Fighting Illini Prepare for Penn State on Thursday

Illinois vs. Penn State
Date | Time	Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 | 6 p.m. CT
Location	Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center
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Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 216-105 (.673), 11th season
Division I Record: 187-80 (.700), Ninth season
At Illinois: 60-30 (.667), Third season
Big Ten Record: 28-21 (.571), Third season

OPENING TIP

The 51st campaign of Fighting Illini women's basketball continues on Thursday, when Illinois hosts Penn State at State Farm Center at 6 p.m. CT on B1G+. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (1400 AM / 93.9 FM). Streaming, audio, and stats links are also available at FightingIllini.com/wbb. 

• Illinois won 10 games before Christmas (Dec. 25) for the first time since 2022-23 and for the second time since 2006-07.
• Illinois has earned a win over a ranked opponent for the third consecutive season and is up to five under Green.
• Head coach Shauna Green earned her 200th win as a head coach on Nov. 14, 2024 vs. Eastern Illinois.
• The Fighting Illini have now been ranked in the Top 25 in all three seasons under Green.
• Illinois faced a ranked team in its Big Ten opener for the third straight season (#12/7 Ohio State, --/25 Michigan, #5/4 Indiana).
• Illinois returned four 1,000-career point scorers, tied for the most in the NCAA with Baylor, Notre Dame, and Kansas State.
• Illinois has won multiple Top-25 games in the same season for the first time since 2014-15.
• Illinois has won three Top-25 games in the same season for the first time since 1999-2000.
• Illinois' seniors (Cook, Bryant, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Bostic) have a combined 458 career starts (432 at Illinois) and played a combined 600 games (472 at Illinois).
• Kendall Bostic's 1,327 career rebounds rank second of all active NCAA D1 players and is the active Big Ten-leading mark.
• On Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, Kendall Bostic grabbed the 1,218th rebound of her Illinois career and broke Jenna Smith's all-time Illinois record of 1,217 boards.
• Also on Jan. 27, 2025, Bostic moved into third place on the Big Ten's career rebounding list, surpassing Indiana's Denise Jackson (1981-84) at 1,273 rebounds.
• Kendall Bostic owns 50 double-doubles across her Illinois career, ranking second in school history behind Jenna Smith's 53.
• Illinois' free throws made per game mark of 15.75 ranks 16th in the NCAA.
• Illinois' 12.5 turnovers per game rank 20th in the NCAA.
• Illinois' free throw percentage of 80.8% ranks 2nd in the NCAA and leads the Big Ten.
• The Fighting Illini are leading the Big Ten with a 27.4% 3-point defensive rate, which ranks 35th in the NCAA.
• Eight different Illini scorers have posted double-digit points in a game this season: Bostic, Bryant, Brown-Hagger, Cook, Dolan, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Wallace.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Penn State makes the trip to Champaign with a 10-14 record and a 1-12 mark in conference play this season. Currently battling through a five-game losing streak, the Nittany Lions are looking for their first win since defeating top-10 Ohio State at home on Jan. 19.

PSU is 1-7 on the road during the 2024-25 campaign, with that lone victory coming against Kansas on Dec. 15.

ALL-TIME SERIES INFORMATION

The Nittany Lions hold a 39-18 advantage in the all-time series, which dates back to 1986. Illinois has won each of the last two meetings between the sides, though, including an 86-71 road win last season. The Illini are aiming to win their third consecutive game against Penn State for the first time since 1997-98, while the Orange and Blue look to secure back-to-back home victories against the Nittany Lions for the first time since the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.

LAST TIME OUT

Illinois earned its fifth-straight road win and sixth-consecutive victory overall with a 74-51 triumph over Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon.

The Fighting Illini led by as many as 26 in the contest, ultimately prevailing by 23 to improve to 19-5 overall and 9-4 in Big Ten play this season.

Adalia McKenzie made two 3-pointers, her first outing this season with multiple makes from beyond the arc, and finished with a team-high 18 points. Totaling 12 points across the opening 20 minutes of play, McKenzie ended the afternoon with eight rebounds, six assists, and a steal.

Despite not playing in the fourth quarter, Genesis Bryant registered 11 points while going 8-for-8 from the free throw line. Bryant also dished out a team-most seven assists and grabbed five rebounds.

Kendall Bostic secured the 50th double-double of her career with 15 points and a team-best 11 rebounds. Notching three assists, Bostic also had a big day defensively with three steals and two blocks.

Brynn Shoup-Hill posted 11 points after tallying eight points on 2-for-3 shooting from deep in the second half. Five of her six rebounds came on the offensive glass, and she tacked on an assist and a block.

Jasmine Brown-Hagger added nine points, four rebounds, two steals, and an assist, while Berry Wallace went 3-for-5 en route to a 10-point effort off the bench, her third-straight game in double figures.  

ILLINI CONTINUE TO BATTLE DESPITE INJURY BUG

Through the team's first 23 games of the season, Illinois has yet to have its full 14-player roster available. Holding an 19-5 record despite those setbacks, the Illini have remained resilient while battling injury issues throughout the campaign.

Eight different players have missed at least one game due to injury or illness this season, including sophomore transfer center Lety Vasconcelos, who was expected to be a key piece in the rotation before suffering a season-ending ACL tear over the summer. On Jan. 8, the program announced that fifth-year Makira Cook (ongoing health condition) and sophomore Gretchen Dolan (knee) would both miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Illinois is now 8-1 since announcing Cook and Dolan would miss the remainder of the season.

Five-star freshman guard Berry Wallace (hand) missed seven of the first eight games, while junior forward Shay Bollin, who played in 29 games for the Illini last season, has yet to make an appearance during the 2024-25 campaign. Freshman Irene Noya Catoira sat out the first seven games of the year while recovering from injury, while guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger, who has since moved into the starting lineup, missed three games while working her way back from a concussion. The latest Illini to miss a game was freshman Hayven Smith at Northwestern.

BIG TEN ROAD WINS

Illinois has won 13 road Big Ten games under Shauna Green, tied for the second-most in program history among Illinois women's basketball head coaches. In 2024-25, Illinois has brought home victories against Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers, No. 14 Maryland, and Wisconsin.

BOSTIC MOVES ATOP PROGRAM'S CAREER REBOUNDING LIST

Fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic became the Fighting Illini's career rebounding leader during Illinois' game against Purdue on Jan. 27. After tying the previous mark in the first half, Bostic secured her record-breaking board in the third quarter, which saw her climb to 11 rebounds on the night and 1,218 rebounds across her time with the Orange and Blue.

Bostic surpassed Jenna Smith on the program's all-time rebounding list. Smith, who played at Illinois from 2006-10, posted 1,217 rebounds across her career; Bostic entered Illinois' game against Purdue needing 10 rebounds to tie the record and 11 rebounds to pass it.

Bostic is the fourth player in program history to record 1,000 career points and 1,000 career rebounds while playing for the Illini.

The Kokomo, Indiana, native sits in third place on the Big Ten's career rebounding rankings, only behind Iowa's Megan Gustafson (1,460) and Ohio State's Jantel Lavender (1,422). Bostic sits at 1,327 career rebounds across her four seasons at Illinois and one season at Michigan State.

GREEN CONTINUES TO CLIMB PROGRAM'S ALL-TIME WIN LIST

Third-year head coach Shauna Green continues to move up the program's all-time wins list. After the Fighting Illini defeated Wisconsin away from home on Feb. 9, Green posted her 60th win at the helm of the program, which currently ranks as the sixth-most victories by an Illinois women's basketball head coach.

SHARP SHOOTING FROM BEYOND THE ARC

Fighting Illini fifth year Genesis Bryant has been instrumental for the Orange and Blue from beyond the 3-point line. Through 89 games at Illinois, Bryant has connected on 183 3-pointers, which currently ranks fourth on UI's career list.

Bryant connected on 72 3-pointers in 2022-23, her first year at Illinois (178 att., 40.4%). As a senior in 2023-24, she tallied 65 makes from deep (188 att., 34.6%). This year, Bryant has made 46 3-pointers on 120 attempts for a 38.3% clip.

RANKED WINS UNDER COACH GREEN

For the first time since the 2014-15 campaign, the Fighting Illini have secured multiple ranked wins in a season. The Orange and Blue defeated No. 19 Florida State, 83-74, at State Farm Center on Nov. 7 to open the 2024-25 regular season before securing a 62-57 home win over No. 23 Iowa on Jan. 9. Illinois' most recent ranked victory came in a 66-65 road win over No. 14 Maryland on Feb. 2.

The program has now won five ranked games under third-year head coach Shauna Green, who guided the Illini to ranked wins over No. 12 Iowa (Jan. 1, 2023) during the 2022-23 slate and No. 14 Indiana (Feb. 19, 2024) during the team's 2023-24 schedule.

ILLINI TAME WILDCATS FOR FIFTH-STRAIGHT VICTORY

Illinois extended its winning streak to five games with a 73-60 win over Northwestern on Thursday night at State Farm Center.

Leading by double digits for nearly 30 minutes of play, the Fighting Illini secured their sixth-straight win over the Wildcats while improving to 18-5 overall and 8-4 in Big Ten play this season.

Genesis Bryant paced the Illini in scoring with 20 points, her third-consecutive game with 20+ points. Going 3-for-5 from 3-point range, Bryant also finished with five rebounds, four assists, and a steal.

Kendall Bostic posted 15 points, her eighth-straight outing with at least 10 points. Equaling her career-high with six assists, Bostic also grabbed nine rebounds and made a season-best three blocks.

Berry Wallace poured in 14 points off the bench, 10 of which came in the first half. Scoring in double figures for the sixth time, she amassed three rebounds and two assists.

Jasmine Brown-Hagger registered nine points, while Adalia McKenzie logged seven points and three assists.

ILLINOIS LEADS B1G IN 3-POINT EFFICIENCY IN CONFERENCE PLAY

During the team's 9-4 start to conference play, the Illini have shot 39.3% from 3-point range, a mark that leads the Big Ten. Going 81-for-206 from beyond the arc through the first 13 games of its conference slate, Illinois ranks first in 3-point percentage while taking the fourth-fewest shots from deep in Big Ten games.

The Orange and Blue have posted a 3-point percentage of at least 40% in seven games this season, five of which came away from home. The Illini have recorded their top-four 3-point shooting performances this season in road games (at Indiana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and No. 14 Maryland). Illinois is 6-1 against Big Ten opponents when shooting over 40% from deep.

1. Illinois (39.32% - 81-for-206)
2. Indiana (39.26% - 106-for-270)
3. Washington (38.1% - 99-for-260)
4. Michigan (36.0% - 99-for-275)
5. Wisconsin (35.1% - 85-for-242)

ILLINI FREE THROW SHOOTING IMPROVES SIGNIFICANTLY UNDER COACH GREEN

Since head coach Shauna Green took over the helm of the program, several Illinois student-athletes have made significant strides at the charity stripe while also getting to the free throw line more than ever. 

Adalia McKenzie has made huge jumps in her three seasons under Green's guidance. After going 57.6% from the line as a freshman in 2021-22, McKenzie drastically improved when Green arrived on campus, with the Minnesota native shooting 64.6% as a sophomore. She then posted a 73.7% clip as a junior and, thus far in her senior season, is 80% from the stripe, an improvement of over 22 percentage points since her first year with the program.

Kendall Bostic has not only become more efficient at the free throw line; she has also found herself at the stripe at a career-best rate. After shooting less than 70% at the line in her first two seasons in Champaign, Bostic has shot over 80% (82.5% in 2023-24 and 86.7% in 2024-25) across the past two years. She has already attempted a career-most 60 free throws this season while making 52 of those attempts, which also is a new career-best mark.

As a team, the Illini set a new program record after shooting 79.5% from the line across all games last season. Their 85.2% (230-for-270) mark in conference play during the 2023-24 campaign secured a new Big Ten single-season record. Illinois currently leads the Big Ten with an 80.8% free throw percentage, over two percentage points higher than the next-closest team (Washington, 78.5%). 

BOSTIC EARNS SPOT ON MCCLAIN AWARD TOP-10 CANDIDATES LIST

Fighting Illini fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic has been named one of the top 10 candidates for the Katrina McClain Award Power Forward of the Year, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Feb. 6.

In addition to her recognition as a Top 10 candidate for the McClain Award, Bostic has already earned Big Ten Player of the Week, AP Player of the Week Honorable Mention, and Her Hoops Stats Midseason First Team All-Big Ten honors in her final collegiate campaign. Bostic was also part of the 20-player McClain Power Forward Preseason Watch List.

One of two honorees from the Big Ten, Bostic is the first player in program history to be named a top 10 candidate for any Basketball Hall of Fame's Naismith Starting 5 award.

Now in its eighth year, the McClain Award honors the legacy of Katrina McClain, who was a two-time All-American, 1987 National Player of the Year, and Class of 2012 Hall of Famer. The award is given annually to the top power forward in women's NCAA Division I college basketball.

BOSTIC NAMED TO WOMEN'S COLLEGE ALL-STAR GAME WATCH LIST

Fighting Illini fifth year Kendall Bostic has been named to the Women's College All-Star Game Watch List presented by Herbalife. The Kokomo, Ind., native was one of 68 players appearing on the watch list that represented 51 different programs and 15 conferences.

Bostic is averaging 16.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 34.5 minutes per game across her final year of collegiate basketball. She has started 115 consecutive games since transferring to Illinois ahead of her sophomore season and now holds the program's career rebounding record. Bostic is shooting 53% from the field, 30.4% from 3-point range, and 87.5% from the free throw line this season. She owns 49 career double-doubles, all coming with the Orange and Blue. The same day Bostic broke Illinois' program rebounding record, she moved into third place on the Big Ten's all-time boards list.

So far, in her final campaign, Bostic has earned Big Ten Player of the Week, AP Player of the Week Honorable Mention, Her Hoops Stats Midseason First Team All-Big Ten, and McClain Power Forward Watch List honors.

The 2025 Women's College All-Star Game will feature the top senior standouts. Of the more than 60 players that appear on the watch list, 20 will ultimately be selected to participate in the event on Saturday, April 5, in Tampa. The game will tip at 3 p.m. ET and air on ESPN2.

BRYANT EARNS BIG TEN PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD (FEB. 3)

For the third time in her career, Genesis Bryant has earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors, the conference office announced Monday. Putting together three phenomenal performances in Illinois' 3-0 week, Bryant led the Fighting Illini to two road wins in addition to the program's first-ever win over Maryland – marking Illinois' third win over an AP Top-25 ranked team this season.

Bryant averaged 20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.33 assists, 0.67 steals, 36.6 minutes, and a 1.17 assist-turnover ratio across the 3-0 week. She shot 44.4% (20-for-45) from the field, 55.6% (10-for-18) from 3-point range, and 91.7% from the free throw line.

The Jonesboro, Georgia, native posted 36.6 minutes per game across the three victories, playing all 45 minutes in Illinois' overtime win over Rutgers and all 40 in the Illini's road triumph against No. 14 Maryland, the program's first-ever victory against the Terrapins.

Across the week, Bryant posted her sixth and seventh 20-point outings of the season, and she has now scored in double figures 16 times and in each of her last four appearances.

Bryant was named the Big Ten Player of the Week for the first time since doing so in back-to-back weeks during the 2022-23 season (Dec. 27, 2022, and Jan. 2, 2023). She is the second Illini to earn Big Ten Player of the Week status this season, joining fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic, who earned the accolade on Nov. 25.

BOSTIC, MCKENZIE NAMED TO HER HOOP STATS MIDSEASON ALL-BIG TEN TEAMS

Fifth year forward Kendall Bostic has earned All-Big Ten First Team honors from Her Hoops Stats, while senior guard Adalia McKenzie was tabbed with honorable mention accolades.

The Fighting Illini's career rebounding leader, Bostic is averaging a double-double – 16.1 points and 11.2 rebounds – and was one of six players to earn a spot on the first team. Bostic's scoring average is on pace to break her career-best total by four points, while her 11.2 rebounds would be her second-best single-season tally. With 14 double-doubles this season, the Kokomo, Indiana, native joins USC's Kiki Iriafen and Juju Watkins, UCLA's Lauren Betts, Michigan State's Julia Ayrault, and Ohio State's Cotie McMahon on the first team.

McKenzie has filled up the stat sheet in her final season with the Orange and Blue, averaging 13.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while scoring in double figures in 17 games thus far.

ILLINOIS TAKES DOWN THE NO. 14 TERPS AWAY FROM HOME

Illinois secured its first ranked road win since 2019 with a dramatic 66-65 victory over No. 14 Maryland at XFINITY Center on Feb. 2.

With three lead changes in the final 60 seconds, Genesis Bryant knocked down two free throws with six seconds remaining to give the Fighting Illini their first-ever win against the Terrapins and their third ranked triumph of the season.

Playing all 40 minutes, Bryant finished with a game-high 20 points while making two 3-pointers and going a perfect 6-for-6 from the free throw line. Scoring 10 points in the third quarter alone, Bryant also amassed four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Berry Wallace continued to make clutch plays for the Orange and Blue, with the true freshman recording 14 points to along with a career-high four 3-pointers. She also collected two rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal.

Brynn Shoup-Hill knocked down a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left to give the Illini a late lead. She logged seven points, two assists, and a block, and five of her eight rebounds came on the offensive glass.

Kendall Bostic posted her fifth consecutive double-double, concluding the afternoon with 13 points and 14 rebounds. She also tallied two assists and a block across her 40 minutes of action.

Adalia McKenzie filled the stat sheet with nine points, a career high-tying seven assists, and three rebounds.

The Illini shot 10-for-21 from 3-point range in the road victory, while they turned 10 offensive rebounds into 13 second-chance points.

RESILIENT ILLINI RALLY TO OVERTIME ROAD WIN AT RUTGERS

Illinois battled its way to a hard-fought 69-65 overtime win on the road against Rutgers on Jan. 30.

Four scorers finished in double figures for the Orange and Blue, who are now 16-5 overall and 6-4 in Big Ten play this season. The Illini overcame an 11-point deficit in the game, which is tied for the second-largest comeback Illinois has mounted under head coach Shauna Green.

Playing all 45 minutes, Genesis Bryant poured in 14 points in the fourth quarter and finished with a game-high 28 points, her second-best scoring output this season. Making three big free throws in overtime, Bryant also rattled in a season-high five 3-pointers while collecting six rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

One game after setting the program's new career rebounding record, Kendall Bostic secured her fourth-straight double-double with 10 points and 11 boards. She also dished out a season-most five assists.

Adalia McKenzie came up clutch in overtime, tallying four points and making the game-saving block in the extra period. McKenzie closed the night with 11 points, five assists, three rebounds, a block, and a steal.

Brynn Shoup-Hill logged all 10 of her points across the final two quarters of regulation and overtime, while she also posted nine rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal.

Berry Wallace added seven points, five rebounds, and two assists off the bench.

ILLINOIS FINISHES NONCONFERENCE SLATE WITH 10 WINS

For just the fourth time in program history, Illinois registered 10 wins in nonconference play, equaling the program's all-time record. The Fighting Illini last achieved the feat during the 2022-23 campaign in head coach Shauna Green's first season at the helm.

The Orange and Blue secured a 10-1 record against nonconference opponents, a stretch that included eight victories at home. Illinois opened its 2024-25 slate with a five-game homestand that featured three teams that played in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. Opening the season with a statement win over No. 19 Florida State, the Illini also earned triumphs against Marquette, Eastern Illinois, Le Moyne, and Oregon State in the team's 5-0 start.

After going 1-1 at the Music City Classic with a victory over UMES and a loss to No. 14 Kentucky, Illinois closed its nonconference schedule without five more triumphs, a stretch that began with a road win over Canisius. Returning to State Farm Center, the Orange and Blue rattled off wins over Bradley, Southern Indiana, and Southern to move to 10-1 in nonconference play. 

BOSTIC RANKS AMONG BEST IN THE NCAA

Fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic ranks in the top six in the NCAA in four statistical categories – double-doubles, defensive rebounding average, rebounding average, and total rebounds – in addition to being in the top 60 in field goals, field-goal percentage, and minutes per game. She has also joined the scoring conversation with the 10-most points in the Big Ten and 12th-most points per game. Bostic also leads the Big Ten in minutes played per game, unheard of for a post player. 

GREEN BECOMES JOINT-FASTEST ILLINI COACH TO 50 WINS

With Illinois' 73-50 win over Southern Indiana on Dec. 15, third-year head coach Shauna Green secured her 50th win at the helm of the program. Needing only 77 games to achieve that feat, Green became the joint-fastest Fighting Illini women's basketball coach in program history to reach 50 victories, tying the record that was set by Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz.

• T1. 77 games: Shauna Green
• T1. 77 games: Theresa Grentz
• 3. 83 games: Laura Golden
• 4. 94 games: Jane Schroeder
• 5. 102 games: Matt Bollant
• 6. 103 games: Jolette Law
• 7. 132 games: Kathy Lindsey

HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE

Starting the season 9-0 at home, Illinois won 13 consecutive games in State Farm Center between the end of the 2023-24 campaign and the first nine home games of the 2024-25 schedule. The streak ranks as the second-longest such stretch in program history and was the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten prior to the Illini's defeat against Washington on Dec. 31. Illinois is 36-10 in home games under Shauna Green. 

BOSTIC EARNS FIRST-CAREER B1G PLAYER OF THE WEEK AWARD (NOV. 25)

Kendall Bostic delivered a spectacular Week 2 performance on the court to earn the first Big Ten Player of the Week award of her career. The fifth-year senior led the Illini to a 2-0 week after averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, and one steal while posting zero turnovers as the Fighting Illini climbed to 5-0 after downing their third 2024 NCAA Tournament team of the season.

The Kokomo, Ind., native shot 83.9% from the floor on 26-of-31 attempts and connected on all four of her free-throw attempts. No other Big Ten player was more efficient at a high volume than Bostic, as she made more combined field goals across the week (26) than all but two Big Ten players attempted. Additionally, she was the only Big Ten player with two 20-point games during the week.

In the Illini's first game of the week, a blowout win over Le Moyne on Nov. 18, Bostic registered the 36^th double-double of her career, scoring 25 points (11-for-13 FG) and grabbing 12 rebounds in 23 minutes of action.

In Illinois' handing of Oregon State on Nov. 22, Bostic became just the fourth player in program history to score 1,000 points and grab 1,000 rebounds as an Illini. Bostic also scored a career-high 31 points in the victory over the Beavers and grabbed eight rebounds in 32 minutes of work.

TOP HOME ATTENDANCES

Fighting Illini head coach Shauna Green has re-energized the women's basketball fan base and delivered two of the top five home attendances in program history through just 70 games at Illinois. Green's teams have drawn attendances of 13,486, 11,563, and 8,141 across the last three seasons - all three are in the top 13 of all-time largest home game attendances for the program.

The 2024 game vs. Le Moyne that drew 13,486 fans set a new single-game attendance record for home nonconference games at Illinois.

ILLINOIS OPENS REGULAR SEASON WITH RANKED WIN

The Fighting Illini started the 2024-25 season with a statement win, taking down No. 19/19 Florida State, 83-74, at State Farm Center on Nov. 7. Four Illini scored in double figures in the ranked nine-point win, including 20-point outings for both Makira Cook and Adalia McKenzie, while the home side never trailed in the contest.

Kendall Bostic (18 points) and Gretchen Dolan (11 points) also finished with double-digit points, which helped the Illini pick up a ranked win for the third consecutive season.

1,000 POINT SCORERS & REBOUNDING

Entering the 2024-25 campaign, Illinois has four players with 1,000+ career points scored. All four (Bostic, Bryant, Cook, McKenzie) have now scored 1,000 during their Illini tenures as well.

To date, 34 Fighting Illini players have scored 1,000 points during their career at Illinois, and only four players have scored 1,000 points and grabbed 1,000 rebounds at Illinois. Kendall Bostic became the fourth player in program history to join the 1,000/1,000 club as an Illini, earning a spot on the exclusive list that features Jenna Smith, Karisma Penn, and Cindy Dallas.

HOME ATTENDANCE NUMBERS

Across 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' 2023-24 season - and home - opener, the attendance of 2,680 marked the largest ticketed season-opening crowd at State Farm Center since 2000 (3,954). In the Illini's 17 home games last season, Illinois finished with a combined attendance of 63,242 for an average of 3,720 a game. 63,242 is now the fifth-best all-time attendance.

Illinois' season-opener against Florida State drew a crowd of 3,741 to surpass last year's season-opening mark by over 1,000 fans. With 13,486 fans in attendance for Field Trip Day; 4,914 fans in the stands of State Farm Center for Pack the House; and 5,896 fans on hand against Michigan State on Jan. 19, Illinois' season average is 4,835 per game through 14 home regular-season contests.

With three home games remaining, Illinois' total attendance of 67,684 for the 2024-25 season already ranks as fourth-best in a season in program history.

CONTRACT EXTENSION

Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman announced a two-year contract extension for women's basketball head coach Shauna Green, which was approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its Nov. 14 meeting. Initially, the new agreement will keep Green on a six-year contract through at least the 2029-30 season. The agreement also provides Green the opportunity to earn up to four additional one-year extensions if certain performance thresholds are met.

Under Green, Illinois owns a 58-30 record, including a 26-21 mark in Big Ten play. In the first two years under Green, the Illinois women's basketball team registered 41 wins, the first-ever postseason championship in program history (2024 WBIT), and back-to-back top-five season attendances in State Farm Center. Over the last three seasons, Illinois has delivered three upsets of AP Top-20 ranked teams: No. 12 Iowa (1/1/23), No. 14 Indiana (2/19/24), and No. 19 Florida State (11/7/24).

PRO ILLINI

Illinois women's basketball is represented at the professional level across multiple continents. Former Illini center Camille Hobby joined the professional ranks after spending her fifth year of college at Illinois. Hobby plays for PAOK in Greece. Adrienne Williams Godbold, a guard at Illinois from 2009-13, plays in the Puerto Rican BSNF for Hatillo. Brandi Beasley, a guard at Illinois from 2016-20, plays for CJS Geispolsheim in France. Brittany Carter, who played at Illinois from 2014-15, now plays for GIE Cibao Immortals in the Dominican Republic and was the 2024 league MVP. Rebecca Harris, a guard at Illinois from 2006-08, plays for the Bay Area Phoenix in the Women's Premier Basketball Association (WPBA), helping them to a championship. Harris has also played in the Athletes Unlimited League.