IOWA CITY, Iowa – All five Fighting Illini starters reached the double-digit points mark as Illinois fell to No. 4 Iowa, 101-85, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Makira Cook set a new season-best scoring mark with 26 points, her fifth game this season with at least 20 points. Cook tallied four 3-pointers, which equaled her most makes from beyond the arc in her career, while she went a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line. She also totaled three rebounds, three assists, and three steals.Â
Genesis Bryant finished with 19 points, 12 of which came in the second half. Going 4-for-5 from the field after the break, she connected from deep three times for the second time in her last three games. Bryant also hauled in six rebounds, which tied her season-best total, and she dished out six assists, one shy of her most helpers during the 2023-24 campaign. Bryant also grabbed one steal.
Kendall Bostic recorded her 10th double-double of the season with 10 points and a team-high 17 rebounds, including five on the offensive glass. Bostic has eclipsed the double-digit rebounding mark for the third consecutive game, her longest streak of the season with 10+ boards. She also amassed two steals, one block, and one assist.
Adalia McKenzie concluded her outing with 13 points and four rebounds, while she notched three assists for the third straight game. She also made one steal.
Camille Hobby reached the double-digit scoring mark in the fourth quarter, pouring in 12 points while going a perfect 6-for-6 from the stripe. Two of her three rebounds came on the offensive glass, and she also made one steal.
Gretchen Dolan accumulated five points, two rebounds, and a career-high three steals in her 28 minutes off the bench.
Illinois (13-13, 7-9 B1G) concludes its two-game road trip on Thursday in the team's final regular-season road game of the campaign. The Fighting Illini will travel to East Lansing, Mich., to take on the Michigan State Spartans at 7 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes:
- Genesis Bryant finished the afternoon with 19 points, six rebounds, six assists, and one block.
- Secured double-digit points for the 18th time this season.
- Her 3-pointer with 9:17 remaining in the third quarter brought her into double figures.
- Connected on three 3-point attempts.
- Has totaled at least three makes from beyond the arc in nine games this season.
- Bryant's six rebounds equaled her season-best total on the glass, which she has reached in three games this season.
- Recorded a block in a road game for the first time this season.
- Makira Cook scored a season-best 26 points alongside three rebounds, three assists, and three steals.
- Achieved a new season-high scoring mark, surpassing her previous total of 24 which she set on Dec. 31, 2023, at No. 16/15 Indiana.
- Has registered 20+ points for the fifth time this season.
- Has tallied over 20 points in back-to-back games, both of which were against ranked opponents.
- Poured in double-digit points for the 19th time this season.
- Became the first Illini scorer to reach double figures after recording her second 3-pointer with four minutes remaining in the second quarter.
- Finished with a season-high and team-most four 3-pointers.
- Her four made 3-pointers tied her career-high mark.
- Knocked down multiple treys for the 10th time this season.
- Has 2+ makes from beyond the arc in two straight games and for the fifth time in her last nine games.
- Grabbed three steals, one shy of her season-high tally.
- Went a perfect 6-for-6 from the free-throw line.
- Cook has gone 22-for-24 on attempts from the stripe across the Illini's last three games.
- Adalia McKenzie reached double-digit points with 13 points in addition to four rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
- Scored in double figures for the 15th time this season.
- Hit the double-digit point mark with 6:49 to play in the third quarter.
- Has registered at least one steal in each of the last eight games.
- Dished out three assists for the third consecutive contest.
- Has at least three helpers in four straight road games.
- Camille Hobby ended her outing with 12 points, three rebounds, and one steal.
- Recorded double-digit points for the 12th time this season.
- Clinched double figures from the free-throw line with 9:19 left in the contest.
- With her two offensive rebounds, Hobby has grabbed more offensive than defensive boards in seven games this season.
- Made one steal for the fourth time in her last five games.
- Finished 6-for-6 from the stripe.
- Her six makes and six attempts are both career-best marks.
- Has gone 21-for-24 from the free-throw line over the last six games.
- Kendall Bostic secured a double-double with 10 points and a team-high 17 rebounds, and she tallied two steals, one assist, and one block.
- Registered her 10th double-double of the season and the 28th of her career.
- Currently ranks in the program's all-time record book with 28 double-doubles.
- Scored in double figures in her team-high 20th game during the 2023-24 campaign.
- Reached the double-digit rebounding mark for the 13th time this season and grabbed 15+ boards for the 5th time this season.
- Grabbed her 10th rebound of the afternoon with 2:03 remaining in the second quarter.
- Has totaled double-digit boards in three consecutive games, her longest streak of the season.
- Her five offensive rebounds tied her season-high mark.
- Bostic's 17 rebounds are the most by an opposing player against Iowa this season.
- Bostic's 17 rebounds are the most by an opposing player against Iowa since Maryland's Kaila Charles grabbed 18 boards against the Hawkeyes on Jan. 9, 2020.
- Bostic's block moved her into a tie for 10th place on the all-time blocks leaderboard.
- Gretchen Dolan added five points, three steals, and two rebounds off the bench.
- Was the first Illini sub off the bench out of the first-quarter media timeout.
- Her three steals are a new career-high tally.
- Has scored at least five points in each of her last 12 appearances off the bench.
- Knocked down a 3-point field goal for the sixth time in her last seven games.
Team Notes:
- Iowa won the tip, and the Hawkeyes opened the scoring on their second possession.
- Five Illini scorers finished in double figures (Bostic, Bryant, Cook, Hobby, McKenzie).
- The Illini's 85 points are their most in a road game against Iowa since scoring 86 on Dec. 28, 1998.
- Illinois scored 80+ points in back-to-back meetings with the Hawkeyes for the first time since 1999-2000.
- Illinois scored 51 points in the second half, their most since scoring 51 points in the second half against Rutgers on Jan. 17, 2024.
- After Iowa scored on the opening possession of the second half, Illinois posted a 7-0 run from 9:17 to 7:35 in the third quarter to pull back within 11.
- The Illini closed the third quarter on a 7-2 run, with Cook accounting for all seven points during that span.
- Illinois went on a 9-0 scoring run from 4:47 to 1:30 in the fourth quarter, with Bostic and Bryant combining for all of the scoring during that span.
- The Illini scored 10 second-chance points off 15 offensive rebounds.
- Illinois outrebounded Iowa, 15-12, on the offensive glass.
- Illinois recorded 11 steals, which equaled a season-best tally.
- The Illini have made double-digit steals in six games this season.
- The team's 11 steals are their most in a conference game since recording 11 against Purdue on Jan. 26, 2023.
- The team's 11 steals are their most in a conference road game since recording 12 at Wisconsin on Dec. 29, 2022.
- The Illini went 15-for-16 from the free-throw line.
- The team's 93.8% from the stripe is their second-best percentage this season.
Misc. Notes:
- Starters: Makira Cook, Genesis Bryant, Adalia McKenzie, Kendall Bostic, Camille Hobby
- This lineup is now 8-6 on the season.
- Shauna Green is now:
- 35-23 at Illinois
- 162-73 as a Division-I coach
- 191-98 overall
- Illinois vs. Iowa: 19-62 (81st meeting)
- Illinois is now 4-3 when wearing blue uniforms this season.
- The Illini are 1-7 in nationally televised contests this season.
- UI is now 3-6 in true road games this season.
- The Illini are now 6-10 in games starting before 5 p.m. CT this season.
- The Illini are now 3-3 in February.
