Brad Underwood heaps praise on potential NBA lottery pick Keaton Wagler after Final Four
Keaton Wagler scored 20 points and grabbed eight rebounds in Illinois’ Final Four loss, capping a breakout season for the Illini star. Wagler's NBA future now looms.
Brad Underwood heaps praise on potential NBA lottery pick Keaton Wagler after Final Four originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler sat at his locker with his jersey still on, his eyes red, his voice soft, his season over.
He had just scored 20 points on the biggest stage of his life, had dragged Illinois possession by possession through a game where every shot felt like a fistfight, and yet the only thing he could think about was how much he didn’t want it to end. “There were a lot of emotions, a lot of tears,” Wagler told reporters. “I love each and every one of my teammates.
I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anyone else. ” Wagler’s 20 points came the hard way — 7-for-16 from the field, 2-for-10 from three, 4-for-5 at the line. Nothing came easy against the UConn Huskies ' length, switching, and relentless pressure.
But he kept attacking. He kept believing. He kept giving Illinois (28-9) a chance despite falling short 71-62.