League: NCAAM Sport: College Sports Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Illinois basketball relies on analytics for improved offensive strategy

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 14, 2026, 2:47 PM

Last updated Sep 14, 2026

College Sports

Summary

As college basketball season approaches, Illinois coach Brad Underwood emphasizes analytics to enhance his team’s performance. The use of metrics like adjusted offensive efficiency has become central to team strategy. Last season, the Illini finished second in adjusted offensive efficiency, with strong rankings in turnover rate and offensive rebounding. This approach aims to increase shot volume and maximize scoring opportunities, reflecting a broader trend in college basketball as teams adopt advanced analytical methods.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Illinois coach Brad Underwood frequently references analytics.
•The Illini ranked second in adjusted offensive efficiency last season.
•Key metrics include turnover rate and offensive rebounding rate.
•Analytics help increase shot volume and scoring chances.
•The trend of using analytics is growing in college basketball.

Latest Updates

2:47 PMYahoo Sports — Good Morning, Illini Nation: College basketball runs on analytics

What they're saying

"
Sep. 14—The term sabermetrics was first coined by Bill James in 1980. It took quite a bit longer, however, for the idea to catch on with the baseball populace, but eventually acronyms like WAR, VORP and UZR caught on as a way to analyze the sport. Analytics are equally as important these days in college basketball. It's why you hear Illinois coach Brad Underwood constantly referencing his ...
— Yahoo Sports

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