The Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball team has been going wild with its celebrations, bringing out water guns in the 2026 NCAA Tournament. The team rejoiced in its Final Four berth with a massive super-soaker fight after head coach Brad Underwood stormed into the locker room, wielding a water gun, keeping the tradition alive.
Illinois Men’s Basketball Goes Wild With Super Soaker Fight After Final Four Qualification
The Fighting Illini entered the season as a strong contender in the Big Ten Conference, capitalizing on fast-paced offense, improved defensive consistency, and strong perimeter shooting. They also aimed for a deep run in the NCAA Tournament as the third-seeded team and dominated the early rounds.
The Illinois men recorded a stellar 105-70 victory over Penn and then battled past VCU to secure a spot in the Sweet Sixteen. Continuing their momentum, they advanced to the Final Four, thanks to freshmen Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic, who scored 25 and 9 points, respectively, to lead Illinois to victory. After a two-decade wait, the team saw the light of day as they surged past Iowa in the Elite Eight, 71-59.
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The team has now made six Final Fours, with the last five coming in 1949, 1951, 1952, 1989, and 2005.
To celebrate the win, head coach Underwood and players went all out with their super soakers in the locker room, making it a delightful sight, even for someone known for his typically stoic and serious personality. Mirkovic sat on top of the shelf with his water gun, embracing the Illinois frenzy in a cowboy hat.
“The super soaker celebration is getting out of hand in the Illinois locker room.”
Underwood boasts an illustrious coaching career spanning much of the Great Plains, the Southeast, and the Southwest, but his dream was always to coach at Illinois. After the Elite Eight triumph, the 62-year-old opened up about his career trajectory, growing emotional as he reflected on his journey and reaching the first Final Four of his career.
“I’m going to get emotional, but I’ve been doing this 39 years, and you dream about this as a kid, and I dreamt about doing it at Illinois. Back in the day when my wife bought Tyler, who was maybe two, a Brian Cook jersey, and you knew what a special place this was. And it always has been, and there’s been no other thing for me. This is my dream job, and it’s very fulfilling to get where we’re going.”
The Fighting Illini will take on the winner of Duke vs. Connecticut on Saturday, April 4, in Indianapolis.
