By IlliniGuys Staff

April 3, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Makira Cook scored 27 points to lead Illinois past Villanova 71-57 to win the WBIT championship.

Cook was named Most Valuable Player for her performance.  The senior guard scored 22 of her points after halftime to lift the Illini from a 32-29 deficit at intermission.  Cook also hit five of six from the three-point arc.

The championship clinches an historic run for Illinois (19-15), which wins five consecutive postseason games for the first time to clinch the first postseason tournament title in program history.

Genesis Bryant scored 17 points and Kendall Bostic, who went over the 1,000-point mark for her career in the first half, finished with 15 points and 15 rebounds.

Illinois outscored the Wildcats 42-25 in the second half and held their Big East foe to just 32 percent shooting for the game.

Stay with IlliniGuys.com for complete postgame coverage from Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.