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Highlights
Press Conference
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois earned its second ranked win of the season on Thursday with a 62-57 victory over No. 23 Iowa at State Farm Center.
Four Fighting Illini scorers finished in double figures as the Orange and Blue took down the ranked Hawkeyes and improved to 10-1 at home during the 2024-25 campaign.
Kendall Bostic secured her 10th double-double of the season, registering 17 points and 14 rebounds in the win. Going 8-for-12 from the field, Bostic also dished out three assists, made two steals, and bagged two blocks.
Scoring in double figures for the seventh-straight game, Adalia McKenzie ended the evening with 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal while playing lockdown defense from start to finish.
Genesis Bryant logged nine of her 12 points in the second half, including seven points in the fourth quarter alone. Bryant also amassed a season-high four steals, three rebounds, and two assists.
Jasmine Brown-Hagger tallied 10 points, three assists, and a steal, while Berry Wallace collected seven points off the bench.
After Iowa opened up a 9-2 advantage within the opening three minutes of play, Illinois settled in and took its first lead of the evening via a 10-0 Illini run. Bostic and Wallace each scored four points during that four-minute stretch, which saw the hosts establish a 14-11 advantage with two minutes remaining in the first quarter.
The sides entered the second frame deadlocked at 16, but a 13-2 run from the Hawkeyes sent the visitors in front by nine. The Orange and Blue closed the opening half on a 7-0 scoring stretch, with Bryant knocking down a late 3-pointer to send the teams into the break with Iowa in front, 29-27.
Bostic posted a team-high eight points in the first half, while Illinois grabbed five steals across the first 20 minutes of play.
The Illini started the second half the same way it ended the first half: with a 3-pointer. McKenzie connected from beyond the arc within the first 30 seconds of the period, which gave the hosts their first lead since the first 90 seconds of the second quarter.
After Iowa ended a scoreless drought that spanned over seven-and-a-half minutes, Illinois pieced together a 6-2 run, which included Wallace’s first trey of the day, to go ahead, 41-35. Just over one minute later, McKenzie completed a 3-point play on an and-1 layup to extend the home side’s edge to 44-37 with three minutes left in the third period.
Despite shooting 50% from the field in the frame, the Illini entered the final 10 minutes with a narrow 46-45 advantage after Iowa closed the third quarter with an 8-2 run.
With the score locked at 50 with eight minutes remaining, the Orange and Blue used a 5-1 run to go back in front. Bryant’s jumper started that stretch before Bostic completed a 3-point play to give the Illini a 55-51 lead with five-and-a-half minutes to go in the back-and-forth battle.
With the Orange and Blue’s advantage down to three, Bryant rattled in her second 3-pointer of the night with 2:30 left to double the team’s advantage to 60-54. The Hawkeyes countered with the next three points, though, reducing the home side’s edge to three with under a minute left.
The Illini got big stops down the stretch and made their free throws to secure the hard-fought five-point home victory.
Illinois, now 12-4 overall and 2-3 in Big Ten play, heads east to take on Indiana away from home in its next contest, which is slated for Thursday, Jan. 16, at 6 p.m. CT on B1G+.
HIGHLIGHTS
PRESS CONFERENCE
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes:
Kendall Bostic posted a double-double with a team-high 17 points and 14 rebounds, in addition to registering three assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Bostic secured her 10th double-double of the season and the 44th of her career.
Still in second place in the record books, Bostic continued to move closer to Jenna Smith’s program record for career double-doubles.
Secured double-digit rebounds for the 12th time this season and the 66th time in her career.
Now has at least six rebounds in all 16 games this season.
Continues to climb the program’s all-time rebounding list:
1. Jenna Smith (2006-10) – 1,217
2. Kendall Bostic (2021-pres.) – 1,174
Scored in double figures for the 14th time this season and for the 63rd time in her career.
Recorded multiple blocks in a game for the fourth time this season – second time in as many games – finishing with two blocks.
Equaled her season-best tally.
Grabbed two steals, tying her season-high mark.
Has multiple steals in two games this season.
Jasmine Brown-Hagger finished the night with 10 points, three assists, one rebound, and one steal.
Poured in double-digit points for the seventh time this season and for the ninth time in her career.
Has at least three assists in five games this season and in four of her last five appearances.
Also has 3+ helpers in back-to-back games for the second time.
Genesis Bryant poured in 12 points while grabbing four steals, corralling three rebounds, and dishing out two assists.
Scored in double figures for the 11th time this season and for the 61st time in her career.
Registered a season-high four steals.
Adalia McKenzie tallied 12 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
Connected on her third 3-pointer of the season to give the Illini a 30-29 lead coming out of halftime.
Scored in double figures for the 13th time this season and for the 69th time in her career.
Has now posted double-digit points in seven-straight games and in nine of the last 10 contests overall.
Totaled at least three assists for the ninth time this season.
Berry Wallace added seven points, three rebounds, and an assist off the bench.
Had at least seven points in back-to-back appearances for the first time in her collegiate career.
Made her seventh 3-pointer of the season, which came in the third quarter.
Team Notes:
The Hawkeyes won the opening tip, and Iowa opened the scoring on a layup on the first possession.
After trailing 11-4, Illinois went on a 10-0 run over a span of 2:55 to take a 14-11 lead in the first quarter.
The Illini used a 12-0 run from 3:04 remaining in the second quarter to 6:34 in the third quarter to take a 32-29 lead.
The Orange and Blue held the Hawkeyes 0-for-8 from the field during that 7:35 scoreless stretch.
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