Brad Underwood's Simple (if Not Easy) Fix For Keeping Illinois' Top Scorers Happy

One connection has go synonymous pinch Illinois hoops – peculiarly erstwhile it comes to its violative onslaught – passim nan 2025-26 campaign: balance. The Illini person a limb arsenal deeper than nan U.S. military's, which, though theoretically optimal, doesn't create nan serene utopia that mightiness look to beryllium nan result.

If defender Keaton Wagler and large man Tomislav Ivisic each spell disconnected for 20-plus, arsenic they did connected Wednesday nighttime successful a triumph complete Northwestern, that leaves scarce scoring opportunities for their teammates. When Kylan Boswell chips successful different 13 points of his own, there’s only array scraps near for Andrej Stojakovic and David Mirkovic, who combined for 10 full points. And that's conscionable nan starting lineup.

A crippled earlier – a triumph complete Iowa – it was Mirkovic and Ivisic scoring only 7 apiece and conscionable 1 reserve adding his sanction to nan scoring file (Zvonimir Ivisic had 8 points). 

Sure, immoderate Illini tin spell disconnected connected immoderate fixed night, but really do you support players engaged and progressive successful nan games successful which they’re scoring successful azygous digits. Matchups and luck could crystal retired a fixed subordinate for 2 weeks' worthy of games. How do you negociate that business carrying a roster packed pinch guys who cognize they’re tin of popping disconnected for 20-plus?

Why Brad Underwood isn't worried astir keeping his scorers happy

The reply is simple: win. Winning is nan cure-all. Not scoring enough? Who cares? We’re winning. Not playing enough? Who cares? We’re winning. Not getting capable shots up? You get nan idea: patience and selflessness travel inexpensive erstwhile nan Ws are flowing.

“Winning trumps all,” said Illini coach Brad Underwood connected Friday. “You activity to play nan crippled to triumph it. And each nan different worldly will return attraction of itself. It doesn’t matter what your numbers are.”

Easier said than done, obviously. Players astatine this level person NBA aspirations and NIL considerations and, often, egos arsenic large arsenic Range Rovers. But Underwood is connected to something: In reality, without equilibrium and nan antiauthoritarian distribution of scoring crossed nan starting lineup, nan Illini wouldn’t beryllium classed No. 13 pinch a 14-3 wide grounds and a 5-1 people successful nan Big Ten. Seriously. Just return a look astatine nan remainder of nan league.

“Right now, we’re successful a unsocial spot,” Underwood said. "The apical 10 scorers successful nan convention aren’t connected nan apical 5 teams. Winning. It’s winning. And it’s balance."

In fact, among scorers connected nan champion teams successful nan conference, only Nebraska’s Pryce Sandfort (16.4 points per game) is anyplace adjacent that database – and he sits tied for No. 13. (Illinois' Wagler is astatine No. 16, averaging 16.1 points per game.)

But what astir those pro aspirations? Well, Illinois has had Wagler, Stojakovic, Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic projected successful mock drafts. If a loaded squad wins – and a subordinate impacts that winning – NBA beforehand offices are savvy capable to understand nan move and worth ratio complete volume.

In fact, a fistful of players each twelvemonth negociate to assistance their draught projections based connected their contributions successful nan NCAA Tournament. Overlooked aliases undervalued players are abruptly connected nan grandest stage, excelling nether nan astir aggravated unit – but only if their squad keeps climbing done its bracket.

A well-executed domiciled connected a high-level squad – specifically 1 that plays an NBA-style discourtesy (as Illinois does) – helps show a scout precisely nan benignant of subordinate they tin expect astatine nan adjacent level. Take Stojakovic, for example: He scored 17.9 points per crippled arsenic an inefficient, high-volume subordinate connected a subpar Cal squad a twelvemonth ago.

Now? His scoring mean has dipped to 13.9 points per game, but he’s shooting complete 50 percent from nan field, and beforehand offices don’t person to wonderment astir whether he’ll fresh successful nan convention arsenic a cog successful nan machine. NBA teams aren’t forced to return a chance that Stojakovic tin study to beryllium effective, businesslike and comfortable surrounded by different talented players – they’ve already seen it. (Now, he conscionable needs to hone his three-point shot.)

Buy into your domiciled and everything takes attraction of itself. That's nan message. And, of course, win. Because nan Illini person been doing conscionable that, location seems to beryllium not moreover a semblance of interest successful Underwood’s mind astir his players’ expertise to proceed embracing and thriving successful nan abstraction that's afforded to them connected immoderate fixed night.

“It’s conscionable astir uncovering your domiciled and enjoying nan infinitesimal of winning and what that takes and what that looks like," Underwood said. "And that’s nan worldly you retrieve erstwhile you’re 45 years aged and coming backmost to reunion – each nan winning."