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Illinois Starters Last Game | ||||||||||
Pos. | No. | Name | Ht. | Yr. | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | Season Note |
G | 1 | Genesis Bryant | 5-6 | 5th | 14.3 | 3.5 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 0.1 | Achieved the distinction of being the 34th player in the program’s history to score 1,000 points as an Illini |
G | 8 | Jasmine Brown-Hagger | 5-9 | So. | 9.6 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 0.0 | Has achieved double-digit scoring three times since joining the starting lineup on Dec. 12 |
G | 24 | Adalia McKenzie | 5-10 | Sr. | 13.2 | 4.8 | 2.6 | 1.1 | 0.1 | Has recorded ten or more points in eight consecutive games and totals 14 such performances this season |
F | 23 | Brynn Shoup-Hill | 6-3 | Sr. | 4.5 | 6.4 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 1.0 | Matched her career-high with three blocks against Southern Indiana on Dec. 15 |
F | 44 | Kendall Bostic | 6-2 | 5th | 16.0 | 11.1 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0.9 | Ranks second in the program’s history for career double-doubles and rebounds |
Career Record: 210-104 (.669), 11th season
Division I Record: 181-79 (.696), Ninth season
At Illinois: 54-29 (.651), Third season
Big Ten Record: 22-20 (.524), Third season
The 51st season of Fighting Illini women’s basketball pursues on Sunday at 2 p.m. CT, when Illinois welcomes No. 22 Michigan State at State Farm Center. Mike Koon will provide the commentary for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (1400 AM / 93.9 FM). Streaming, audio, and statistics links are also available at FightingIllini.com/wbb.
Michigan State enters with a 14-3 overall record and a 4-2 record in Big Ten competition ahead of Sunday afternoon’s matchup. The Spartans are currently tied for sixth place in the conference standings, with the team’s four B1G victories secured against No. 21 Iowa, Purdue, Washington, and Rutgers.
With two consecutive wins and three victories in their last four, Michigan State holds a 2-2 record in true road games this season. The Spartans achieved wins against Rutgers and Western Michigan away from home, while suffering defeats from No. 8 Maryland and Nebraska.
MSU has featured in the last seven editions of the AP Top 25 weekly poll, reaching as high as No. 15 on Dec. 16. The Spartans made their return to the rankings for the first time on Dec. 2, concluding a four-season absence from the national list, during head coach Robyn Fralick’s second season at the helm.
As we approach Sunday’s 2 p.m. CT tipoff, Michigan State has a 46-28 advantage in the all-time series between the Fighting Illini and the Spartans, which originated in 1977. MSU has claimed 11 of the last 12 matchups between the teams, although Illinois captured an 86-76 victory in the most recent encounter at State Farm Center.
The Orange and Blue have a record of 10-25 when competing against the Spartans in Champaign, and they aspire for consecutive home victories over Michigan State for the first time since the 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons.
Illinois was in the lead for the final 38 minutes of the game and achieved a convincing 68-54 road victory over Indiana at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday evening. Holding a lead as large as 15 points during the game, the Fighting Illini improved their overall record to 13-4 and 3-3 in conference play, marking their first Big Ten road win of the season.
Four contributors for the Orange and Blue reached double digits as the Illini achieved their most significant victory margin against the Hoosiers on the road since 1999.
Kendall Bostic celebrated her return to her home state with a commanding performance, scoring 21 points and grabbing eight rebounds. A constant threat in the paint from the beginning to the end, Bostic finished 9-for-19 from the field, provided three assists, and recorded one block while playing all 40 minutes.Adalia McKenzie accumulated 15 points for her eighth consecutive game in double figures. Out of her five rebounds, three were collected on the offensive end, in addition to four assists.
Berry Wallace scored in double figures for the second occasion in her career, and for the first time in Big Ten competition, contributing 13 points off the bench. A pivotal stretch of five consecutive points in the fourth quarter shifted the momentum back in favor of the Illini, and the freshman also hit three 3-pointers, going a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, while also registering four rebounds and a steal.
Genesis Bryant concluded the match with 12 points, matching her season-high with seven assists, alongside three rebounds and one steal. Jasmine Brown-Hagger added seven points, with five coming in the fourth quarter, along with four assists, two rebounds, and a theft.
Throughout the first 17 games of the season, Illinois has not been able to utilize its complete 14-player team. Currently boasting a 13-4 record in spite of these challenges, the Illini have displayed remarkable perseverance while facing injury adversities during the first half of the season.
Seven distinct athletes have missed at least one game this season due to injuries, including sophomore transfer center Lety Vasconcelos, who was anticipated to play a significant role in the rotation prior to suffering a season-ending ACL tear over the summer. On Jan. 8, the program declared that fifth-year Makira Cook (ongoing health issue) and sophomore Gretchen Dolan (knee injury) would both be out for the remainder of the 2024-25 season.
Five-star freshman guard Berry Wallace (hand injury) missed seven of the initial eight games, while junior forward Shay Bollin, a participant in 29 games for the Illini last season, has yet to appear in the 2024-25 season. Freshman Irene Noya Catoira sat out the first seven games of the season while recovering from an injury, and guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger, who has since stepped into the starting role, missed three games as she recovered from a concussion.
In her third year as head coach, Shauna Green continues to rise on the program’s all-time victories list. After the Fighting Illini triumphed over Indiana away from home on Jan. 16, Green achieved her 54th victory at the helm of the program, placing her sixth on the list of most wins by an Illinois women’s basketball head coach.
ALL-TIME WINS BY ILLINOIS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACHES | ||||
Rank | Illini Head Coach | Wins | Number of Seasons | Tenure |
1 | Theresa Grentz | 210 | 12 | 1995-2007 |
2 | Laura Golden | 83 | 6 | 1984-1990 |
3 | Jane Schroeder | 73 | 5 | 1979-1984 |
4 | Jolette Law | 69 | 5 | 2007-2012 |
5 | Matt Bollant | 61 | 5 | 2012-2017 |
6 | Shauna Green | 54 | 3 (Active) | 2022-Present |
7 | Kathy Lindsey | 50 | 5 | 1990-1995 |
8 | Nancy Fahey | 42 | 5 | 2017-2022 |
9 | Carla Thompson | 33 | 3 | 1976-1979 |
10 | Steven Douglas | 25 | 3 | 1974-1976 |
For the first time since the 2014-15 season, the Fighting Illini have achieved multiple ranked victories in a season, highlighted by Illinois’ 62-57 home triumph over No. 23 Iowa on Jan. 9. The Orange and Blue also toppled No. 19 Florida State, 83-74, at State Farm Center on Nov. 7 to kick off the 2024-25 regular season.
This win noted the fourth such success under third-year head coach Shauna Green, who led the Illini to wins over No. 12 Iowa (Jan. 1, 2023) in the 2022-23 season and No. 14 Indiana (Feb. 19, 2024) during the 2023-24 season.
RANKED WINS UNDER HEAD COACH SHAUNA GREEN | |||
Date | Opponent | Puntaje | Ubicación |
Ene. 1, 2023 | N° 12 Iowa | 90-86 | State Farm Center |
Feb. 19, 2024 | N° 14 Indiana | 86-66 | State Farm Center |
Nov. 7, 2024 | N° 19 Florida State | 83-74 | State Farm Center |
Ene. 9, 2025 | N° 23 Iowa | 62-57 | State Farm Center |
Illinois logró su segundo triunfo ranked de la temporada el 9 de enero con una victoria de 62-57 sobre el N° 23 Iowa en el State Farm Center. Cuatro anotadores de Fighting Illini finalizaron en cifras dobles mientras que el equipo anaranjado y azul venció a los ranked Hawkeyes y mejoró a 10-1 en casa durante la campaña 2024-25.
Kendall Bostic logró su décimo doble-doble de la temporada, registrando 17 puntos y 14 rebotes en la victoria. Con un porcentaje de 8 de 12 desde el campo, Bostic también proporcionó tres asistencias, realizó dos robos y acumuló dos bloqueos.
Adalia McKenzie anotó en cifras dobles por séptimo partido consecutivo, finalizando la noche con 12 puntos, cuatro rebotes, tres asistencias y un robo mientras mantenía una defensa feroz de principio a fin.
Genesis Bryant registró nueve de sus 12 puntos en la segunda mitad, incluyendo siete en el último cuarto. Además, Bryant tuvo un récord personal de cuatro robos, tres rebotes y dos asistencias.
Jasmine Brown-Hagger anotó 10 puntos, contribuyó con tres asistencias y un robo, mientras que Berry Wallace sumó siete puntos desde el banquillo.
Por solo la cuarta ocasión en la historia del programa, Illinois registró 10 victorias en partidos no conferenciales, igualando el récord de todos los tiempos de la institución. La última vez que lograron esto fue durante la campaña 2022-23 en la primera temporada del entrenador Shauna Green como líder del equipo.
El equipo anaranjado y azul aseguró un récord de 10-1 contra rivales no conferenciales, una racha que incluyó ocho triunfos en casa. Illinois abrió su slate 2024-25 con una serie de cinco partidos en casa que contó con tres equipos que participaron en el Torneo NCAA 2024. Comenzando la temporada con una victoria contundente sobre No. 19 Florida State, los Illini también lograron triunfos contra Marquette, Eastern Illinois, Le Moyne y Oregon State en su inicio de 5-0.
Después de ir 1-1 en el Music City Classic, con un triunfo sobre UMES y una derrota contra No. 14 Kentucky, Illinois cerró su calendario no conferencial con cinco victorias adicionales, comenzando con una victoria fuera de casa sobre Canisius. Regresando al State Farm Center, el anaranjado y azul encadenó triunfos sobre Bradley, Southern Indiana y Southern para llegar a 10-1 en actuaciones no conferenciales.
La delantera de quinto año Kendall Bostic se posiciona en el top 10 del NCAA en cuatro categorías estadísticas: dobles-dobles, promedio de rebotes defensivos, promedio de rebotes y rebotes totales, además de estar entre los 56 mejores en tiros de campo, porcentaje de tiros de campo y minutos por juego. Bostic ocupa el segundo lugar en Big Ten en minutos jugados por partido, algo inusual para una jugadora de su posición.
BOSTIC SE UBICA ENTRE LAS MEJORES DEL NCAA | |||
Categoría Estadística | Clasificación NCAA | Clasificación B1G | Valor |
Rebotes Defensivos por Partido | 4° | 1° | 8.9 |
Dobles-Dobles | 7° | 2° | 10 |
Rebotes por Partido | 8° | 2° | 11.1 |
Rebotes Totales | 8° | 2° | 188 |
Porcentaje de Tiros de Campo | 46° | 5° | 54.1 |
Tiros de Campo | 43° | 6° | 119 |
Minutos Por Partido | 56° | 2° | 34.84 |
Con la victoria de Illinois de 73-50 sobre Southern Indiana el 15 de diciembre, la entrenadora de tercer año Shauna Green logró su 50ª victoria al mando del programa. Necesitando solo 77 partidos para alcanzar tal hito, Green se convirtió en la entrenadora de basketball femenino de Fighting Illini en llegar más rápido a 50 victorias en la historia del programa, igualando el récord establecido por la entrenadora del Salón de la Fama Theresa Grentz.
Commencing the season with a record of 9-0 at home, Illinois achieved 13 successive victories at State Farm Center from the conclusion of the 2023-24 season through the initial nine home fixtures of the 2024-25 campaign. This run is recognized as the second-longest in the history of the program and was the second-longest ongoing streak in the Big Ten prior to the Illini’s loss to Washington on Dec. 31. Under Shauna Green, Illinois holds a 33-9 record in home matches.
ILLINOIS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LONGEST HOME WINNING STREAKS | |||
Streak | First Win | Last Win | Illini Head Coach |
18 matches | 12/20/1997 | 1/5/1999 | Theresa Grentz |
13 matches | 2/19/2024 | 12/28/2024 | Shauna Green |
11 matches | 2/14/1986 | 1/30/1987 | Laura Golden |
10 matches | 11/20/1981 | 1/29/1982 | Jane Schroeder |
Following the Fighting Illini’s 70-52 triumph over Bradley at State Farm Center on Dec. 12, Illinois improved to 30-8 in home contests under third-year head coach Shauna Green. Reaching the 30-win milestone in only 38 home matches, Green distinguished herself as the fastest Illini head coach in the program’s history to accomplish this, outpacing the former record by one game.
Green’s 2022-23 team concluded their first season under her leadership with a 12-3 record at State Farm Center, while last year’s 2023-24 Fighting Illini squad notched 12 home victories for the second consecutive season, including two wins during the team’s playoff journey to secure the inaugural WBIT title. With the Orange and Blue kicking off the 2024-25 season 6-0 at State Farm Center, the Illini secured 30 home wins in just 38 matches under Green’s direction.
The No. 21-ranked Illini secured their first true away victory of the season on Dec. 2 with a 68-55 win against Canisius, marking the return of Illinois’s third-year head coach Shauna Green to her alma mater. The Fighting Illini became the first-ever Division I ranked program to compete at the Golden Griffins’ Koessler Athletic Center.
Illinois caused a season-high 23 turnovers for Canisius and capitalized on those mistakes to score 18 points, while the Orange and Blue held the lead for a total of 39:33 during the game without ever trailing.
For the first time in her career as both an assistant and head coach, Shauna Green (formerly known as Shauna Geronzin), faced off against her alma mater, Canisius, on Nov. 26, 2023, with the Illini winning decisively, 90-58.
Illinois made another trip to Canisius during the 2024-25 season, achieving a 68-55 road victory on Dec. 2.
Donning No. 34 for the Griffs between 1998-2002, Green amassed 2,012 career points, the highest total by any men’s or women’s player—a record that remains unbroken. She also secured the title of the program’s all-time leading rebounder with 910 boards—a record that now stands second. Green was honored as the 1999 MAAC Rookie of the Year and was also named the 2002 Canisius Female Athlete of the Year. Additionally, she earned All-MAAC recognition four times and was a three-time All-MAAC First-Team selectee. She was inducted into the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.
The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team was ranked in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll for four consecutive weeks, securing positions in the Weeks 2-5 polls.
The peak that Illinois reached under Green was the team’s 2024-25 Week 4 ranking of No. 19, whilst the previous high of No. 21 was achieved during the 2022-23 season. The top ranking in the program’s history is No. 5, which was recorded on Dec. 8, 1997.
Under Green’s leadership, Illinois has been included in a total of nine AP polls. In the 2022-23 season, the Illini featured in four Top-25 polls, followed by the preseason rankings in 2023-24, and most recently the Week 2-5 polls in 2024-25.
The Illini have now amassed 72 appearances in AP polls throughout 11 different seasons.
Week 2: No. 23
Week 3: No. 22
Week 4: No. 19
Week 5: No. 21
Kendall Bostic delivered an impressive performance during Week 2, earning her first Big Ten Player of the Week award. The fifth-year senior guided the Illini to a perfect 2-0 week, averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, and one steal while recording no turnovers, as the Fighting Illini improved to 5-0 after defeating their third 2024 NCAA Tournament team of the season.
The native of Kokomo, Ind., achieved 83.9% shooting from the field on 26-of-31 attempts and converted all four of her free-throw attempts. No other Big Ten player demonstrated greater efficiency at a high volume than Bostic, as she made more combined field goals during the week (26) than all but two Big Ten players attempted. Furthermore, she was the sole Big Ten player with two 20-point games within that week.
In the Illini’s opening game of the week, a decisive victory over Le Moyne on Nov. 18, Bostic recorded the 36th double-double of her career with 25 points (11-for-13 FG) and 12 rebounds in just 23 minutes of play.
During Illinois’ clash with Oregon State on Nov. 22, Bostic became the fourth player in program history to achieve 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. She is now also second on Illinois’ all-time rebounding list with 1,045. Bostic scored a career-high 31 points in the win against the Beavers, alongside eight rebounds in 32 minutes.
Fighting Illini head coach Shauna Green has revitalized the women’s basketball fan community and has recorded two of the top five home attendances in the program’s history in just 70 matches at Illinois. Green’s teams have attracted crowds of 13,486, 11,563, and 8,141 during the past three seasons— all three ranks among the top 13 largest home attendances ever recorded for the program.
The 2024 matchup against Le Moyne that attracted 13,486 fans established a new single-game attendance record for home nonconference games at Illinois.
SINGLE-GAME ILLINOIS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HOME ATTENDANCE TOP 5 | ||||
Rival | Outcome | Illini Head Coach | Event Date | |
16,450 (full capacity & prior limit) | Iowa | W, 86-73 | Theresa Grentz | 2/21/1999 |
16,050 (full capacity & prior limit) | Purdue | L, 75-80 | Theresa Grentz | 2/23/1997 |
13,486 | Le Moyne | W, 94-25 | Shauna Green | 11/18/2024 |
13,212 | Ohio State | W, 70-61 | Theresa Grentz | 2/20/2000 |
11,563 | Saint Peter’s | W, 103-33 | Shauna Green | 11/15/2023 |
The Fighting Illini kicked off the 2024-25 season with a significant win, overcoming No. 19/19 Florida State, 83-74, at State Farm Center on Nov. 7. Four players from the Illini reached double figures in the significant nine-point triumph, with both Makira Cook and Adalia McKenzie contributing 20-point performances, while the home team maintained the lead throughout the match.
Kendall Bostic (18 points) and Gretchen Dolan (11 points) also concluded with double-digit points, aiding the Illini in securing a ranked victory for the third consecutive season.
Kendall Bostic made history as the fourth player in the program’s history to attain 1,000 career rebounds with the Illini, accomplishing this milestone during their 83-74 win against No. 19 Florida State on Nov. 7. Bostic joins Jenna Smith (1,217), Karisma Penn (1,043), and Cindy Dallas (1,014) on this distinguished list.
Bostic continues to ascend the program’s career rebounding ranks and currently holds the second position all-time.
Following the Illini’s 83-74 victory in their season opener against No. 19 Florida State on Nov. 7, Illinois has now achieved a win against a ranked rival for the third consecutive season, marking the longest streak since the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 seasons.
This streak began on Jan. 1, 2023, when the Illini triumphed over No. 12 Iowa, 90-86, marking the program’s first ranked victory since 2019. Illinois then dispatched No. 16 Indiana on Feb. 19, 2024, convincingly, 86-66, before their victory over the Seminoles solidified this three-season streak.
As they enter the 2024-25 season, Illinois is proud to boast four players who have scored over 1,000 career points. All four (Bostic, Bryant, Cook, McKenzie) have reached this milestone during their time with the Illini as well.
So far, 34 Fighting Illini have achieved 1,000 points throughout their career at Illinois, and only four players have accomplished the feat of scoring 1,000 points while also grabbing 1,000 rebounds as Illini. Kendall Bostic becomes the fourth player in the program to enter the exclusive 1,000/1,000 club, joining Jenna Smith, Karisma Penn, and Cindy Dallas.
Milestone Achievements | ||||||
Player | Total Points | Total Rebounds | Career Games/Starts | Points Accumulated at Illinois | Rebounds Accumulated at Illinois | Games/Starts at Illinois |
Makira Cook | 1,723 | 376 | 118/95 | 1,152 | 213 | 69/69 |
Adalia McKenzie | 1,287 | 557 | 110/98 | 1,287 | 557 | 110/98 |
Genesis Bryant | 1,274 | 301 | 116/70 | 1,195 | 264 | 82/70 |
Kendall Bostic | 1,283 | 1,246 | 132/110 | 1,190 | 1,182 | 110/110 |
The Illini’s 41 overall victories during Green’s initial two seasons represent the program’s highest total in a two-year period since the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons, where Illinois achieved a combined total of 42 wins under the Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz.
Illinois’ 19 Big Ten regular-season wins across Green’s first two years are the highest for the program in a two-year span since the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons when Illinois notched 20 conference victories under Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz.
During the 2022-23 season, Illinois Women’s Basketball welcomed 52,295 supporters at the State Farm Center over 15 home games, achieving a record of 12-3. This attendance figure ranks fifth in the program’s history, making Shauna Green the sole head coach to bring in 50,000 or more fans in her inaugural season with the Illini.
In Illinois’ 2023-24 season – and home – opener, the attendance of 2,680 set a record for the largest ticketed season-opening crowd at State Farm Center since 2000 (3,954). Across the Illini’s 17 home games last season, the total attendance reached 63,242, averaging 3,720 spectators per game, which is now the fifth highest ever recorded.
The Illinois season opener against Florida State attracted a crowd of 3,741, exceeding the previous season’s opener attendance by over 1,000 spectators. With 13,486 attendees for Field Trip Day and 4,914 fans at State Farm Center for Pack the House, Illinois’ season average stands at 4,829 per game over 11 home contests.
“`regular-season matches.
Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman revealed a two-year contract renewal for women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green, which received approval from the University of Illinois Board of Trustees during its Nov. 14 session. The new arrangement initially ensures Green a six-year contract lasting until at least the 2029-30 season. Additionally, the pact allows Green the chance to secure up to four further one-year extensions contingent on meeting specific performance criteria.
Since Green’s arrival, Illinois boasts a 54-29 record, with a 22-20 performance in Big Ten competition. In her first two years, the Illinois women’s basketball squad achieved 41 victories, clinched the program’s first-ever postseason title (2024 WBIT), and recorded consecutive top-five season attendances at State Farm Center. In the past three seasons, Illinois produced three upsets against AP Top-20 ranked opponents: No. 12 Iowa (1/1/23), No. 14 Indiana (2/19/24), and No. 19 Florida State (11/7/24).
Illinois women’s basketball has representation at the professional level on several continents. Former Illini center Camille Hobby began her professional journey after completing her fifth year at Illinois. Hobby currently competes for PAOK in Greece. Adrienne Williams Godbold, who was a guard at Illinois from 2009-13, plays for Hatillo in the Puerto Rican BSNF. Brandi Beasley, a guard at Illinois from 2016-20, is part of CJS Geispolsheim in France. Brittany Carter, who played at Illinois during 2014-15, now competes for GIE Cibao Immortals in the Dominican Republic and earned the title of league MVP in 2024. Rebecca Harris, a guard at Illinois from 2006-08, plays with the Bay Area Phoenix in the Women’s Premier Basketball Association (WPBA), contributing to their championship success. Harris has also competed in the Athletes Unlimited League.
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