This win over the Scarlet Knights is the Illini’s second over a Big Ten opponent, and there were high-quality performances from nearly every player on the court tonight. The team shot 54% from the field, and over half the women scored in double figures to drive them to a 28-point victory.
Out-scoring, out-rebounding and out-performing
Illinois dominated in all aspects of the game. In the first quarter, Illinois held Rutgers to a mere five points, demonstrating that getting off to a good start is crucial for the team to succeed. Additionally, Illinois had 11 more rebounds, with 13 of them being offensive boards. Taking advantage of second-chance plays is instrumental for the Illini, especially when they’ve had trouble with this in the past. After some tough losses this season, the past two games have been a beacon of hope for the team and their effort to stay in harmony on the court is truly a game-changer for the Illini.
Illinois’ starting five players are indicated with *.
* Makira Cook (A-)
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The shots are falling a little more recently than they had been earlier in the season for Cook, but her development as a true point guard has been even more important. Seven more assists tonight to go along with her 12 semi-efficient points is a good night for Cook. It might be kind of annoying, considering preseason expectations, but if she can settle into a role more like this, she can still be a very important player for the Illini going forward.
* Genesis Bryant (A-)
Bryant had a night more typical of what we saw from her earlier in the year where she was consistently the leading scorer for Illinois — a pretty efficient night where she never really took over, but it also didn’t feel like she had to. It’s been interesting to see her duality as the level of competition rises and lowers.
* Adalia McKenzie (A)
There’s never a game where McKenzie doesn’t show how tough and how driven she is on the court. Tonight, she finished with 14 points, three rebounds and three steals. She made huge plays on the defensive end to get her some fast break moments and went 5-7 from the field illustrating how valuable she is on both ends of the floor. McKenzie is genuinely a playmaker on the court, and when she fires up offensively, it’s hard to defeat her.
* Camille Hobby (A)
Hobby has been on a roll since she obtained a spot in the starting lineup. Her performance tonight was very strong, posting 12 points, eight rebounds and one assist. She added a three-pointer, something that’s not been seen much from the bigs on the team. Her abilities to score in the paint and the high post have been vital to the team, and she’ll likely continue to have her spot in the starting five if her efforts stay like this.
* Kendall Bostic (A)
Bostic finished with a fairly humble 13 points and seven rebounds which is a stat line that has become typical of her, even on her worst nights. The defensive fit with her and Hobby is still going to be an interesting development, but the offensive spacing has proved to be less of an issue than maybe originally thought as they both hit one from behind the arc. Bostic continues to be a beacon of consistency in a season filled with the opposite for Illinois.
Gretchen Dolan (A)
In exactly 23 minutes of playing time, Dolan scored 11 points and had one rebound and two assists. In past games, Dolan has not performed strongly, missing shots and lacking aggression. Tonight was a different story. She was 5-8 from the field and even caused a shot-clock violation in the second half of the game. Not only did she shoot with ease, but she also showed improvements defensively, which head coach Shauna Green always hits hard on for the freshmen.
Brynn Shoup-Hill (B+)
Brynn did exactly what coach Green has asked her to do since she has moved to the bench. Shoup-Hill finished with five points, five rebounds and three blocks in a modest 15 minutes. She has emerged as arguably the best defender on the Illinois roster and continues to only put up open and efficient shots. Very valuable role player for the Illini right now.
Kam’Ren Rhodes (C)
Rhodes scored a three-pointer and two free throws this evening in the nine minutes she played. Other than that, there was not much action from her. She has an immense amount of potential, but she just hasn’t been able to display that yet. Green has emphasized in the past how talented Rhodes is but has not executed her full abilities on the court so far this season — but will hopefully do so soon.
Shay Bollin (C-)
Bollin played almost 10 minutes in tonight’s game and left with a three-pointer and an assist to her name. She puts up shots when she gets a good look, but they simply haven’t been falling for her. She’s very vocal and energetic on the floor and the sidelines, but her offensive performance must improve to get more minutes.
