Ending a great season with a three-game losing streak is a rough way for Illinois (21-8, 11-7) to go out. But as head coach Shauna Green said, the postseason is a fresh start.
“It’s a new season,” Green said. “We just have to continue to learn and improve.”
Illinois’ Big Ten tournament history
Illinois has been runner-up in three Big Ten tournaments, all before 2010. In recent memory, it has been out of the conversation entirely until 2023. In her second season, Green brought the team back to the tournament, but the Illini were eliminated after the First Four.
Now, they have at least bypassed the possibility of back-to-back first-round losses. Notably, all three second-place finishes came when the event was hosted in Indianapolis. While luck alone doesn’t win championships, it may boost the Illini on what promises to be a long road to the finish line.
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“I think the sky’s the limit,” said fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic about the team’s future. “The tournament is played at a neutral site. Anything can happen in March. We have a hunger coming in after losing those three (games) straight. I think we feed off that really well, and we play our best when we have that.”
Day 1: Bye
The 2025 TIAA Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament begins today. But Illinois, which finished No. 5 in the conference, was awarded one extra rest day. The Illini will use this time to run some extra reps, feel out their competition and watch film.
Day 2: Rutgers or Nebraska
The two teams Illinois could battle first are either Rutgers (11-18, 3-15) or Nebraska (19-10, 10-8). If Rutgers upsets Nebraska, Illinois is well-positioned to progress. The Illini have won all of their matchups against the Scarlet Knights under Green.
Against Rutgers, fifth-year forward Genesis Bryant dropped a season-best performance from behind the arc. She knocked down five three-pointers. Four of the team’s starters put up double-digit points, including senior forward Brynn Shoup-Hill. More performances like that could be the recipe the Illini need to move them to the next round.
More likely, Illinois will face Nebraska in the second round. Earlier this month, the Illini recorded their eighth straight win when they beat the Cornhuskers on Feb. 16.
Once again, Bostic would be pitted against senior center Alexis Markowski. Last time out, the Illinois defense allowed the center to score 28 points, including 16 in the paint. Securing the post will be critical if the Illini want to contain the Cornhuskers.
“There are no more guaranteed games,” Bryant said. “There is no next year. We need to play with the intensity and determination of ‘I don’t want my season to end early.’ We’re gonna give it our all. Like (Coach Green) said, we can take a break after the season.”
Prediction: Illinois plays Nebraska and comes out on top. Green and her players will have learned how to shut down Markowski and secure the lane. No other Cornhusker came away with double-digit points in their previous outing, so the defense definitely did something right, and they can do it again.
Day 3: UCLA, again
It feels like Illinois just returned from its hurdles on the West Coast. Now, the Illini may need to face the music again, but with much higher stakes this time. The winner of the Big Ten tournament is awarded an automatic bid to the NCAA women’s basketball tournament. The No. 4 Bruins (27-2, 16-2) are one of the top contenders and will fight hard to win it all.
Bostic will step up again to guard junior center Lauren Betts. In the last game, Bostic topped Betts in rebounds and held her to 12 points at the half. But it wasn’t enough to stop her from attacking the rim and raking in more buckets.
“She’s just so different,” Green said about Betts. “She’s a generational player. She has the skill set with the size, and she’s so physical. She will bury you. She’s a mix of everything. One-on-one is a really hard guard.”
While the 15-point loss from last time is fresh in everyone’s minds, this matchup won’t be an exact repeat. On Sunday, Illinois welcomed sophomore guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger back into the rotation.
In 30 minutes, Brown-Hagger hit two three-pointers, grabbed three rebounds and fed two assists. Her off-ball movement kept the offense moving against a tight Michigan defense.
Prediction: UCLA wins again. Brown-Hagger will shake things up for the Illini and give them an extra set of fresh legs. But those small wins aren’t enough. They held the Bruins to only three triples, but victory demands a perfect game with high-value shooting and lockdown defense. So far, only No. 2 USC (26-2, 16-1) has shut down UCLA. No other team stood a chance.
Days 4, 5
If the Illini are going to pull off a big upset, then March is the month to do it. A win here would make their path to the championship much more attainable.
Wisconsin (13-16, 4-14) and Iowa (20-9, 10-8) are both teams Illinois beat already. In the second round, the Hawkeyes would meet the Spartans (21-8, 11-7). Regardless, neither team will likely beat the No. 13 Buckeyes (24-5, 13-5) in Round 3. Ohio State held both to 78 points, so it’s the favorite to move forward.
If Illinois meets Ohio State, this will be their first meeting since December. A win against UCLA could light a fire inside the team and give them the momentum to topple Ohio State.
The finale will almost certainly feature USC or No. 15 Maryland (23-6, 13-5). USC closed its season on a seven-game run, while Maryland fell to two unranked competitors during its last eight. It would require another flawless game for Illinois to beat USC. Multiple starters play full 40s, which will take a toll on their stamina. While upsets can happen, this one seems far-fetched.
Prediction: If Illinois reaches the championship, it will likely walk away as fourth-time runner-ups. Even with multiple perfect games, the Illini are stretched thin. With Brown-Hagger playing through an injury, she will need more rest. Taking any starter out of the rotation for even a few minutes in close games can kill the team’s momentum.
Where to watch
Peacock will stream the first round of the tournament. To catch Illinois’ first game on Thursday, fans can tune in to the Big Ten Network. The rights to the finals belong to CBS.
The Big Ten Tournament stretches from Wednesday to Sunday. The first tipoff will be at 3:30 p.m. against either Minnesota (20-10, 8-10) or Washington (19-12, 9-9).
