Oklahoma State AD shocked by Underwood's move to Illinois
Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder was as shocked as anyone to learn that head coach Brad Underwood no longer belonged to the Cowboys and was Illinois property instead.
Holder and Underwood were set to meet Saturday to review the season and preview the future, but Holder said he was essentially left standing at the altar.
"I thought we would talk about his future," he told the Tulsa World's Bill Haisten. "He resigned."
Underwood spent just one season with the Cowboys, leading them to a 20-13 record and an appearance in the NCAA tournament. He came over after three seasons at Stephen F. Austin, where he guided the Lumberjacks to three Southland Conference titles and the NCAA tournament's Round of 32 twice.
"There's not many places I would do that for," Underwood said Saturday evening when asked about leaving the Cowboys after just one season. "Stillwater was a tremendous place, great administration."
Related: Underwood's shocking move has 2 programs going in opposite directions
Oklahoma State reportedly vowed to revisit Underwood's contract if he had a successful first season, but that apparently never happened, opening the door for a departure.
"He checked all of the boxes on what you're looking for in a basketball coach," Holder said of Underwood in a written statement Saturday night. "I wanted to make sure that we kept him around here - hopefully, to retire in Stillwater."
Underwood inherits an Illinois program that hasn't participated in March Madness since 2013.