'We're Really Together': [9] Illinois Brings Close-Knit Connection, Togetherness into Big Ten Tournament

One month into the 2023-24 season, the Illini were at a crossroads.

Sure, they started 5-2 during their first seven non-conference games of the season. They won those five games by an average of 36.6 points. They secured a 70-point win on Field Trip Day in which they set the third-largest margin of victory in program history. Plus, the two losses came away from home against teams that were ranked in top 25 and finished in the top three of their respective Power Six conferences.

But, after a home loss to Michigan in the Illini’s Big Ten opener, the team knew something needed to change. So, the players took it upon themselves to have tough conversations and come together to fix things.

“It's about really trying to make sure everybody is being positive when they need to be, and then getting back to work and learning from this game,” said Kendall Bostic on Dec. 10. “I think there's a lot we can learn from it.”

They made it a priority to spend even more time together outside of basketball, whether that was with game nights, group potlucks, or movie nights. Though their time at Ubben Basketball Complex is valuable, the hours they spend together off the court are just as valuable when it comes to team chemistry and bonding.

Though the results did not come immediately, Green acknowledged the team’s togetherness after the Illini won back-to-back Big Ten games over Northwestern and Rutgers in mid-January.

“I'm just really proud of this team, how we performed today, how we performed Sunday, and how we've attacked the last month. Sometimes, the wins didn't happen, but we've been a different team the past month in how we've prepared and how we've practiced,” said Green after the Illini’s 96-68 win over Rutgers on Jan. 17. 

Eleven days later, following consecutive tough losses to Maryland and No. 12 Ohio State, Illinois once again had to dig deep and come together as the team faced an 11-point halftime deficit at home against Minnesota.

The Golden Gophers had all the momentum, scoring 14 unanswered points over the final four minutes of the opening half. Yet, the Illini regrouped in the locker room and played for each other in the final 20 minutes, using a 12-0 run in the fourth quarter to pull away for the critical come-from-behind victory.

Scoring a season-high 19 points, nine of which came in the final frame, Camille Hobby credited the togetherness of the team while talking with the media after the game. One of four newcomers over the offseason, Hobby credited the group’s tight-knit culture after the team reached the halfway mark in their conference schedule.

“I'm very competitive, and I just want to win,” Hobby said on Jan. 28. “I really enjoy going out there and playing, especially with this group of women. It makes it a lot more fun.”

Winners of three of its next five games, Illinois was playing some of its best basketball of the season heading into a showdown with No. 14 Indiana on Presidents’ Day. The Illini had come close to taking down the ranked Hoosiers in each of their previous three meetings, including a six-point road loss in Bloomington earlier in the campaign, but close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Finally getting over the hump, the Orange and Blue led for the final 30 minutes of play en route to an emphatic 20-point win. Adalia McKenzie, who secured her sixth straight double-digit scoring effort with her 14-point performance, was quick to point out the team’s connectedness after the Illini picked up their fifth win in seven games.

“We're really together. We're really tight. We all have good relationships on the team,” McKenzie said on Feb. 19. “Most importantly, I feel like we have a great leader. Coach Green talks about staying together, staying locked in, keep growing, and going 1-0. Not once have we ever put our heads down. Losing doesn't mean you're a failure; it just means you have an opportunity to grow. Every time we've been knocked down, we get back up and take the opportunity to grow.”

Coach Green is one of the biggest reasons behind the team’s togetherness. The staff has an open-door policy, meaning players can come and discuss any issues they are having at any time. Green does not shy away from having hard conversations, and the entire coaching staff emphasizes togetherness, both on and off the court.

Green hosted pool parties at her house over the summer, and the players and staff went to a ropes course and did a slip-and-slide together prior to the season. Despite the change in weather and increased hustle and bustle during the 2023-24 campaign, the Illini have found opportunities to continue to grow their relationships any chance they get.

“When I first got here, everyone was a little bit shy. It took a little bit for everyone to gel and come out of their shell, but we did a lot of really fun stuff together this summer,” said Shay Bollin, who transferred into the program this season. “We did a lot of team-building activities that really brought us closer and forced us to trust one another even when we weren't at that level yet. 

“I just know that I could go to any person on this team with any problem or anything that I have, which is so special. I think we've definitely grown a lot closer, especially through adversity and through winning. When you're chasing something with a group of people, you’re all wanting the same goal, and you're all trying to do the same thing, you all automatically come together. That's what's really been emphasized by our coaching staff.”

That culture has been in place ever since Green arrived on campus in March 2022. Though players have come and gone over Coach Green’s two-year tenure with the Illini, that family culture and tight-knit community have not wavered.

Heading into the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, when [9] Illinois squares off with [8] Maryland at 11:30 a.m. CT, Illinois is coming off its most dramatic win of the season. Leading for less than 90 seconds in the final quarter, the Illini closed the contest on a 6-0 run to take down Nebraska on Senior Day.

Having won three of their last five games, the Orange and Blue head to Minneapolis with confidence and momentum. And, most importantly, togetherness.

“Every time we have faced adversity, we've come back even stronger and a lot more connected,” Bollin said. “Our staff does a really good job of having us come together in those tough moments. They really emphasize five as a unit, one through 14 all being a part of this team, and being able to help one another. Not everyone has the best friends, but you have that mutual understanding, trust, and respect for one another.”

With 10 returners from last season’s quarterfinalist squad, the Illini know what it will take to take down a Terrapin team they have never defeated in program history. Thursday’s early tipoff will come down to which program is more connected, and Genesis Bryant is confident heading into the postseason.

“I think it's everything for us. We build off of being a family; that's our first core value,” said Bryant, who has started all 28 games this season. “You're not going to always like your family, you're not going to always agree with your family, but at the end of the day, you love them, you ride for them, and you would go to war for them. 

“I feel like that's been the story of this year for us. We're just hanging on to our core values. When adversity comes and things aren't going our way, those are the times when we have to stand our ground the most, be anchored in what we believe in, and just hope and trust that eventually, doing the same thing over and over and being consistent is going to help us figure things out.”