Illinois’ (9-2, 0-1) week was full of big performances. It beat Bradley (5-4) and Southern Indiana (8-3) to reach nine wins. Some familiar faces and unexpected players led the Illini.
*Kendall Bostic (A+): Fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic was difficult to stop this week. She scored 22 and 17 points against Bradley and Southern Indiana, respectively.
Against Bradley, Illinois had 42 points in the paint, and Bostic was a large part in that. Against Southern Indiana, points in the paint were harder to come by for her. Instead, she utilized her mid-range ability and sank jumpers throughout the game.
On top of her scoring, her rebounding was just as good, if not better. She recorded a double-double in both games, bringing her career total up to 41, and she grabbed a season-high 16 rebounds against Southern Indiana. It was huge for Illinois as it battled back from an early deficit.
The Indiana native has continued to be a staple of the team. Day in and day out, Bostic comes prepared to play her best ball and help the team in any way possible.
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*Genesis Bryant (B): With fifth-year guard Makira Cook out, fifth-year guard Genesis Bryant has taken charge of the offense. Bryant had a rocky start to the season but is beginning to find her footing. She was solid in the win against Bradley, scoring 15 points on 7-15 shooting.
In both games, she did well to control the offense. She had four and seven assists against Bradley and Southern Indiana, respectively, the latter of which marked a season-high for Bryant. The only thing stopping her grade from being higher is her offensive performance against the Screaming Eagles.
Overall, she did well passing the ball. In the fourth quarter, Bryant slipped a pass to Bostic under the rim, who sank the layup. While her playmaking was good, her scoring could have used some work. She shot 3-11 from the floor against the Screaming Eagles. Efficiency is something she’s struggled with early this season.
Berry Wallace (B+): Freshman forward Berry Wallace has only played three games so far after missing almost a month due to an injury. However, she has jumped into a big role in a thin lineup. She averaged 24 minutes across both games and was first off the bench for head coach Shauna Green.
She didn’t do much while playing against Bradley, scoring just two points on 1-3 shooting. However, against Southern Indiana, she showed why she was a five-star prospect. She scored a team-high 18 points on 5-10 shooting, including three from beyond the arc.
She looked confident on the court, pulling up from three without hesitation. Her defense was solid and continues to improve each game. She doesn’t look much like a freshman with only three games under her belt.
“She’s just a really even keel, high IQ basketball player,” Green said. “She understands the game at a high level, so she doesn’t ever really get playing too fast.”
*Adalia McKenzie (A): Senior guard Adalia McKenzie’s initials seemingly stand for aggression and motor because that is exactly what she brings to the team. She never stays still on the court and is always working to get open, get a rebound or get around her defender.
Against Bradley and Southern Indiana, McKenzie had a season-high 23 points and 16 points, respectively. She got most of her points by driving to the rim and either making the shot or drawing a foul. Even more impressive than her offense is her defense.
More often than not, McKenzie will guard the best player on the opposing team. Against Bradley, when she was switched onto its leading scorer, she held her to just five points. Her defense continues to excel in big-time moments.
“She’s getting over ball screens like we want her to,” Green said after beating Bradley. “Just really set the tone with her intensity and tenacity defensively. It was a game changer.”
*Jasmine Brown-Hagger (C-): With the injuries to the guard position, sophomore guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger got her first two career starts against Bradley and Southern Indiana. She’s played a vital role off the bench this season, but the first glimpse of Brown-Hagger in a starting role left much to be desired.
The Mississippi State transfer averaged 11.7 points per game before this week. In the two games she started, she scored just two and four points. Brown-Hagger didn’t get much going on defense, either. She was switched off of senior guard Soleil Barnes, the Braves leading scorer, midway through the game. Brown-Hagger picked up four fouls against Bradley and three against Southern Indiana.
She saw her minutes drop from 30 to 20 against Southern Indiana as Wallace and sophomore guard Cori Allen took a bigger role. Brown-Hagger has often said she focuses on bringing what the team needs off the bench, but she seems to be a better fit for a bench role this season.
*Brynn Shoup-Hill (B+): Senior forward Brynn Shoup-Hill has played consistently throughout the season. She plays strong defense and gets rebounds. Once again, she did just that, playing good defense against Bradley and adding four points on offense.
In the game against Southern Indiana, Shoup-Hill locked down the paint. She grabbed nine rebounds, four of them coming on the offensive side. She also had a season-high three blocks. Her block early in the second quarter led directly to a Wallace three. It was a huge shift in momentum as it cut the lead down to one point.
While Shoup-Hill doesn’t score much, she doesn’t usually need to. With so many other scorers around her, she can focus on her defense and getting the tough rebounds.
Cori Allen (C): Allen has seen her minutes decrease despite the lack of depth at guard. She doesn’t score much and isn’t very helpful on defense. However, against Southern Indiana, she had some of her best minutes of the season.
“I thought Cori was great in her eight minutes,” Green said. “That was the best eight minutes she’s had here.”
At the end of the second quarter, Allen grabbed a missed McKenzie jumper and put it up and in to beat the buzzer, allowing the Illini to go up 11 going into the half. Green credited it as a winning play. Some good momentum for Allen could help her get things going.
Hayven Smith (D): Freshman center Hayven Smith saw very few minutes against Bradley and Southern Indiana. She played a total of three minutes. However, her two minutes against the Screaming Eagles were important. She played solid and gave Bostic a break late in the game, something she doesn’t get too often.
Irene Noya Catoira (D): Freshman forward Irene Noya Catoira was in a similar boat to Smith. She played two minutes against the two teams. However, she did get her first rebound and points. Late in the fourth quarter against Bradley, Noya Catoira grabbed a long rebound and drove to the rim, sinking the layup. The bench and State Farm Center celebrated the bucket loudly.
Mia Zenere (D): As with Smith and Noya Catoira, freshman guard Mia Zenere hasn’t seen the floor much. She played less than a minute against Southern Indiana when Green emptied the bench and pulled her starters. She hasn’t done much this season, nor has she had the chance to.
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