Two trips to State Farm Center in one day for wildly different reasons. That's Illinois basketball at the moment. Part of my afternoon was spent at the home of Illini basketball as new coach Brad Underwood was officially introduced. Now I'm back as Illinois — still led by interim coach Jamall Walker — gets set to face Boise State in the second round of the NIT.
Illinois basketball, and in conjunction the fan base and myself, is existing in two planes of basketball life simultaneously. The present and future simply brushed past each other today.
We have a consensus: Brad Underwood won his @IlliniMBB introductory presser.