CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – 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 its 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.
With the sides knotted at 2-2 through the opening two-and-a-half minutes, the Illini used a 4-0 run to take a four-point edge. After the Wildcats cut their deficit to one, the Orange and Blue pieced together a 12-2 run over the next three minutes to establish a double-digit edge, 18-7.Â
Less than a minute later, Bryant knocked down a deep three as the shot clock expired, giving the hosts a 12-point lead, their largest of the opening quarter. The sides ultimately went into the second quarter with the Illini ahead, 25-13.
An 11-4 Illinois run to start the second period moved the home side's advantage up to 19 just over halfway through the frame. Back-to-back buckets from Bostic helped maintain that margin, and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Wallace to close the half sent the Illini into halftime with a 45-25 advantage.
Illinois maintained its double-digit advantage through the third quarter, though the Wildcats cut their deficit to 12 with just under three minutes remaining in the period. A late 7-2 run from the Orange and Blue extended their edge back up to 17, and the sides went into the final frame with the Illini in front, 60-45.
A 5-0 run early in the fourth quarter pushed the home side's advantage up to 18 within the first four minutes. After leading by as many as 21 in the contest, the Illini closed out the victory from the free throw line.
Illinois heads north for a road contest at Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon before returning to State Farm Center for two home games next week. The opening tip between the Fighting Illini and the Badgers at the Kohl Center is slated for 3 p.m. CT on B1G+.
HIGHLIGHTS
PRESS CONFERENCE
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes
- Kendall Bostic scored 15 points to go along with nine rebounds and six assists.
- Added to her lead atop the program's career rebounding list:
- 1. Kendall Bostic (2021-pres.) - 1,252
- 2. Jenna Smith (2006-10) - 1,217
- Remained in third place on the Big Ten all-time career rebounding list and moved closer to the two players above her:
- 1. Megan Gustafson (Iowa, 2016-19) - 1,460
- 2. Jantel Lavender (Ohio State, 2008-11) - 1,422
- 3. Kendall Bostic (Illinois, 2020-Present) - 1,316
- 4. Denise Jackson (Indiana, 1981-84) - 1,273
- Now has at least six rebounds in all 23 games this season.
- Scored in double figures for the 21st time this season and for the 70th time in her career.
- Has eclipsed the 10-point mark in 20 of her last 21 games.
- Matched a career-high with six assists.
- Recorded a season-high three blocks.
- Genesis Bryant scored a game-high 20 points and added five rebounds and four assists.
- Registered her eighth 20-point game of the season and her third-straight such performance.
- Scored in double figures for the 17th time this season and for the 67th time in her career.
- Has also done so in five-straight games.
- Connected on three 3-pointers to continue to climb the Illinois career makes list.Â
- Her 182 3-pointers rank fourth on Illinois' all-time list.
- Jasmine Brown-Hagger tallied nine points, adding one rebound and one assist.
- Berry Wallace came off the bench to score 14 points, grab three rebounds, and dish out two assists.
- Poured in double-digit points for the sixth time this season.
- Has at least seven points in nine-straight games.
- Has 10+ points in four of the last five games and in five of the last seven.
- Knocked down multiple 3-pointers for the second-straight game and the seventh time overall this season.
Team Notes
- Northwestern won the opening tip and Illinois forced a turnover on the ensuing possession. The Illini opened the scoring with an Adalia McKenzie jumper two minutes into the contest.
- The Illini had three double-figure scorers (Genesis Bryant [20], Kendall Bostic [15], Berry Wallace [14]).
- Illinois forced Northwestern into 10 turnovers on the night and scored 14 points off of them.
- The Illini have forced double-digit turnovers in 22of their 23 games this season.
- The Illini defense forced Northwestern into going 1-for-11 from the 3-point line in tonight's contest.
- Illinois assisted 16 times on 22 field goals.
Misc. Notes
- Starters: Genesis Bryant, Jasmine Brown-Hagger, Adalia McKenzie, Brynn Shoup-Hill, Kendall Bostic
- This lineup is now 11-3 on the season.
- Illinois has now won five games in a row for the first time since the team's 11-game streak that spanned March 21, 2024 - Nov. 26, 2024.
- Shauna Green is now:
- 59-30 at Illinois
- 27-21 in Big Ten play
- 186-80 as a Division I head coach
- 215-105 overall
- Illinois vs. Northwestern: 40-49 (89th meeting)
- Shauna Green's coaching record vs. Northwestern: 6-1
- Illinois is now 21-22 against Northwestern when playing in Champaign.
- The Illini's current six-game winning streak over the Wildcats is their longest since winning 21-straight from Jan. 23, 2000, to Feb. 28, 2010.
- Illinois is now 12-2 at State Farm Center this season.
- The Illini are 4-2 in Big Ten home games this season.
- With 4,591 fans in the stands on Thursday, Illinois' attendance at State Farm Center this season moves to 67,684Â through 14 games.
- That mark ranks fourth in program history with three more home games still on the schedule.
- The Illini have held opponents at/below 15 points in 53 of 92 regulation periods.
- Illinois is now 12-3 when wearing white uniforms this season.
- The Illini are now 12-1 in games starting after 5 p.m. CT this season.
- Illinois is now 8-0 in games played on Thursdays this season.
- The Illini are now 3-0 in February.
- Illinois is now 8-2 during the 2025 calendar year.
        Score after 1st Quarter: 25-13
        Score at Halftime: 45-25 (20-12 Q2)
        Score after 3rd Quarter: 60-45 (15-20 Q3)
        Score after 4th Quarter: 73-60 (13-15 Q4)
