After suffering a tough loss this Saturday in Milwaukee against Marquette, Illinois women’s basketball (2-1) flipped the script for itself to obtain an enormous victory over Saint Peter’s. Every single player on the team made an appearance on the court this evening, except for senior guard Makira Cook, whose status is still day to day according to head coach Shauna Green. This matchup marked the fourth-largest home crowd for the women’s team, with over 11,000 fans in attendance. The State Farm Center was louder than ever, with cheers coming from all ends of the arena.
Calm, cool, collected and confident
Despite the immense lead the Illini maintained the entire game, they continued to play with passion and intensity, as they would any other game. They shot swiftly and made excellent plays when the opportunities came their way. They went 38-64 in field goals, and 12-21 in three-point shots. This game was a moment for the younger players to show off their expertise and get a feel for the general on-court competitive activities. Green was pleased with the efforts of all the women but was especially proud of the younger learners on the team.
Illinois’ starting five players are indicated with *.
*Genesis Bryant (B+)
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Despite her usual dominance on the court, Bryant had a bit of a slower night with six points, six assists and one steal. Granted, these statistics are still helpful to the team. It’s also important to note that she played about 18 minutes, when she’s been averaging about 26 minutes a game this season thus far.
Had she been in the game longer, there is no doubt that she would have had a more noteworthy performance. She’s been extra valuable on both offense and defense this year, so even with a shorter amount of minutes on the court, it makes sense that she is still able to contribute strong efforts regardless of the time spent playing.
*Jada Peebles (A)
In the 22 minutes Peebles was active on the court, she dominated as a shooter, especially from the three-point line. She was 5-8 in three-point attempts and had 19 points total. Not only was she a valuable asset in racking up points for the Illini, but she looked confident and her shots almost seemed effortless, demonstrating her comfort from behind the arc.
Peebles was not as aggressive in other areas of the game, only getting one rebound and no assists. With that being said, her talents as a shooter should not be diminished whatsoever, and there are high hopes she’ll have another high-scoring game soon.
*Adalia McKenzie (A-)
McKenzie totaled up five points during this matchup, and while this may not seem like a lot, she connected well with the other women on the court with five assists and racked up two offensive boards in her 20 minutes of playing. She also had an excellent performance on defense, grabbing five defensive rebounds and one steal.
It’s also vital to note that McKenzie is a force on the sidelines as well. She’s seen dancing and cheering in celebration of her other teammates’ success, proving her to be a source of energy and heart for the team.
*Brynn Shoup-Hill (A-)
Shoup-Hill looked very sharp on offense this game. She shot 3-4 in field goals, had a successful three-point attempt and also managed to grab two offensive rebounds in her 15 minutes of playing time. She’s strong in the paint and is always reading for layups that come her way. Her skills underneath the rim and around the arc are two components of her gameplay that make her an impressive player on the team.
*Kendall Bostic (A+)
What else could you expect from Kendall Bostic but another 14-point and 10-rebound double-double? Bostic also sported two stocks and a team-low defensive rating of 23.8 which, even against a team like Saint Peter’s, is unbelievable. If she hadn’t only played 19 minutes, we could’ve been on pace for one of the greater performances of her career. A nice bounce back after looking a little reckless in the loss on Saturday.
Kam’Ren Rhodes (B+)
The sophomore guard has provided a very solid presence in the backcourt for the Illini off the bench. Rhodes didn’t shoot the ball particularly well, only picking up five points on six shots, but she contributed in other ways, dishing out six assists, picking up four boards and ripping two steals away from the Peacocks. Green has been very impressed with what she’s seen from Rhodes, and odds are she’s carved out a rotational spot even with the eventual return of Makira Cook.
Shay Bollin (A+)
Bollin had her “coming out game” tonight, specifically in the fourth quarter. Bollin got significant minutes for the first time in her collegiate career and did not disappoint. She put up an efficient 14 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal off the bench. After a rough last few years, it’s great to see Bollin get to the top of the mountain, and Green can only hope she can maintain at least 80% of this play going forward.
Cori Allen (A+)
The freshman showed out in her extended minutes tonight, picking up 16 points on extremely efficient shooting, six boards, three assists and a block. Allen looked skilled, active and absolutely stuffed the stat sheet. Look for her to get more opportunities if the Illini are without Dolan for any amount of time. It’s safe to say she has earned it.
Camille Hobby (C+)
Hobby dropped an efficient 18 points and seven boards against a good opponent in Marquette during the team’s last outing. Seeing that potential, though, makes nights like tonight a tougher pill to swallow. Hobby put up seven points on only 44% TS as a center, picked up two boards while turning over the ball twice and fouled three times. It’s understandable why she might still feel uncomfortable out there, but it felt like the experience and the Marquette game just set the expectations a little higher.
Aicha Ndour (A-)
Make a few free throws and Ndour could’ve walked out of here with our fourth perfect grade of the night. Ndour was very effective in her second-half minutes, as she put up eight points on perfect shooting and picked up a couple of boards. She also provided some great hustle and energy on offense but was a little slow on her feet to be as effective as she should be on defense with her height. Still a very promising performance from Ndour.
Camille Jackson (B)
Jackson saw some run at the end of the third quarter and into the fourth, picking up a bucket on her only attempt and bringing some good pace and energy.
Samantha Dewey (N/A)
Dewey got into the game for the last four minutes of the game and recorded an assist and a rebound.
Gretchen Dolan (N/A)
Dolan went down in her first minute of the game after landing weirdly on her ankle. No confirmation yet on the official injury, but postgame, Green said she’ll probably be day to day as well.
Makira Cook (DNP)
Cook has been practicing with the team but is still currently day to day when it comes to getting in the game. Hopefully, we get to see her Saturday against Notre Dame, as the Illini could definitely use her scoring and leadership.
