#23/24 Fighting Illini Host Eastern Illinois for Military Appreciation, 217 Night

#23/24 Illinois vs. Eastern Illinois
Date | Time	Thursday, Nov. 14, 2024 | 6 p.m. CT
Location	Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center
Tickets	Single-Game | Season
Promotions	Military Appreciation Night (Free Ticket through VetTix) | 217 Night ($2 Tickets, $17 Gameday Spirit hoodies)
Digital Game Programs	All Publications | Eastern Illinois Game
Watch	B1G+ | B1G+ App | WATCH
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen | Varsity Network App
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Rosters	Illinois | Eastern Illinois
Stats	Illinois | Eastern Illinois
Game Notes	Illinois | Eastern Illinois | Big Ten
Record Books	Illinois | Big Ten WBB | NCAA WBB
Availability/Interviews	EIU Preview Availability (11/13/24) | Marquette Postgame Press Conference (11/10) | YouTube Playlist
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniWBB  | @IlliniWBB  | Facebook  | YouTube

Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 199-100 (.666), 11th season
Division I Record: 170-75 (.694), Ninth season
At Illinois: 43-25 (.632), Third season
Big Ten Record: 19-17 (.528), Third season

LIVE STREAM

Fans unable to attend Thursday's contest can watch No. 23/24 Illinois vs. Eastern Illinois online by purchasing a subscription to B1G+, a streaming service of non-televised events produced by the Big Ten Network in partnership with the Big Ten Conference schools.

Fans who sign up can choose either the monthly rate of $12.99 or the annual rate of $89.99. The B1G+ subscription includes access to live streaming of non-televised games, next day on-demand archives, and access to Big Ten Network's library of Illinois' previous season classics and originals.

The 15 remaining women's basketball games are slated to be streamed via B1G+:
» Nov. 18 at 11 a.m. vs. Le Moyne
» Nov. 22 at 7 p.m. vs. Oregon State
» Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. vs. Bradley
» Dec. 15 at 1 p.m. vs. Southern Indiana
» Dec. 20 at 12 p.m. vs. Southern
» Dec. 28 at 2 p.m. vs. Oregon
» Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. at Minnesota
» Jan. 9 at 6 p.m. vs. Iowa
» Jan. 19  at 2 p.m. vs. Michigan State
» Jan. 30 at 6 p.m. at Rutgers
» Feb. 2 at 12 p.m. at Maryland
» Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. vs. Northwestern
» Feb. 9 at 3 p.m. at Wisconsin
» Feb. 13 at 6 p.m. vs. Penn State
» March 2 at 2 p.m. vs. Michigan

OPENING TIP

The 51st campaign of Illinois women's basketball continues with No. 23/24 Illinois hosting Eastern Illinois on Thursday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m. CT on B1G+  from State Farm Center. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (1400 AM / 93.9 FM). Streaming, audio, and stats links are also available at FightingIllini.com/wbb. 

• Illinois has earned a win over a ranked opponent for the third consecutive season under Green.
• The Fighting Illini have now been ranked in the Top 25 in all three seasons under Green.
• Illinois returns four 1,000-career point scorers, tied for the most in the NCAA with Baylor, Notre Dame, and Kansas State.
• Illinois' starters last game (Cook, Bryant, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Bostic) have a combined 364 career starts (338 at Illinois) and played a combined 506 games (378 at Illinois).
• Illinois has led for a total of 76:06 this season through two games, while only trailing for 44 seconds.
• Head coach Shauna Green looks for her 200th win as a head coach on Thursday.
• The Illini have held opponents at/below 15 points in 4 of 8 regulation periods.
• Illinois is looking to start the season 3-0 for the second time under head coach Shauna Green.
• Six different Illini scorers have posted double-digit points in a game this season: Bostic, Bryant, Cook, Dolan, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill. McKenzie is the only Illini to do so in both games.
• The Fighting Illini return eight players from last year's WBIT Championship team while adding six newcomers - four freshmen and two transfers - into the mix.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

The Panthers make their first trip to Champaign since 2013, when the Illini hosted Eastern Illinois for a WNIT matchup.

EIU currently sits at 0-2 following a two-game road trip to North Dakota. The Panthers began their season with a 66-63 loss to North Dakota on Nov. 8 before falling to North Dakota State, 65-56, on Nov. 10.

ALL-TIME SERIES INFORMATION

The 2024 matchup marks the 16th meeting in the all-time series between Illinois and EIU. Most recently, the sides met in Champaign during the 2013 WNIT, with the Fighting Illini posting a 62-54 victory on March 25, 2013. Illinois leads the series, 10-5, with the first meeting taking place in 1975. The Illini hold a 5-2 edge in the all-time series when games are played in Champaign.

RANKED ILLINI

For the third straight season under head coach Shauna Green, Fighting Illini women's basketball is ranked in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll, coming in at No. 23 in the Nov. 11 poll. Illinois has opened the 2024-25 campaign with an 83-74 win over No. 19 Florida State (Nov. 7) followed by a 65-53 victory against Marquette (Nov. 10).

Illinois has been ranked in six combined AP polls under Green. In 2022-23, the Illini appeared in four Top-25 polls, followed by the preseason rankings in 2023-24, and most recently the Week 1 poll in 2024-25. The Illini have now appeared in 69 AP polls all-time across 11 different seasons.

Green joins Naismith Hall of Famer Theresa Grentz as the only two coaches in program history to lead their teams to AP Top-25 ranking appearances in three straight seasons. The last time Illinois was ranked in three straight seasons was a five-season span from 1996-97 through 2000-01.

ILLINOIS SOARS PAST MARQUETTE TO IMPROVE TO 2-0

Illinois used a strong defensive showing to defeat Marquette, 65-53, at State Farm Center on Nov. 10. Despite struggling offensively, the Illini held the visiting Golden Eagles to 35.8% from the field and 20% from 3-point range in the 12-point home win.

Genesis Bryant scored 15 of her team-high 16 points in the second half, while Adalia McKenzie and Brynn Shoup-Hill also both finished in double figures. The Orange and Blue forced 16 turnovers while going 31-for-35 from the free-throw line.

FINDING SUCCESS AT THE FREE-THROW LINE

The Illini have attempted at least 30 free throws in each of their first two games, going 23-for-31 against #19 Florida State on Nov. 7 and 31-for-35 vs. Marquette on Nov. 10. As of Nov. 13, Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks tied for second in the nation with 33.0 free-throw attempts per game, behind only Grambling State (36.0) and tied with Buffalo (33.0). The Fighting Illini lead the NCAA with 27.0 made free throws per game (54-of-66) and rank 17th overall and second in the Big Ten in free throw percentage at 81.8%.

The two-game stretch marks the first time since at least the 2007-08 season that Illinois has attempted at least 30 foul shots in consecutive games. During the 2023-24 season, Illinois set a new single-season program record by shooting 79.5% from the charity stripe as a team.

ILLINOIS OPENS REGULAR SEASON WITH RANKED WIN

The Fighting Illini started the 2024-25 season with a statement win, taking down No. 19/19 Florida State, 83-74, at State Farm Center on Thursday night. Four Illini scored in double figures in the ranked nine-point win, including 20-point outings for both Makira Cook and Adalia McKenzie, while the home side never trailed in the contest.

Kendall Bostic (18 points) and Gretchen Dolan (11 points) also finished with double-digit points, which helped the Illini pick up a ranked win for the third consecutive season.

BOSTIC REACHES 1,000 CAREER REBOUNDS

Kendall Bostic became the fourth player in program history to reach 1,000 career rebounds with the Illini, achieving the feat during Illinois' 83-74 victory over No. 19 Florida State on Thursday night. Bostic joined Jenna Smith (1,217), Karisma Penn (1,043), and Cindy Dallas (1,014) on the exclusive list.

RANKED WINS CONTINUE TO ROLL IN

With the Illini's 83-74 season-opening victory over No. 19 Florida State on Nov. 7, Illinois has now registered a win over a ranked opponent for the third consecutive season, the longest streak since the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 campaigns.

The streak began on Jan. 1, 2023, when the Illini took down No. 12 Iowa, 90-86, for the program's first ranked win since 2019. Illinois defeated No. 16 Indiana on Feb. 19, 2024, in dominant fashion, 86-66, before Illinois' win over the Seminoles solidified that three-season streak.

TWO 20-POINT PERFORMANCES

Makira Cook and Adalia McKenzie each recorded 20 points in the Illini's 83-74 win over No. 19 Florida in the team's 2024-25 season opener on Nov. 7. The two 20-point outings marked the first time the Illini achieved that feat since March 2, 2023.

Cook scored 20+ points for the 32nd time in her career, while McKenzie reached that tally for the 12th time. 

FLYING PAST THE FLYERS - EXHIBITION

Illinois opened its 2024-25 slate with an exhibition victory over Lewis, 80-53, on Nov. 1 at State Farm Center. Three Fighting Illini student-athletes scored in double figures, including a game-high 22-point effort from Kendall Bostic. All 12 Illini dressed for the game saw action. Attendance was called at 3,556. Green is 3-0 in exhibition games at Illinois.

PRESEASON WATCH LISTS

All three returning fifth-year Illini players landed on Naismith Award position watch lists ahead of the 2024-25 campaign. Makira Cook (Point Guard), Genesis Bryant (Shooting Guard), and Kendall Bostic (Power Forward) each earned spots on the respective 20-player lists. Cook also was recognized to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Women's Player of the Year Watch List and Preseason All-Big Ten list for the second-consecutive year. 

Freshman Berry Wallace was named to Shane Laflin's (Premier Basketball/ESPNW) 2024 NCAA Expected Impact Freshman List, featuring 10 college newcomers.

1,000 POINT SCORERS & REBOUNDING

Entering the 2024-25 campaign, Illinois has four players with 1,000+ career points scored. Makira Cook and Adalia McKenzie have surpassed 1,000 points in their time at Illinois, while Genesis Bryant and Kendall Bostic are within 100 points of achieving the feat as Illini.

To date, 32 Fighting Illini players have scored 1,000 points during their career at Illinois, and only three players have scored 1,000 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds at Illinois. Kendall Bostic became the fourth player in program history to register 1,000 career rebounds as an Illini, joining an exclusive list that features Jenna Smith (1,217), Karisma Penn (1,043), and Cindy Dallas (1,014).

THE SHAUNA GREEN EFFECT

The Illini's 41 overall wins in Green's first two seasons were the program's most over a two-year span since the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 campaigns, when Illinois recorded 42 combined victories under Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz.

Illinois' 19 Big Ten regular-season victories over Green's first two seasons are the program's most over a two-year span since the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 campaigns, when Illinois totaled 20 conference wins under Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz. 

INAUGURAL WBIT CHAMPIONS

Illinois clinched the inaugural WBIT title in a 71-57 victory over Villanova at Hinkle Fieldhouse on April 3, 2024. The victory marked the program's first-ever postseason title.

After totaling five points through the first two quarters due to foul trouble, Makira Cook registered a game-high 27 points by pouring in 22 points in the second half. Shooting 7-for-11 from the floor over the final 20 minutes, Cook would be named the WBIT's Most Outstanding Player.

Genesis Bryant tallied 17 points in the championship and also finished the night with five rebounds and four assists. Kendall Bostic clinched a double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. All three seniors would be named to the WBIT All-Tournament Team and announce their decisions to return as fifth-years at Illinois.

Illinois was the only team in the WBIT field to win a game at home, on the road, and at a neutral site.

HOME ATTENDANCE NUMBERS

Across 15 home games during the 2022-23 season, Illinois Women's Basketball saw 52,295 fans fill the State Farm Center en route to a 12-3 record. That total attendance ranked 5th in program history and made Shauna Green the only head coach to bring in 50,000 or more fans in her first season with the Illini.

In Illinois' 2023-24 season - and home - opener, the attendance of 2,680 marked the largest ticketed season-opening crowd at State Farm Center since 2000 (3,954). In the Illini's 17 home games last season, Illinois finished with a combined attendance of 63,242 for an average of 3,720 a game. 63,242 is now the fifth-best all-time attendance.

Illinois' season-opener against Florida State drew a crowd of 3,741 to surpass last year's season-opening mark by over 1,000 fans. Three days later, 3,748 fans attended Illinois' win over Marquette.

CONTRACT EXTENSION

Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced a two-year contract extension for women's basketball head coach Shauna Green, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its Nov. 14 meeting. Initially, the new agreement will keep Green on a six-year contract through at least the 2029-30 season. The agreement also provides Green the opportunity to earn up to four additional one-year extensions if certain performance thresholds are met.

Under Green, Illinois owns a 43-25 record, including a 19-17 mark in Big Ten play. In the first two years under Green, the Illinois women's basketball team registered 41 wins, the first-ever postseason championship in program history (2024 WBIT), and back-to-back top-five season attendances in State Farm Center. Over the last three seasons, Illinois has delivered three upsets of AP Top-20 ranked teams: No. 12 Iowa (1/1/23), No. 14 Indiana (2/19/24), and No. 19 Florida State (11/7/24).

FOREIGN TRIP

From August 2-12, the Illinois women's basketball team traveled to Europe for a foreign tour of Italy and Greece. The Fighting Illini grew on and off the court with exhibition games, educational tours, excursions, local cuisine, and authentic experiences on the schedule.

The WBIT championship run into April, 10 additional summer practices, and international exhibition games added extra opportunities for the team to grow and gel. 

On Aug. 4, the Illini earned a 67-65 victory over the Spain & Italy Select Team at a neutral court in Ponte Buggianese, Italy. Game two of the Illinois women's basketball foreign tour saw the Illini earn a 106-42 victory at Amilla Peristeriou on Aug. 9. The win moved the Fighting Illini to 2-0 on the trip, and Shauna Green is now 5-0 as the head coach in foreign tour games.

PRO ILLINI

Illinois women's basketball is represented at the professional level across multiple continents. Former Illini center Camille Hobby joined the professional ranks after spending her fifth year of college at Illinois. Hobby plays for PAOK in Greece. Adrienne Williams Godbold, a guard at Illinois from 2009-13, plays in the Puerto Rican BSNF for Hatillo. Brandi Beasley, a guard at Illinois from 2016-20, plays for CJS Geispolsheim in France. Brittany Carter, who played at Illinois from 2014-15, now plays for GIE Cibao Immortals in the Dominican Republic and was the 2024 league MVP. Rebecca Harris, a guard at Illinois from 2006-08, plays for the Bay Area Phoenix in the Women's Premier Basketball Association (WPBA), helping them to a championship. Harris has also played in the Athletes Unlimited League.