The Illinois Fighting Illini fell in heartbreaking fashion at home to the Miami Hurricanes last night in a classic example of something John Groce pioneered, but Brad Underwood has perfected: the fake rally. The Champaign Room has been using this term for years, and last night had #FakeRally written all over it from the start of the second half.
The Fake Rally is thus far Brad Underwood’s signature move. It’s his Stone Cold Stunner. It’s his Kamehameha wave. It’s his Falcon Punch. In the (hopefully unlikely) event that he never leads Illinois back to prominence, it’s what he’ll be remembered for most of all.