| Illinois Starters Last Game (Exhibition vs. Quincy) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
3 |
Makira Cook |
5-6 |
Jr. |
– |
– |
– |
Dayton Transfer | 4 pts, 6 rebs in EXH |
| G |
12 |
Jayla Oden |
5-9 |
So. |
– |
– |
– |
20+ minutes in EXH |
| G |
24 |
Adalia McKenzie |
5-10 |
So. |
– |
– |
– |
21 points in EXH |
| F |
23 |
Brynn Shoup-Hill |
6-3 |
So. |
– |
– |
– |
Dayton Transfer |
| F |
44 |
Kendall Bostic |
6-2 |
Jr. |
– |
– |
– |
Big Ten's top rebounder in 2021-22 |
Career Record: 156-75Â (.675), ninth year
Division I Record: 127-50 (.718), seventh year
In Season Openers: 5-3 overall, 5-1 Division I
At Illinois: 0-0, first year
Big Ten: 0-0
Series Notes vs. LIU
All-Time Record: First meeting
Record at Champaign: First meeting
Streak: First meeting
Green vs. LIU:Â First meeting
Opening Tips
• Illinois opens its 49th season of women's basketball on Wednesday, hosting LIU (7 p.m. CT, B1G+).Â
• The Illini have posted an all-time record of 30-18 (.625) in season openers and have won five straight openers.Â
• The Illini are 22-6 all-time (.786) when starting the season at State Farm Center (includes 2016 opener played at Parkland during SFC renovations).Â
• Illinois has five returners on the 2022-23 squad, including: Jada Peebles, Jayla Oden, Geovana Lopes, Adalia McKenzie and Kendall Bostic
• Shauna Green brought in eight newcomers since being hired on March 21, 2022 - four freshmen and four transfers.Â
• Illinois' transfers include: Genesis Bryant (NC State), Makira Cook (Dayton), Aicha Ndour (NW Florida State College) and Brynn Shoup-Hill. Those three programs went a combined 85-13 last season.
• Shauna Green's trio of assistant coaches are no strangers to her or each other. Green, Calamity McEntire, DeAntoine Beasley and Ryan Gensler were on the Dayton Women's Basketball staff together for four seasons from 2017-21. With those four coaches leading from the sidelines, the Flyers posted a 79-34 overall record across four seasons.
LIU Story Lines
• LIU played at Ohio Monday night for its season-opener. The Sharks upended the Bobcats, 74-67. The victory marked the first season-opening win for LIU (formerly LIU Brooklyn) in 10 years.
• In 2021-22, LIU went 9-18 overall with a 9-9 mark in conference play.
• Three sharks scored in double figures in the opener including 19 points from Emaia O'Brien. Iris Mbulito recorded a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
NEW YORK TIES IN THE ILLINI PROGRAM
• Illinois assistant coach Ryan Gensler is a New York native, hailing from Syracuse.Â
• Emily Durr, Illinois' director of recruiting operations is a native of Utica, New York.
• Jenna Giacone, the Fighting Illini's director of scouting & players development, hails from Delmar, New York.
• Illini graduate assistant Caleb Samson is a Brooklyn, New York native.
COMPLETE GAME NOTES (PDF)
