"Wagler is the most recent recipient of Underwood's willingness to let his best players own the spotlight in the most important moments of a season."
"Near the 12-minute mark on Saturday, Wagler dribbled and spun. While defending the projected lottery pick, Iowa's Isaia Howard stumbled and nearly fell. He could only watch as Wagler drained a 3-pointer."
"With four minutes to play, Illinois had scored at a clip of 168 points per 100 possessions in the second half. For perspective, the Golden State Warriors led by Kevin Durant and Steph Curry during the 2016-17 season had an offensive rating of 114.8 points per 100 possessions."
Illinois coach Brad Underwood empowers his best players, exemplified by Keaton Wagler's performance in the Elite Eight. Wagler scored 25 points, leading Illinois to a 71-59 victory over Iowa, ending Iowa's Cinderella run. This win marked Illinois' first Final Four appearance in 21 years. Underwood's coaching history includes developing top players like Michael Beasley and Thomas Walkup. Wagler's key plays included a crucial 3-pointer and free throws, while Tomislav Ivisic contributed with important shots, showcasing Illinois' exceptional offensive performance in the second half.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]