Brad Underwood Says Illinois Isn't Close to Reaching Offensive Potential

Speaking for all basketball purists – if we could humbly characterize ourselves as such – we are not fans of Illinois’ offense to this point in the season. It boils down to a lack of movement. Too many players standing stark still, the ball sticking in one set of hands, no sets to speak of being run.

Sure, the Illini have perhaps the deepest arsenal of weapons in the country in terms of one-on-one weapons, and they have gifted ball-screen operators. But from an X’s-and-O’s perspective, the playbook is a nightmare – when it is consulted at all. Brad Underwood and his staff simply aren't doing enough to consistently put players in more favorable positions to score.

Illinois transfer Andrej Stojakovic against No. 11 Alabama:

26 PTS | 11-16 FG | 2-3 3PT | 3 REB pic.twitter.com/ZOihobvoo2
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) November 20, 2025

The contrast has never been more evident than when Illinois faced UConn. Dan Hurley sliced and diced the Illini defense with set after set, leading to open layups for the Huskies, while Underwood and his staff rolled the ball out and let their players go to work in isolation. The result? The Huskies cruised to a victory.

Still, it is hard to argue with the numbers. Illinois’ offense is ranked third in KenPom (UConn is actually No. 19 in offense, for some perspective). Clearly, Underwood is doing something right. And this isn’t his first rodeo. Just ask him.

“Two years ago, we were [No. 1] going into the UConn game," he said in a Sunday press conference. "My Oklahoma State team was No. 1. … I’ve had good offensive teams. Offense is easy."

That Oklahoma State club he’s talking about did in fact finish with the top-ranked offense in KenPom back in the 2016-2017 season. (The defense was unfathomably bad, at No. 155.) Illinois’ Elite Eight squad, led by Terrence Shannon Jr. and Marcus Domask, wrapped up the 2023-2024 campaign as the third-rated offense in the nation.

Brad Underwood: Illinois' offense has tremendous room for growth

Regardless of our amateur opinions, Underwood has a sterling track record on that side of the floor. (The other end remains up for debate.) And Underwood – or do we go so far as to call him the offensive mastermind? – sees that this Illini offense hasn’t even scratched the surface of its potential.

“This group has two, three more steps to go," he said. "We’re not good enough on the offensive glass yet. We’re not drawing enough fouls. I think we’ve got different pieces that we can get going in different ways. But I think that Keaton [Wagler] and [David] Mirkovic, they’re going to keep elevating as just young freshmen that are constant and doing great things for us as playmakers. I think we’re starting to see Jake [Davis] and Ben [Humrichous] settle into roles. And I think once we get Mihailo [Petrovic] and Brandon [Lee] ... and [Zvonimir Ivisic] has been phenomenal at times. So I think we’ve got a few more things, a few more steps to go. I don’t think we’re close."

On that, we agree with Underwood. There is so much room for growth when it comes to this Illinois offense. There’s absolutely no reason the Illini can’t finish the season with the best offense in the country. We’ve already established our stance on the offensive brilliance of Petrovic, who has hardly made an impact thus far. And both Davis and Humrichous have yet to truly make their mark as shooters this season.

Underwood may have only pointed out Zvonimir Ivisic, but Big Z's twin brother, Tomislav, has also shown only flashes so far in 2025-26. Tomislav is capable of operating at an All-Big Ten level, but the consistency hasn't been there. If Illinois can get all of its best players going routinely, while finding a niche for its role players and adding some schematic adjustments, the sky is no longer the ceiling on that end of the floor. At that point, there is no ceiling whatsoever.