Coach's shirtless celebration: 'For all the fans on social media, I apologize'

Scott Richey, The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
·1 min read

Mar. 29—BOSTON — Brad Underwood made the strategic move of taking off his shirt before crashing into the Illinois locker room following his team's 72-69 Sweet 16 victory against Iowa State. The Illini coach knew what awaited him inside the locker room. And knew he'd like to have a dry shirt at the postgame press conference.

So shirtless, goggled up and armed with a super soaker, Underwood charged. Only to be met with water gun-wielding players and Marcus Domask's now patented move of just dumping water directly on his coach's head.

"That was a disgusting scene, I'm sure," Underwood joked about his shirtless celebration. "For all the fans on social media, I apologize. The cold tub was one thing. That was just so I could have something decent to wear when you guys are here. I did do a little better job with the super soaker than I did the last game."

Enough water flew in the celebration that Illinois guard Sencire Harris issued a warning to the media members entering the locker room for interviews that the way forward would be slippery.

"Omaha was like a first step kind of thing," Illinois guard Ty Rodgers said, acknowledging more water was flying in Boston than last week celebrating reaching the Sweet 16. "This was crazy. We all had water guns. Coach came in with a super soaker. It was really fun. It's great to have a coach who celebrates like this."