Illinois' Brad Underwood Highlights Experience Difference From a Season Ago

A year ago, there was no doubt about the talent on Illinois’ roster. Guard Kasparas Jakucionis, wing Will Riley and big man Tomislav Ivisic led the way – but no part of that trio had any college basketball experience prior to 2024-25.

The 2024-2025 Illini were very inexperienced

Across the entire active roster, Illinois combined for just eight total games of NCAA Tournament experience (Ty Rodgers redshirted the season). Only two Illini players had ever been to the Big Dance, with Kylan Boswell appearing in four games with Arizona and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn having suited up in four during the Illini’s Elite Eight run in 2023-24 (though he never played more than 10 minutes in a game).

Long story short: Illinois was extremely inexperienced – which was evident in its second-round loss against Kentucky.

The Kylan Boswell bucket makes it a two-possession game 👀

Illinois-Kentucky going down to the wire 🍿#MarchMadness pic.twitter.com/Qsh7FFdpHg
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 23, 2025

Lamont Butler, the Wildcats’ lead guard, had more NCAA Tournament games under his belt (11) all on his lonesome than Illinois had combined as a team – a point brought to our attention by Illini head coach Brad Underwood himself.

“We played Kentucky in the tournament, I think their point guard had more tournament game experience than our whole team," Underwood said Thursday at Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Day. "That’s not the case [this year]."

This time around, the Illini have the practical know-how and, most importantly, have a series of leaders up and down the roster.

Brad Underwood on the need for player leadership

“It’s different when a coach says something than when a player says something," Underwood said. "It can be much more impactful when it comes from a player: ‘Hey, this is what’s coming. This is what practice is going to be like.' … We’re working on a late-game situation the other day and Kylan just took it over. I say it all the time: If I have to lead and coach, we’re not going to be very good. And now we’ve got players that understand it all and they’re helping those young guys. And when it comes from your peers, it’s pretty cool."

Part of being a head coach is recognizing your limitations. Players can hear one voice only so often before the message starts to dull. And although assistant coaches can offer a different perspective and voice, they aren't active participants and peers.

Words that come from a teammate hit different. There’s a level of respect and accountability between two young athletes who lift together, get up shots together, share the court and are connected in ways that can’t be fully quantified.

In the end, it comes down to understanding the power of a player-led team and the winning results it can help produce. Beyond the recognition of its importance, it takes a coach who can set aside ego and willingly hand off some of their own influence to the veterans on a team. That’s Underwood

Between Boswell, Ivisic, Ben Humrichous and Jake Davis, this Illini team should have a level of built-in guidance and resilience that could match the 2023-24 squad featuring veterans Terrence Shannon Jr., Marcus Domask and Coleman Hawkins, to name a few.

Considering that Illini club rolled to an Elite Eight appearance, and only fell to eventual national champions UConn, this 2025-26 team very well may find itself winning a lot of games.