Brad Underwood details what makes this one of the BEST Illinois teams he’s coached, why they've got a shot at Final Four

Jon Rothstein is joined by Illinois head coach Brad Underwood to preview the team's upcoming game against Michigan, including his early impressions of the Wolverines and what makes them so tough to beat. The two also dive into what makes this one of the best teams Underwood has coached at Illinois and how they're better than the Elite Eight team from two years ago, plus what it will take for them to make it back to the Final Four and even win a national title. (0:00) Intro & Approaching 10-year anniversary of Stephen F. Austin tourney run (1:10) Taking a mid-major to the Elite Eight versus Illinois (2:17) The emotional roller coaster taking his first power conference gig (3:48) On recent OT losses and why Illinois has a shot at a Final Four (5:16) Why preparations didn't change around UCLA trip: "Might as well be in Siberia" (6:47) How Illinois is 22-6 (7:28) What makes this team have a higher ceiling than previous Illinois squads (8:14) What sets Keaton Wagler apart from other players (10:15) How injuries have helped Illinois (11:39) What makes Zvonimir Ivisic the wild card for Illinois (12:21) First impressions of Michigan: “Don’t have many weaknesses” (13:50) Michigan’s bench doesn’t get enough credit (14:49) On ending the Big Ten national title drought (15:53) How hard it is to prepare for the NCAA tournament with Big Ten tournament championship turnaround (17:49) What makes Illinois “the best job in the country” (19:39) On the Illinois team 2 years ago being Final Four caliber and getting back to the Elite Eight (21:25) Biggest keys for Illinois to be able to make a run at the Final Four To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices