Game Preview: Illinois vs. North Texas

(From Illinois Sports Information Office)

 

Illinois vs. North Texas

Sunday, December 14, 2025

State Farm Center, 2pm CT

 

Illinois Starters Last Game (vs. Missouri)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG APG SPG BPG Season Note
G 2 Destiny Jackson 5-6 Fr. 8.0 4.4 5.3 2.0 0.1 Season-high 9 asts, 5 stls at Missouri
G 4 Gretchen Dolan 5-11 R-So. 14.4 3.6 3.4 1.3 0.3 Two 20-point games this season
G 8 Jasmine Brown-Hagger 5-9 Jr. 6.3 1.8 1.3 1.5 0.1 Season-high 12 pts, 3 rebs, 2 stls at FSU
F 23 Berry Wallace 6-1 So. 16.8 7.0 1.8 0.6 0.1 Four straight 20-point games to start season
F 30 Cearah Parchment 6-3 Fr. 11.3 8.3 1.2 2.1 0.3 Four double-doubles this season

Career Record: 228-111 (.673), 12th season
Division I Record: 199-86 (.698), 10th season
At Illinois: 72-36 (.667), Fourth season
Big Ten Record: 31-24 (.564), Fourth season

  • Move the Illini to 2-0 all-time vs. North Texas
  • Improve Green to 1-0 overall vs. North Texas
  • Move Illinois to 46-11 in SFC under Green
  • Give the Illini an eight-game win streak
  • Give the Illini an eight-game home win streak
  • Move Green's career record to 229-111 in 12 seasons
  • Move Green's DI record to 200-86 in 9 seasons
  • Move Green's Illinois record to 73-36
  • Tie Green as the 3rd winningest HC in Illinois WBB
  • Give Illinois WBB an all-time record of 719-776

North Texas is off to a 6-3 start on the 2025-26 season and coming off a win against Texas Southern. The Mean Green are 1-0 on the road, there one win coming against SMU (Nov 22). North Texas and Illinois do not have any common opponents at this point in the season. The Mean Green are under the guidance of third-year head coach Jason Burton.

Wednesday's game will mark the second all-time meeting between Illinois and North Texas. Illinois leads the series 1-0 overall. Their last and only other match was in the Fiesta Bowl Classic in Tucson, Arizona. The Illini won 92-68 (12/7/2002).

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' 9-1 start through 10 games is the program's best start since the first season of NCAA-sponsored Women's Basketball in 1981-82. The Illini got off to a 10-0 start in 1981-82 and a 9-1 start in 1980-81.

BEST 10-GAME STARTS

Rank Season Record Coach

1. 1981-82 10-0 Schroeder
T-2. 2025-26 9-1 Green
T-2. 1980-81 9-1 Schroeder

Cearah Parchment's superb Week 5 play helped the Fighting Illini extend their winning streak to six-straight games and pick up the program's first Big Ten-opening win since the 2016-17 season.

The Canadian rookie averaged a monster double-double with 15.5 points, 12.5 rebounds (5 off. rebs/game), 2.5 assists, 2.0 steals, and 24.3 minutes per game. Parchment combined to shoot 44.4% (12-for-27) from the field, 50% (2-for-4) from 3-point range, and a perfect 100% (5-for-5) from the free-throw line.

Playing just 21 minutes in Illinois' 90-41 blowout win over Bellarmine, Parchment still racked up 16 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Four days later, in the first Big Ten conference game of her career, the rookie registered a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double; her third-straight double-double and fourth of the season. In her B1G opener, Parchment was stellar, in addition to the points and rebounds, she added two assists and a steal in 27 minutes of action. Parchment shot 40% from the field (6-for-15), 100% from 3-point range (2-for-2), and 100% from the free throw line (1-for-1).

Illinois started the game on an 8-0 run and never looked back en route to a McBride Homes Braggin' Rights win in Columbia, Missouri. Illinois never trailed in their 70-62 win over the Tigers.

The Fighting Illini (9-1, 1-0 B1G) were lead by a explosive 21-point effort from Gretchen DolanMaddie Webber added 11 points off the bench. Freshman Destiny Jackson posted a career-high nine assists, the most by an Illini freshman since Brandi Beasley registered 10 against Nebraska (01/15/2017). Jackson also added on a new career-high five steals.

Illinois continued its advantage in the paint, outscoring Missouri 42-22. Defensively, the Illini forced 18 turnovers, their fifth straight game doing so.

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