CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – With nine days to practice after the buzzer-beating loss to Nebraska, head coach Brad Underwood stressed defensive and rebounding fundamentals to get the Illini back on the right track.
Illinois faces Missouri on Monday night at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis in the annual Braggin’ Rights game, looking to secure its third straight win in the rivalry. The No. 18 Illini enter their first game in nine days emphasizing defensive fundamentals, offensive rebounding, conditioning and habit-building following last week’s 83-80 loss to No. 23 Nebraska at State Farm Center.
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Reset after Nebraska loss
The long break between games gave Brad Underwood a rare chance to review some of the basic fundamentals that showed up in the first few weeks of practice after the buzzer-beating loss to Nebraska, and he didn’t hold back on what the film showed.
“We didn’t play very well,” Underwood said. “Watching film, it was maybe as poor a game as we’d played in a while.”
The focus has since been on defensive accountability, particularly communication and attention to scouting details that weren’t present in the second half of the loss. Underwood emphasized that the problem wasn’t about early effort, but about having that mental toughness to play through fatigue.
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“The problem we have is not the start of practice,” Underwood said. “It’s possession No. 20.”
Illinois has leaned into longer, harder practices aimed at forcing players to defend, rebound, communicate and execute through fatigue, which Underwood believes is necessary for a roster that is capable of playing at the highest level.
What Missouri brings to the table
Missouri brings a playstyle that could exploit Illinois’ weaknesses. Underwood described the Tigers as a team that thrives in transition and downhill scenarios with the ability to score quickly.
“They mix up defenses,” Underwood said. “Presses, man, zone, they throw a lot at you.”
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They’ve got quite the depth on the offensive side as well. With Mark Mitchell living at the free-throw line and guards like Jacob Crews and Kassius Robertson providing shooting and spacing, the Tigers have the ability to play fast without turning the ball over or sacrificing efficiency. Illinois can’t afford mental mistakes against a team that feeds off them and turns them into points the other way.
Building habits
Illinois continues to frame this stretch as a test of habit-building. Offensive rebounding remains a point of emphasis, with conditioning impacting the second-chance efforts that the Illini need around the rim.
“We’re not good enough on the offensive glass yet,” Underwood said. “We’re emphasizing it, we’re demanding it, and for us to get where we wanna go and be as efficient on the offensive end as I think we can be, that’s a big piece of it.”
