MINNEAPOLIS – [9] Illinois' 2024 Big Ten Tournament run came to a close on Thursday afternoon in the second round following a 75-65 loss to [8] Maryland at Target Center in Minnesota.
The Fighting Illini led by as many as 14 in the first half, but it was not enough to take down the Terrapins.Â
Four Orange and Blue scorers registered double-digit points, while the team registered 40 points in the paint against a Big Ten team for the sixth time this season.
Kendall Bostic registered her sixth consecutive double-double, finishing with 11 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out late. Bostic also made two steals, the 11th time in her last 12 games that she has secured at least one takeaway.Â
Makira Cook scored a team-high 17 points, her sixth straight game in double figures. Dishing out eight assists for the second time in her last three outings, Cook also grabbed five boards.
Camille Hobby tallied eight of her 16 points in the first quarter, and she hauled in seven rebounds. Hobby started 5-for-7 from the field through the first 20 minutes, and she tied her career-best block mark with two swats, both of which came in the first half. She also made two steals.
Genesis Bryant poured in 13 points, while she also dished out four assists. Bryant also tacked on two boards in her team-high 39 minutes of action.
Gretchen Dolan added five points and four rebounds off the bench, while Shay Bollin connected from 3-point range for the third straight game.
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes:
- Genesis Bryant scored 13 points, added two rebounds and four assists.
- Registered double-digit points for the 20th time this season.
- Back-to-back games with four assists.
- Makira Cook scored a team-high 17 points while adding five rebounds and eight assists.
- Scored in double figures for the sixth consecutive outing and for the 22nd time overall this season.
- Fourth game this season with at least eight assists.
- Camille Hobby scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
- Recorded the third multi-block of the season and the ninth of her career.
- Equaled her career-best block mark by tallying her second swat of the afternoon with 8:07 remaining in the second quarter.
- Scored in double figures for the 13th time this season.
- Moved into double figures with 3:34 left in the second quarter.
- Started 4-for-5 from the field… went 5-for-7 through the first two periods of play.
- Went 7-for-11 from the floor.
- Kendall Bostic scored 11 points and secured 11 rebounds.
- Bostic is up to 13 double-doubles on the season and 31 during her time as an Illini. She is just the 7th Illini to record 30 career double-doubles at Illinois.
- Has a double-double in six consecutive games.
- Connected from 3-point range for the sixth time this season.
- Gretchen Dolan came off the bench to score five points and add four rebounds.
- The first Illini to come off the bench, entering the game with 2:02 to go in the first quarter.
- Two of her rebounds came on the offensive glass.
- Shay Bollin scored three points off of the bench.
- Entered the game for the first time with 8:06 left in the second quarter.
- Knocked down a 3-pointer for the third consecutive game, her longest streak of the season.
Team Notes:
- Illinois won the tip, and the Illini opened the scoring on a floater from Hobby, which was assisted by Cook.
- The Illini used a 14-2 run from 7:48 to 4:23 in the first quarter, which saw the Orange and Blue jump out to an 18-7 advantage.
- Illinois scored on five consecutive field-goal attempts during that stretch.
- The Illini had four scorers in double figures (Bostic, Bryant, Cook, Hobby).
- Illinois assisted 14 times on 27 field goals.
Misc. Notes:
- Starters: Makira Cook, Genesis Bryant, Adalia McKenzie, Kendall Bostic, Camille Hobby
- This lineup is now 9-8 on the season.
- Shauna Green is now:
- 36-25 at Illinois
- 163-75 as a Division-I coach
- 192-100 overall
- The Illini's 36 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 vs. Maryland: 0-17 (17th meeting)
- The Illini moved t0 5-4 as the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten Tournament.
- Illinois is now 4-2 all-time in the 8/9 game.
- The Illini moved to 3-1 as the No. 9 seed in the 8/9 game.Â
- The Illini held the Terrapins to 10 points in the first quarter, the fewest allowed against Maryland across their three meetings this season.
- Illinois shot 68.8% from the field through the opening 10 minutes.
- Illinois is now 4-5 when wearing blue uniforms this season.
- The Illini are 2-9 in nationally televised contests this season.
- UI is now 1-3 in neutral games this season.
- The Illini are now 7-11 in games starting before 5 p.m. CT this season.
- The Illini are now 1-1 in March.
QUOTES
Opening statement:
"Obviously came out with a great start. I loved our start, 24-10. Executed on both ends of the floor, did a great job in terms of game plan and execution of that.Â
"Then, obviously we knew Maryland's really good, so they're going to make a run, but then I thought the difference maker was obviously they had 24 points off of turnovers and the rebounds. We held them to zero o-boards in the third, and then there were seven in the fourth when it was still a possession or two game.Â
"Give Maryland credit. They executed. They made plays when they had to. We were still right in there. We just didn't make plays when it came down to it and gave up too many offensive rebounds. In order to win big games this time of the year, you can't do that on the boards."
On her takeaways from the game:
"We can take a lot away from this. Obviously, we've learned a lot this year, and a lot of times we've learned from some adversity. I think just the consistency piece. You know, Maryland, what I've always loved about Brenda's teams are their toughness, and their physicality, and just that grit they have to them. You've got to have that. You've got to have that for 40 minutes. You especially need it in March, and I thought at times we just have to be more consistent with that.
"There are times they just drove us down, and we've got to have more resistance. Just the consistency piece is the number one thing that we've got to continue to improve on throughout games and obviously game to game."
On the fan support throughout the season, including in Minneapolis:
"Obviously I wasn't there before, but I've heard it was really bad, and there weren't a lot of people at the games. I think that now we're creating some buzz and some momentum, and people enjoy watching this team play. Obviously, last year, we had some really good turnouts and then this year, I thought Nebraska was a great turnout and a great sign for that.Â
"Hopefully, people continue to come, because if we want to continue to try to be in the top half of the Big Ten consistently, you need your fan support. You need a home-court advantage. They were that against Nebraska and really helped us get that win.Â
"I want to continue to grow it, and hopefully we can continue to have those numbers climb every year."
On the team's focus given the possibility of postseason play:
"That's something that I've got to watch and think through. We've got to really just take a look in the mirror at all of us, like what do we really want out of this postseason if we have the opportunity to play in it? Do we want to go and try to, if it's the WBIT or whatever, make a run at that? What's our mindset?Â
"I think, right now, we need a couple days to just reflect, and to watch, and to see, and then we'll address that as we move forward."
On the fan support during the game on Thursday:
"We definitely appreciated it. It's cool to have a lot of people come up to this game, especially since it's in Minnesota, and just having the band, the cheerleaders, all of them come up. We had a little walk-out this morning, so it was pretty cool.Â
"We appreciate their support through the ups and the downs. It was nice to have a good solid fan base here today."
On Dolan and Bollin's impacts off the bench and the impact the duo has had this season:
"They just have a feel for the game. They're both young. Shay is a sophomore. Gretchen, of course, is a freshman. They just learn the game as they go, but the more minutes you get, the more you get comfortable, and I feel like they are getting really comfortable."
