Fans’ first look at Illinois’ new squad was a fierce one. Freshman forward Cearah Parchment made a statement, leading the team in scoring and rebounding. Redshirt sophomore center Lety Vasconcelos also played her first minutes as an Illini, making her long-awaited return from an ACL tear. She made a strong case at the boards and finished around the rim well.
Maryville didn’t make the win easy, though. The Saints are tough to control from the perimeter. They attempted 34 three-pointers in their last exhibition and shot 19 Thursday. In both games, they converted them in the double-digits.
“This was a good test for us because of how they spread you, beat you off the bounce and create long closeouts,” said head coach Shauna Green.
Saints make it rain threes
The Saints were relentless from deep in the first half. Sophomore guard Lindsey Schadewalt and junior guard Annika Pluemer were the only players to reach double-digit scoring and each hit three threes. Even though the Illini had better ball control and rebounding, those threes kept the Saints’ prayers alive.
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It wasn’t just about containing those two, though. The whole team could shoot threes. Seven Saints pulled up from the three at least once, and five connected. Those attempts weren’t just Hail Marys tossed towards the rim, but clean looks that were just a bit off.
“Obviously, we did not want to give them 10 threes, but they make you pay for any little mistake,” Green said. “There’s times we even had a high hand, and they hit threes in our face. But I was proud of how we responded. We took away those threes for a while.”
Starting five sets tone early
Illinois’ first starting lineup of the year expertly balanced returners and fresh faces. While Green plans to keep experimenting with different player combinations and roles, she spoke highly of freshman guard Destiny Jackson’s command at point guard.
“Our starting group was really good,” Green said. “We had a good start defensively. Destiny defends at a high level and only had two turnovers with the ball in her hand for 32 minutes. She’s still learning, but I have extreme trust in Destiny with everything.”
Green has also been trying to utilize the versatility that having so many healthy, talented players allows her to.
“I love (junior guard Maddie Webber) coming off the bench,” Green said. “I love the spark she brings in an instant. Bringing Destiny and Lety off the bench gets you some really good instant offense and defense. The depth has been good, I could start so many different people.”
Newcomers make instant impact
Transfers, injury returns and freshmen alike all saw court time. But it was introductory performances by Vasconcelos, Jackson and Parchment that led the way.
Vasconcelos took the court for the first time as an Illini. She made an immediate impact off the bench, securing a defensive rebound and scoring her first basket within her first two minutes. Green is slowly easing her back, but in her 15 minutes, the center had one block, seven rebounds and seven points.
“It was so nice to be able to have some length to protect the rim,” Green said. “It allows our guards to get up a little bit more, especially against a three-point shooting team. She also finished her shots. We just want to continue to get her minutes up, but I don’t want to rush it.”
As expected from her first start, Jackson was both an efficient scorer and a high-level defender. She had four steals and several more attempts that put her motor and on-court vision on full display.
A lot was expected of Webber, the Villanova transfer. She had a tough shooting night despite strong drives to the basket; the looks just didn’t fall. Still, she used her length to alter shots and pull defenders away from her teammates on offense.
Perhaps unexpectedly, the night’s shining star was Parchment. The Canadian signee scored the game’s opening basket and didn’t look back, having an impressive debut. She scored at all levels and was one of only two Illini who hit multiple three-pointers. An efficient shooting performance was bolstered by her strong rebounding and defensive presence. She collected seven rebounds in the second quarter alone and hit a 20-point double-double by the third.
“She’s so versatile,” Green said. “My big thing with her is about physicality and being stronger down low, getting on the boards, and she did that tonight. I know she can score at ease, but the rebounding was what I was most happy about. When she gets in a rhythm and gets that confidence, she’s special.”
