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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Cearah Parchment scored a career-high 26 points and Destiny Jackson added 15 more, but the Fighting Illini fell to the UCLA Bruins 80-67 at home on Wednesday evening.
The Fighting Illini (15-6, 5-5) had four players score in double figures, led by Parchment, who notched 26 points and seven rebounds. Jackson tacked on 15 points, six assists and two steals and Maddie Webber chipped in as well with 12 points and two steals from the bench.
In her first collegiate start, Lety Vasconcelos was tasked with guarding All-American center Lauren Betts, holding her to 16 points before fouling out with 5:40 left to play in the fourth quarter.
Illinois’ defense held UCLA to only 10 percent shooting from beyond the arc, a season-low one made three-pointer for the Bruins.
How It Happened
Illinois battled early, scoring the first three points of the contest, but fell behind 23-16 at the end of the first quarter.
Despite eight points from Wallace in the opening half, Illinois faced a 45-31 deficit through halftime.
After intermission, Illinois cut the lead to 51-39 before going on a 7-0 run, punctuated by a basket from Jackson, down by just five points with 4:43 to go in the third. UCLA countered with four quick points from Betts, extending its lead to 56-49 heading into the final quarter.
UCLA widened its lead in the fourth, constructing a 65-51 advantage before Illinois went on a 5-0 run, finished off by a Webber layup, to shrink the deficit to 65-56 with 5:24 to go in the contest. Illinois fired away from deep in the quarter, knocking down three shots to account for nine of its 18 points. UCLA responded in the final frame with nine points from Lauren Betts and six from Kiki Rice, finishing out the 80-67 win for the Bruins.
GAME HIGHLIGHTS
ILLINOIS POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
UCLA POSTGAME PRESS CONFERENCE
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes:
Berry Wallace turned in 11 points, six rebounds, three assists, and a steal.
Posted her 19th outing with double-digit points this season and the 30th such game of her career.
Has scored in double figures in each of the last 11 games.
Played all 40 minutes for the sixth time this season.
Has played the full 40 minutes in six of the last seven games.
Cearah Parchment posted 26 points and seven rebounds.
Scored a career-high 26 points against the Bruins.
Registered the third 20-point game of the season/of her career.
Has 20+ points in back-to-back games.
Tallied 10+ points for the 13th time this season/in her career.
Knocked down at least three 3-pointers for the second time.
Has multiple 3-pointers in five contests.
Extended her streak to 20 straight games with 5+ total rebounds.
Has at least three offensive rebounds in each of the last nine games.
Connected on double-digit field goals for the second time in her career, shooting 10-for-13 from the field.
Maddie Webber ended the night with 12 points, two assists, two rebounds, and an assist off the bench.
Posted 10+ points for the 13th time this season and for the 53rd time in her career.
Grabbed multiple steals for the second time this season.
Destiny Jackson logged 15 points, six assists, two rebounds, and two steals.
Totaled double-digit points for the sixth time.
Has 10+ points in back-to-back games for the second time this season.
Had multiple steals for the ninth time in her career/this season.
Lety Vasconcelos totaled two points, five rebounds, and one assist.
Made the first start of her collegiate career.
Fouled out in the fourth quarter after being tasked with guarding All-American center Lauren Betts all night.
Team Notes:
UCLA won the opening tip, and Illinois opened the scoring on its first possession with a 2-pointer from Cearah Parchment.
For the first time this season, Hayven Smith was the first Illini off the bench, checking in at 7:31 in the first quarter.
Four Illini scored in double digits (Parchment [26], Jackson [15], Webber [12], and Wallace [11]).
The Illini used a 7-0 run midway through the third quarter to cut their deficit to single digits, 51-46.
Illinois outscored UCLA on the fast break, 7-2.
The Illini held the Bruins to a season-low one 3-pointer (1-for-10).
Misc. Notes:
Starters: Destiny Jackson, Jasmine Brown-Hagger, Berry Wallace, Cearah Parchment, and Lety Vasconcelos.
This lineup is now 0-1 this season.
Shauna Green is now:
49-13 in home games
35-29 in Big Ten play
78-41 at Illinois
205-91 as a Division I head coach
234-116 across her career
Illinois vs. UCLA: 3-3
Shauna Green’s coaching record vs. UCLA: 0-2
Illinois is 2-1 when playing UCLA in Champaign
The Illini played a top-2 team in the country at home for the first time since Dec. 10, 2000, when Illinois hosted #1 UConn.
Illinois is now 3-3 when wearing orange uniforms this season and are now 10-10 when doing so under Green.
The Illini are 5-4 in night games (after 5 p.m.) this season and 38-17 under Green.
Illinois is 2-2 in games played on Wednesdays this season and 13-7 under Green.
Illinois is 3-5 in the month of January this season and 17-14 under Green when playing in January.
Illinois is now 11-2 in home games this season and 49-13 under Shauna Green.
Illinois is 3-5 during the 2026 calendar year.
Illinois is now 1-5 against AP-ranked teams this season and 7-20 under Shauna Green.
