‘Today just wasn't our day’: Illini Rambled Out of NCAAs with Stunning Second-Round Loss to Loyola Chicago

Top seed Illinois is stunned by Loyola Chicago and sent home in the second round of the 2021 NCAA tournament.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood summed up his team’s stunning upset loss in the second round of the 2021 NCAA tournament rather perfectly.

The top-seeded Illini picked the absolute worst time to perform near its lowest level of the season as they became the first No. 1 seed to bow out of March Madness this season after a 71-58 loss to Loyola Chicago.

“Today just wasn't our day,” the Illini fourth-year head coach said. “We tried everything in the bag. Everything that's made us one of the most efficient offensive teams today, just for whatever reason didn't work.”

“Today just wasn't our day. We tried everything in the bag. Everything that's made us one of the most efficient offensive teams today, just for whatever reason didn't work.” - Illinois head coach Brad Underwood

The Ramblers (26-4) simply outplayed Illinois in every facet of the game Sunday afternoon as they regular season and tournament champion of the Missouri Valley Conference led wire-to-wire in a dominating victory.

In a unique maturity reverse of a 1-8 matchup in the NCAA tournament, Loyola looked like the team familiar with the spotlight of March and the more poised team with veteran leadership with multiple years of postseason success. Because they were.

Loyola Ramblers center Cameron Krutwig (25) hugs head coach Porter Moser after their win over the Illinois Fighting Illini in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Loyola Ramblers won 71-58 :: Trevor Ruszkowski/USA TODAY Sports

Cameron Krutwig, who was the starting center on Loyola’s 2017-18 team that advanced to the Final Four, completely dominated the proceedings on both ends of the floor. With just a simple post entry at the elbow and a dribble handoff action to a guard, Krutwig was the axis at which Loyola’s offense rotated as he finished with 19 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes. Loyola was able to outscore Illinois (24-7) in the paint 38-26 and get 12 layups or dunks throughout the afternoon.
On the defensive end, Krutwig, who will graduate as one of the most accomplished players to wear a Loyola uniform, was able to disrupt the ball screen action of the Illini’s All-American duo of Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn.

“I thought he had a great defensive game today, and he was -- a huge assignment,” Loyola head coach Porter Moser said. “You're sitting there saying ‘Krut, you've got to ball screen D against Ayo, an All American but then you've got to post D against Kofi, an All American in the post. Have at it, big boy. I thought he was very, very good defensively, as well, against elite players. Those are terrific players.”

Illinois, which had prided itself all season in having one of the best transition offenses in the nation, was forced to play at a halfcourt pace Sunday as Loyola limited the Illini to just two fast break points and was forced in 17 turnovers.

“They followed their coach's game plan, and they did a tremendous job at that,” Dosunmu said. “At the end of the day I think we still had good looks, we just couldn't throw a penny in the ocean.”

I think we still had good looks, we just couldn't throw a penny in the ocean.” - Illinois All-American guard Ayo Dosunmu

Illinois Fighting Illini guard Jacob Grandison (3) and guard Andre Curbelo (5) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) walk off the court after their loss to the Loyola Ramblers in the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Loyola Ramblers won 71-58 :: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports

In his final game in an Illinois uniform, Dosunmu’s streak of 42 consecutive games in double figures ended as the first-team All-America selection finished with nine points and a season-high six turnovers. In the last five games, Dosunmu had just one turnover but he had four in a frustrating first half that saw Illinois down 33-24. The 24 points for Illinois was a season-low total for a first half as the Illini had just one more field goal (10) than turnovers (nine) after 20 minutes of action.

“I guess people kind of forgot or something but we were the No. 1 defense in the country this year,” Krutwig said. “I guess people chalk it up to maybe being a mid-major or something, but we play hard, play the right way, and we follow the scout and follow the scheme.”

Cockburn led the Illini with 21 points and nine rebounds but the 7-foot, 290-pounder was certainly identified by Loyola as a defensive liability and Cockburn’s inability to contain anything Krutwig and the Ramblers wanted to run offensively was noticeable early and often Sunday afternoon.

“We made four mistakes in the first half just on coverages where we didn't talk,” Underwood said. “We haven't been making those, and that's one of the things that was really disappointing today. We knew Krutwig was going to score, and he's a really good player, and he elevates others. We were more concerned about trying not to let him elevate his teammates..but again, give their guys credit. They did a great job.”

In his final game at Illinois, Trent Frazier had a horrible time finding the bottom of the net by making just 1 of 10 from the field and failing to hit any of the five attempts from beyond the three-point arc. The Illinois guards, which had been the keystone of a season that saw them finish No. 2 in the final regular season Associated Press Top 25 poll, finished Sunday 13 of 34 from the field, 3 of 13 from three-point range and earned 13 turnovers.

“We didn't get it done. We didn't play how we need to play to win a game, and now it's about taking our medicine,” Dosunmu said.

Loyola, which has now has six NCAA tournament games under Moser, will now move on to the Sweet 16 starting Saturday, March 27 against the winner of 4-seed Oklahoma State vs. 12-seed Oregon State.

Illinois’ 2020-21 season ends at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as the Illini failed to get out of the second round for a fifth straight NCAA tournament appearance. It’s been 16 years and counting, since the 2004-05 Illinois team made it to the national championship game, where Illinois has advanced out of the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.