Illinois' Brad Underwood Breaks Down Kentucky's Versatile Offense

The Illini coach says the Wildcats "can hurt you in a lot of different ways" – and he would know

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood watches the action Friday, March 14, 2025, in a quarterfinals game at the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament between the Maryland Terrapins and the Illinois Fighting Illini at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. / Grace Smith/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Aside from a late-February matchup against Duke, Illinois had faced nothing but a steady diet of Big Ten competition since the turn of the New Year before knocking off Xavier in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Friday. But the Illini ran a gauntlet of non-conference foes in November and December – quite deliberately, in fact – and a few of those games stand out as measuring sticks that can be used to gauge their next matchup.

Sixth-seeded Illinois (22-12) is set to face third-seeded Kentucky (23-11) in a second-round clash in Milwaukee on Sunday (4:15 p.m. CT, on CBS) to decide which club moves on to the Sweet 16.

ILLNIOIS IS HEADED TO ROUND TWO 🟠⚪️

The Illini take an impressive victory over (11) Xavier 86-73 🤩#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/ew0A7MGFW9

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2025

Alabama (91.1 points per game) and Missouri (83.6), two of Illinois' non-conference opponents this season, both feature high-octane offenses similar to that of their SEC brethren Kentucky. But ahead of Sunday, Illini coach Brad Underwood pointed to neither of those squads when analyzing the Wildcats.

In fact, Underwood drew a comparison to Illinois' most recent foe – and took a look in the mirror, as well.

“Lot of similarities to us, to Xavier – fast, elite at pushing after makes,” Underwood said.

Kentucky averages 85.0 points, slightly ahead of Illinois’ 83.9, and both the Wildcats and Illini let the threes fly – although UK tends to make them at a much higher clip (37.4 percent vs. 31.4 percent).

Underwood then ticked off a checklist of weapons in Kentucky's arsenal that will look plenty familiar if you're laundry happens to contain a conspicuous amount of orange and blue.

On 6-foot-4, 215 pound Wildcats guard Otega Oweh, a load going to the basket who is averaging a team-high 16.4 points and 5.4 free-throw attempts:

“Got a downhill player in Oweh,” said Underwood. "Got great size, and can hurt you in a lot of different ways.”

But Underwood might as just as easily have been talking about two of his precocious freshmen in 6-foot-6 lead guard Kasparas Jakucionis (15.0 points per game) or 6-foot-8 forward Will Riley (12.8).

On Kentucky's 7-foot center Amari Williams, one of the best facilitators among big men in college basketball, who averages 3.1 assists and is a nightmare matchup in the high post.

“Williams is a point center – elite passer,” Underwood said.

Um, Tomislav Ivisic (2.2 assists) anyone?

And then there's Koby Brea, who connects on 2.6 threes per game at an otherworldly efficient (and SEC-high) rate of 44.1 percent – an even more impressive number considering the high-level shots he’s forced to take.

“Got arguably the best shooter in the country in Brea,” Underwood said of the Wildcats.

OK, none of the Illini fit that mold – or at least none can say they even approached that sort of success from behind the arc this season. But Illinois has three players averaging at least 1.6 threes per game and no fewer than eight rotation players with the green light to shoot them when they're there (and often when they aren't). In fact, the 7-foot-1 Ivisic (team-high 35.2 percent on threes) has been the Illini's steadiest hand from long range this season.

Even if the Wildcats and Illini offenses aren't carbon copies, UK coach Mark Pope and his staff are probably feeling as challenged by Illinois' potency as Underwood and his crew are by Kentucky's firepower right now.

“They can hurt you in a lot of different ways," Underwood said.

"You see why they’re a three seed.”

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Ernie Johnson on Illinois' Performance Against Xavier: 'You Believe in Illinois'

How to Watch: Illinois vs. Kentucky in NCAA Tournament Second Round

ESPN's Jeff Borzello Explains the Key for Illinois to Take Down Kentucky