“I’m never satisfied defensively”: Reflecting on Elite 8 loss vs Dan Hurley’s UConn, Illinois HC Brad Underwood displays optimism for new season
Brad Underwood has seemingly chosen to approach the 2024-25 season with a positive mindset. After suffering an exit in the Elite Eight round at the hands of Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies last season, the Illinois Fighting Illini head coach looks to lead his young roster to a strong comeback season in 2024-25.
On October 3, Underwood appeared on CBS' "Eye on College Basketball" podcast alongside Matt Norlander. During the interview, Underwood took a sarcastic dig at his team's defense before revealing his mentality to improve the Fighting Illini for the next season.
"We've got a seventh grade middle school team somewhere in Champaign or Banner who might hang a hundred on us," joked Brad Underwood.
"No, it's one of those things. I'm never satisfied defensively this time of year. A lot of new faces, a lot of youth. It's the end where the chemistry, in my opinion, is the hardest to develop. We've got a lot of guys who are gifted scorers, who know how to score."
"But, at that end, we've got to grow and got to understand what winning basketball is; it's all the little things. It's not making mistakes, diving on the floor, the extra effort. Those are the things we've got to grow into."
The Fighting Illini were one of the best scoring teams in college basketball last season, ranking 10th in the country for points per game at 83.6. However, thedefense couldn't match the strong offense performance, ranking a disappointing 224th in opposition points per game with 73.3.
This highlights the need for Underwood to address his team's defense in the offseason, with the program's 2024 signing class being an indicator of his intentions.
Brad Underwood and the Fighting secure Top 20 signing class for the 2024-25 season
Brad Underwood and his staff assembled a talented list of commits ahead of the 2024-25 season. This signing class ranks 20th in the country per On3, and 15th according to 247Sports Composite ratings.
The Fighting Illini's signing class is headlined by four-star power forward prospect Morez Johnson Jr., ranked 28th overall in the country per On3. The team also scored big in the transfer portal, landing key talents like Arizona State point guard Kylan Boswell and Louisville small forward Tre White.
Brad Underwood, who led the Fighting Illini to the first Big Ten tournament title in three years, will look to come back stronger in 2024-25. The season begins on November 4 with a home game against the Eastern Illinois Panthers.