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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
13.9
3.5
3.6
1.2
0.1
Recorded 2nd career double-double in last game (13p, 13a)
G
8
Jasmine Brown-Hagger
5-9
So.
9.6
2.3
2.3
1.2
0.0
Has scored at least seven points in five-consecutive games
G
24
Adalia McKenzie
5-10
Sr.
13.4
4.7
2.7
1.0
0.1
Has 10-straight games with 10+ points and has 16 such performances this season
F
23
Brynn Shoup-Hill
6-3
Sr.
4.8
6.0
1.0
0.4
1.0
Has multiple blocks in five games this season while leading the team in that stat
F
44
Kendall Bostic
6-2
5th
16.4
11.2
1.5
0.5
0.8
Ranks second in program history in career double-doubles and rebounds
Head Coach Shauna Green
Career Record: 211-105 (.668), 11th season
Division I Record: 182-80 (.695), Ninth season
At Illinois: 55-30 (.647), Third season
Big Ten Record: 23-21 (.523), Third season
OPENING TIP
The 51st campaign of Fighting Illini women’s basketball continues on Monday night at 7:30 p.m. CT, when Illinois hosts Purdue at State Farm Center on Big Ten Network. 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 four 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 two Top-25 games in the same season for the first time since 2014-15.
Illinois’ seniors (Cook, Bryant, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Bostic) have a combined 438 career starts (412 at Illinois) and played a combined 580 games (452 at Illinois).
Kendall Bostic’s 1,271 career rebounds rank second of all active NCAA D1 players.
Illinois’ free throws made per game mark of 16.47 ranks 10th in the NCAA.
Illinois’ 12.8 turnovers per game rank 28th in the NCAA.
Illinois’ free throw percentage of 79.4% ranks 6th in the NCAA and leads the Big Ten.
Eight different Illini scorers have posted double-digit points in a game this season: Bostic, Bryant, Brown-Hagger, Cook, Dolan, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Wallace.
The Fighting Illini return eight players from last year’s WBIT Championship team while adding six newcomers – four freshmen and two transfers – into the mix.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Purdue makes the short trip to Champaign in search of its first conference win of the season, as the Boilermakers are 7-12 overall and 0-8 in Big Ten play thus far. Purdue is currently battling through a seven-game losing streak, the second-longest active such stretch in the conference, while they have lost by an average of 26.7 points since their last win.
Looking for their first victory of 2025, the Boilermakers are 1-4 in true road games this season, with the lone triumph dating back to a 67-51 decision against Miami of Ohio on Dec. 17. Purdue aims to snap its seven-game skid and secure their first win since Dec. 21.
ALL-TIME SERIES INFORMATION
The Boilermakers hold a 66-19 edge in the all-time series ahead of the 86th meeting between the sides on Monday. Purdue has won each of its last five games against Illinois, with the Illini looking for their victory against the Boilermakers since Feb. 7, 2021.
Purdue also has the all-time advantage when playing the Orange and Blue away from home, with the Boilermakers boasting a 26-13 mark against the Illini in Champaign.
ILLINI ON TV
Illinois will play its fifth game on national television when Illinois hosts Purdue on Monday night, with first tip slated for 7:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. The contest will be the fifth of eight nationally televised games that the Illini are currently set to play during the 2024-25 regular season:
» Nov. 7, 7 p.m. CT, vs. Marquette – Big Ten Network
» Dec. 8, 3 p.m. CT, at 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 UCLA – Big Ten Network
» Feb. 23, 3 p.m. CT, at USC – Fox Sports 1
LAST TIME OUT
Illinois cruised to an 85-60 road win over Northwestern on Thursday night, the Illini’s fifth-straight victory over the Wildcats.
For the first time this season, five scorers finished in double figures for the Orange and Blue, who never trailed in the contest and improved to 14-5 overall and 4-4 in conference play this season.
Kendall Bostic secured her fourth double-double in the last five games, ending the night with 20 points and 11 rebounds. After posting 10 points in the first half, Bostic tallied 10 points in the third quarter alone before spending the fourth quarter on the bench. The fifth year also logged an assist and a steal.
Making the 100th start of her career, Adalia McKenzie totaled 15 points for her 10th-straight game with double-digit points. Leading all scorers with 11 first-half points, McKenzie also amassed five rebounds and five assists.
Genesis Bryant tallied her first double-double of the season, pouring in 13 points while dishing out a career-high 13 assists. Her 13 helpers marked the most by an Illini since 2012, and she also tacked on three rebounds and two steals.
Brynn Shoup-Hill filled the stat sheet with 10 points, two rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.
Berry Wallace knocked down three 3-pointers en route to a 14-point performance. Scoring in double figures for the third time in her career, Wallace also corralled seven rebounds.
Cori Allen grabbed a career-most 11 rebounds along with tallying six points, while Jasmine Brown-Hagger accumulated seven points, four rebounds, and two steals.
ILLINI CONTINUE TO BATTLE DESPITE INJURY BUG
Through the team’s first 19 games of the season, Illinois has yet to have its full 14-player roster available. Holding an 14-5 record despite those setbacks, the Illini have remained resilient while battling injury issues throughout the first half of 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 3-1 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 freshman Hayven Smith at Northwestern.
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 Northwestern away from home on Jan. 23, Green posted her 55th win at the helm of the program, which currently ranks as the sixth-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
Matt Bollant
61
5
2012-2017
6
Shauna Green
55
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
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 following Illinois’ 62-57 home win over No. 23 Iowa on Jan. 9. 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.
The victory marked the fourth such triumph 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
FIGHTING ILLINI SECURE FIRST ROAD WIN AT INDIANA SINCE 2012
Illinois led for the final 38 minutes of play en route to an emphatic 68-54 road win over Indiana at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Jan. 16. Ahead by as many as 15 in the contest, the Fighting Illini improved to 13-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play with their first Big Ten road victory of the campaign.
Four scorers for the Orange and Blue finished in double figures as the Illini recorded their first road win against Indiana since 2012 and their largest margin of victory against the Hoosiers away from home since 1999.
Kendall Bostic marked her return to her home state with a dominant 21-point, eight-rebound performance. A pest in the paint from start to finish, Bostic went 9-for-19 from the field, dished out three assists, and made one block while playing all 40 minutes. Adalia McKenzie tallied 15 points for her eighth-straight outing in double figures. Three of her five rebounds came on the offensive glass, and she amassed four assists.
Berry Wallace scored in double figures for the second time in her career and for the first time in Big Ten play, pouring in 13 points off the bench. A stretch of five-consecutive points in the fourth quarter swung the momentum back in the Illini’s favor, and the freshman also connected on three 3-pointers, going 3-for-3 from deep, and finished with four rebounds and a steal.
Genesis Bryant ended the night with 12 points while equaling her season-best total with seven assists, and she also corralled three rebounds and snatched a steal. Jasmine Brown-Hagger logged seven points, including five in the fourth quarter, along with four assists, two rebounds, and a steal.
ILLINOIS FLIES PAST IOWA FOR SECOND RANKED WIN OF THE SEASON
Illinois earned its second ranked win of the season on Jan. 9 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.
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 10 in the NCAA in four statistical categories – double-doubles, defensive rebounding average, rebounding average, and total rebounds – in addition to being in the top 66 in field goals, field-goal percentage, and minutes per game. She has also joinined the scoring conversation with the 10th-most points per game and 11th-most points in the Big Ten. Bostic also ranks second in 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
12
Defensive Rebounds Per Game
4th
1st
8.9
Rebounds Per Game
8th
2nd
11.2
Rebounds
9th
2nd
213
Field Goals
39th
4th
134
Field Goal Percentage
39th
9th
54.3
Minutes Per Game
66th
2nd
34.26
Points Per Game
105th
10th
16.4
Points
117th
11th
312
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 34-10 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
GREEN BECOMES FASTEST ILLINI COACH TO REACH 30 HOME WINS
With the Fighting Illini’s 70-52 victory over Bradley at State Farm Center on Dec. 12, Illinois moved to 30-8 in home games under third-year head coach Shauna Green. Needing only 38 home games to reach the 30-win mark, Green became the fastest Illini head coach to achieve the feat in program history, surpassing the previous mark by one game.
Green’s 2022-23 squad went 12-3 at State Farm Center in the first season under Green’s guidance, while last year’s 2023-24 Fighting Illini team recorded 12 home wins for the second-consecutive season, including two wins in the squad’s postseason run to the inaugural WBIT title. With the Orange and Blue starting 6-0 at State Farm Center during the 2024-25 campaign, the Illini clinched 30 home wins in the span of just 38 games under Green.
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. Second on Illinois’ career rebounding list, Bostic 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.
BOSTIC REACHES 1,000 CAREER REBOUNDS
Kendall Bostic became the fourth player in program history to reach 1,000 career rebounds with the Illini, achieving the feat during Illinois’ 83-74 victory over No. 19 Florida State on Nov. 7. Bostic joined Jenna Smith (1,217), Karisma Penn (1,043), and Cindy Dallas (1,014) on the exclusive list.
Bostic has continued to climb the program’s career rebounding list and now ranks second all-time.
RANKED WINS CONTINUE TO ROLL IN (NOV. 7)
With the Illini’s 83-74 season-opening victory over No. 19 Florida State on Nov. 7, Illinois has now registered a win over a ranked opponent for the third consecutive season, the longest streak since the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 campaigns.
The streak began on Jan. 1, 2023, when the Illini took down No. 12 Iowa, 90-86, for the program’s first ranked win since 2019. Illinois defeated No. 16 Indiana on Feb. 19, 2024, in dominant fashion, 86-66, before Illinois’ win over the Seminoles solidified that three-season streak.
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
1,317
565
112/100
1,317
565
112/100
Genesis Bryant
1,295
307
118/72
1,216
270
84/72
Kendall Bostic
1,323
1,271
134/112
1,230
1,207
112/112
THE SHAUNA GREEN EFFECT
The Illini’s 41 overall wins in Green’s first two seasons were the program’s most over a two-year span since the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 campaigns, when Illinois recorded 42 combined victories under Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz.
Illinois’ 19 Big Ten regular-season victories over Green’s first two seasons are the program’s most over a two-year span since the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 campaigns, when Illinois totaled 20 conference wins under Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz.
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; and 5,896 fans on hand against Michigan State on Jan. 19, Illinois’ season average is 4,918 per game through 12 home regular-season contests.
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 55-30 record, including a 23-21 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 three upsets of AP Top-20 ranked teams: No. 12 Iowa (1/1/23), No. 14 Indiana (2/19/24), and No. 19 Florida State (11/7/24).
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 in the Puerto Rican BSNF for Hatillo. 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.
