CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois women's basketball closed out its non-conference slate with an undefeated 7-0 mark at home as the Fighting Illini triumphed over Florida Atlantic, 81-46, at the State Farm Center on Wednesday afternoon. Genesis Bryant posted her first career triple-double during the victory as the junior tallied a team-best 22 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds.
The Illini improved to 11-2 this year, with its seventh-straight home victory. FAU dropped to 8-2 on the season and 2-2 on the road.
Although the Fighting Illini conceded the opening basket, the next three scores favored the Orange and Blue, giving Illinois the early 7-2 advantage with 7:46 to play in the first frame. The Illini dominated, holding FAU scoreless for over two minutes, and a three pointer by Jada Peebles forced the Owls to burn a timeout with 3:50 left in the quarter and Illinois ahead, 17-6. The Fighting Illini closed out the period on an 8-0 run, leading 25-10 after 10 minutes of play.
Bryant and Brynn Shoup-Hill opened the second quarter with a triple each, extending the Fighting Illini's 21-point advantage with 7:58 left in the half. The Orange and Blue defense was on full display as the Illini kept the Owls scoreless for over eight minutes, spanning over both periods. Jayla Oden scored three-straight buckets for the Illini, leading to an FAU timeout with 3:49 on the clock and the Fighting Illini holding the 43-12 edge.
A five-point swing favored Florida Atlantic out of the break, but Bryant added a 3-pointer to snap the potential Owl rally. Peebles scored the final basket of the first half with 39 seconds remaining on the clock, sending the Illini to the locker room with the 49-19 edge.
The Fighting Illini shot 58.1 percent from the field and 10-of-17 from beyond the arc in the first half. Bryant led all players with 15 points. Peebles also reached double-digits before the break, adding 11 for the Illini.
Shoup-Hill started the second half with a layup on UI's opening possession, pushing the Orange and Blue's 51-19 lead. The Illini closed out the period outscoring FAU, 22-10, for the quarter, taking the 71-29 advantage into the final frame.
Illinois held Florida Atlantic to 10 points or less in each of the first three quarters, bringing its total to 13 such quarters this season.
FAU began the fourth quarter with a 9-2 run before Kam'Ren Rhodes snapped the streak with a bucket from behind the arc with 7:18 left in the contest. Needing a pair of rebounds to complete her first-ever triple double, Bryant brought down her third offensive board before adding one on defense to complete the accomplishment with 3:50 remaining on the clock and the Illini ahead, 81-41. Despite the Owls outscoring Illinois 17-10 in the fourth quarter, the Fighting Illini came away with the 81-46 victory.
As a team, the Fighting Illini shot 47.6 percent from the field and 50 percent from three-point range. The Illinois squad held FAU to 28.1-percent shooting from the floor and an 11.1-percent mark from beyond the arc.
Oden and Shoup-Hill added 14 points apiece. Peebles finished the win with 11 points, nine of which came from behind the arc.
Kendall Bostic finished the contest with nine rebounds. The forward is now three boards shy of 500 for her career.
Bryant joined elite company as the third player to record a triple-double while donning the Orange and Blue. Kim Brombolich was the first-ever Illinois women's basketball player to achieve such a feat, posting 13 points, 11 rebounds and 15 assists against Eastern Michigan on Jan. 22, 1982. Alex Wittinger boasted such achievement at Penn State on Jan. 23, 2018, when she added 18 points, 10 rebounds and 11 blocks.
The triple-double for Bryant also marked the first-ever during Illinois Head Coach Shauna Green's nine-year coaching career.
The Fighting Illini hit the road for a Big Ten battle at Wisconsin on Dec. 29. Tipoff is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT.
Post-Game Notes
Player Notes:
- Genesis Bryant recorded the third triple-double in program history, scoring 22 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and dishing out 12 assists.
- Bryant set career-highs in points, rebounds and assists.
- Bryant has scored at least 20 points in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
- Bryant poured in 15 points in the first half on 5-for-7 shooting, including 4-for-5 from behind the arc.
- Prior to securing her 10th rebound, Bryant had notched her first-career double-double in points and assists.
- Previous Illinois triple-doubles: Alex Wittinger (18 pts, 10 reb, 11 blk) on Jan. 23, 2018, at Penn State; Kim Brombolich (13 pts, 11 reb, 15 ast) on Jan 22., 1982, vs. Eastern Michigan
- Brynn Shoup-Hill scored a career-high matching 14 points, on 5-for-9 shooting, including 2-for-5 from deep. She also added four rebounds and two assists.
- Shoup-Hill has tallied double-digit scoring performances in back-to-back games for the first time this season.
- Jayla Oden scored a season-high 14 points and added four rebounds.
- It is the fourth double-digit scoring performance of the season.
- Kendall Bostic added nine rebounds, her third-straight game with at least nine rebounds and her ninth such game this season.
- Jada Peebles scored 11 points, going 3-for-5 from deep.
- This is the fifth time this season that Peebles has made at least three 3-pointers in a game.
Team Notes:
- All five Illini starters scored before the first media timeout of the game, when Illinois led 17-6.
- Illinois held the Owls scoreless for the final 3:10 of the first quarter and first 5:07 of the second quarter for a span of 8:17.
- FAU shot 28.1 percent (18-for-64) in the contest, the third time this season the Illini have held an opponent under 30 percent from the floor.
- The Illini knocked down 10-of-17 3-pointers in the first half and finished with 13 on the day.
- Illinois shot 50 percent (13-for-26) from behind the arc in the game, the fourth time this season they have shot 50 percent or better from 3-point range.
- The Illini's six made 3-pointers in the second quarter are a season high for any period this season.
- Illinois posted a season-high 20 assists on 30 field goals.
- The Illini outrebounded the Owls 46-35.
- Illinois scored 17 second-chance points on 14 offensive rebounds.
- Illinois scored 22 points off of 13 FAU turnovers.
- It is the second-straight game the Illini have scored at least 20 points off of their opponent's turnovers.
Misc Notes:
- Starters: Genesis Bryant, Jada Peebles, Adalia McKenzie, Brynn Shoup-Hill, Kendall Bostic for the second-straight game. Illinois is now 2-0 with this unit.
- Illinois improves to 10-1 in non-conference play.
- Illinois has won 10 regular-season non-conference games for just the third time in program history - tying the program's record.
- UI has won 11 games before December 25th (Christmas) for the first time in program history.
- The Illini have won seven-straight home games for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
- Shauna Green is now:
- 11-2 at Illinois
- 1-1 in the Big Ten
- 138-52 as a Division I coach
- 167-77 overall
- Against Florida Atlantic record: 1-0
- Uniforms: Illinois is now 6-0 when wearing white uniforms.
- Day games record: 7-2.
Score after 1st Quarter: 25-10
Score at Halftime: 49-19 (24-9)
Score after 3rd Quarter: 71-29 (22-10)
Final score: 81-46 (10-17)
