[7] Fighting Illini Open Big Ten Tournament in Second Round on Thursday

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Illinois Starters Last Game


Pos.
No.
Name
Ht.
Yr.
PPG
RPG
APG
SPG
BPG
MPG
Season Note


G
1
Genesis Bryant
5-6
5th
14.9
3.6
3.9
1.0
0.1
33.9
All-Big Ten Second Team honoree; 10+ points in 11 straight games


G
24
Adalia McKenzie
5-10
Sr.
13.4
4.8
3.2
1.1
0.1
33.1
All-Big Ten Honorable Mention; 23 games with double-digit points


F
20
Berry Wallace
6-1
Fr.
9.0
3.1
0.6
0.4
0.2
25.0
Has started last three games, the first three starts of her collegiate career


F
23
Brynn Shoup-Hill
6-3
Sr.
5.2
5.9
1.1
0.6
0.9
29.0
Has 8+ rebounds in nine games this season


F
44
Kendall Bostic
6-2
5th
15.8
11.3
1.9
0.6
1.0
35.0
Named to All-Big Ten First Team for the first time in her career

Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 218-108 (.669), 11th season
Division I Record: 189-83 (.695), Ninth season
At Illinois: 62-33 (.653), Third season
Big Ten Record: 30-24 (.556), Third season
Big Ten Tournament Record: 1-2 (.333), Third season

OPENING TIP

The 51st campaign of Fighting Illini women’s basketball shifts into the postseason on Thursday evening, when [7] Illinois takes on either [10] Nebraska or [15] Rutgers at 5:30 p.m. CT in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. The contest will air on Big Ten Network from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (1400 AM / 93.9 FM). Audio and stats links are also available at FightingIllini.com/wbb. 

Illinois won 10 games before Christmas (Dec. 25) for the first time since 2022-23 and for the second time since 2006-07.
Illinois has earned a win over a ranked opponent for the third consecutive season and is up to five under Green.
Head coach Shauna Green earned her 200th win as a head coach on Nov. 14, 2024 vs. Eastern Illinois.
The Fighting Illini have now been ranked in the Top 25 in all three seasons under Green.
Illinois faced a ranked team in its Big Ten opener for the third straight season (#12/7 Ohio State, –/25 Michigan, #5/4 Indiana).
Illinois returned four 1,000-career point scorers, tied for the most in the NCAA with Baylor, Notre Dame, and Kansas State.
Illinois has won multiple Top-25 games in the same season for the first time since 2014-15.
Illinois has won three Top-25 games in the same season for the first time since 1999-2000.
The Fighting Illini’s eight-game Big Ten winning streak (Jan. 9 – Feb. 16), is a new program record.
Needing just 25 games to reach a 20-win season, the 2024-25 Illini squad matched the program record for quickest to 20 victories.
Illinois’ four team turnovers in its 67-55 win over Penn State (2/13/25), set a new program single-game record.
Illinois’ seniors (Cook, Bryant, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Bostic) have a combined 478 career starts (452 at Illinois) and played a combined 620 games (492 at Illinois).
Kendall Bostic’s 1,385 career rebounds rank second of all active NCAA D1 players and is the active Big Ten-leading mark.
On Jan. 27, 2025, Kendall Bostic grabbed the 1,218th rebound of her Illinois career and broke Jenna Smith’s all-time Illinois record of 1,217 boards.
Also on Jan. 27, 2025, Bostic moved into third place on the Big Ten’s career rebounding list, surpassing Indiana’s Denise Jackson (1981-84) at 1,273 rebounds.
Kendall Bostic owns 53 double-doubles across her Illinois career, tying Jenna Smith for the program record.
Illinois’ free throws made per game mark of 14.83 ranks 24th in the NCAA.
Illinois’ 12.4 turnovers per game rank 19th in the NCAA.
Illinois’ free throw percentage of 79.2% ranks 6th in the NCAA and leads the Big Ten.
The Fighting Illini lead the Big Ten with a 27.7% 3-point defensive rate, ranking 34th in the NCAA.
Eight different Illini scorers have posted double-digit points in a game this season: Bostic, Bryant, Brown-Hagger, Cook, Dolan, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Wallace.

ILLINI ON TV

Illinois will play its 10th game on national television when Illinois opens its Big Ten Tournament run on Thursday, with tipoff slated for 5:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. 
» Nov. 7, 7 p.m. CT, vs. Marquette – Big Ten Network
» Dec. 8, 3 p.m. CT, at No. 12 Ohio State – Big Ten Network
» Dec. 31, 12 p.m. CT vs. Washington – Big Ten Network
» Jan. 23, 7 p.m. CT, at Northwestern – Big Ten Network
» Jan. 27, 7:30 p.m. CT, vs. Purdue – Big Ten Network
» Feb. 16, 4 p.m. CT, vs. Nebraska – Big Ten Network
» Feb. 20, 8:30 p.m. CT, at No. 3 UCLA – Big Ten Network
» Feb. 23, 3 p.m. CT, at No. 4 USC – Fox Sports 1
» March 2, 12:30 p.m. CT, vs. Michigan – Big Ten Network
» March 6, 5:30 p.m. CT, vs. [10] Nebraska or [15] Rutgers – Big Ten Network

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Nebraska enters the Big Ten Tournament with a 19-10 record, securing the No. 10 seed with a 10-8 record in conference play. The Cornhuskers started the 2024-25 season ranked No. 23 in the AP poll, climbing as high as No. 21. Nebraska had two players receive All-Big Ten recognition: senior center/forward Alexis Markowski (first team – media, second team – coaches) and freshman guard Britt Prince (honorable mention – coaches and media, freshman team – coaches and media).

Rutgers claimed the final spot in the Big Ten Tournament, serving as the No. 15 seed with an 11-18 overall record and a 3-15 mark against Big Ten opponents. The Scarlet Knights make the trip to Indianapolis having lost four of their last five games, but their win over Penn State in their regular-season finale helped them advance to postseason play. Senior guard/forward Destiny Adams was named All-Big Ten Second Team by the coaches and media, while freshman Kiyomi McMiller was tabbed an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention honoree by the media. 

ALL-TIME SERIES INFORMATION

Illinois is 8-20 in the all-time series with Nebraska, with the Fighting Illini posting a 77-68 win over the Cornhuskers at State Farm Center on Feb. 16. Nebraska holds a 2-1 edge against Illinois in Big Ten Tournament, while the Illini have won the last two meetings overall.

March 5, 2015 – Big Ten Tournament First Round (Hoffman Estates, Ill.) – [7] Nebraska 86, [10] Illinois 71
March 1, 2017 – Big Ten Tournament First Round (Indianapolis, Ind.) – [12] Illinois 79, [13] Nebraska 70
March 3, 2022 – Big Ten Tournament Second Round (Indianapolis, Ind.) – [6] Nebraska 92, [14] Illinois 74

The Illini are 6-9 all-time against the Scarlet Knights, with the Orange and Blue currently on a five-game winning streak against Rutgers. Illinois prevailed in the regular-season matchup, a 69-65 overtime win on the road in which the Illini trailed by as many as 11 and faced a seven-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter. UI is 1-0 against Rutgers in Big Ten Tournament history, with that victory coming in 2023.

March 2, 2023 – Big Ten Tournament Second Round (Minneapolis, Minn.) – [6] Illinois 81, [11] Rutgers 55

BY THE NUMBERS: BIG TEN TOURNAMENT

Secured single-digit seeds in three consecutive conference tournaments for the first time since doing so in six straight seasons from 2005-10.
Illinois holds a 2-2 record as the No. 7 seed in the B1G Tournament.
The Illini are 2-0 as the No. 7 seed against No. 10 seeds. They have never played the No. 15 seed, as this is the first year with a 15-team Big Ten Tournament.
UI is 2-4 in the 7/10 game.
Illinois is 1-2 against Nebraska in the Big Ten Tournament, most recently meeting in 2022.
Illinois is 1-0 against Rutgers in the Big Ten Tournament, most recently meeting in 2023.
The Illini are 23-31 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament.
No. 7 seeds are 25-5 when playing No. 2 seeds in Big Ten Tournament history.
No. 7 seeds are 33-30 all-time in Big Ten Tournament history.

BOSTIC NAMED ALL-B1G FIRST TEAM, THREE EARN ALL-B1G HONORS

Following a historic third regular season under the leadership of head coach Shauna Green, three Fighting Illini student-athletes secured All-Big Ten accolades from the conference’s coaches and media. 

Kendall Bostic earned first-team honors (coaches and media) for the first time in her career, Genesis Bryant claimed a spot on the second team (coaches and media) for the second time in her career, and Adalia McKenzie was an honorable mention (media) honoree for the second time. Bostic was Illinois’ Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient for the fourth straight year

Bostic became the 18th student-athlete in program history and the second under Green to garner All-Big Ten First Team status, as the fifth-year forward led the conference during the regular season in minutes/game (35.0), rebounds/game (11.3), defensive rebounds/game (9.0), double-doubles (19), total rebounds (327), defensive rebounds (262), and minutes (1,015).

Bryant was a member of the All-Big Ten Second Team for the second time after also garnering that distinction in 2022-23. Bryant led the team all season as the squad’s only true point guard while playing a position she had not taken on since high school. Bryant has amassed 23 double-digit scoring efforts while logging 20+ points on nine occasions and 30+ points once.

McKenzie secured All-Big Ten Honorable Mention status for the second time in her career, earning the recognition by the media for her efforts on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. Playing in every game of her four-year Illinois career thus far, McKenzie scored in double figures 23 times, registered three 20-point efforts during the 2024-25 campaign, and notched one double-double.

FIGHTING ILLINI FINISH REGULAR SEASON WITH 21 WINS, 11 B1G VICTORIES

Illinois equaled its program record with 21 victories during the regular season, entering the postseason with a 21-8 record and an 11-7 mark in Big Ten play. The Orange and Blue recorded 21 regular-season wins for the third time in program history, equaling the all-time mark that was set by both the 1999-2000 and 2022-23 teams. The Illini reached that threshold in only 26 games, the fewest by any team in the program’s history. 

Totaling 20+ wins for just the ninth time in program history and for the second time in three years under head coach Shauna Green, the Illini recorded their fourth-most conference victories during the 2024-25 campaign. The team’s 11 Big Ten wins marked the eighth time in program history that the Illini posted double-digit conference triumphs.

ILLINOIS SETS PROGRAM RECORD WITH EIGHT-STRAIGHT B1G WINS

For the first time in program history, Illinois secured eight Big Ten victories in a row, which the Illini achieved with their 77-68 win over Nebraska on Feb. 16. Breaking the previous mark of seven-consecutive conference triumphs, the Orange and Blue won four road games and four home contests en route to the new program record.

During that historic stretch, Illinois has outscored opponents by an average of 15.4 points; shot 44.3% from the field, 42.0% from 3-point range, and 81.9% from the free throw line as a team; and averaged 17 assists and 11.6 forced turnovers per game. Four players averaged over 10 points per game during the eight-game winning streak, with Genesis Bryant leading the way with 16.9 points per game.

ILLINOIS’ RECORD-SETTING EIGHT-GAME B1G WINNING STREAK


Date
Opponent
Score


Jan. 23, 2025
at Northwestern
85-60


Jan. 27, 2025
Purdue
74-38


Jan. 30, 2025
at Rutgers
69-65 (OT)


Feb. 2, 2025
at No. 14 Maryland
66-65


Feb. 6, 2025
Northwestern
73-60


Feb. 9, 2025
at Wisconsin
74-51


Feb. 13, 2025
Penn State
67-55


Feb. 16, 2025
Nebraska
77-68

LAST TIME OUT

Illinois fell to Michigan, 78-69, in its regular-season finale on Sunday afternoon at State Farm Center.

The Fighting Illini led by as many as 10 in the contest, but a 17-0 run from the Wolverines in the fourth quarter saw the visitors pull away late.

Kendall Bostic tied the program’s career double-doubles record with her 24-point, 12-rebound performance. Tallying the 53rd double-double of her career, Bostic went 2-for-2 from beyond the arc while also amassing three assists.

Genesis Bryant connected on three 3-pointers, finishing with 15 points, six assists, five rebounds, one block, and one steal.

Adalia McKenzie recorded 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

ILLINI CONTINUE TO BATTLE DESPITE INJURY BUG

Through the team’s first 28 games of the season, Illinois has yet to have its full 14-player roster available. Holding an 21-7 record despite those setbacks, the Illini have remained resilient while battling injury issues throughout the campaign.

Eight different players have missed at least one game due to injury or illness this season, including sophomore transfer center Lety Vasconcelos, who was expected to be a key piece in the rotation before suffering a season-ending ACL tear over the summer. On Jan. 8, the program announced that fifth-year Makira Cook (ongoing health condition) and sophomore Gretchen Dolan (knee) would both miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Illinois is now 10-4 since announcing Cook and Dolan would miss the remainder of the season.

Five-star freshman guard Berry Wallace (hand) missed seven of the first eight games, while junior forward Shay Bollin, who played in 29 games for the Illini last season, has yet to make an appearance during the 2024-25 campaign. Freshman Irene Noya Catoira sat out the first seven games of the year while recovering from injury, while guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger, who has since moved into the starting lineup, missed three games while working her way back from a concussion. The latest Illini to miss a game was Brown-Hagger at No. 4 USC.

BIG TEN ROAD WINS

Illinois has won 13 road Big Ten games under Shauna Green, tied for the second-most in program history among Illinois women’s basketball head coaches. In 2024-25, Illinois has brought home victories against Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers, No. 14 Maryland, and Wisconsin.

BIG TEN ROAD WINS UNDER HEAD COACH SHAUNA GREEN


Rank
Coach
#
Seasons
Tenure


1
Grentz
41
12
1995-2007


T2
Green
13
3
2022-Present


T2
Golden
13
6
1984-1990


4
Law & Bollant (tied)
10
5
2007-12 & 2012-17

BOSTIC MOVES ATOP PROGRAM’S CAREER REBOUNDING LIST

Fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic became the Fighting Illini’s career rebounding leader during Illinois’ game against Purdue on Jan. 27. After tying the previous mark in the first half, Bostic secured her record-breaking board in the third quarter, which saw her climb to 11 rebounds on the night and 1,218 rebounds across her time with the Orange and Blue.

Bostic surpassed Jenna Smith on the program’s all-time rebounding list. Smith, who played at Illinois from 2006-10, posted 1,217 rebounds across her career; Bostic entered Illinois’ game against Purdue needing 10 rebounds to tie the record and 11 rebounds to pass it.

Bostic is the fourth player in program history to record 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds while playing for the Illini.

With a program-record 1,321 rebounds during her time with the Fighting Illini, the Kokomo, Indiana, native sits in third place on the Big Ten’s career rebounding rankings, only behind Iowa’s Megan Gustafson (1,460) and Ohio State’s Jantel Lavender (1,422). Bostic has amassed 1,385 career rebounds across her four seasons at Illinois and one season at Michigan State.

GREEN CONTINUES TO CLIMB PROGRAM’S ALL-TIME WIN LIST

Third-year head coach Shauna Green continues to move up the program’s all-time wins list. After the Fighting Illini defeated Nebraska at State Farm Center on Feb. 16, Green posted her 62nd win at the helm of the program, which currently ranks as the fifth-most victories 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
Shauna Green
62
3 (Active)
2022-Present


6
Matt Bollant
61
5
2012-2017


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

SHARP SHOOTING FROM BEYOND THE ARC

Fighting Illini fifth year Genesis Bryant has been instrumental for the Orange and Blue from beyond the 3-point line. Through 94 games at Illinois, Bryant has connected on 199 3-pointers, which currently ranks third on UI’s career list.

Bryant connected on 72 3-pointers in 2022-23, her first year at Illinois (178 att., 40.4%). As a senior in 2023-24, she tallied 65 makes from deep (188 att., 34.6%). This year, Bryant has made 62 3-pointers on 159 attempts for a 39.0% clip.

ILLINOIS’ CAREER MADE 3-POINTER LEADERS


Rank
Player
Years
Games
Makes


1
Amber Moore
2009-14
126
295


2
Lori Bjork
2005-08
97
214


3
Genesis Bryant
2022-Present
94
199


4
Krist Reinking
1994-98
111
194


5
Mandy Cunningham
1990-94
110
168

RANKED WINS UNDER COACH GREEN

For the first time since the 2014-15 campaign, the Fighting Illini have secured multiple ranked wins in a season. The Orange and Blue defeated No. 19 Florida State, 83-74, at State Farm Center on Nov. 7 to open the 2024-25 regular season before securing a 62-57 home win over No. 23 Iowa on Jan. 9. Illinois’ most recent ranked victory came in a 66-65 road win over No. 14 Maryland on Feb. 2.

The program has now won five ranked games under third-year head coach Shauna Green, who guided the Illini to ranked wins over No. 12 Iowa (Jan. 1, 2023) during the 2022-23 slate and No. 14 Indiana (Feb. 19, 2024) during the team’s 2023-24 schedule.

RANKED WINS UNDER HEAD COACH SHAUNA GREEN


Date
Opponent
Score
Location


Jan. 1, 2023
No. 12 Iowa
90-86
State Farm Center


Feb. 19, 2024
No. 14 Indiana
86-66
State Farm Center


Nov. 7, 2024
No. 19 Florida State
83-74
State Farm Center


Jan. 9, 2025
No. 23 Iowa
62-57
State Farm Center


Feb. 2, 2025
at No. 14 Maryland
66-65
XFINITY Center (College Park, Md.)

ILLINOIS RANKS AMONG BEST IN B1G IN 3-POINT EFFICIENCY DURING CONFERENCE PLAY

During the team’s 11-6 start to conference play, the Illini have shot 38.9% (115-for-296) from 3-point range, a mark that ranks second in the Big Ten.

The Orange and Blue have posted a 3-point percentage of at least 40% in 10 games this season, six of which came away from home. The Illini have recorded their top-four 3-point shooting performances this season in road games (at Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and No. 14 Maryland). Illinois is 6-3 against Big Ten opponents when shooting at least 40% from deep.

Washington (40.1% – 149-for-372)
Illinois (38.9% – 115-for-296)
Indiana (38.3% – 147-for-384)
Iowa (36.1% – 136-for-377)
Maryland (35.9% – 117-for-326)

ILLINI FREE THROW SHOOTING IMPROVES SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER COACH GREEN

Since head coach Shauna Green took over the helm of the program, several Illinois student-athletes have made significant strides at the charity stripe while also getting to the free throw line more than ever. 

Adalia McKenzie has made huge jumps in her three seasons under Green’s guidance. After going 57.6% from the line as a freshman in 2021-22, McKenzie drastically improved when Green arrived on campus, with the Minnesota native shooting 64.6% as a sophomore. She then posted a 73.7% clip as a junior and, thus far in her senior season, is 76.2% from the stripe, an improvement of over 18 percentage points since her first year with the program.

Kendall Bostic has not only become more efficient at the free throw line; she has also found herself at the stripe at a career-best rate. After shooting less than 70% at the line in her first two seasons in Champaign, Bostic has shot over 80% (82.5% in 2023-24 and 84.6% in 2024-25) across the past two years. She has already attempted a career-most 65 free throws this season while making 55 of those attempts, both of which are new career-best marks.

As a team, the Illini set a new program record after shooting 79.5% from the line across all games last season. Their 85.2% (230-for-270) mark in conference play during the 2023-24 campaign secured a new Big Ten single-season record. Illinois currently leads the Big Ten with an 79.2% free throw percentage across all games this season.

BIG FOURTH QUARTER HELPS ILLINOIS POWER PAST PENN STATE

Illinois used a big fourth quarter to take down Penn State, 67-55, at State Farm Center on Feb. 13.

Now 20-5 overall and 10-4 in Big Ten play this season, the Fighting Illini outscored the Nittany Lions in the final frame, 24-7, en route to their seventh win in a row.

Playing all 40 minutes, Adalia McKenzie recorded a team-high 19 points after posting 11 points in the second half. McKenzie ultimately ended the evening with eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Genesis Bryant finished in double figures for the seventh game in a row, logging 18 points while going 4-for-9 from 3-point range. She also amassed six assists, three rebounds, and two steals.

Jasmine Brown-Hagger added 10 points, going 2-for-2 from the field and 2-for-2 from the free throw line in the second half. She also grabbed a steal.

Kendall Bostic accumulated 12 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, an assist, and a steal while playing all 40 minutes.

ILLINOIS RECORDS DOMINANT ROAD WIN OVER WISCONSIN

Illinois earned its fifth-straight road win and sixth-consecutive victory overall with a 74-51 triumph over Wisconsin on Feb. 9.

The Fighting Illini led by as many as 26 in the contest, ultimately prevailing by 23 to improve to 19-5 overall and 9-4 in Big Ten play this season.

Adalia McKenzie made two 3-pointers, her first outing this season with multiple makes from beyond the arc, and finished with a team-high 18 points. Totaling 12 points across the opening 20 minutes of play, McKenzie ended the afternoon with eight rebounds, six assists, and a steal.

Despite not playing in the fourth quarter, Genesis Bryant registered 11 points while going 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Bryant also dished out a team-most seven assists and grabbed five rebounds.

Kendall Bostic secured the 50th double-double of her career with 15 points and a team-best 11 rebounds. Notching three assists, Bostic also had a big day defensively with three steals and two blocks.

Brynn Shoup-Hill posted 11 points after tallying eight points on 2-for-3 shooting from deep in the second half. Five of her six rebounds came on the offensive glass, and she tacked on an assist and a block.

Jasmine Brown-Hagger added nine points, four rebounds, two steals, and an assist, while Berry Wallace went 3-for-5 en route to a 10-point effort off the bench, her third-straight game in double figures.  

ILLINI TAME WILDCATS FOR FIFTH-STRAIGHT VICTORY

Illinois extended its winning streak to five games with a 73-60 win over Northwestern on Thursday night at State Farm Center.

Leading by double digits for nearly 30 minutes of play, the Fighting Illini secured their sixth-straight win over the Wildcats while improving to 18-5 overall and 8-4 in Big Ten play this season.

Genesis Bryant paced the Illini in scoring with 20 points, her third-consecutive game with 20+ points. Going 3-for-5 from 3-point range, Bryant also finished with five rebounds, four assists, and a steal.

Kendall Bostic posted 15 points, her eighth-straight outing with at least 10 points. Equaling her career-high with six assists, Bostic also grabbed nine rebounds and made a season-best three blocks.

Berry Wallace poured in 14 points off the bench, 10 of which came in the first half. Scoring in double figures for the sixth time, she amassed three rebounds and two assists.

Jasmine Brown-Hagger registered nine points, while Adalia McKenzie logged seven points and three assists.

BOSTIC EARNS SPOT ON MCCLAIN AWARD TOP-10 CANDIDATES LIST

Fighting Illini fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic has been named one of the top 10 candidates for the Katrina McClain Award Power Forward of the Year, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Feb. 6.

In addition to her recognition as a Top 10 candidate for the McClain Award, Bostic has already earned Big Ten Player of the Week, AP Player of the Week Honorable Mention, and Her Hoops Stats Midseason First Team All-Big Ten honors in her final collegiate campaign. Bostic was also part of the 20-player McClain Power Forward Preseason Watch List.

One of two honorees from the Big Ten, Bostic is the first player in program history to be named a top 10 candidate for any Basketball Hall of Fame’s Naismith Starting 5 award.

Now in its eighth year, the McClain Award honors the legacy of Katrina McClain, who was a two-time All-American, 1987 National Player of the Year, and Class of 2012 Hall of Famer. The award is given annually to the top power forward in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.

BOSTIC NAMED TO WOMEN’S COLLEGE ALL-STAR GAME WATCH LIST

Fighting Illini fifth year Kendall Bostic has been named to the Women’s College All-Star Game Watch List presented by Herbalife. The Kokomo, Ind., native was one of 68 players appearing on the watch list that represented 51 different programs and 15 conferences.

At the time of the announcement, Bostic was averaging 16.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 34.5 minutes per game across her final year of collegiate basketball. She has started 115 consecutive games since transferring to Illinois ahead of her sophomore season and now holds the program’s career rebounding record. Bostic is shooting 53% from the field, 30.4% from 3-point range, and 87.5% from the free throw line this season. She owns 49 career double-doubles, all coming with the Orange and Blue. The same day Bostic broke Illinois’ program rebounding record, she moved into third place on the Big Ten’s all-time boards list.

So far, in her final campaign, Bostic has earned Big Ten Player of the Week, AP Player of the Week Honorable Mention, Her Hoops Stats Midseason First Team All-Big Ten, and McClain Power Forward Watch List honors.

The 2025 Women’s College All-Star Game will feature the top senior standouts. Of the more than 60 players that appear on the watch list, 20 will ultimately be selected to participate in the event on Saturday, April 5, in Tampa. The game will tip at 3 p.m. ET and air on ESPN2.

BRYANT EARNS BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD (FEB. 3)

For the third time in her career, Genesis Bryant has earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors, the conference office announced Monday. Putting together three phenomenal performances in Illinois’ 3-0 week, Bryant led the Fighting Illini to two road wins in addition to the program’s first-ever win over Maryland – marking Illinois’ third win over an AP Top-25 ranked team this season.

Bryant averaged 20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.33 assists, 0.67 steals, 36.6 minutes, and a 1.17 assist-turnover ratio across the 3-0 week. She shot 44.4% (20-for-45) from the field, 55.6% (10-for-18) from 3-point range, and 91.7% from the free throw line.

The Jonesboro, Georgia, native posted 36.6 minutes per game across the three victories, playing all 45 minutes in Illinois’ overtime win over Rutgers and all 40 in the Illini’s road triumph against No. 14 Maryland, the program’s first-ever victory against the Terrapins.

Across the week, Bryant posted her sixth and seventh 20-point outings of the season, and she has now scored in double figures 16 times and in each of her last four appearances.

Bryant was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for the first time since doing so in back-to-back weeks during the 2022-23 season (Dec. 27, 2022, and Jan. 2, 2023). She is the second Illini to earn Big Ten Player of the Week status this season, joining fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic, who earned the accolade on Nov. 25.

BOSTIC, MCKENZIE NAMED TO HER HOOP STATS MIDSEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS

Fifth year forward Kendall Bostic has earned All-Big Ten First Team honors from Her Hoops Stats, while senior guard Adalia McKenzie was tabbed with honorable mention accolades.

The Fighting Illini’s career rebounding leader, Bostic is averaging a double-double – 15.8 points and 11.3 rebounds – and was one of six players to earn a spot on the first team. Bostic’s scoring average is on pace to break her career-best total by over three points, while her 11.3 rebounds would be her second-best single-season tally. With 19 double-doubles this season, the Kokomo, Indiana, native joins USC’s Kiki Iriafen and Juju Watkins, UCLA’s Lauren Betts, Michigan State’s Julia Ayrault, and Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon on the first team.

McKenzie has filled up the stat sheet in her final season with the Orange and Blue, averaging 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while scoring in double figures in 23 games thus far.

ILLINOIS TAKES DOWN THE NO. 14 TERPS AWAY FROM HOME

Illinois secured its first ranked road win since 2019 with a dramatic 66-65 victory over No. 14 Maryland at XFINITY Center on Feb. 2.

With three lead changes in the final 60 seconds, Genesis Bryant knocked down two free throws with six seconds remaining to give the Fighting Illini their first-ever win against the Terrapins and their third ranked triumph of the season.

Playing all 40 minutes, Bryant finished with a game-high 20 points while making two 3-pointers and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Scoring 10 points in the third quarter alone, Bryant also amassed four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Berry Wallace continued to make clutch plays for the Orange and Blue, with the true freshman recording 14 points to along with a career-high four 3-pointers. She also collected two rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal.

Brynn Shoup-Hill knocked down a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left to give the Illini a late lead. She logged seven points, two assists, and a block, and five of her eight rebounds came on the offensive glass.

Kendall Bostic posted her fifth consecutive double-double, concluding the afternoon with 13 points and 14 rebounds. She also tallied two assists and a block across her 40 minutes of action.

Adalia McKenzie filled the stat sheet with nine points, a career high-tying seven assists, and three rebounds.

The Illini shot 10-for-21 from 3-point range in the road victory, while they turned 10 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points.

RESILIENT ILLINI RALLY TO OVERTIME ROAD WIN AT RUTGERS

Illinois battled its way to a hard-fought 69-65 overtime win on the road against Rutgers on Jan. 30.

Four scorers finished in double figures for the Orange and Blue, who are now 16-5 overall and 6-4 in Big Ten play this season. The Illini overcame an 11-point deficit in the game, which is tied for the second-largest comeback Illinois has mounted under head coach Shauna Green.

Playing all 45 minutes, Genesis Bryant poured in 14 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 28 points, her second-best scoring output this season. Making three big free throws in overtime, Bryant also rattled in a season-high five 3-pointers while collecting six rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

One game after setting the program’s new career rebounding record, Kendall Bostic secured her fourth-straight double-double with 10 points and 11 boards. She also dished out a season-most five assists.

Adalia McKenzie came up clutch in overtime, tallying four points and making the game-saving block in the extra period. McKenzie closed the night with 11 points, five assists, three rebounds, a block, and a steal.

Brynn Shoup-Hill logged all 10 of her points across the final two quarters of regulation and overtime, while she also posted nine rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal.

Berry Wallace added seven points, five rebounds, and two assists off the bench.

ILLINOIS FINISHES NONCONFERENCE SLATE WITH 10 WINS

For just the fourth time in program history, Illinois registered 10 wins in nonconference play, equaling the program’s all-time record. The Fighting Illini last achieved the feat during the 2022-23 campaign in head coach Shauna Green’s first season at the helm.

The Orange and Blue secured a 10-1 record against nonconference opponents, a stretch that included eight victories at home. Illinois opened its 2024-25 slate with a five-game homestand that featured three teams that played in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Opening the season with a statement win over No. 19 Florida State, the Illini also earned triumphs against Marquette, Eastern Illinois, Le Moyne, and Oregon State in the team’s 5-0 start.

After going 1-1 at the Music City Classic with a victory over UMES and a loss to No. 14 Kentucky, Illinois closed its nonconference schedule without five more triumphs, a stretch that began with a road win over Canisius. Returning to State Farm Center, the Orange and Blue rattled off wins over Bradley, Southern Indiana, and Southern to move to 10-1 in nonconference play. 

BOSTIC RANKS AMONG BEST IN THE NCAA

Fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic ranks in the top six in the NCAA in four statistical categories – double-doubles, defensive rebounding average, rebounding average, and total rebounds – in addition to being in the top 50 in field goals, field-goal percentage, and minutes per game. She has also joined the scoring conversation with the 11th-most points in the Big Ten and 13th-most points per game. Bostic also leads the Big Ten in minutes played per game, unheard of for a post player. 

BOSTIC RANKS AMONG BEST IN THE NCAA


Stat Category
NCAA Rank
B1G Rank
Value


Double-doubles
3rd
1st
19


Defensive Rebounds Per Game
3rd
1st
9.0


Rebounds
7th
1st
337


Rebounds Per Game
8th
1st
11.3


Field Goals
46th
5th
196


Field Goal Percentage
48th
5th
53.1


Minutes Per Game
49th
1st
35.01


Points
121st
11th
459


Points Per Game
134th
13th
15.8

GREEN BECOMES JOINT-FASTEST ILLINI COACH TO 50 WINS

With Illinois’ 73-50 win over Southern Indiana on Dec. 15, third-year head coach Shauna Green secured her 50th win at the helm of the program. Needing only 77 games to achieve that feat, Green became the joint-fastest Fighting Illini women’s basketball coach in program history to reach 50 victories, tying the record that was set by Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz.

T1. 77 games: Shauna Green
T1. 77 games: Theresa Grentz
3. 83 games: Laura Golden
4. 94 games: Jane Schroeder
5. 102 games: Matt Bollant
6. 103 games: Jolette Law
7. 132 games: Kathy Lindsey

HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE

Starting the season 9-0 at home, Illinois won 13 consecutive games in State Farm Center between the end of the 2023-24 campaign and the first nine home games of the 2024-25 schedule. The streak ranks as the second-longest such stretch in program history and was the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten prior to the Illini’s defeat against Washington on Dec. 31. Illinois is 38-10 in home games under Shauna Green. 

ILLINOIS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL LONGEST HOME WIN STREAKS


Streak
First Win
Last Win
Illini Head Coach


18 games
12/20/1997
1/5/1999
Theresa Grentz


13 games
2/19/2024
12/28/2024
Shauna Green


11 games
2/14/1986
1/30/1987
Laura Golden


10 games
11/20/1981
1/29/1982
Jane Schroeder

BOSTIC EARNS FIRST-CAREER B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD (NOV. 25)

Kendall Bostic delivered a spectacular Week 2 performance on the court to earn the first Big Ten Player of the Week award of her career. The fifth-year senior led the Illini to a 2-0 week after averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, and one steal while posting zero turnovers as the Fighting Illini climbed to 5-0 after downing their third 2024 NCAA Tournament team of the season.

The Kokomo, Ind., native shot 83.9% from the floor on 26-of-31 attempts and connected on all four of her free-throw attempts. No other Big Ten player was more efficient at a high volume than Bostic, as she made more combined field goals across the week (26) than all but two Big Ten players attempted. Additionally, she was the only Big Ten player with two 20-point games during the week.

In the Illini’s first game of the week, a blowout win over Le Moyne on Nov. 18, Bostic registered the 36th double-double of her career, scoring 25 points (11-for-13 FG) and grabbing 12 rebounds in 23 minutes of action.

In Illinois’ handing of Oregon State on Nov. 22, Bostic became just the fourth player in program history to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds as an Illini. Bostic also scored a career-high 31 points in the victory over the Beavers and grabbed eight rebounds in 32 minutes of work.

TOP HOME ATTENDANCES

Fighting Illini head coach Shauna Green has re-energized the women’s basketball fan base and delivered two of the top five home attendances in program history through just 70 games at Illinois. Green’s teams have drawn attendances of 13,486, 11,563, and 8,141 across the last three seasons – all three are in the top 13 of all-time largest home game attendances for the program.

The 2024 game vs. Le Moyne that drew 13,486 fans set a new single-game attendance record for home nonconference games at Illinois.

SINGLE-GAME ILLINOIS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL HOME ATTENDANCE TOP 5


Attendance
Opponent
Result
Illini Head Coach
Date


16,450 (sellout & old capacity)
Iowa
W, 86-73
Theresa Grentz
2/21/1999


16,050 (sellout & old capacity)
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

ILLINOIS OPENS REGULAR SEASON WITH RANKED WIN

The Fighting Illini started the 2024-25 season with a statement win, taking down No. 19/19 Florida State, 83-74, at State Farm Center on Nov. 7. Four Illini scored in double figures in the ranked nine-point win, including 20-point outings for both Makira Cook and Adalia McKenzie, while the home side never trailed in the contest.

Kendall Bostic (18 points) and Gretchen Dolan (11 points) also finished with double-digit points, which helped the Illini pick up a ranked win for the third consecutive season.

1,000 POINT SCORERS & REBOUNDING

Entering the 2024-25 campaign, Illinois has four players with 1,000+ career points scored. All four (Bostic, Bryant, Cook, McKenzie) have now scored 1,000 during their Illini tenures as well.

To date, 34 Fighting Illini players have scored 1,000 points during their career at Illinois, and only four players have scored 1,000 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds at Illinois. Kendall Bostic became the fourth player in program history to join the 1,000/1,000 club as an Illini, earning a spot on the exclusive list that features Jenna Smith, Karisma Penn, and Cindy Dallas.

Milestone Marks


Name
Career Points
Career Rebounds
Career Games/Starts
Points at Illinois
Rebounds at Illinois
Games/Starts at Illinois


Makira Cook
1,723
376
118/95
1,152
213
69/69


Adalia McKenzie
1,452
615
122/110
1,452
615
122/110


Genesis Bryant
1,464
344
128/82
1,385
307
94/82


Kendall Bostic
1,470
1,385
144/122
1,377
1,321
122/122

HOME ATTENDANCE NUMBERS

Across 15 home games during the 2022-23 season, Illinois Women’s Basketball saw 52,295 fans fill the State Farm Center en route to a 12-3 record. That total attendance ranked 5th in program history and made Shauna Green the only head coach to bring in 50,000 or more fans in her first season with the Illini.

In Illinois’ 2023-24 season – and home – opener, the attendance of 2,680 marked the largest ticketed season-opening crowd at State Farm Center since 2000 (3,954). In the Illini’s 17 home games last season, Illinois finished with a combined attendance of 63,242 for an average of 3,720 a game. 63,242 is now the fifth-best all-time attendance.

Illinois’ season-opener against Florida State drew a crowd of 3,741 to surpass last year’s season-opening mark by over 1,000 fans. With 13,486 fans in attendance for Field Trip Day; 4,914 fans in the stands of State Farm Center for Pack the House; 5,896 fans on hand against Michigan State on Jan. 19; 5,881 fans at State Farm Center against Nebraska on Feb. 16; and 6,889 fans in attendance for Senior Day, Illinois’ season average finished at 4,967 per game across 17 home regular-season contests. The Illini went 14-3 at State Farm Center this season.

Illinois’ total attendance of 84,437 during the 2024-25 campaign ranks second-best in a season in program history.

CONTRACT EXTENSION

Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced a two-year contract extension for women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green, which was approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its Nov. 14 meeting. Initially, the new agreement will keep Green on a six-year contract through at least the 2029-30 season. The agreement also provides Green the opportunity to earn up to four additional one-year extensions if certain performance thresholds are met.

Under Green, Illinois owns a 62-33 record, including a 30-24 mark in Big Ten play. In the first two years under Green, the Illinois women’s basketball team registered 41 wins, the first-ever postseason championship in program history (2024 WBIT), and back-to-back top-five season attendances in State Farm Center. Over the last three seasons, Illinois has delivered four upsets of AP Top-20 ranked teams: No. 12 Iowa (1/1/23), No. 14 Indiana (2/19/24), No. 19 Florida State (11/7/24), and at No. 14 Maryland (2/2/25).

PRO ILLINI

Illinois women’s basketball is represented at the professional level across multiple continents. Former Illini center Camille Hobby joined the professional ranks after spending her fifth year of college at Illinois. Hobby plays for PAOK in Greece. Adrienne Williams Godbold, a guard at Illinois from 2009-13, plays professionally for Bashkimi in Kosovo’s Liga Unike. Brandi Beasley, a guard at Illinois from 2016-20, plays for CJS Geispolsheim in France. Brittany Carter, who played at Illinois from 2014-15, now plays for GIE Cibao Immortals in the Dominican Republic and was the 2024 league MVP. Rebecca Harris, a guard at Illinois from 2006-08, plays for the Bay Area Phoenix in the Women’s Premier Basketball Association (WPBA), helping them to a championship. Harris has also played in the Athletes Unlimited League.