BUFFALO, N.Y. – No. 21 Illinois pulled out a gritty 68-55 road win over Canisius on Monday night in Fighting Illini head coach Shauna Green’s return to her alma mater.
The Fighting Illini were the first-ever Division I ranked team to play at the Golden Griffins’ Koessler Athletic Center.
Adalia McKenzie registered her first double-double of the season, tallying 15 points and 10 rebounds while going 5-for-9 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free-throw line. McKenzie grabbed four offensive rebounds while also totaling three assists and one steal.
Kendall Bostic posted a team-high 16 points, the seventh time this season she has scored in double figures. Bostic also added seven rebounds, two assists, and one block.
Jasmine Brown-Hagger marked her return following a three-game absence with 13 points and two steals off the bench.
Brynn Shoup-Hill amassed nine points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks, and one steal.
Makira Cook finished with eight points, a team-high five assists, and a steal.
Bostic and Shoup-Hill combined for the Illini’s first six points of the night to give the visitors an early 6-2 edge. Holding the Golden Griffins scoreless for over three minutes, Illinois pieced together a 6-0 scoring stretch to add to its advantage. The Orange and Blue then extended their lead to double digits, 17-6, with four minutes remaining in the period before ultimately going in front, 19-11, through the first 10 minutes of play.
After Canisius cut its deficit to five within the first two minutes of the second frame, Illinois used a 9-0 run to move its lead back into double digits, 30-16. A separate 7-0 run gave the Illini a 19-point advantage, their largest of the first half, but a 10-2 stretch from the Golden Griffins to close the quarter sent the Orange and Blue into the break with a 39-28 edge.
Four of Illinois’ five starters had at least seven points in the first half, while the pesky Illini defense forced Canisius into 14 turnovers across the opening 20 minutes of action.
The two sides traded buckets early in the third quarter, but a 10-2 run from the home side reduced Canisius’ deficit to 47-42 late in the frame. A 3-pointer from Geneis Bryant ended an Illini field-goal drought that spanned over five minutes, and buzzer-beating layup by Bostic put the Orange and Blue ahead, 54-46, entering the final period.
Bostic’s layup within the first 30 seconds of the fourth quarter pushed the Illini’s lead back up to double digits. The Golden Griffins responded with four consecutive points to cut their deficit to six and force an Illinois timeout with 7:51 remaining. Out of the stoppage, the Orange and Blue went on an 8-0 run over the next four minutes to take a 64-50 lead with just under five minutes left on the clock.
With Illinois keeping Canisius scoreless for nearly three minutes near the end of the contest, the Illini improved to 7-1 on the year.
No. 21 Illinois (7-1) will open Big Ten play on Sunday, remaining on the road to take on No. 12 Ohio State at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. The ranked showdown between the Illini and the Buckeyes is slated for 3 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes:
Genesis Bryant scored five points and added three rebounds and an assist.
Makira Cook scored eight points and dished out five assists.
Has at least five assists in four games this season.
Brynn Shoup-Hill scored nine points and secured five boards.
Went 1-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Has made at least one 3-pointer in each game this season.
Adalia McKenzie scored 15 points to go along with 10 rebounds and three assists.
Tallied her first double-double of the season and the eighth of her Illini career.
Ninth game of her Illini career with double-digit rebounds.
Grabbed four offensive rebounds…has multiple o-boards in five games this season.
Scored in double-figures in her second-straight contest and for the sixth time overall this season.
62nd such game of her Illini career.
Kendall Bostic scored a game-high 16 points and secured seven rebounds.
Continues to climb the program’s all-time rebounding list:
1. Jenna Smith (2006-10) – 1,217
2. Kendall Bostic (2021-pres.) – 1,075
Scored in double-figures for the sixth-straight game and seventh time overall this season.
56th time in her DI career with double-digit points.
Jasmine Brown-Hagger was the first player off the bench, entering the contest at the first-quarter media timeout (4:15 remaining in Q1).
Made her return after missing the Illini’s previous three games.
Scored in double figures for the third time this season and for the fifth time in her career.
Cori Allen came off the bench to register three steals in five minutes of action.
Hayven Smith logged two rebounds in four minutes of action off of the bench.
Team Notes:
The Illini won the opening tip, and Illinois opened the scoring on a layup from Kendall Bostic.
Illinois has now outscored its opponents, 164-80, in the first quarter this season.
The Illini held the Golden Griffins scoreless for a 3:44 stretch in the first, forcing four turnovers during that span.
Illinois held Canisius scoreless for a stretch of 4:08 in the fourth quarter, going on an 8-0 run during that span to take a 14-point lead.
The Illini had three scorers in double figures (Bostic, Brown-Hagger, McKenzie).
Illinois outrebounded Canisius, 35-24, the seventh time this season the Illini have won the battle on the boards.
Held a 15-4 edge in offensive rebounds, scoring 16 second-chance points.
Illinois forced a season-high 23 Canisius turnovers and scored 18 points off those takeaways.
The Illini have forced double-digit turnovers in all eight games this season.
Forced 14 Canisius turnovers in the first half, scoring 12 points off those turnovers.
Illinois led for a total of 39:33 in the contest and did not trail.
Have trailed for a total of 31:45 through eight games.
Have led for a total of 274:55.

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