With the Illinois basketball team losing in the Final Four to the UConn Huskies, head coach Brad Underwood spoke after the result, leading to an emotional reaction. There's no doubt that Underwood is proud of the Illinois basketball team's 2025-26 season, and kept it real after the 71-62 heartbreaking defeat to the Huskies.

Underwood wouldn't hold back his emotions after the loss on Saturday night, saying how “sad” he is for the season to come to an end. He would even quote Houston Cougars head coach Kelvin Sampson on how much meaning the players give to coaches' lives.

“I feel sad. I'm sad. If you want to know the truth, I'm sad,” Underwood said, via The Field of 68. “But I'll reflect on some of the other stuff later. Seasons coming to an end stink, because…I'm going to steal a quote from Kelvin Sampson. I may not be as big a part of their life, but they are my life, and I'm sad.”

Illinois basketball's Brad Underwood on the joy he had from the season

While it was an incredible season for the Illinois basketball team, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2005, and though it didn't end in a national title, Underwood expressed how much joy this roster gave him.

“Been doing this a long time, and I've never been around a group of guys who given me more joy,” Underwood said, via Fox. “We didn't have the bad practices they played for the name on the front…I think they [fans] fell in love with this group because of who they are as people. It's just an extremely high character locker room.”

“And endings stink,” Underwood said. “But today was not our day. I want them to all hold their head high and feel proud of the jersey they wore. And I'm selfish here when I say this, the joy that they gave me this year was very, very meaningful.”

At any rate, Underwood and the Fighting Illini look to be even hungrier next season to succeed.