CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – In front of the third-largest crowd in program history, Illinois cruised to a 94-25 victory over Le Moyne on Field Trip Day on Monday afternoon.
A crowd of 13,486 fans filled the stands at State Farm Center to watch the Illini post a dominant 69-point victory over the visiting Dolphins.
Four Illini scorers finished in double figures, while all 10 players who dressed for the game earned playing time in the win.
Kendall Bostic led the way for the Orange and Blue, securing a double-double with a game-high 25 points and 12 rebounds. Shooting an efficient 11-for-13 from the field, Bostic also notched one steal.
Gretchen Dolan scored in double figures for the second straight game and for the third time this season, ending her afternoon with a career-high 15 points and a career-best seven assists. Dolan also corralled five rebounds and made one assist.
Adalia McKenzie has recorded double-digit points in each of the Illini's four games this season, continuing that trend with 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting against the Dolphins.
Jasmine Brown-Hagger added 13 points off the bench, scoring in double figures for the second game in a row. Brown-Hagger also accumulated four assists and two steals.
Illinois' 69-point margin of victory was the fourth-largest mark in program history, while the Illini's 25 points allowed were the fewest-ever in a home game.
The Illini scored on their first three trips down the floor before making four of their first five shots from the field, which allowed the hosts to establish a 9-2 edge within the first three minutes of the contest. The Orange and Blue extended that advantage with a 19-0 run across a five-minute span late in the frame, including a stretch of six consecutive makes, to take a 30-7 edge through the opening 10 minutes of play.
Holding the Dolphins scoreless for the first eight-and-a-half minutes of the second quarter, the Illini went on a 16-0 run to begin the frame to take a 46-7 edge. After Le Moyne scored its first points of the frame, a 3-pointer from Dolan closed out the first-half scoring to send Illinois into the break with a 49-9 lead.
Bostic and Dolan both reached double-digit points prior to the break, registering 13 and 12, respectively. The Orange and Blue shot 58.8% from the field while assisting on 15 of their 20 first-half field goals across the opening 20 minutes of play.Â
The Illini continued adding to their advantage early in the third quarter, using a 13-1 run to push their advantage over 50 points for the first time. Closing the frame with a 9-3 scoring stretch, the Orange and Blue entered the final frame with a 75-20 edge.
Illinois began the fourth quarter with a 13-0 run, which saw the home side's edge grow to 68 points. Back-to-back 3-pointers from Dolan and Brown-Hagger rounded out the scoring, giving the Illini their fourth-largest margin of victory in program history.
Illinois will finish its five-game homestand on Friday, when the Fighting Illini host the Oregon State Beavers. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on B1G+. Tickets are available at FightingIllini.com.
HIGHLIGHTS
PRESS CONFERENCE
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes:
- Makira Cook scored nine points and dished out five assists.
- Has five assists in two of three games played this season.
- Brynn Shoup-Hill scored eight points and added six rebounds.
- Has grabbed at least six boards in all four games this season.
- Adalia McKenzie scored 14 points while adding five rebounds and five assists.
- Scored in double figures for the fourth straight game this season for the 60th time in her career.
- Went 6-for-8 from the floor.
- Kendall Bostic scored a game-high 25 points and 12 rebounds.
- Was the first Illini to reach double-digit points, scoring her 10th point with 8:26 remaining in the second quarter.
- Registered her second-straight double-double…now has 36 such games in her career.
- Third double-digit rebounding game of the season…now has 57 such games in her career.
- Now has 1,037 rebounds in her career.
- Jenna Smith - 1,217 (2006-10)
- Karisma Penn - 1,043 (2009-13)
- Kendall Bostic - 1,037 (2021-pres.)
- Gretchen Dolan scored a career-high 15 points and also tallied a career-high seven assists.
- Tallied double-digit points for the third time this season and for the seventh time in her career.
- Jasmine Brown-Hagger scored 13 points and posted four assists.
- Reached double figures for the second consecutive game and for the fourth time in her career.
- Cori Allen came off the bench to four points and added five rebounds and three assists.
- Hayven Smith came off the bench to score three points and secure five rebounds.
Team Notes:
- The Illini won the opening tip and Illinois opened the scoring on its first possession via a Makira Cook 3-pointer.
- Illinois made four of its first five shots from the field across the first three minutes of the game, which allowed the home side to take an early 9-2 edge.
- The Illini used a stretch of six consecutive makes from 4:24 to 1:28 in the first quarter.
- The Orange and Blue used this stretch to go on a 19-0 run from 5:05 to 0:04 in the first quarter and take a 30-6 advantage.
- Illinois held Le Moyne without a field goal for nearly 14 minutes of game action, which spanned from 5:25 in the first quarter to 1:39 remaining in the second quarter.
- The Illini held the Dolphins to 13 straight misses.
- The Illini went on a 35-1 run during that stretch.
- The Illini held the Dolphins to just nine points in the first half.
- It's the fewest points allowed in a half at home in program history.
- Illinois held Le Moyne to just two points in the second quarter, tied for second-fewest points allowed in any quarter in program history.
- Fewest points ever allowed in the second quarter.
- Fewest since also allowing two points on March 9, 2021, vs. Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament (1Q).
- Illinois held Le Moyne to 25, the fewest points ever in program history in a home game.
- It's also the second-fewest points allowed in any game in program history.
- The Illini also kept an opposing player from reaching double-figures in scoring for the second-straight game.
- The +69 margin of victory is the fourth-largest margin of victory in program history and the third largest at home.
- The Illinois defense forced a season-high 22 turnovers.
- Scored 42 of the 94 points off of those Le Moyne turnovers.
- The defense has forced at least 13 turnovers in all four games this season, including at least 16 in three-straight contests.
- Eight different Illini recorded at least one steal, with three recording two.
- The Illini held the Dolphins to just 23.3% (10-43) from the floor, including 9.5 percent (2-21) from three.
- Illinois has held its opponents to just 14-for-91 (15.4%) this season through four games.
- The Illini's 3-point defense is currently the third-best in the country…is also the best mark among teams that have had at least 90 3-pointers attempted against.
- Illinois had four players score in double figures (Bostic, Brown-Hagger, Dolan, McKenzie).
- Nine of the 10 players that saw the court scored.
- The Illini won the rebounding battle 42-18, which included an 11-3 edge on the offensive glass.
- Converted those 11 o-boards into 11 second-chance points.
- Illinois has won the rebounding battle in all four games this season.
- The +24 margin is the largest since a +27 margin on Nov. 29, 2023, vs. Central Connecticut.
- Six players grabbed at least five rebounds.
- Illinois scored 18 fast-break points, while holding Le Moyne to no transition buckets.
Misc. Notes:
- Attendance was called at 13,486, the third-largest attendance in program history.
- Feb. 23, 1997, vs. Purdue (L, 75-80; Attendance: 16,050)
- Feb. 21, 1999, vs. Iowa (W, 86-73; Attendance: 16,450)
- Nov. 18, 2024, vs. Le Moyne (W, 94-25; Attendance: 13,486)
- Starters: Genesis Bryant, Makira Cook, Adalia McKenzie, Brynn Shoup-Hill, Kendall Bostic
- This lineup is now 3-0 on the season.
- This group has started 25 games together across the last three seasons, holding a 14-11 combined record.
- Shauna Green is now:
- 45-25 at Illinois
- 172-75 as a Division I head coach
- 201-100 overall
- Illinois vs. Le Moyne: 1-0 (first meeting)
- The Illini have held opponents at/below 15 points in 12 of 16 regulation periods.
- Illinois is now 4-0 when wearing white uniforms this season.
- The Illini are now 1-0 in games starting before 5 p.m. CT this season.
- The Illini are now 4-0 in November.
- Illinois moved to 7-1 in Field Trip Day games.
