Hershkovich: Capitalizing On In-State Talent Key For Brad Underwood's Goal Of Illinois Resurgence
By Eli Hershkovich--
(CBS) Three Big Ten teams have marched into the Sweet 16: fourth-seeded Purdue, seventh-seeded Michigan and eighth-seeded Wisconsin. Each of those teams boasts an elite player from its home base.
For the Boilermakers, Fort Wayne native Caleb Swanigan has led the way, being named the Big Ten Player of the Year this season. For the Wolverines, Detroit native Derrick Walton Jr. has been instrumental in their hot streak. And for the Badgers, Bronson Koenig is a La Crosse, Wis. product who has hit numerous clutch shots in his four years at the university.
Using homegrown talent to help restore a program to national prominence is also now on the mind of new Illinois coach Brad Underwood, who signed a six-year deal with the Illini on Saturday. At his introductory press conference Monday, Underwood emphasized that this state is rich in talent that the Illini need to take advantage of.
"This is the best high school basketball in the country," Underwood said.
Underwood -- who spent three seasons with Stephen F. Austin and one at Oklahoma State as a head coach -- will be thrown in the fire quickly, with a chance to deliver his own wishes immediately. After coach John Groce's firing, three class of 2017 signees could potentially ask for their release. Because of their talent and standing as in-state products, retaining four-star center Jeremiah Tilmon, four-star point guard DaMonte Williams and three-star shooting guard Javon Pickett is vital.
Trent Frazier, a four-star point guard from West Palm Beach, Fla. native, has reaffirmed his commitment, which bodes well for the Illini. The other three haven't commented one way or another.
Underwood has never led a program in Illinois before, but he was an assistant coach at Western Illinois from 1992-2003. Amid his time in Macomb, along with his additional pit stops, he learned to value Illinois high school basketball players' competitiveness, which he believes stemmed from their coaches.
"We (past teams) always recruit here (Illinois) because of how well these young men are coached," Underwood said. "That doesn't happen everywhere."
Still, Underwood's recruiting prowess is undetermined at this point. While Underwood made the NCAA Tournament in all of his four seasons as a head coach, Stephen F. Austin and Oklahoma State both boasted good talent when he arrived on campus. He also wasn't in Stillwater long enough to reveal much about his recruiting ability in a major conference.
Nevertheless, Underwood's most recent teams have been explosive offensively. The Cowboys ranked No. 8 in Division I in scoring offense with 85.5 points per game this season and first in offensive efficiency, according to kenpom.com. In 2015-'16, the Lumberjacks were 21st in the nation in the same category, amassing 80. 7 points per game.
On the flip side, Illinois was 114th this past season in offensive efficiency, per kenpom.com.
"We need to hone in on our identity," Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman said. "There's no question that Brad Underwood's teams have a strong identity.
"It bleeds into their style of play. They move fast. They're aggressive."
For Underwood's future squads to make a dent in the Big Ten standings, the opposite end of the court is an obvious priority as well. All three of the aforementioned Big Ten programs in the Sweet 16 placed top five in scoring defense within the conference.
Finding hometown pieces who can produce on both ends of the floor isn't a cakewalk, but if Underwood can secure one player of that nature, others are more likely to follow suit. Then, Illini fans could be watching their team advance much further in March.
"Winning a national championship is something that can happen here, and I want to be a part of that," Underwood said. "When you're an elite program in an elite conference, like the Big Ten ... all things are possible."
Eli Hershkovich is a producer at 670 The Score. You can follow him on Twitter at @EliHershkovich.
