Road Test at Michigan State Up Next for Fighting Illini

Illinois (13-13, 7-9 B1G) at [NR/RV] Michigan State (20-7, 10-6 B1G)
Date | Time	Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024 | 7 p.m. CT
Location	East Lansing, Mich. | Breslin Center
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Illinois Starters Last Game (2023-24 Stats)
Pos.	No.	Name	Ht.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG	Season Note
G	3	Makira Cook	5-6	Sr.	15.3	2.9	4.0	Five 20-point games this season
G	1	Genesis Bryant	5-6	Sr.	14.3	3.2	3.5	Four 20-point games this season
G	24	Adalia McKenzie	5-10	Jr.	11.0	4.8	2.3	15 games scoring double digits this season.
F	44	Kendall Bostic	6-2	Sr.	12.0	10.3	1.5	28 career double-doubles - 7th most all-time at Illinois
F	41	Camille Hobby	6-3	5th	9.5	4.7	0.3	First career double-double vs. Maryland

Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 191-98 (.661), 10th season
Division I Record: 162-73 (.689), Eighth season
At Illinois: 35-23 (.603), Second season
Big Ten Record: 18-16 (.529), Season season

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

• Michigan State sits at 20-7 overall on the season with a 10-6 mark in B1G play. 
• MSU is 12-2 at home this season. 
• The Spartans are one of two Big Ten schools with a first-year head coach this season. 

All-Time Series Info

Thursday's game marks the 74th all-time meeting between the programs, with Michigan State leading, 45-28. Shauna Green is 1-0 all-time against MSU. 

LAST TIME OUT 

In a road loss at No. 4 Iowa, Makira Cook recorded a season-most and game-high 26 points, which also marked the most by a visiting player at Carver-Hawkeye Arena this season. One of only two players to outscore reigning National Player of the Year Caitlin Clark in a game during the 2023-24 campaign, Cook has averaged 20.4 points per game against ranked opponents this season. The Fighting Illini defense tied its season-high tally of 11 steals. Illinois held Clark to her second-fewest points and her third-worst shooting performance in the 101-85 road defeat. 

On the offensive end of the floor, the Orange and Blue recorded at least 85 points for the third consecutive conference contest, their longest streak with that scoring mark since the 1998-99 campaign. Winners of five of their last eight, the Illini head into the final week of Big Ten regular-season play ranked sixth in scoring among conference teams since Jan. 28. 

ALL EYES ON THE ILLINI 

Illinois' road contest at No. 4 Iowa aired nationally on FS1 and brought in 816,000 viewers, making it the most-watched women's basketball game in the network's history. 

The Illini's 2023-24 regular-season campaign features 10 nationally televised games: six on Big Ten Network, two on FS1, one on Fox, and one on NBC. The Orange and Blue's home game against Ohio State was streamed on Peacock. 

TAKING DOWN THE HOOSIERS

Illinois secured its first ranked win of the season with an 86-66 victory over No. 14/12 Indiana at State Farm Center on Feb. 19. Leading for the final three quarters, all six Illini players who saw the court finished in double figures. With the 20-point win, the Orange and Blue snapped a 16-game skid against the Hoosiers and clinched their biggest margin of victory over a ranked opponent since 1998.

Illinois has picked up wins over ranked opponents in consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so in the 2011-12 and 2012-13 campaigns.

THE SHAUNA GREEN EFFECT 

The Illini's 35 overall wins in Green's first two seasons are the program's most over a two-year span since the 2006-07 and 2007-08 campaigns, when Illinois recorded 39 combined victories 

Illinois' 18 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. 

CONSISTENCY FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE

As a team, Illinois has shot 79.5 percent from the free-throw line this season. That marks ranks as the 6th-best percentage in the nation and top mark in the Big Ten. The Fighting Illini have connected on 346-of- 435 attempts from the stripe. 

The program's single-season free-throw percentage record sits at 77.1. That mark was achieved by both the 2007-08 (448-of-581) and 2016-17 (290-of-376) Illinois squads. 

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

This season, Illinois is averaging just 11.8 turnovers per game - a mark that ranks as the 8th-best in the nation as of Feb. 28. That number is second-best in the Big Ten behind only Michigan State at 11.5 per game. 

TAMING THE LIONS

Five Illini scorers finished in double figures as Illinois took down Penn State, 86-71, away from home at Bryce Jordan Center on Feb. 15. Leading by as many as 20 and holding an advantage for the final 16:21, the Orange and Blue secured their third conference road victory with four regular-season games to play.

Adalia McKenzie recorded a team-high 18 points after totaling 10 points at the halftime intermission, and she has now finished in double figures in all but one Illini road game this season. 

Illinois secured back-to-back wins over Penn State for the first time since 2009. The Illini have won consecutive games over the Nittany Lions by double digits for the first time since 1997-98. The Orange and Blue gave the Nittany Lions just their third home loss of the campaign.

COOK IS COOKING

After being sidelined with an injury for the first three games of her senior season and working through a slow start when she returned, Makira Cook has found her groove again. The returning All-American scored 12 or more points in 11 of the last 12 games for the Illini, with six of the games on the road. Across the 12-game span, Cook is averaging 16.8 points/game, 4.5 assists/game, and 2.4 rebounds/game. 

DATE	OPPONENT	POINTS	REBOUNDS	ASSISTS
1/14/24	at Northwestern	18	1	7
1/17/24	Rutgers	12	0	7
1/20/24	at [NR/RV] Maryland	13	1	3
1/25/24	#12/12 Ohio State	16	7	5
1/28/24	Minnesota	22	3	4
1/31/24	at Michigan	20	5	6
2/5/24	at Purdue	14	3	8
2/8/24	Northwestern	19	0	3
2/11	Maryland	4	3	2
2/15	at Penn State	16	2	2
2/19	#14/12 Indiana	22	1	4
2/25	at #4/4 Iowa	26	3	3

KENDALL BOSTIC: YEAR 3 AS AN ILLINI

Since her arrival as a sophomore ahead of the 2021-22 season, Kendall Bostic has continued to find ways to impact the Illinois program. She's started every game since her arrival from Michigan State and has been a double-double machine. Bostic played her 100th career game on Jan. 28, 2024, against Minnesota and has broken into numerous top-10 lists as an Illini. The post has recorded 28 double-doubles, which ranks 7th on UI's all-time list.  (^ indicates Illinois single-season record)

SEASON	GAMES PLAYED	POINTS/GAME	FIELD GOAL %	REBOUNDS/GAME
2021-22	27	6.7	49.4%	11.4^
2022-23	32	10.2	62.9%^	9.8
2023-24	26	12.0	60.7%	10.3
AT ILLINOIS	85	9.6	58.6%	10.5

FOUR-STRAIGHT WINS AGAINST NORTHWESTERN

Illinois secured the season sweep over Northwestern, taking down the Wildcats, 82-71, at State Farm Center on Feb. 8.

Adalia McKenzie reached double figures for the third game in a row, recording 12 points in the second quarter before finishing with a team-high 20 points, which tied her season-best mark. Shooting 70% from the field, McKenzie also amassed five rebounds, including four on the offensive glass, along with two assists and two steals. 

The Illini captured their fourth consecutive win over the Wildcats, the team's longest winning streak over Northwestern since securing 21-straight victories from 1997-2010. Thursday's win also marked the first time winning back-to-back games against Northwestern in Champaign since 2009-10.

THE START OF THE 3-GAME WEEK

Illinois overcame a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime, though the Fighting Illini's valiant effort did not prove to be enough in a 77-72 road loss to Purdue on Feb. 5. The overtime tilt was the game of the sort since 2019.

Kendall Bostic secured her seventh double-double of the season, tallying a season-high 24 points and 15 rebounds. Playing in her home state of Indiana, she knocked down a career-high two 3-pointers and scored 11 points in the fourth quarter to force overtime. Bostic also tallied three assists, three steals, and two blocks while playing a career-high 42 minutes.

Adalia McKenzie also finished with a double-double, her second of the campaign, recording 15 points and a career-high 17 rebounds. McKenzie was a force to be reckoned with on the glass, grabbing 12 offensive boards, which tied the program's all-time single-game record and were the most by an Illini player in a game since 2009. She accounted for the team's game-tying layup with nine seconds to play in regulation, and she also dished out five assists and made one steal in her career-high 42 minutes.

WOLVERINE ROAD KILL

Four Illini scorers finished in double figures to give Illinois a 77-64 road win over Michigan at Crisler Center on Jan. 31, snapping the Orange and Blue's seven-game skid against the Wolverines.

The Fighting Illini scored on their first eight possessions and never looked back, holding a lead for the final 39:24 to hand Michigan just its second home loss of the campaign. Illinois secured its second conference away win of the year and picked up its first victory over the Wolverines since 2015. Last Wednesday's decision marked Illinois' first win over the Wolverines in Ann Arbor since Feb. 4, 2008.

LARGEST COMEBACK WINS UNDER SHAUNA GREEN

After trailing by as many as 11 points with 2:42 left in the third quarter, Illinois women's basketball came all the way back against Minnesota on Sunday, Jan. 28, to secure a 73-68 victory. Illinois closed the third quarter on a 9-2 run to pull within 54-50 entering the final 10 minutes of play. After tying the game at 62-62 ahead of the media timeout at 4:52, Illinois would never trail again. Beginning with the tying basket, Camille Hobby tallied 6 of Illinois' final 13 points while 5 came from Genesis Bryant, and 2 from Makira Cook. Illinois led by as many as 7 points in the fourth quarter before securing the 5-point win. The 11-point deficit is the second-largest Illinois has overcome with Shauna Green at the helm.

During Green's first season as head coach of the Fighting Illini, Illinois overcame a 12-point deficit on the road at Nebraska on Feb. 9, 2023. Illinois trailed by 12 points with 44 seconds remaining in the first half before cutting the deficit to 8 points at the break. Nebraska pushed its lead back to 11 with 4:44 remaining in the third quarter and led by 10 points with just 1:43 remaining in the third period. Illinois tied the game at 51-51 with 9:19 to go in the contest and would never trail again en route to a 72-64 win. The Illini led by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter of the victory.

CALAMITY MCENTIRE NAMED TO THE ATHLETIC'S TOP-20 ASSISTANT COACHES LIST

On Jan. 29, The Athletic's Chantel Jennings released a top-20 list of women's college basketball assistant coaches on the rise. The alphabetical list featured Illinois women's basketball's second-year associate head coach Calamity McEntire. McEntire is one of five staffers from current Big Ten teams on the list. Parameters for coaches featured on the list are coaches who have never led their own NCAA programs.

From The Athletic: "McEntire began her career as a manager for Pat Summitt at Tennessee from 2001 to 2003. For the next 14 seasons, she served as an assistant and recruiting coordinator all over the country and in several conferences (Fresno State, UC Santa Barbara, Arizona and Hawaii). In 2017, she joined Shauna Green's staff at Dayton, where she helped establish the Flyers in the Atlantic 10, winning the conference four times. When Green was hired by Illinois, she quickly hired McEntire. Last season, the Illini recorded their best season in 20 years, finishing fifth in the Big Ten and punching a ticket to the NCAA Tournament (their first since 2003). Athletic directors take notice of coaches like McEntire, who have experience at the mid-major and high-major levels and have helped establish programs."

MCDONALD'S ALL AMERICAN

Fighting Illini women's basketball signee Berry Wallace has earned a spot in the 2024 McDonald's All American game. Wallace – a native of Pickerington, Ohio – is one of 24 girls named to the roster for the 47^th annual event. Wallace is in the midst of her senior season at Pickerington High School Central. She's a 6'1" forward rated as a five-star recruit. Wallace played her AAU ball with United Family 3SSB.

She is the third player in Illinois women's basketball program history to earn a spot on the McDonald's All American Game roster. The last Illini signee to play in the game was Chatrice White in 2014.

Wallace also earned a spot on the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Girl's High School Player of the Year Preseason Watch List a week after signing her National Letter of Intent in November.

ROUTING RUTGERS

All five starters finished in double figures as Illinois secured its second Big Ten win of the season with a 96-68 victory over Rutgers at State Farm Center on Jan. 17.

The Fighting Illini recorded at least 90 points for the second straight game, their first time hitting that scoring mark in back-to-back Big Ten games since the 1998-99 season. Ten players (of 11 that saw action) tallied a basket as the Orange and Blue clinched consecutive conference wins for the first time this season.

Six players scored double-digits for the Illini including Genesis Bryant (17), Adalia McKenzie (14), Kendall Bostic (13), Makira Cook (12), Camille Hobby (12), and Gretchen Dolan (11). Dolan equaled her career-high scoring mark with 11 points while registering a career-high 23 minutes. The Illini have scored at least 20 points in eight straight quarters. Illinois committed a season-low six turnovers – the team's fewest since also recording six against Nebraska on Feb. 22, 2023.

PEEBLES ON CAREER GAMES ALL-TIME LIST

Jada Peebles is the longest-tenured Illini on the squad, playing all five of her collegiate seasons at Illinois. Peebles has appeared in 124 games, owning sole possession of sixth on the all-time list. The fifth-year announced a season-ending torn achilles injury on her social media accounts on Tuesday, Jan. 16. The injury occurred during Illinois' 1/14 game at Northwestern.

RANK	GAMES PLAYED	PLAYER	SEASONS
1.	135	Lacey Simpson	2005-10
2.	130	Jenna Smith	2006-10
3.	129	Karisma Penn	2009-13
4.	127	Lydia McCully	2007-12
5.	126	Amber Moore	2009-14
6.	124	Jada Peebles	2019-Present
7.	122	Ali Andrews	2017-20
	122	Courtney Joens	2017-20
	122	Tauja Catchings	1997-2000

CHICAGO'S BIG TEN TEAM: ILLINOIS

All 14 Illini saw action with 12 scoring in the Fighting Illini's 93-52 victory at Northwestern on Jan. 14. Illinois registered a season-best 25 assists to assist on 76% of made field goals en route to its first Big Ten victory of the season. The Illini's 25 assists were their most in a game this season and were their most since registering 26 on Nov. 21, 2015, against UT Martin.

Illinois finished with 93 points, the program's most in a Big Ten game since the Illini scored 95 on Feb. 5, 2015, vs. Minnesota. The Illini's 93 points were their most in a conference road game since Feb. 14, 1999, when they scored 104 in a win at Indiana. The Illini's 93 points are the most they have ever scored against Northwestern in series history, which has included 86 total games.

Illinois' 41-point margin of victory was their largest in Big Ten play since Feb. 15, 1998, when the Illini beat Michigan State, 98-51 (+47). Illinois' 41-point margin of victory over the Wildcats was the largest by either team in series history. The Illini's 41-point victory was their second-largest margin of victory in a true road game in program history. The 41-point margin of victory against Northwestern was their largest in a true road game since Dec. 6, 2014, when the Illini beat Southern Illinois on the road by 44 points, 86-42.

COOK NAMED TO WEST PALM BEACH CLASSIC ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

After playing 74:29 of 80 possible minutes and recording 17.0 points/game, 7.0 assists/game, and 6.5 rebounds/game, Illinois senior Makira Cook was named to the West Palm Beach Classic All-Tournament Team following the Illini's holiday contests in the Sunshine State. In Illinois' WPB Classic opener vs. Arkansas, Cook delivered the third double-double of her career with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists. Against UTEP, Cook connected for 17 points and 9 assists.

Coach Green Faces Her Alma Mater

For the first time in her career as both an assistant and head coach, Shauna Green (the former Shauna Geronzin), coached against her alma mater, Canisius, on Sunday, Nov. 26. The Illini took down the Golden Griffins, 90-58.

Wearing No. 34 for the Griffs from 1998-2002, Green scored 2,012 career points, the most of any men's or women's player - a record which still stands. She also became the program's all-time leading rebounder with 910 boards - a mark that now ranks second. Green was Named 1999 MAAC Rookie of the Year and was also voted 2002 Canisius Female Athlete of the Year. She was a four-time All-MAAC selection and three-time All-MAAC First-Team honoree. She was enshrined into the Canisius Sports Hall of Fame in 2012.

Citi Shamrock Classic in Washington, D.C.

The Fighting Illini faced off against No. 16/14 Notre Dame from the nation's capital on Saturday, Nov. 18, in the second-annual Citi Shamrock Classic. Action from Entertainment & Sports Arena – home of the Washington Mystics. The Irish won the outing 79-68.The game was televised live on NBC and streamed on Peacock. The nationally televised game marked Illinois women's basketball's first-ever game aired on NBC or Peacock.

In addition to the highly anticipated matchup on the court, Friday featured a women's leadership luncheon, offering both teams an opportunity to hear from a select group of the most powerful women in business and sports. Additionally, both teams participated in a community service initiative presented by Gatorade, which included a visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. 

BRYANT GOES FOR 30, TWICE IN 3 GAMES

For the second time in as many seasons, Genesis Bryant delivered a career-high night in the Illini's season-opening game. This season, Bryant scored 32 points on 75% shooting to go along with four rebounds and four assists. She shot 10-for-11 from 2, 2-for-5 from 3 (12-for-16), and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. She was the first Illini to record at least 30 points in a game since Makira Cook scored 33 points at Indiana on Dec. 4, 2022.

Bryant's Game Score of 26.8 was the top mark in NCAA WBB on Nov. 7. "Game score" is a metric giving a measurement of a player's productivity for a single game.

Two games later, in the Illini's 79-68 loss to No. 16/14 Notre Dame from the nation's capital, Genesis Bryant put on a show on the biggest stage, scoring 31 points. The output marked Bryant's second 30-point game of the season and her career. Bryant is the first Illini to have multiple 30-point games in a season since 2010-11 when Karisma Penn did so as a sophomore.

HOME ATTENDANCE NUMBERS

Across its 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' season - and home - opener, the attendance of 2,680 marked the largest ticketed season-opening crowd at State Farm Center since 2000 (3,954). Through 14 home games, Illinois has a combined attendance of 56,013 for an average of 4,001 a game. 

COOK'S PRESEASON ACCOLADES

• Preseason All-Big Ten - Coaches (Oct. 4)
• Preseason All-Big Ten - Media (Oct. 4)
• Nancy Lieberman Top-20 Point Guards Preseason Watch List (Oct. 16)
  • First honoree in Illinois program history
• 2023-24 Jersey Mike's Naismith Women's Player of the Year Watch List (Nov. 4)
  • Third honoree in Illinois program history, joining Tauja Catchings and Susan Blauser from the 1999-2000 season.
• John R. Wooden Award Preseason Top 50 Watch List (Nov. 14)
  • Second honoree in program history, joining Jenna Smith from the 2009-10 season.

NCAA COACHING LIMIT INCREASE

With the NCAA's coaching limit increase going into effect on July 1, Emily Durr and Jenna Giacone have been elevated to assistant coaches on Shauna Green's Illinois women's basketball staff. Durr adds on-court coaching duties in addition to her director of recruiting operations responsibilities, while Giacone adds on-court coaching duties on top of her director of scouting and player development role in year two on Green's Illini staff. 

Both Durr and Giacone followed Green from her previous stop at Dayton. Durr served one season as an administrative associate with the Flyers, while Giacone played six seasons under Green at UD. 

FIRST SEASONS AT A NEW SCHOOL

Shauna Green quickly took Illinois women's basketball out to a refreshing start and has sustained that success better than anyone. Green was one of 38 head coaches in their first season at a new school last season. The Illinois squad was one of just 10 programs under a new coach last season to have secured 20 or more wins and one of seven to make the NCAA Tournament. 

TEAM	RECORD	COACH	PREVIOUS JOB
Florida State	23-10	Brooke Wyckoff	Florida St. (Assc. HC)
Illinois	22-10	Shauna Green	Dayton
Mississippi State	22-11	Sam Purcell	Louisville (Assc. HC)
Georgia	22-12	Katie Abrahamson-Henderson	UCF
Oklahoma State	21-12	Jacie Hoyt	Kansas City
Towson	21-12	Laura Harper	Coppin State
Harvard	20-12	Carrie Moore	Michigan (Ast. Coach)
Missouri State	20-12	Beth Cunningham	Duke (Ast. Coach)
Chattanooga	20-13	Shawn Poppie	Virginia Tech (Assc. HC)
Syracuse	20-13	Felisha Legette-Jack	Buffalo