Report: Illinois hires Oklahoma State's Brad Underwood as next head coach
Illinois has hired Oklahoma State’s Brad Underwood as the team's next head basketball coach, according to ESPN's Jeff Goodman.
Underwood was only at Oklahoma State for one season and received a $35,000 bonus for making the NCAA Tournament. He signed a five-year deal worth $6.3 million when he accepted the Cowboys' job after leaving Stephen F. Austin. He earned $1 million in his first season.
Oklahoma State was eliminated in the first round of the NCAA tournament with a 91–92 loss to Michigan on Friday. Underwood is 109–26 in four seasons as a head coach, three at Stephen F. Austin.
Underwood replaces John Groce, who coached the Illini for five seasons. The Illini went 18–14 this season, bowing out against Michigan in the Big Ten tournament. Groce was 95–75 in five seasons, but 39–53 in conference play. The Illini made the NCAA tournament just once under his watch, in his first season as head coach.
