Good Morning, Illini Nation: 'Genuine, cool dude'

Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood’s team and college basketball at large:

The lure of returning home was certainly a factor in Kylan Boswell's decision to transfer to Illinois after two seasons at Arizona. So was what he thought he could accomplish playing for Brad Underwood. Also on the list? The relationship he built with Illini assistant coach Geoff Alexander — a relationship that didn't wane even after Boswell picked the Wildcats.

"He's a really cool dude, a good person," Boswell said of Alexander. "Right off the bat, I could tell he was genuine. I knew he was really interested in me as a player, and then he stayed committed even two years after. Some coaches would just disregard that, for sure, but he didn't care. He was telling me now might be the right time to come back home. Just being the genuine, cool dude he is, me and my family love him and really appreciate him."