Brad Underwood’s Defensive Pivot: Why Illinois Is Embracing the Three (Even from the Other Team)
CHAMPAIGN - Brad Underwood isn’t exactly known for backing down. He’s built his coaching identity on toughness, discipline, and a firm belief in how the game should be played. But even the most steadfast coaches eventually run into a wall of numbers that won’t budge - and for Underwood, that moment came after a humbling home loss to Nebraska.
For years, Underwood’s defensive philosophy was crystal clear: run teams off the three-point line. Don’t just contest - deny.
In an era where the three-ball reigns supreme, his goal was to take it away entirely. But when Nebraska walked into Champaign and lit up the Illini for 12 threes on 26 attempts - a scorching 46.2% clip - it wasn’t just a bad night.
It was a wake-up call.
And it wasn’t just the threes. Nebraska also shot 55.6% on two-pointers.
That’s the kind of efficiency that keeps coaches up at night. Illinois didn’t just lose that game - they didn’t take anything away.
No disruption. No deterrence.
Just a team getting whatever shot it wanted, whenever it wanted it.
That’s when Underwood knew something had to give.
“Patience,” he said, when asked about the shift in philosophy. “That was probably the most challenging after the Nebraska game here.
They torched us. They shot [56%] from two.
That’s when I knew we had to commit to it, and I had to buy into it. I had to stop barking every time somebody gave up a three and they made it, and just understand that for the long term this is what we’ve got to be good at.”
It’s not easy for a coach - especially one as detail-driven and defensively minded as Underwood - to change course midseason. But this wasn’t about abandoning principles. It was about adapting to the modern game.
The numbers are what forced his hand. In today’s college basketball landscape, teams are launching threes at historic rates.
Trying to take away every look from beyond the arc often stretches a defense too thin - leaving the paint exposed and rotations a step slow. And when you’re giving up both threes and high-percentage twos, well, something’s broken.
Underwood’s new approach? Accept that some threes will happen.
Focus on contesting shots smartly, not desperately. Prioritize guarding the paint and limiting easy buckets at the rim.
In other words, play the percentages - even if it means living with a few makes from deep.
It’s a philosophical pivot that speaks to Underwood’s evolution as a coach. He’s still intense.
Still demanding. But now, he’s also pragmatic.
He’s looking at the bigger picture - not just the next possession, but how Illinois can sustain success deep into the Big Ten grind and, eventually, March.
This isn’t just about Nebraska. It’s about what that game revealed. And it’s about a coach willing to listen when the numbers start talking - even if it means going against his instincts.
For Illinois, the adjustment could be the difference between being a good defensive team and a great one. And for Underwood, it’s a reminder that even the most stubborn coaches can adapt - as long as they’re committed to winning.