How Brad Underwood's Coaching Masterclass Led Illinois Past Houston in Sweet 16

There are coaches known for squeezing every drop of ability out of their squads (Michigan State’s Tom Izzo, St. John’s Rick Pitino and, more recently, Iowa’s Ben McCollum, just to name a few). It’s a relatively short list, though – and not one that has typically contained the name of Illinois head man Brad Underwood.

Underwood's talent-evaluation and recruiting prowess is second to none, but his game preparation and in-game coaching have never been considered his most admirable traits. All year long, the Illini have let contests slip out of their grasp – often a direct result of what seems to be either a lack of preparation or less-than-desirable maneuvering of X’s and O’s during games.

The general consensus heading into Thursday night: Houston’s Kelvin Sampson vs. Brad Underwood on a four-day prep is not a matchup in Illinois’ favor. That’s more of a compliment of Sampson’s coaching abilities than an indictment of Underwood’s shortcomings – but the point stands.

How Brad Underwood's game coaching pushed into the Elite Eight

When the ball tipped off in the Toyota Center for the Sweet 16 matchup, though, it was the Illini seeking out the body blows. It was Underwood’s unit bringing the fight to a Cougars squad known for its physicality and intensity.

It was Ben Humrichous executing picturesque closeouts and big man Zvonimir Ivisic running three-point shooters off the line. It was all-out effort from the Illini, who played like their tournament life depended on it – because it did.

That fire was paired with very few scouting report mistakes. The attention to detail Illinois showcased was clinical. Underwood and Co. prepared an exceptional scout – and the Illini carried it out to a tee. Defensively, Illinois even added a new wrinkle that shocked Houston (and anyone else who has watched the Illini all year), leaving the Cougars with no answers.

On the flip side, Illinois knew exactly what was coming – and precisely how to beat it. The Illini welcomed the Cougars’ blitzing ball-screen action, using it to kick-start their offense, which is predicated on creating advantages. Houston, by putting two on the ball, created the advantage situation for Illinois.

The result: Lead guard Keaton Wagler calmly making passes to an Illini big man (usually fellow freshman David Mirkovic), allowing him to play out of a brief 4-on-3. Underwood trusted his gifted decision-makers to do just that: make decisions. He laid out the plan for his guys, then let them make magic.

The difference between the regular-season Illini (at the end of the year) and the production we’ve seen from them in the Big Dance is relatively straightforward: consistent mental focus. In terms of both effort and limiting mental miscues, Illinois has been at a different level in the tournament – a testament to Underwood’s ability to maximize his team’s ceiling.

That’s a statement that has rarely been attached to Underwood in the past. But between the schematic adjustments, all-around pregame preparation and the level of intensity and focus his squad displayed on Thursday, it’s praise he has undoubtedly earned.

The knock on the Illini – and the key reason few have viewed them as a true national title contender for years – is because deep in the tournament, when the talent and size even out between clubs, game outcomes frequently come down to the man pulling the strings.

In Illinois’ 65-55 victory over Houston (and leading up to it), Underwood pulled all of them perfectly, out-coaching one of the sport’s finest minds in Sampson in the process. Now Underwood just has to do it three more times for Illinois to find itself on top of the college basketball world.