The Illini (11-4, 1-3) are now three games deep into regular conference play. While keeping a solid roster of players, Illinois has struggled to finish games strong. Against Minnesota (15-1, 3-1), Illinois led in the first quarter, followed by a tied score at halftime. Illinois pulled away 21-13 in the third quarter but couldn’t replicate those numbers in the closer, resulting in a loss.
Illinois is a talented squad, from the starters to the bench, but repeated mistakes and tired players undermine its chances. Despite the starters’ reliability, late-game fatigue affects the Illini due to their shallow roster and limited substitutions.
*Genesis Bryant (A+): Conference play has showcased fifth-year guard Genesis Bryant at her best. In the past three games, she has missed one of her 28 attempted free throws and scored 20-plus points in each. Her rebounding game has also been her best performance all season. She grabbed seven, six and six boards in the past three games as well — far better than her 3.6 average.
Bryant has been leading Illinois’ offense with her high-scoring and strong playmaking. Her ability to drive to the basket, pull up from afar and convert threes is noticeably impactful. Recently, Bryant passed her season high of 27 points and tied her career high with 32 points against Washington (11-4, 2-1).
With that said, Bryant has been one of the most worked players on the squad. She and fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic have been pulling full games with little to no rest. Yet, her performance and efficiency have only improved. Her leadership and drive push the team to perform under these harsh conditions with few subs and tough competition.
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*Brynn Shoup-Hill (C): Six-foot-three senior forward Brynn Shoup-Hill remains a consistent defensive strength for the Illini. She is one of the team’s strongest rebounders and leads in blocks. Her ability to win possessions for her team is vital against the dynamic Big Ten teams it will face.
However, since conference play started, Shoup-Hill has secured fewer rebounds than against mid-major competitors. She averages 6.9 rebounds per game this season but has underperformed with only three, five, four and two in her last four outings. With her season-high being 11 boards, these stats are much lower than expected from the forward.
With few players who match her height and agility, her ability to battle for loose balls is crucial. As a player with a more prominent defensive focus than scoring, Shoup-Hill must maximize her defensive impact through better positioning and a more aggressive approach on the boards.
*Kendall Bostic (B+): Bostic recorded her ninth double-double of the season in the Oregon (11-4, 2-2) game with 10 points and 10 rebounds. She was one point away from securing her 10th against Minnesota, where she scored nine points and grabbed a near season-best 15 rebounds.
Bostic has been a definitive anchor for the Illini against a tough Big Ten schedule. Bostic has been critical in locking down the paint and forcing her opponents into contested shots. Her talent for rebounding remains a bright spot for Illinois.
While her defensive performance has remained consistent, she outperformed her average of 15.6 points per game against Washington, putting up 17 points. Against Oregon, she scored 10, and against Minnesota, nine. Having more shots fall in will help Illinois pull away from close competition and not leave it up to chance.
*Jasmine Brown-Hagger (C+): Sophomore guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger became a starter mid-season and seemed to struggle to adjust. Her best game as a starter was against Southern (3-12). During that game, Brown-Hagger scored 20 points, had five assists and two steals and went 7-7 at the free throw line.
However, since Big Ten play began, her outings have failed to live up to her performances off the bench. She scored six points on Oregon and Washington but finally hit double digits again with 10 points against Minnesota. Her explosive energy toward the basket makes her difficult to cover, but her inefficiency at converting shots leaves much to desire.
Against Oregon, she made one of six field goal attempts, so four of her points came from the stripe. While free throws can make or break a game, higher-value scoring remains essential. She improved against Washington, making three of six shots, and against Minnesota, she was 4-10 on the floor.
Her limited offensive performances were partnered with limited defensive efforts as well. In 28 minutes against the Huskies, Brown-Hagger grabbed no rebounds. She had three rebounds against the Ducks and four boards from the Golden Gophers, but overall, she had a small impact on all three games.
*Adalia McKenzie (B+): Senior guard Adalia McKenzie’s drive applies to offensive and defensive possessions. She is often given the toughest opponent to guard and does not take this role lightly. Beating McKenzie to the basket isn’t easy because she doesn’t let up until the ball falls through the rim. She had her second block of the season against Oregon’s graduate student guard Peyton Scott.
Her defensive impact remains steady. She stole the ball three times from Minnesota and once from Oregon. She has also been good at crashing the boards, securing seven rebounds against Oregon and five against Washington.
Offensively, McKenzie hasn’t wavered in her efficiency and has put up double digits in all three games. Against Oregon, her conversion rate was low, only shooting 1-5 and going to the line to pad Illinois’ lead. But her shooting efficiency returned in the next two games. McKenzie was 4-9 and 6-16 from the floor against Washington and Minnesota, respectively.
The senior’s offensive and defensive performances are as steady as expected. She is a tough player who had to play increased minutes due to team injuries. This exhaustion does not prevent her from giving it her all: driving to the basket, crashing the board and taking good shots.
Gretchen Dolan (A-): After a month of being inactive, sophomore guard Gretchen Dolan returned to play against Oregon. Dolan has been a key bench player for the Illini all season, and losing her to injury left a noticeable gap in subs. She provides a lot of energy and agility off the bench offensively, averaging 10.5 points per game.
Against the Ducks, Dolan went 3-4 past the arc, tying her season-best for three-pointers made. She converted three of the Illini’s four triples that game. Dolan’s presence was known all over the floor. She was second highest scorer of the night when five of her nine field goal attempts fell, and she secured five rebounds and a steal. Dolan’s scoring efficiency pushed Illinois to its first lead in the fourth quarter when she sank two threes and a jumper in one minute.
Dolan’s status remained day-to-day, and she returned to the inactive list against Washington and Minnesota, both of which were losses for Illinois. Her off-the-bench contributions are huge and have proved vital to Illinois wins. Staying healthy is the sophomore’s biggest challenge.
Berry Wallace (C): With Dolan’s status remaining questionable, Illinois needs high-energy bench players who can put up numbers in her stead. Freshman forward Berry Wallace hasn’t had another high-scoring game like she did against Southern Indiana (11-4) on Dec. 15, but her contributions have helped the team.
Wallace has struggled with scoring since conference play started. She couldn’t convert any of her shots against Oregon or Washington because she took so few; she shot once in eight minutes versus Oregon and three times in 13 minutes against Washington. However, she got some of her spark back playing Minnesota and finished with eight points. Two of her three shots from far fell in, and she was 5-8 from close range.
Her defensive performance has been decent. Even when she fails to score, she boxes out and fights at the board. Her efficiency has been off lately, but the effort she gives on the court hasn’t changed. Her outing against Minnesota demonstrates what she can provide for a strung-out team in need: a few points on the board and a player who can secure possessions.
Cori Allen (C-): Sophomore guard Cori Allen appeared in all three conference games. She played her highest minutes since November in Illinois’ loss to Washington with 16. Among the four bench players who saw action, only Allen and Wallace played in all three games. The former’s contributions were limited to only one rebound per game despite playing double-digits against Washington and Minnesota.
She only attempted shots against Washington, converting one field goal. Allen was 1-3 from the floor and 0-1 from the arc. Against Minnesota, her defensive efforts shone off the bench when she recorded a block and steal. She also had one assist against the Golden Gophers.
With a thin bench, Allen’s efforts have been disappointing. Her limited shot attempts and low conversion rates are key areas she must improve. Allen also must improve on grabbing rebounds. Her performance needs improvement in some critical areas, but when on the court, she provides much-needed rest to the starters and can fill some team gaps.
Hayven Smith (D): Washington was freshman center Hayven Smith’s first Big Ten game, and her outing contributed nothing. Stepping in for Shoup-Hill in the third quarter, she played for one minute and recorded no rebounds, blocks or steals.
However, while she was on the court, the Huskies scored three points while the Illini put up four by McKenzie. While Smith does not have any outright contributions from this game, she was able to step in and cover for a tired teammate.
