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Illinois' Brad Underwood: 'I'm Not Going to Stand for Not Playing Hard Enough'

The Illini walked away with a win Monday, but Underwood made it clear after the game that a walk-through falls well short of his standard
Jason Langendorf|
Illinois coach Brad Underwood delivers instructions from the sideline against Alabama last week at the United Center in Chicago.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood delivers instructions from the sideline against Alabama last week at the United Center in Chicago. | University of Illinois

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Illinois Fighting IlliniUT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros

In theory, No. 13 Illinois checked all the boxes in Monday's final tune-up ahead of the non-conference schedule really baring its teeth: The Illini defended home turf, won the rebounding battle and walked away from the State Farm Center in Champaign with an 87-73 win over UT Rio Grande Valley.

But maybe it was that "walking" that riled Illinois coach Brad Underwood just a bit in the aftermath.

The final score may not have reflected his Illini's lax approach against the Vaqueros, but there were plenty of signs. UTRGV hit 11 threes on 42.3 percent shooting – too many of them with no Illinois defender in position to contest. The Vaqueros snatched 11 offensive rebounds against a much bigger Illini lineup. Underwood's guys had 11 turnovers – and forced just four on the other end.

Here, we share an edited, slightly condensed version of Underwood's postgame presser concentrated on the sharpest takes, juiciest bits and most relevant info. (See full video just below if you prefer.)

Brad Underwood Best of the Presser

Opening statement

"That's a good basketball team we played. My hat's off to the coach and their players. I spent few years in the Southland, and it's going to be a team that's going to be very, very, very competitive, top to bottom, in that league. He's got them playing really hard. And I thought they played harder than we did tonight, with a little more focus, but we found a way.

"We didn't shoot the ball very well tonight. We weren't very sharp. I think that's one of the challenges that you kind of look at in the trap game. I thought we bounced back from the Alabama game, and I think Long Island's better than we allowed them to look. But, yeah, tonight ... we escaped. Did some nice things and still didn't shoot the ball very well, and got close to 90 [points].

"I thought we were just OK defensively. Some of these smaller teams give us some challenges in guarding the bounce. I thought Mihailo [Petrovic] and [Zvonimir Ivisic] came in and gave us a great, great lift. Mihailo, we went back to some ball-screen stuff, and we got a couple pops and a couple dunks, and he actually made some great passes that weren't assisted because we didn't make the shots. But I thought we were a little bit tired. I'm tired, But that's the way postseason basketball is – you play tired. We've got to continue to grow from that. But the thing I'm most disappointed in was we made some scouting report mistakes. I thought the kid, Kye Dickson, for them was outstanding, A kid averaging seven gets 21 – and mostly just because he played really hard. So hats off to them. Now it's another one on Friday."

On where Mihailo Petrovic fits into the rotation and game planning

"I don't know, if you want me to be honest. I mean, we're still working through that. He was the first one off the bench the other night. And I think we have depth. I think we have some quality. I thought this was a game that he impacted at a really high level, his ability to get into the paint. I don't think we got enough stops to, truthfully, get out and run and let him be at his best. But, yeah, I'm still searching, to be very honest with you. Still don't have a very good feel for our rotation yet, what that looks like. We're literally 10, 12 days into this with everybody [available]. It's nice to have him, because he played good tonight – when Keaton was off a little bit and [Kylan Boswell] didn't have to play as many minutes. Bam impacted the game at a very high level defensively. So it was nice to have [Petrovic]."

On Ben Humrichous' resilience compared to last season

"God, so you saw that tonight. I mean, Ben has become an elite perimeter defender. I mean, he's a guy that cares, he's a guy that's got length, he's got balance, he's got great timing. Made a couple tremendous blocks on the drive. And he's rebounding it at a really high level. And you know, in a night when it wasn't [David Mirkovic's] best night, he was outstanding on that end."

On Illinois' evolving ability to play smaller lineups

"A lot of it will be based on them – the opponent. I think one of the things we see sometimes in non-conference games is, we don't see the size that we see in the Big 10 or in high-major games. I think as needed, we can go to that. But you know, I also go back to our Florida scrimmage. I go back to some of those times when teams are really big, it's nice to have that size."

On the process of working a player with Petrovic's ball skills into the rotation

There's two ends to that. We jumped into a zone tonight – I know most of you probably had a heart attack – but the communication thing with him is still growing. He was not in zone, he was in man. He went with the cutter. We're still working through some of those things, and that comes with just practice and timing. He practices a lot with [Zvonimir Ivisic]; we need to get him in with some of the other guys as well on the second unit. But yeah, he's got a great skills set offensively, made some great passes. His speed gives us ... he just blew by some people getting downhill."

On what makes Petrovic stands out in ball-screen actions

"He's grown up in them. He's maybe not quite the playmaker that Kasparas [Jakucionis] was, and that's an elite level – obviously, you've got a first-round pick. That's just size. But his understanding of them is very good, and then he's probably a better finisher than KJ, in terms of at the rim and has a pull-up. He missed a little floater [tonight] that he normally makes. But he's a guy that just has a real knack for it, and he can make every pass. He sees things that a lot of people don't, and that's the advantage for him – just his pure understanding of the game."

On whether Monday's defensive issues were effort- or communication-related

"Both. All of it. We talked about a certain screen that they run, and how we were gonna handle it, and we were 0-for-3 on it. That's just scouting report. Part of it's matchup. We've gotta get better. We were really flat. Just their little dribble handoffs to start the game – we worked on it all day yesterday, and we were fine. And as soon as the game started today, we were three steps behind. First play of the game, they got wrap-around layups. Just not very good at 'em. Just flat.

On Zvonimir Ivisic improving his defensive communication

Illini forward Zvonimir Ivisic
Nov 24, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros forward Kye Dickson (7) shoots the ball over Illinois Fighting Illini forward Zvonimir Ivisic (44) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

"I don't know how he's ever played, and maybe there's other coaches that do things differently than we do. But you have to talk. It's not a game of mind-reading. And you have to communicate. When you're a guard, you've got to become a great listener. And then you've got to be able to process and adjust, or otherwise you're going to get screened. And that's at every level. As a guy who's guarding a screener, you have to communicate that. So I don't know how that's worked before, but It's something we demand. We have a saying: Quiet teams lose. And you have to communicate. It's one of the things we've already said probably a million times in practice."

On Illinois' defensive issues giving him 'ammo' in practice

"A lot. I mean, we're getting ready to face one of the best teams in the country. You know [UConn coach Danny Hurley] is going to run great offense, and they're completely different than this team. But it's more the fundamental things. The one thing I'm not going to stand for is not playing hard enough. I was disappointed in Mirk today. He played like he practiced yesterday – which was not very good. And when he had his 20-and-20 game, he was phenomenal in practice. We couldn't guard him, and he was energetic. [Tonight's effort] can't happen. Can't happen. And that's where maturity has got to step in. He's got to handle that."

On what playing zone provides and why he likes it

"Well, I think especially when we're effective offensively, and size is impacting us on that end, sometimes you play smaller, it's pretty effective. I thought we had some good things. I think we had three or four stops in a row, and then they got to hit a three. But you're going to give something up. The one thing was, zone is just recognition, recognition, recognition of where shooters are, and we've got to continue to to grow in that area. To be honest, we haven't spent [much time on it], but it was a good opportunity to use it and see what it looked like.

On Petrovic and Zvonimir Ivisic working together

"I think a lot of it is just in the course of practice. I think we play first team–second team a lot, and in those we've slid Tomi in there, and those guys have spent a good amount of time together. So there's a nice connection, nice rhythm. And not that he doesn't have it with other guys, but those two seem to have a pretty good little connection."

On his emphasis on free throws in practice since a 13-for-22 showing against Alabama

"I went the other way: I left it alone. Sometimes it can become another mental thing. I made my point after the Alabama game. It's why we lost that game. I didn't feel like Alabama beat us. They won, but I thought that if we make free throws, we win that game, and I made enough of an issue about it. These guys have a tremendous amount of want-to and care. So they shot them, but we literally didn't spend a ton of time on it. We shot a few at the end of practice and did a little conditioning with it, but nothing over the top."

On his players' response to UT Rio Grande Valley's physical play

"I thought they outplayed us in that area. And that hadn't happened all year. My hat's off. They're well-coached, that team. Their coach is terrific. We watched enough film to know – Baylor, Boise [State], Missouri State games – this team is going to compete. He's got them competing at a really high level."

On whether Petrovic's use of a medical device on the sideline was preventative

"I would think so. I don't know. I haven't asked. I don't really care. I just want to make sure he's good. But hasn't had any complaints or any issues with [his hamstring injury]. I know it's still maintenance every day after practice to keep it, I guess, progressing. I know when you're in and out, you want to keep it loose."

On building communication with Petrovic and how much the players help

"There a lot, a lot, you know. Andre is the same way, you know. Andre's fine with the language; it's just the missed practice. And that's where you communicate so many things – in practice. When things are live and they're moving fast and there's a lot going on – his instincts about the game, and Mihailo's, are terrific – but I've got to get him over to me more during the game when there's a dead ball and make sure that we're communicating. We huddle a good amount, and that's something that's a little different for him as well. They don't huddle over [in Europe] like that. There was a timeout, and our team was screaming at him to get in the huddle. Those are little things that can and will help him."

On his assessment of the team heading into a tough part of the schedule

"I think that's why we've done this. We've seen Florida, we've seen [Texas] Tech, we've seen Alabama – all of them very, very different – to get ready for this stretch. And then we've got an opportunity to kind of try to stack some positives with developing a bench and rotation, and getting guys going. I think we've done that with [Andrej]. I think Tomi's gotten himself back into a place where he's functioning at a conditioning level that's good. But we're going to find out. Against quality opponents, I think we've shown [something]. Even though we came out on the wrong side of the Bama one, they're very, very good. And, obviously, beating a good Tech team, who was playing great at the time. So I just think we're ready to find out. We're ready to see."

Published
Jason Langendorf
JASON LANGENDORF

Jason Langendorf has covered Illinois basketball, football and more for Illinois on SI since October 2024, and has covered Illini sports – among other subjects – for 30 years. A veteran of ESPN and Sporting News, he has published work in The Guardian, Vice, Chicago Sun-Times and many other outlets. He is currently also the U.S. editor at BoxingScene and a judge for the annual BWAA writing awards. He can be followed and reached on X and Bluesky @JasonLangendorf.

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