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ROSEMONT, Ill. – Fighting Illini freshman point guard Destiny Jackson was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week by the league office on Monday. Jackson continued her stellar rookie campaign in Week 3 as the Illini went 2-0 with a pair of 20-point wins.
Jackson averaged 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 0.5 steals per game across a combined 56:25 minutes of action. The rookie shot 53.3% (8-for-15) from the field, 60.0% (3-for-5) from 3-point range, and 80.0% (4-for-5) from the free throw line across the Illini’s two wins.
In front of the third-largest attendance in Illinois women’s basketball history on Field Trip Day, Jackson delivered a career-high 18 points to go along with five assists, four rebounds, and a steal in 32 minutes of action. Jackson shot 6-for-8 from the field (75%), 3-for-4 from deep (75%), and 3-for-3 from the free throw line (100%) in the 84-64 win over Murray State.
On Sunday, in Illinois’ 23-point win at Florida State, Jackson tallied five points, five assists, and two rebounds in 24 minutes of work. Jackson’s play helped the Illini to their largest road non-conference win since 2018 with Sunday’s 86-63 win in Tallahassee over Florida State.
Jackson is currently the only freshman in the Big Ten averaging at least 8.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists this season and is one of seven rookies in the country with those numbers to date. She’s committed the fewest turnovers of that group.
Monday’s honor marks the first Big Ten distinction of any sort for Jackson. Illinois sophomore Berry Wallace earned a spot on the Big Ten’s Weekly Honor Roll following the first week of action.
