Game Preview: Illinois vs. Jackson State

Illinois vs. Jackson State

Friday, Dec. 19, 2025 - 6pm CT

State Farm Center, Champaign, Ill.

Illinois Starters Last Game (vs. North Texas)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG APG SPG BPG Season Note
G 2 Destiny Jackson 5-6 Fr. 7.7 4.5 5.0 1.8 0.1 Season-high 9 asts, 5 stls at Missouri
G 4 Gretchen Dolan 5-11 R-So. 14.8 3.7 3.5 1.3 0.4 Two 20-point games this season
G 8 Jasmine Brown-Hagger 5-9 Jr. 6.2 1.6 1.5 1.4 0.1 Season-high 12 pts, 3 rebs, 2 stls at FSU
F 23 Berry Wallace 6-1 So. 17.8 7.2 1.7 0.6 0.1 Five 20-point games this season
F 30 Cearah Parchment 6-3 Fr. 10.8 8.0 1.3 2.1 0.4 Four double-doubles this season

Career Record: 229-111 (.674), 12th season
Division I Record: 200-86 (.699), 10th season
At Illinois: 73-36 (.670), Fourth season
Big Ten Record: 31-24 (.564), Fourth season

  • Move the Illini to 1-0 all-time vs. Jackson State
  • Improve Green to 1-0 overall vs. Jackson State
  • Move Illinois to 47-11 in SFC under Green
  • Give the Illini a nine-game win streak
  • Give the Illini a nine-game home win streak
  • Move Green's career record to 230-111 in 12 seasons
  • Move Green's DI record to 201-86 in 9 seasons
  • Move Green's Illinois record to 74-36
  • Make Green the 3rd winningest HC in Illinois WBB
  • Give Illinois WBB an all-time record of 720-776

Jackson State is off to a 2-7 start on the 2025-26 season with wins over Gardner-Webb and Mississippi University for Women. Most recently, the Tigers suffered a 62-51 loss at Alabama. JSU is 1-4 on the road this season with the victory at Gardner-Webb. Jackson State is coached by Margaret Richards, who is in her second season at the helm after coaching JSU to a 16-15 overall record and 13-5 mark in SWAC play last year.

Friday's game marks the first-ever meeting between Illinois and Jackson State.

On Dec. 12, 2025, Illinois got word that Gretchen Dolan's medical hardship waiver for the 2024-25 season was approved by the NCAA, giving the Buffalo, N.Y. native the year of eligibility back. Green made the announcement at media availability that day. As of that day, Dolan will be listed as a redshirt sophomore on the 2025-26 roster.

Illinois' 10-1 start through 11 games matches the best start in program history. Green's squad joins a pair of Jane Schroeder's clubs at the top of the list.

BEST 11-GAME STARTS

Rank Season Record Coach

T-1. 2025-26 10-1 Green
T-1. 1981-82 10-1 Schroeder
T-1. 1980-81 10-1 Schroeder

One team in Illinois women's basketball program history has achieved an 11-1 start to a season, Jane Schroeder's 1981-82 squad. Shauna Green's 2025-26 team has the chance to match that mark on Friday.

BEST 12-GAME STARTS

Rank Season              Record Coach

1. 1981-82 11-1 Schroeder
T-2. 2024-25 10-2 Green
2022-23 10-2 Green
2006-07 10-2 Grentz
2002-03 10-2 Grentz
1986-87 10-2 Golden
1980-81 10-2 Schroeder
T-8. 7x, MR 2019-20 9-3 Fahey

Since the arrival of Shauna Green, Illinois has taken care of the basketball at an elite clip, turning in three straight seasons ranked with the second fewest turnovers. The staff's goal is 13 turnovers or less per game and the Orange and Blue have averaged below that all three seasons completed seasons.

TURNOVERS/GAME UNDER GREEN

Season    Avg. B1G Rank D-1 Rank

2022-23 12.9 2nd 27th
2023-24 12.4 2nd 16th
2024-25 12.6 2nd 24th
2025-26 12.3 3rd 17th

Green's Illini have been incredibly efficient from the free throw line. Illinois has led the Big Ten in free throw shooting the last two completed seasons and is doing so once again in 2025-26. The Illini's numbers from 2023-24 and 2024-25 are the two best completed single-season free throw percentages in program history.

FREE THROW PERCENTAGE UNDER GREEN

Season   Pct. B1G Rank D-1 Rank

2022-23 75.6 8th 53rd
2023-24 79.5 1st 6th
2024-25 79.3 1st 7th
2025-26 81.7 1st 6th

Fourth-year head coach Shauna Green continued to move up the program's all-time wins list. Illinois' latest win saw Green post her 73rd win at the helm of the program, the tied for the third-most victories by an Illinois women's basketball head coach.

ILLINOIS WBB WINNINGEST HEAD COACHES

Rank Coach              Wins Tenure (# Years)

1 Theresa Grentz 210 1995-2007 (12)
2 Laura Golden 83 1984-1990 (6)
T-3 Jane Schroeder 73 1979-1984 (5)
T-3 Shauna Green 73 2022-Present (4)

Gretchen Dolan was named to the Big Ten's Weekly Honor Roll following two standout performances in the Fighting Illini's wins over Missouri and North Texas.

Fresh off the news that the NCAA approved her medical hardship waiver, Dolan averaged 20 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 block in 35.5 minutes per game, helping the Fighting Illini tie their best 11-game start in program history at 10-1.

In the Illini's Braggin' Rights road win over Missouri on Wednesday night, Dolan played a career-high 40 minutes while posting her second 20-point game of the season. To go along with her 21 points, Dolan added two rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block against just one turnover.

On Sunday, Dolan stayed hot, turning in 19 points, five rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal. She connected on a new career-high four 3-pointers while making five total field goals and five free throws.

Across the week, Dolan surpassed the 40/50/90 slash line, shooting 42.9% (12-for-28) from the field, 58.3% (7-for-12) from 3-point range, and 90% (9-for-10) from the free throw line.

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