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COLUMBIA, Mo. – A 21-point night from Gretchen Dolan helped lead the Fighting Illini to a gritty 70-62 McBride Home Braggin’ Rights road win over Missouri on Wednesday night.
The victory saw Illinois improve to 9-1, the program’s best start through 10 games since 1981-82, when the Orange and Blue began 10-0. The Illini never trailed in the contest, leading for the final 38:03 en route to the rivalry win.
Destiny Jackson filled the stat sheet with nine points, a career-high nine assists, five rebounds, and a career-most five steals. Cearah Parchment chipped in with nine points, eight rebounds and two steals.
Maddie Webber continued to prove her value off the bench with 11 points, three rebounds, and a steal.
Illinois’ defense proved to a major factor once again, with the Illini forcing 18 Missouri turnovers while turning those takeaways into 18 points on the other end of the floor. The Fighting Illini turned those takeaways into 18 points on the offensive end of the floor. Six different players made at least one steal, with Jackson leading the way with five.
How It Happened
Illinois began the game on an 8-0 run, ultimately keeping the Tigers scoreless for nearly five minutes to start the night while holding the hosts without a field goal for the opening 7:24 of play. The Fighting Illini eventually entered the quarter break with a 14-10 advantage.
The Illini remained in front in the second frame, going on an 8-0 run starting at the 5:38 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Dolan, to increase its lead to 28-19. The Tigers cut into their deficit, but the visitors took a 34-26 advantage into the break.
Illinois continued to preserve its halftime lead before going on a 5-0 run, punctuated by a 3-pointer from Webber, to expand its lead to 50-43 with 1:56 to go in the third. Despite a strong finish to the frame by the home side, the Fighting Illini entered the fourth quarter with a 50-47 edge.
After the Orange and Blue brought their lead to six, 56-50, with just under seven minutes remaining, Missouri answered with a 5-0 run to cut its deficit to one. The Illini finished strong, though, going on a late 10-2 scoring stretch to close out the eight-point triumph.
Illinois returns to State Farm Center on Sunday afternoon against North Texas for the program’s Holiday Game. The opening tip is set for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+.
HIGHLIGHTS
POSTGAME RADIO INTERVIEWS
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes:
Gretchen Dolan finished with a game-high 21 points, two rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal.
Recorded the second 20-point game of her collegiate career.
Posted her eighth double-digit scoring outing of the campaign.
Started 4-for-4 from the field and 2-for-2 from beyond the arc.
Equaled her career-best output with three 3-pointers.
Her three 3-pointers set a new season-best mark.
Knocked down multiple 3-pointers for the second time this season.
Maddie Webber added 11 points, three rebounds, and a steal off the bench.
Scored in double digits for the sixth time this season and for the fifth time in the last six games.
Has made at least one 3-pointer in six of the last seven games.
Destiny Jackson recorded nine points, nine assists, five rebounds, and five steals.
Achieved a new career-high with nine assists.
Her nine assists are the most by an Illini freshman since Jan. 15, 2017, when Brandi Beasley registered 10 against Nebraska.
Dished out five first-half assists.
Has at least six assists in four consecutive appearances.
Set a new career-high with five steals.
Made multiple steals for the fifth consecutive game and for the sixth time overall this season.
Grabbed five rebounds for the third straight game and for the fourth time overall this season.
Has at least nine points in three of the last four games.
Berry Wallace turned in eight points, nine rebounds, an assist, and a steal.
Grabbed nine rebounds for the second time this season.
Has a steal in back-to-back games and in four outings overall this year.
Had made 29-consecutive free throws prior to her miss.
Cearah Parchment posted nine points, eight rebounds, two steals, an assist, and a block.
Recorded multiple steals for the fourth time this season.
Has 8+ rebounds in each of the last three games and in six contests this season.
Made her third block of the season.
Team Notes:
Missouri won the opening tip, but Illinois got on the board first with a Gretchen Dolan 3-pointer on the Illini’s second possession of the game.
The Illini held the Tigers scoreless for the first 4:56 of play, starting the game on an 8-0 run.
Illinois held Missouri without a field goal for the first 7:24 while forcing the Tigers to an 0-for-12 start from the field.
Maddie Webber and Lety Vasconcelos were the first Illini off the bench, checking in at 5:04 in the first quarter.
Illinois held Missouri without a field goal from 6:45 to 3:14 in the second quarter, going on a 10-2 scoring stretch during that time to take a 28-19 lead.
A 10-2 run over a 1:08 stretch late in the fourth quarter turned a two-point Illini lead into a 10-point advantage with six seconds remaining.
Six different Illini made multiple field goals in the first half.
Four Illini made 4+ field goals in the contest.
Two Illini scored in double digits (Dolan [21], Webber [11]).
Illinois is now 63-11 under Shauna Green when holding opponents to 70 points or less.
The Illini forced 18 turnovers while scoring 18 points off those takeaways.
Illinois has forced 18+ turnovers in five straight games.
Illinois grabbed 11 steals, their fourth outing this season with at least 10 while doing so four times in the last five games.
UI turned nine offensive rebounds into nine second-chance points.
The Illini outscored the Tigers in the paint, 42-22.
Illinois never trailed in the game, leading for the final 38:03 of play.
Misc. Notes:
Starters: Destiny Jackson, Jasmine Brown-Hagger, Gretchen Dolan, Berry Wallace, Cearah Parchment
This lineup is now 9-1 this season
Shauna Green is now:
72-36 at Illinois
199-86 as a Division I head coach
228-111 overall
Shauna Green is now the fourth winningest coach in Illinois Women’s Basketball history with 72 wins across four seasons.
210 wins – Theresa Grentz (1995-2007, 12 seasons)
83 wins – Laura Golden (1984-90, 6 seasons)
73 wins – Jane Schroeder (1979-84, 5 seasons)
72 wins – Shauna Green (2022-present, 4 seasons)
69 wins – Jolette Law (2007-12, 5 seasons)
Illinois vs. Missouri: 11-7
Shauna Green’s coaching record vs. Missouri: 2-1
Illinois has won the last three meetings in Columbia.
The Illini are now 6-2 when playing Missouri in Columbia.
The Illini improved to 9-1, marking their best start to a season since 1981-82, when Illinois began the year 10-0.
Illinois’ 9-1 start ties the 1980-81 campaign for the second-best start through the first 10 games.
Illinois extended its winning streak to a season-high seven games, its longest such streak since winning eight straight from Jan. 23, 2025-Feb. 16, 2025.
Illinois is now 2-1 when wearing orange uniforms this season and are now 9-8 when doing so under Green.
The Illini are 4-1 in night games (after 5 p.m.) this season and 37-14 under Green.
Illinois is 2-0 in games played on Wednesdays this season and 13-5 under Green.
Illinois is 3-0 in the month of December this season and 15-7 under Green when playing in December.
Illinois is now 2-1 in true road games this season and 20-14 under Shauna Green.
Illinois is 20-8 during the 2025 calendar year.
The Illini are now 2-0 when playing on TV this season and 17-18 under Green in those games.
