Illini basketball needs a program rebuilder, and that’s EXACTLY what they got when they hired Brad Underwood from Oklahoma State. The now former Cowboys mentor has won everywhere that he’s been, at every level of the coaching ranks, and he’s done it by taking what he’s been given, and elevating it significantly.
From the Community College level (this is a big day for Dodge City Conquistadors and Daytona State Falcons everywhere) to the Southland Conference to the Big 12, Underwood has gotten it done, and done so with an exciting brand of basketball.
Welcome Coach Brad Underwood! #WeWillWin #ILLINI pic.twitter.com/9yqLI0Ce1x
— Josh Whitman (@IlliniAD) March 18, 2017
Illini Athletic Director Josh Whitman broke the news himself via Twitter late Saturday afternoon, and an official release was sent out by the school a few minutes later. In all three of his seasons at Stephen F. Austin, Brad Underwood won both the regular season and the conference tournament titles. The Lumberjacks went 89-14 and 53-1 in conference during his tenure.
He then went to Oklahoma State where he inherited a dumpster fire from the previous incumbent Travis Ford, and turned OSU around. The Cowboys achieved 20-win season and NCAA Tournament appearance, where they lost 92-91 to Michigan.
The University of Illinois release states:
The Cowboys had one of the most exciting and prolific offenses in the country, standing eighth in the NCAA in scoring (85.7 points per game) and leading the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency in the current kenpom rankings. The Cowboys ranked eighth nationally in 3-point field goal percentage (.402) and fourth in the country in offensive rebounding percentage (.383).
Oklahoma State finished fifth in the Big 12 with a 9-9 conference record in a season where the Big 12 was rated as the best conference in the nation. That was a dramatic improvement for the Cowboys, who went 3-15 in league play a year ago. Oklahoma State came on strong during the second half of the season, winning 10 of 11 games from Jan. 21-Feb. 25, which included a pair of five-game winning streaks.
The new leader of the Illini basketball program brings a much needed, refreshing change of pace. In the final years of Weberball, Illinois, even when they were winning, were anything but fun to watch. When John Groce arrived, up-tempo entertaining hoops was promised, but never really delivered.
The substantial decline that started under Weber degenerated to severe depths. Now Underwood arrives to both win, and win with style and panache. He is truly an offensive guru. Although this is no Tony Bennett, Archie Miller or Gregg Marshall kind of splash hire, it is the kind of pragmatic get, which might ultimately prove to be much more fruitful in the long run.
The announcement also caught most observers off guard, but in a great way.
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/843208364951818240
Credit Whitman for preventing leaks, and for landing a guy that represents a tremendous upgrade over his predecessor- much like the Lovie Smith hire was in football.
Brad Underwood will be formally introduced Monday in a press conference at noon central that will be streamed live on FightingIllini.com and archived online following its conclusion.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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