're going to make mistakes. We're a younger team and they're a younger team as well. More vulnerable to mistakes and just learning from those mistakes. I think we have done a pretty good job of learning from mistakes and getting this far. I think it's time new guys aren't new guys and people are going to have to step up and play as hard as they can and limit their mistakes so we can go out and win.

Q. What challenges does Arkansas present to you?

COLEMAN HAWKINS: They're a physical team. They're real aggressive in their gaps, getting in the driving lanes, trying to steal your ball. They're aggressive in shot blocking and offensively they have multiple guys who can go out and try to get a bucket. So we're going to have to really guard our man. We call it "guard our yard". So really locking in on defense. Isolation ball, you know, you're one-on-one. Those are a few things we have talked about so far.

TERRENCE SHANNON, JR.: Basically everything Coleman said. We know they got a lot of talented players and we know we're going to have to come together and win as a team. Like you said they're similar to us, just guarding our yard and being connected on defense I feel like will be the big things.

Q. Terrence, what do you feel like is Illinois basketball is at its best when you guys are doing all the right things?

TERRENCE SHANNON, JR.: I feel like we're at our best when our defense is creating our offense, us getting out in transition. Just us executing on the offensive end, being connected on the defensive end, also. But I feel like that's when we are at our best.

Q. Do you remember anything about the game two years ago how Arkansas defended you, anything like that?

TERRENCE SHANNON, JR.: Yeah, they were aggressive, made you drive the ball, but I don't -- honestly, I just remember losing to them. I plan to get that win back tomorrow.

Q. I'm going to address this to Coleman but invite Terrence to jump in, too. How would you categorize this season if you had to boil it down? Has it been difficult? Frustrating? Do you feel like it's been a good one?

COLEMAN HAWKINS: Yeah, I mean, if I'm answering truthfully I would say the beginning was very frustrating for me. I was used to guys who kinda knew what they were doing. This isn't anyone's fault. Like I said, we're a young team. Kind of just limiting mistakes. I feel like sometimes we had games as early as the Maryland game or when we weren't -- the Virginia game, we weren't able to finish out games. Last year's team and the year before did a great job of closing out games.

I think it was tough for us on the road this year. We lost a lot of road games this year. I was used to a team who went in and we were road warriors. We were tough, we were older, we were veterans, we knew what we were going to go out and do.

We were locked in to attention to detail. They were very limited mistakes. So early on it was frustrating but as time went on I started to like the team more. You know, I think with that frustration there was kind of a loss of motivation for myself. I wouldn't say for anybody else, because I was just kind of lost to where I was at, as far as is it my fault? Am I not leading these guys the right way? But once we started to pick it up again and guys started playing more minutes and we started playing a little bit better, I think I kinda got happy with this team. I was proud for this team, and I was able to see we were capable of winning any game. We were capable of beating anybody. It's just those little details that we kinda miss out on that kinda limited us to some wins.

I think right now we're capable of beating any team in this tournament so I'm happy where we're at.

Q. Underwood, you said, after Selection Sunday he wants you guys to let your hair down. He wanted this to be fun. Is that a challenge in and of itself to come here and just feel that sense of relaxation, I guess, fun? Does it feel sorta heavy, pressure-packed to deliver?

COLEMAN HAWKINS: I wouldn't say pressure packed. I just feel confident right now. I feel like we're going to go out and play hard, play well, and I think we're going to leave everything out on the line and I think we're going to shock some people. I'm just excited. I can't wait to start playing.

Yeah, it's all or nothing, so we're just going to go out and play as hard as we can and go try to win. I think it will be fun. I'm excited.

Q. Terrence, Devo Davis or Davonte Davis played for Arkansas as his third year so he faced you that first time. I assume he's going to cover you. In studying Arkansas, what do you think about No. 4, Devo Davis. After that, talk about your height. Arkansas is pretty big, but not as big as you guys. How do you think that will figure into it?

TERRENCE SHANNON, JR.: Once I found out we had the Arkansas match-up, he's the first person that came to mind because he hit big shots my sophomore year when I was at Texas Tech, and he's one of the best defenders in the country. So that's him. I know he can score the ball a bit. It a match-up and a challenge that I'm -- as a team we're looking for.

Q. The second part about their height.

TERRENCE SHANNON, JR.: They've got a lot of length, starting with Anthony Black, Devo, their arms, Council, and their bigs, they're pretty lengthy. They block shots, top-20 in the country, like Coach told us earlier. We just gotta go in there and play smart and make the right decisions.

Q. (No microphone.)

TERRENCE SHANNON, JR.: Us?

COLEMAN HAWKINS: Yeah, I mean, I think the starting five, you go down the list, depending on who is starting that night, you got your point guard and then you've got a 6'7 shooting guard, you've got a 6'9 three guard center, you've got a 6'10" forward, you've got a 6'9" center. You've got guys coming in like Ty Rodgers who can go clean up offensive rebounds, Luke, who can shoot the ball at 6'7. So I think our length has helped us a lot this year defensively. We're one of the best shot-blocking teams in the country. But I think our length is going to be put to the test as far as those guards who can really go. They can go score a bucket. Nick Smith, Council, who is coming off the bench or starting for them either way. It's going to be a real challenge for us. We're lengthy, but sometimes it's a skill game. It will be a good test for us.

Q. You guys have been here before and played in tournament games. Between you two and Matt, how much do you use your experience to your advantage and what advantage does that give you, in your opinion?

COLEMAN HAWKINS: Matt's situation was different. I think Baylor was by far the best team in the country that year. After we played them, I knew they were going to get an Natty. I told my family, once our season was ended, I think Illinois was the only team that could beat them but we didn't get a chance to. I don't think we can compare Matt's experience with our team because I think our team is capable of doing damage in this tournament but we're not that COVID year Baylor team who at every position was dominant, filled with NBA guys. I think we just gotta come together and just understand what it takes to be successful. You know, like I said, Matt's Baylor team was just kind of unstoppable in a way, in every position. I'm not going to lie, I didn't really watch Terrence. I didn't really care for Texas Tech, and I didn't watch them in the tournament so I don't know what his experience was like, but our two experiences with Matt and his team and our team now is kinda different but I think we can get an understanding of what it takes to win and what it takes to do some damage in this tournament.

TERRENCE SHANNON, JR.: I would say, like, just like me, Coleman and Matt being in the tournament, just keeping poised. Teams are going to go on runs and we don't want to lose our head and think, oh, we gotta start taking shots to bring us back because a two is a two and a three is a three.

So we have to take it possession by possession and stay calm and just get back into the rhythm of the game if the other team does go on a run. But just finding ways to lead our team, whether it's on the court, just talking, just being that guy for our younger guys.

Q. Coleman, you guys both referenced Anthony Black and Nick Smith, Jr., who are true freshman. I wonder how your approach was then in the NCAA Tournament as underclassmen relative to how it is now and the advantage you guys are talking about, how do you think you can frustrate them tomorrow?

COLEMAN HAWKINS: Our job is to force tough twos, warring over ball screens set and being a presence for them the whole night, limiting open shots, forcing them to take tough twos. I think that's one of the big things, and it's not like I'm saying, oh, they can't shoot those shots. Nick Smith is capable of making tough shots. But I think just being a presence for them all night. Like I said, warring over ball screens and setting great screens on the offensive end and being a presence for them and making sure we're always by them.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, gentlemen.

We would lake to welcome the University of Illinois. Head Coach, Brad Underwood. Coach, opening statement?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: Excited to be here. It's always a terrific thing to be playing this time of year. Excited to take on a very, very good Arkansas team. Arkansas is a team that had a great year, they got a great coach, and they are electric in terms of their athleticism. In a lot of ways we're similar in that we have both had a lot of youth and some new guys. They have a couple of great guys. Mus has done a great job, a couple of Elite Eights since his arrival there. Excited to be a part of it.

Q. Coach, you talked in your presser on Sunday about teams hitting speed bumps, you are not ranked now but you were earlier as was Arkansas and you had to overcome injuries and guys leaving the team and stuff. Do you see similar trajectories and now you are here and you can do some damage?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: Sure, absolutely. I'm not going to speak for Mus, but I think we've proven we can beat anybody, UCLA, Texas, right down to the last possession against Virginia. We played some great basketball. The Big Ten helps prepare you for that. Arkansas is a different type team than what we see in the Big Ten in terms of their extreme athleticism. Maybe not -- play a little faster, maybe, but, yeah, I think when you have got new teams, I think it's the new era, with the portal, and we're going to continue to do it with freshman and build. So we're going to have young guys out there and there are going to be ups and downs and speed bumps, and I think Mus feels the same way, they have as good a chance as anybody in the tournament.

Q. You have had big swings as has Arkansas, as you evaluate the down side, do you look at it like you can limit the damage so it's not drastic one way?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: Ours hasn't been just one thing. Early in the year it was turnovers, then you, you know, the other night, last game, you know, you're playing pretty well and then you string together some missed free throws. So you don't counter those runs by stepping up and making free throws. It's been a little bit of inconsistency from a variety of different areas and I think that happens again with young teams.

I think -- I don't think there is any team in this tournament that has lost more than we lost in the last year and is here right now. I think we've played through that pretty well, but I think on the other side we've also shown tremendous spurtability, if you want to call it that. It hasn't been just one thing. I wish we could pinpoint it and say it's turnovers. Penn State game we turned it over seven times. So it's always been a little bit of hit and miss from game to game.

Q. Brad, since last Thursday night or Friday, what's been the focus or the approach, the vibe, whatever, just to get ready for tomorrow?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: Belief. You gotta believe you can win. You gotta come here and it's zero-zero. Everything you do to this point is to get you to this point.

You know, the 20-game grind of a Big Ten season and sell-out crowds in every venue, the familiarity is now completely different. We're in the NCAA Tournament, and it's a new team, it's a different team, it's a different style, it's a different name we don't hear every time we turn on a TV. There is a sense of excitement with that. I also want our players to understand that you've got to enjoy this moment.

I know one thing growing up the way I grew up in this profession, I sure don't take this for granted. I don't want our players to do that. I want them to enjoy it. I've used the term "let your hair down" and let's go play. We've talked a lot about that.

Q. Brad, I was going to ask you about what you just said, the letting their hair down department. Has that been a little bit hard for this group to do? Has that been part of the puzzle? And for that matter, for you as well. Has this been an enjoyable season like the last couple?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: I love this team! I've said it many times, the character on our team is high, high level. We've got extremely high-level people in that locker room and guys who care. I think it's part of our DNA as guys from winning programs and winning cultures. That's very evident. You know, it's never very easy to come together in a quick amount of time.

We didn't have Matt all summer. That becomes more challenging. You miss that, you're working on team building stuff. I think the other piece to this is you don't let your hair down so to speak in the middle of conference play, I mean in January. It's hard. It's a grind. You have a different energy. Sometimes when you play at UCLA in Vegas in a nonleague game or Texas at Madison Square Garden than you do playing a league game on the road in January. It's just a different vibe. That's being honest. Now, it's kinda loose. You know, it's win or go home. This team has a great personality to handle that and I really believe that.

Q. Brad, I wanted to ask you, you've been long-time friends with Bill Self, who is here, of course. I know you spoke on your radio show, I believe a little bit about him when the news came about his heart procedure. Are you surprised that he's here and able to coach? Does that surprise you that he's able to do it?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: No, because I know -- I've known Bill since high school, he played at Oklahoma State, I took a visit to Oklahoma State, he took me out on my visit which we will keep the details of that quiet. But I know how tough he is. I know what a competitor he is. I also know how important it is for him to be here for his players and his coaches. What his program has stood for and all the success.

I don't want to speak for Bill, you know, he may not be his 100% spry self, but I know that there is a lot of things out there in terms of family, his team, his staff, that are really important that he goes out there and performs the best he can to try to help them. When Bill is on that sideline, he's helping his team.

So, yeah, it's not something that surprises me.

Q. You talked about the scary situation with Jayden. When that happened, did you question if you would be able to have him here and how big is it that he can play for your team?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: That's a very scary moment and it was something that, again -- I don't want to get into the details but, again, when a player collapses on the court and you don't know why, at that moment, yeah. Then to see some of the challenges he was having hours and hours and hours after that, still not know the why, was challenging.

They're our kids, and you have a tremendous responsibility as a head coach. We may coach 'em hard and we may push 'em and drive 'em, but at the end of the day we love 'em. Going to that hospital after that practice and spending the night with Jayden that night, you know, it's our responsibility as coaches, or mine as a coach. So I don't ever take that for granted. We were elated to find out what the problem was and how it happened, and we were more elated to know that there was a chance he would come back. It means a great deal for us that he's back out there, and he's a terrific young person, great family.

All that aside, the basketball side, there is no doubt he helps us. He's a 10-point a game guy and has been through a lot of battles.

Q. With Jayden, you mentioned he was doing double workouts over the weekend. How much do you think you will have him?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: He's good to go. He's good to go, yeah. We will -- I think it was an important three minutes he got in the game against Penn State. The first one one he shot he missed by 6 feet, the next one he made, so it was good for him to get that adrenaline out there. He had not practiced. He had just been through a shootaround. Just to get conditioning back and feel the motion of a game is important as we head into the NCAA Tournament.

Q. Anthony Black and Nick Smith, they're projected lottery picks in most mock drafts. What's your take on those two?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: Nick is an outstanding scorer. He is a capable guy of getting 20 every night he steps on the court. And he can do it in a variety of ways. He can do it off catch-and-shoots, he can do it off the bounce, they're going to put you in ball screens.

And Anthony does it in so many different ways. He's got the length, the size, downhill he can overpower you at the rim with that length. He's got just uncanny quick hands and can bother you with steals on the defensive side. Again, he's a 6'6, 6'7 point, so they have great size on the perimeter with those two. They have great length. And, you know, I think Nick has given them an offensive punch in his return that has helped them.

Then you put him with Devo and the twins and now you've got great athleticism. Those two are extremely talented, they're probably worthy of all their prospects and accolades, you know, but that doesn't mean that we can't go out and compete against them and play extremely hard.

Q. Brad, you said that Arkansas's athleticism you said is a little bit different compared to what you see. Is it a little bit different, a lot different? When is the last time Illinois played a comparable athletic team?

BRAD UNDERWOOD: Texas, Texas is probably the best fit. I don't want to say Texas -- Texas was a little bit different because they don't play a true center, the twins are a little bit, but, yeah, athletically, they're very comparable. We don't see those lean athletes like that in terms of Black, in terms of Nick. The pace they play is very fast and the way they play. So it's different, no doubt, but Texas probably the most comparable.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.