Good Morning, Illini Nation: Coaching connection got Cincinnati on Illinois' schedule
Oct. 17—Getting a road game among his team's three exhibitions was a priority for Illinois coach Brad Underwood. But why Cincinnati? Why the Bearcats? The connection between Underwood and first-year Cincinnati coach Jerrod Calhoun is the starting point. Both are represented by the same agent — Bret Just — and Calhoun's first staff at Cincinnati includes former Illinois manager and graduate ...
Illinois coach Brad Underwood prioritized a road game against Cincinnati for his team's exhibition schedule, and the connection between the two coaches played a significant role. Both Underwood and Cincinnati's new head coach, Jerrod Calhoun, are represented by the same agent, Bret Just. Additionally, Calhoun's staff at Cincinnati includes former Illinois manager and graduate assistant Andrew Bittle as the Bearcats' video coordinator.
The connection to Bob Huggins also ties the two coaches together, as Underwood served as an assistant for Huggins at Kansas State, and Calhoun was a student assistant for Huggins at Cincinnati before becoming an assistant at West Virginia. Underwood expressed a personal connection with Calhoun, and Huggins' return to his home program further solidified the decision.
Beyond personal ties, Underwood saw Cincinnati as a solid Big 12 opponent ranked 31st in preseason KenPom projections and 39th via Bart Torvik. He anticipated a challenging game for his team, resembling an NBA preseason match with substitutions and lineups rather than focusing on their specific strategies. Underwood aimed to evaluate Cincinnati's personnel, tendencies, and how his freshmen handled playing in front of an opposing team crowd.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
