Even if he's joking, Brad Underwood's game plan has pretty solid starting point

Brad Underwood is in uncharted territory for his head coaching career, leading a team to the Final Four for the first time in his life.

However, that doesn't mean he is unprepared for this moment; his entire career has led up to this point after all. So, of course, Underwood has a game plan as he and the Illinois Fighting Illini head toward their Final Four matchup against the UConn Huskies.

That doesn't mean he's going to open up his playbook for the world to see.

When asked about his plan for moving on to the National Championship, he kept it short, simple, and slightly on the comedic side.

"Rebounding, taking care of the basketball, and trying not to let Tarris [Reed] get 27 rebounds," Underwood said.

Not exactly a ground-breaking solution to beating one of the top teams in the nation, but it isn't exactly a bad idea either...

Limiting UConn's Tarris Reed will be crucial for Illinois

In UConn's miraculous and jaw-dropping comeback defeat of the Duke Blue Devils in the Elite Eight, Tarris Reed earned 26 points for the Huskies. In the Sweet Sixteen, Reed recorded 20 points as UConn defeated the Michigan State Spartans.

Limiting his touches and, more importantly, his shooting opportunities will be crucial for the Illini to stand a chance against the Huskies. Not to mention the fact that Reed (a 6-foot-11 center) has averaged 62.1 percent from the field this season.

Of course, to Underwood's other points of focus for the matchup, rebounding well and taking good care of the ball when you have possession are crucial in any game, much less in the Final Four when you're playing one of the best programs in all of men's college basketball.

Also read: UConn's serious injury issues could just be the edge Illinois needs in the Final Four

On Saturday, April 4, the Fighting Illini and the Huskies will tip off the first Final Four game of the day at 5:09 p.m. CT, and the game will be broadcast on TBS, truTV, and HBO Max.