Illini Welcome No. 7/6 Maryland to Ring in New Year

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Illinois Starters Last Game (at Purdue)

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

G
2
Destiny Jackson
5-6
Fr.
7.9
4.1
5.1
1.8
0.1
6.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.0 apg vs. B1G

G
4
Gretchen Dolan
5-11
R-So.
14.9
3.5
3.2
1.2
0.4
Averaging 17.5 ppg vs. B1G

G
8
Jasmine Brown-Hagger
5-9
Jr.
6.0
1.9
1.5
1.2
0.1
Season-high 12 pts, 3 rebs, 2 stls at FSU

F
23
Berry Wallace
6-1
So.
17.6
7.2
1.6
0.5
0.1
Six 20-point games this season

F
30
Cearah Parchment
6-3
Fr.
11.1
7.9
1.2
2.2
0.4
Four double-doubles this season

Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 231-111 (.675), 12th seasonDivision I Record: 202-86 (.701), 10th seasonAt Illinois: 75-36 (.676), Fourth seasonBig Ten Record: 32-24 (.571), Fourth season

THE NEXT WIN WOULD…

Move the Illini to 2-17 all-time vs. Maryland
Improve Green to 2-5 overall vs. Maryland
Mark Illinois’ first win over Maryland in State Farm Center
Move Illinois to 48-11 in home games under Green
Give the Illini an 11-game win streak
Give the Illini a 10-game home win streak
Mark UI’s first 3-0 B1G start since 1999-2000
Move Green’s career record to 232-111 in 12 seasons
Move Green’s DI record to 203-86 in 10 seasons
Move Green’s Illinois record to 76-36
Give Illinois WBB an all-time record of 722-776

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Maryland is off to a perfect 14-0 start on the 2025-26 season including a 2-0 reading in Big Ten play with wins over Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Terps’ lone away game was their Big Ten opener at Minnesota on Dec. 7, a 100-99 double overtime win. 

ALL-TIME SERIES INFO

Maryland leads the all-time series against Illinois, 17-1, with Thursday’s game marking the 19th all-time meeting. The Terrapins lead the series 5-0 when the series has been played in Champaign. Illinois won the most recent meeting in the series, a 66-65 victory in College Park on Feb. 2, 2025. The Illini are 1-5 against Maryland since Shauna Green took over the Illinois helm. 

DOLAN MEDICAL HARDSHIP WAIVER APPROVED

On Dec. 12, 2025, Illinois got word that Gretchen Dolan’s medical hardship waiver for the 2024-25 season was approved by the NCAA, giving the Buffalo, N.Y. native the year of eligibility back. Green made the announcement at media availability that day. As of that day, Dolan will be listed as a redshirt sophomore on the 2025-26 roster.

13-GAME START

Illinois’ 12-1 start through 13 games is the best start in program history. Green’s squad is the only Illini crew to earn a 12-1 (or 13-0) start all-time. 

BEST 13-GAME STARTS

Rank
Season
Record
Coach

1.
2025-26
12-1
Green

T-2.
2024-25
11-2
Green

2022-23
11-2
Green

2006-07
11-2
Grentz

1986-87
11-2
Golden

1981-82
11-2
Schroeder

1980-81
11-2
Schroeder

T-8.
2009-10
10-3
Law

2007-08
10-3
Law

2004-05
10-3
Grentz

2002-03
10-3
Grentz

1996-97
10-3
Grentz

BEST 14-GAME STARTS

The best 14-game start in program history is a 12-2 reading, achieved by two different Illini squads, including one of Shauna Green’s teams. The 2025-26 Illinois team has the chance to become the first in program history to achieve a 13-1 start on Thursday. 

BEST 14-GAME STARTS

Rank
Season
Record
Coach

T-1.
2022-23
12-2
Green

1980-81
12-2
Schroeder

T-3.
2024-25
11-3
Green

2006-07
11-3
Grentz

2002-03
11-3
Grentz

1996-97
11-3
Grentz

1986-87
11-3
Schroeder

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

Since the arrival of Shauna Green, Illinois has taken care of the basketball at an elite clip, turning in three straight seasons ranked with the second fewest turnovers in the Big Ten. The staff’s goal is 13 turnovers or less per game and the Orange and Blue have averaged below that all three seasons completed seasons. 

TURNOVERS/GAME UNDER GREEN

Season
Avg.
B1G Rank
D-1 Rank

2022-23
12.9
2nd
27th

2023-24
12.4
2nd
16th

2024-25
12.6
2nd
24th

2025-26
12.3
4th
18th

EFFICIENCY FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE

Green’s Illini have been incredibly efficient from the free throw line. Illinois has led the Big Ten in free throw shooting the last two completed seasons and is doing so once again in 2025-26. The Illini’s numbers from 2023- 24 and 2024-25 are the two best completed single-season free throw percentages in program history. Following the holiday break, Illinois leads Division I with an 82.7% mark from the stripe. 

FREE THROW PERCENTAGE UNDER GREEN

Season
Pct.
B1G Rank
D-1 Rank

2022-23
75.6
8th
53rd

2023-24
79.5
1st
6th

2024-25
79.3
1st
7th

2025-26
82.7
1st
1st

GREEN CLIMBS PROGRAM’S ALL-TIME WINS LIST

Fourth-year head coach Shauna Green continues to move up the program’s all-time wins list. Illinois’ latest win saw Green post her 75th win at the helm of the program, giving her the third-most victories by an Illinois women’s basketball head coach.

ILLINOIS WBB WINNINGEST HEAD COACHES

Rank
Coach
Wins
Tenure (# Years)

1
Theresa Grentz
210
1995-2007 (12)

2
Laura Golden
83
1984-1990 (6)

3
Shauna Green
75
2022-Present (4)

4
Jane Schroeder
73
1979-1984 (5)

RESUMING BIG TEN PLAY AT PURDUE

Four Illini scored in double figures to lead Illinois past Purdue, 83-73, on the road Sunday. Illinois’ 10th-consecutive win pushed the Orange and Blue to their first 2-0 start in Big Ten play since 2007-08. The victory was Illinois’ first in West Lafayette since 2/21/2015. 

The Illini were efficient from the free throw line, sinking 25-of-30 attempts from the line and won the battle of the boards, 35-26. Additionally, Illinois allowed Purdue just four second-chance points while scoring 12. 

LONGEST WINNING STREAKS IN PROGRAM HISTORY

Currently on a 10-game winning streak, the 2025-26 Fighting Illini have tied the second-longest streak in program history. First place (11 games) spanned the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons following Illinois’ WBIT championship.

PROGRAM WIN STREAKS

Rank
Coach
Streak
Dates

1
Shauna Green
11
3/21/24-11/26/24

2
Shauna Green
10
11/18/25-Present

Jane Schroeder
10
11/20/81-1/2/82

4
Theresa Grentz
9
12/20/97-1/16/98

5
Shauna Green
8
1/23/25-2/16/25

BERRY WALLACE’S SOPHOMORE SURGE

Through 13 games of the 2025-26 campaign, Fighting Illini sophomore Berry Wallace is averaging 17.6 points per game up from 9.0 ppg last season, despite being at the top of every opponents’ scout. 

Along with her 17.6 points, Wallace is averaging 7.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.1 blocks across 32.2 minutes per game. The Pickerington, Ohio, native opened the season with four consecutive 20-point outings, including the first double-double of her career in the Orange and Blue’s season opener. Wallace is shooting a scorching 51.6% FG, 33.3% 3FG, and 86.4 FT% through 13 games. 

Wallace’s four straight 20-point games to open the season made her the only player in a P5 conference to do so. Additionally, she was the only player in the country with 4+ 20-point games against all D1 teams to start the season. 

REGULAR SEASON BIG TEN WINS 

In her third season at Illinois, head coach Shauna Green has led the Fighting Illini to a 32-24 regular season record against the Big Ten. Those 32 victories are already third all-time among Illinois head coaches. 

REGULAR SEASON BIG TEN WINS BY ILLINOIS HEAD COACHES

RANK
HC
#
SEASONS
TENURE

1
Theresa Grentz
101
12
1995-2007

2
Laura Golden
44
6
1984-1990

3
Shauna Green
32
4
2022-Present

4
Jolette Law
27
5
2007-2012

Kathy Lindsey
27
5
1990-1995

FANTASTIC FRESHMEN

Fighting Illini rookies Destiny Jackson and Cearah Parchment have started all 13 games for Illinois and are averaging a combined 19.0 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 4.0 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game. The Illini combo is one of two freshman duos in the Big Ten averaging 20+ minutes each, joining Maryland. 

Parchment was one of two Big Ten freshman to record a double-double in the first three weeks of the season (Layla Hays, Iowa) while Jackson’s six assists in her collegiate debut (SEMO) is a program record for a freshman in a season opener. Parchment added a points-steals double-double with 17 points and 10 steals vs. Bellarmine on Nov. 30. Parchment’s showing was just the second of the sort in Illinois program history while also tying the single-game record with 10 steals. Parchment was just the fifth player – and first freshman – in the NCAA to record a points-steals double-double this season. 

Both Illini rookies were recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week within the first five weeks of the season. As of Dec. 8, Illinois was the only program to have two different players recognized with the award. 

Both Illini rookies were recognized as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week within the first five weeks of the season. As of Dec. 8, Illinois is the only program to have two different players recognized with the award. 

FRESHMAN STANDOUTS

at least 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in the NCAA and averages the third fewest turnovers per game (2.0). Jackson is averaging 29.4 minutes per game, the ninth-most minutes among the group. 

Jackson is one of two freshmen across D1 averaging at least 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. 

ALL NCAA DI FRESHMEN

PLAYER
TEAM
PPG
RPG
APG
TO/GAME

D. Jackson
Illinois
7.9
4.1
5.1
2.0

C. DeVillasee
Cincinnati
16.2
4.0
5.6
2.7

TOP ILLINOIS TALENT

With the addition of Destiny Jackson and Aaliyah Guyton for the 2025-26 campaign, Illinois basketball now has the top-ranked Illinois recruits from the classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025. 

Jasmine Brown-Hagger was the state’s No. 1 player in the class of 2023, and the no. 54 prospect in the nation, according to espnW HoopGurlz. In her senior season at Example Academy, she averaged 19.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 3.2 steals. While she played her freshman season at Mississippi State, she came home to Illinois the following year.

Illinois’ No. 1 in the class of 2024, Aaliyah Guyton is originally from Peoria, Illinois. She enters her first season at Illinois after transferring from Iowa over the offseason.

After earning the titles of Illinois Ms. Basketball and Illinois Gatorade Player of the year in 2025, Destiny Jackson comes from Chicago as a five-star recruit, ranked sixth nationally at her position. The top-ranked player in Illinois, Jackson played at Whitney Young Magnet H.S. while playing club for Example Sports GUAA.

YOUNGEST TEAM

Green’s fourth Illini squad is by far her youngest, with an average age of 19.91 years as of the start of the 2025-26 campaign. This places Illinois in the top-five for youngest rosters in Power 4 + BigEast Women’s Basketball.

Only two players — Gretchen Dolan and Gisela Segura — are above the age of 21. Segura is the team’s oldest, with her 23rd birthday in December. 

Meanwhile Cearah Parchment is the youngest player on the team, at 18 years and four months. She was born on July 4, 2007, just five days after the launch of the iPhone.

THE SHAUNA GREEN EFFECT

Illinois’ 63 wins through Green’s first three seasons match the program record in that span while also marking the most by a head coach in their first three years with the Orange and Blue. Across that period, Illinois went 38-11 at home under Green, and the program has secured double-digit wins in three straight seasons for the first time in program history. The Illini won 11 consecutive games from March 21-Nov. 26, 2024, a new program record and the longest active win streak in the country at the time. Additionally, Illinois strung together a program-record eight-game Big Ten winning streak en route to an 11-7 record in league play.

TALLEST PLAYER IN PROGRAM HISTORY

Listed at 6’7″, Lety Vasconcelos is the tallest player in program history. While the Illini have had various student-athletes at 6’6″ in the past — including Aicha Ndour from 2022-2024 — the extra inch makes Vasconcelos the tallest Illini ever. 

While she’s the tallest Illini, Vasconcelos is tied for tallest in the conference, as Purdue’s Avery Gordon and UCLA’s Lauren Betts are also listed at the same height.