“She’s just been absolutely huge for us all year,” said head coach Shauna Green of sophomore forward Berry Wallace.

Green summed up Illinois’ season perfectly. There’s no doubt that Wallace has made the biggest impact on the team these past few months.

Wallace came into this year after already making waves as a freshman. During her first season with the Illini, Wallace played in 25 games and started in six of those. As her rookie season progressed, so did Wallace’s time and accomplishments on the court. 

Even from her first-ever collegiate season, Wallace proved that she would be a star. Now, in her second season, Wallace is proving to be the most valuable player on Green’s roster.

“She’s such a competitor,” Green said. “She wants to guard the best player. We’re trying as coaches, we think about it. It’s not that she can’t guard someone, but we’re also asking her to play 40 minutes and do all this.”

It is clear that when Wallace plays, she is a dedicated competitor to her team. Wallace also shows that she wants to be out there fighting for a victory. Wallace plays with such grit and determination that no one can doubt her passion out on the court. Offensively and defensively, Wallace gives it her all.

“Just knowing that every game is going to be tough, and I have to come out with a lot of energy and do everything I can to help our team win,” Wallace said. “But also, I think when the (Northwestern) game was getting tight, just knowing that I wanted to be the one to step up and help the team, whether it was getting stops, getting scores or just attacking and maybe getting them in some foul trouble.”

Wallace knows that each contest is going to be a challenge, no matter what. However, she also wants to be the person who helps her team win. She wants to be the person who is trying to find ways that the Illini can come out on top when moments get tough. Her resilience and determination to strive for a win no matter what is one of the ways that make Wallace such a star player.

“I trust her with everything,” Green said. “We talked, I’m like, ‘Do you need me to give you a break here or there?’ And she’s like, ‘Coach, I can play 40.’ She’s just a special player.”

She’s done just that in four games this season. On top of that, Wallace has just one game in the Illini’s 19 this season where she has played under 20 minutes.

Regardless of how much time Wallace spends on the court, she can make the most out of every second. Wallace has seven 20+ point games and 17 games in the double digits. Her dependability on the court is astonishing to see. Time and time again, Wallace has been the one to carry her team to victory. 

“She wants to guard the best player,” Green said. “I’m really proud of her because I thought she did a hell of a job defensively. Now, we’re asking her to take 24 shots … she wants it though. She wants it. She loves it.”

While Wallace’s offensive talents are unmatched, she is also stepping up to the plate as a key piece of the Illini’s defense. 

Green said that Wallace wants to guard the best player on their opponent’s team. She asks for it, and that makes all of the difference. Wallace goes into these matchups hungry for the challenge, and she never backs down. 

“There’s times where I’m telling her, ‘We’re going to put you on and maybe another matchup, but it’s not that we don’t believe you can guard them.’” Green said. “It’s just, we are also trying to find a breather for her, right? She really wants to guard the best player, and she takes pride in that. And if she’s not, it kind of makes her mad.”

Wallace’s pride and passion for her game and her team are undeniable. She fights day in and day out, and Green knows those are qualities that she wants for her team now and in the future. 

“(I’m) so proud of her and love how her leadership continues to grow too,” Green said.

On top of her offensive and defensive talents, Wallace’s leadership cannot be forgotten. Whether she is on the court or on the bench, she is always cheering for her team and talking to them. Wallace shows her team that no matter what, she is there supporting them and guiding them through tough moments on the court.

“Trying to find the next Berry Wallace,” Green said about going to Ohio to visit Wallace’s old school on a recruiting day.

Green joked that on the team’s day off after Northwestern, she would be traveling to Ohio and stopping at no other than Pickerington Central High School, to find the next Berry Wallace. Even during her high school career, Wallace was a decorated and accomplished athlete who was crucial to her team’s success. 

“I just have it in me that I love those big moments where the game is on the line, and my team needs someone to make a play to help win a game,” Wallace said to Sports Illustrated’s Aaron Blankenship during her senior year at Pickerington Central. “I feel the pressure of those moments, but I enjoy it and it drives me to do my best because I want to be a person who my teammates can count on to perform well when they need someone the most.”

From high school to now, Wallace’s mindset stays the same. She wants to be the best, but she also wants to be there for her teammates. And as Green said, Wallace is a special person who wants to be elite.

While this is just Wallace’s second season, she is showcasing the levels of talent and dependability of someone who has years of experience at the professional level. While Wallace clearly shows up for her team, Green shared how Wallace is nothing but the best.

“She wants to be just the best, every single possession, every single day,” Green said. “That’s a coach’s dream right there.”

Wallace has the chance to put on another spectacular performance this Saturday. Illinois (15-4, 5-3) is back on the road to take on No. 24 Nebraska (14-5, 3-5) on Jan. 24 at 1 p.m. CDT. 

@lauram0131

[email protected]