Illinois Coach Brad Underwood Rips Big Ten Officiating After Loss

Underwood vented frustration over missed calls and inconsistent officiating in his team's defeat against Wisconsin.

Feb. 11, 2026 at 10:31am

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Illinois basketball coach Brad Underwood strongly criticized the officiating in his team's overtime loss to Wisconsin, saying the Illini had sent in multiple clips of missed or questionable calls from their previous game against Michigan State that were not addressed. Underwood was particularly upset about an "egregious" missed out-of-bounds call early in overtime and a 10-second violation that he felt was incorrectly called.

Why it matters

Underwood's public criticism of the officiating highlights the ongoing tensions between coaches and referees in the highly competitive Big Ten conference. The Illini have been on the wrong side of several close calls this season, which Underwood believes has impacted the team's performance and results.

The details

Underwood vented his frustration to the media after Illinois' home loss to Wisconsin, saying the Illini had sent the league office 12 clips of missed or questionable calls from their previous game against Michigan State that were not properly addressed. He specifically called out an "egregious" missed out-of-bounds play early in overtime and a 10-second violation call that he felt was incorrect.

  • Illinois lost to Wisconsin in overtime on December 29, 2025.
  • Underwood made his critical comments about the officiating in the postgame press conference on December 29, 2025.

The players

Brad Underwood

The head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team, who is known for his outspoken criticism of officiating when he feels his team has been unfairly treated.

Kylan Boswell

An Illinois starting guard who missed the Wisconsin game due to a hand injury.

Andrej Stojakovic

An Illinois starting forward who missed the Wisconsin game due to an ankle injury.

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What they’re saying

“We sent 12 [clips] in the other day from Michigan State. We'll send the missed out-of-bounds play in the first play of the overtime. It's egregious. We'll definitely send in the 10-second call. He's five feet from getting across halfcourt. It's a 10-second call. And we've got guys who miss that.”

— Brad Underwood, Illinois Head Coach

“I don't know what to do with it. I'm done talking to people. I don't get calls. I'm done. I'm frustrated as heck. I'm very frustrated. It changes so much from game to game. We had a guy tonight [that] we haven't had in two years. Two years. Do a league game. In two years.”

— Brad Underwood, Illinois Head Coach

What’s next

Underwood said the Illini will continue to send video clips of questionable calls to the Big Ten league office in hopes of addressing the officiating issues, but he acknowledged that he is "done talking to people" about the matter.

The takeaway

Underwood's strong criticism of the officiating highlights the ongoing tensions between coaches and referees in the highly competitive Big Ten conference. While the Illini have faced a number of close calls that have gone against them this season, Underwood must find a way to keep his team focused on what they can control as they look to bounce back from this tough loss.