Win a big college basketball game on a last-second play, and it’s back slaps and high-fives for the hero. In Saturday’s case, with No. 1 Tennessee visiting Illinois, it was Jordan Gainey who made an exquisite play at the end of regulation to boost the Vols over the top, 66-64.
Lose in that same scenario? Fingers point and eyes scan across an entire program looking for someone to blame. This time the digit in question was coach Brad Underwood’s own, and it was pointed matter-of-factly back at himself.
“I wish I had the last five seconds over,” Underwood said after the game. “I would have called timeout – and give Gainey credit, he made a heck of a play – but that’s where this team has to continue to grow.”…