Brad Underwood’s Mysterious 4-Word Rule Fuels Illinois’ Unstoppable Win Streak

March Madness is nearly upon us, and you better believe the No. 5 Illinois Fighting Illini are cruising right in the thick of the national title chatter. They’re not just holding their own—they’ve rattled off an eye-popping 12-game winning streak heading into a pivotal faceoff with Michigan State. Brad Underwood, the mastermind coach steering this ship, has a mantra that’s as sharp as a tack: “Don’t drink the poison.” It’s not just some catchy phrase thrown around the locker room; it’s uttered a hundred times a day, a daily ritual that keeps the Illini’s feet firmly planted while the hype swirls all around. Even with key players sidelined, Illinois has been firing on all cylinders, dominating the court and silencing doubters. With the conference tournament looming and the pressure mounting, this could be the moment the Illini’s winning run kicks into overdrive—or unravels. But one thing’s clear—they refuse to let distractions poison their focus. LEARN MORE

Brad Underwood reveals 4-word rule No. 5 Illinois MBB says ‘100 times a day’ in win streak originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

March Madness is right around the corner and the No. 5 Illinois Fighting Illini are right in the thick of the national title championship conversation.

Having won 12 in a row entering a critical Saturday night game against Michigan State in East Lansing, coach Brad Underwood is locked in regarding his team.

“We have one saying: ‘Don’t drink the poison,'” Underwood told reporters.

And it isn’t just a “saying,” Underwood said of his team’s mantra.

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“And it’s something we literally talk about every day,” Underwood said. “Don’t read it, don’t talk about it. We haven’t brought up anything [about the national attention]. We just don’t talk about it. It’s just the next day. It’s very simple, mundane, “Every Day Guys” mentality. And then we talk every single day, 100 times a day, about our standard. We have to play and live up to our standards.”

Thus far, they have done just that even in the absence of guard Kylan Boswell, who has nursed a broken hand. Illinois dominated the Northwestern Wildcats Wednesday night at State Farm Center, 84-44, to sweep the season series.

As long as the Illini keep shooting consistently, anything is possible.

After all, though, the games are only going to get more significant as the conference tournament draws closer.

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So, potentially, could the winning streak.