Game Preview: Illini at Minnesota

From Illinois Sports Information Office:

Illinois at Minnesota
Date | Time Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025 | 2 p.m. CT
Location Minneapolis, Minn. | Williams Arena
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Illinois Starters Last Game
Pos. No. Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG APG SPG BPG Season Note
G 1 Genesis Bryant 5-6 5th 14.2 3.4 3.0 1.1 0.1 Became the 34th player in program history to score 1,000 points as an Illini
G 8 Jasmine Brown-Hagger 5-9 So. 9.8 2.1 1.9 1.1 0.0 Has started five-consecutive games, the first starts of her collegiate career
G 24 Adalia McKenzie 5-10 Sr. 13.1 5.1 2.6 1.1 0.1 Posted her first double-double of the season at Canisius on Dec. 2
F 23 Brynn Shoup-Hill 6-3 Sr. 5.1 7.2 1.1 0.4 1.0 Equaled her career-best mark with three blocks vs. Southern Indiana on Dec. 15
F 44 Kendall Bostic 6-2 5th 16.1 10.8 1.4 0.4 0.7 Ranks second in program history in career double-doubles and rebounds

Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 208-103 (.669), 11th season
Division I Record: 179-78 (.696), Ninth season
At Illinois: 52-28 (.650), Third season
Big Ten Record: 20-19 (.513), Third season

OPENING TIP

The 51st campaign of Fighting Illini women's basketball continues with the team's first game of the 2025 calendar year, which is set for Sunday at 2 p.m. CT when Illinois travels north to take on Minnesota away from home. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (1400 AM / 93.9 FM). Streaming, audio and stats links are also available at FightingIllini.com/wbb.

  • Illinois won 10 games before Christmas (Dec. 25) for the first time since 2022-23 and for the second time since 2006-07.
  • Illinois has earned a win over a ranked opponent for the third consecutive season under Green.
  • Head coach Shauna Green earned her 200th win as a head coach on Nov. 14, 2024 vs. Eastern Illinois.
  • The Fighting Illini have now been ranked in the Top 25 in all three seasons under Green.
  • Illinois faced a ranked team in its Big Ten opener for the third straight season (#12/7 Ohio State, --/25 Michigan, #5/4 Indiana).
  • Illinois returned four 1,000-career point scorers, tied for the most in the NCAA with Baylor, Notre Dame, and Kansas State.
  • Illinois' seniors (Cook, Bryant, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Bostic) have a combined 413 career starts (387 at Illinois) and played a combined 555 games (427 at Illinois).
  • Kendall Bostic's 1,209 career rebounds rank second of all active NCAA D1 players.
  • Illinois' free throws made per game mark of 17.21 ranks 8th in the NCAA.
  • Illinois' 12.8 turnovers per game rank 22nd in the NCAA (179 turnovers through 14 games).
  • Illinois' free throw percentage of 78.2% ranks 12th in the NCAA and leads the Big Ten.
  • The Illini have held opponents at/below 15 points in 32 of 56 regulation periods.
  • Eight different Illini scorers have posted double-digit points in a game this season: Bostic, Bryant, Brown-Hagger, Cook, Dolan, McKenzie, Shoup-Hill, Wallace.
  • The Fighting Illini return eight players from last year's WBIT Championship team while adding six newcomers - four freshmen and two transfers - into the mix.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Minnesota enters the new year as one of five Big Ten teams with one or fewer losses this season, holding a 14-1 record and a 2-1 mark in conference play. The Golden Gophers have won each of their last four games, three of which took place on their home court.

After opening their Big Ten schedule with a road loss to No. 25 Nebraska, Minnesota has secured victories over Penn State and Wisconsin to move above .500 against conference opponents this season.

The Golden Gophers are 9-0 at Williams Arena during the 2024-25 campaign, while that winning streak stretches back to 11-consecutive home wins, which is tied for the fourth-longest span in the Big Ten. Minnesota has defeated Central Connecticut State, Vermont, UMass Lowell, Eastern Illinois, Montana, North Florida, Jackson State, Prairie View A&M, and Penn State in Minneapolis this season.

ALL-TIME SERIES INFORMATION

Sunday marks the 74th meeting between the Fighting Illini and the Golden Gophers, with Illinois holding a 42-31 edge in the all-time series. The Orange and Blue have won each of the last three games between the sides, though Minnesota is 20-14 against Illinois on its home court.

The Illini triumphed over the Golden Gophers in the teams' most recent meeting, with Illinois coming from behind to defeat Minnesota, 73-68, at State Farm Center on Jan. 28.

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