(From Illinois Sports Information Office)

Illinois vs. #23/23 Iowa

Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 208-104 (.667), 11th season
Division I Record: 179-79 (.694), Ninth season
At Illinois: 52-29 (.642), Third season
Big Ten Record: 20-20 (.500), Third season

OPENING TIP

The 51st campaign of Fighting Illini women's basketball continues with the team's first home game of the 2025 calendar year, which is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. CT when Illinois plays hosts to No. 23 Iowa at State Farm Center. 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 417 career starts (391 at Illinois) and played a combined 559 games (431 at Illinois).
• Kendall Bostic's 1,224 career rebounds rank second of all active NCAA D1 players.
• Illinois' free throws made per game mark of 16.8 ranks 9th in the NCAA.
• Illinois' 12.9 turnovers per game rank 23rd in the NCAA.
• Illinois' free throw percentage of 78.8% ranks 13th in the NCAA and leads the Big Ten.
• 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

Iowa makes the trip to Champaign with a 12-3 overall record and a 2-2 mark in Big Ten play, with both conference losses coming at the hands of ranked opposition. Holding a 2-1 record in true road games, the Hawkeyes have already taken down Drake and Penn State away from home this season.

After advancing to the national championship game at the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Iowa has somewhat of a new look this season, with the Hawkeyes led in scoring by Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen, who is averaging 17.1 points. Forwards Addison O'Grady and Hannah Stuelke are also scoring in double figures for Iowa during the 2024-25 campaign.

ALL-TIME SERIES INFORMATION

Heading into the 82nd meeting between the Fighting Illini and the Hawkeyes, Iowa leads the all-time series, 61-20. Illinois won the most recent meeting between the sides at State Farm Center, which came in the form of a 90-86 victory over the No. 14-ranked Hawkeyes on Jan. 1, 2023.

Iowa leads the series in Champaign, 24-14, though the sides have split the last six games, 3-3.

LAST TIME OUT

Illinois fell on the road to Minnesota, 68-61, at Williams Arena on Jan. 5.

Three Fighting Illini scorers finished in double figures, including the third-straight 20-point outing for Genesis Bryant. Bryant scored in double figures for the seventh-consecutive game, registering a team-most 20 points while also totaling six rebounds and two assists.

In her return to her home state, Adalia McKenzie ended the afternoon with 14 points, two rebounds, two assists, and three steals. Kendall Bostic grabbed 15 rebounds, one shy of her season-best output, while accumulating nine points, two blocks, and an assist. Jasmine Brown-Hagger poured in 10 points and logged three of her four rebounds on the offensive glass. She also tallied a team-high three assists and a steal.

Berry Wallace added eight points, five rebounds, and a steal off the bench, while she connected on two 3-pointers.

ILLINI CONTINUE TO BATTLE DESPITE INJURY BUG

Through the team's first 15 games of the season, Illinois has yet to have its full 14-player roster available. Holding an 11-4 record despite those setbacks, the Illini have remained resilient while battling injury issues throughout the first half of the campaign.

Seven different players have missed at least one game due to injury this season, including sophomore transfer center Lety Vasconcelos, who was expected to be a key piece in the rotation before suffering a season-ending ACL tear over the summer. On Jan. 8, the program announced that fifth-year Makira Cook (ongoing health condition) and sophomore Gretchen Dolan (knee) would both miss the remainder of the 2024-25 season.

Five-star freshman guard Berry Wallace (hand) missed seven of the first eight games, while junior forward Shay Bollin, who played in 29 games for the Illini last season, has yet to make an appearance during the 2024-25 campaign. Freshman Irene Noya Catoira sat out the first seven games of the year while recovering from injury, while guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger, who has since moved into the starting lineup, missed three games while working her way back from a concussion.