Fighting Illini Earn First Big Ten Road Win With Dominant Victory Over Indiana

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Illinois led for the final 38 minutes of play en route to an emphatic 68-54 road win over Indiana at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday night.

Ahead by as many as 15 in the contest, the Fighting Illini improved to 13-4 overall and 3-3 in conference play with their first Big Ten road victory of the campaign.

Four scorers for the Orange and Blue finished in double figures as the Illini recorded their largest margin of victory against the Hoosiers away from home since 1999.

Kendall Bostic marked her return to her home state with a dominant 21-point, eight-rebound performance. A pest in the paint from start to finish, Bostic went 9-for-19 from the field, dished out three assists, and made one block while playing all 40 minutes.

After totaling 11 points in the first quarter, Adalia McKenzie tallied 15 points for her eighth-straight outing in double figures. Three of her five rebounds came on the offensive glass, and she amassed four assists.

Berry Wallace scored in double figures for the second time in her career and for the first time in Big Ten play, pouring in 13 points off the bench. A stretch of five-consecutive points in the fourth quarter swung the momentum back in the Illini’s favor, and the freshman also connected on three 3-pointers, going 3-for-3 from deep, and finished with four rebounds and a steal.

Genesis Bryant ended the night with 12 points while equaling her season-best total with seven assists. She also corralled three rebounds and snatched a steal.

Jasmine Brown-Hagger logged seven points, including five in the fourth quarter, along with four assists, two rebounds, and a steal.

The Hoosiers scored on their first possession of the night, but the Illini did not trail for long. A 19-2 run over the next five-and-a-half minutes gave the visitors a double-digit lead, 19-5. Bostic and McKenzie each logged seven points during that stretch, which saw the Orange and Blue make eight of their first 11 shots from the field.

McKenzie became the game’s first scorer to move into double figures with just over two minutes left in the opening frame. The Illini maintained their double-digit edge, storming into the second quarter with a 25-14 lead.

After Illinois extended its advantage up to 15 by scoring the first four points of the second period, Bostic joined McKenzie in double figures with just over four minutes left in the frame. Bostic ultimately scored the Illini’s final four points of the first half, helping the away side go into the break with a 35-22 advantage.

Bostic and McKenzie led the way offensively for the Orange and Blue, combining for 26 of the Illini’s 35 first-half points. Registering an assist on 11 of 16 made field goals across the first 20 minutes of action, Illinois shot 60% from 3-point range ahead of halftime.

Picking up where she left off, Bostic scored six of the Illini’s first eight points of the second half to allow the Orange and Blue to maintain their double-digit lead. A stretch of seven-straight makes from the Hoosiers reduced the hosts’ deficit down to single digits, 45-37, for the first time in over 20 minutes of game time.

After the Illini took a timeout, Wallace drilled her second 3-pointer less than 15 seconds later to push the visitors’ edge back up to 11 with just over two minutes left in the third quarter. A 4-1 Indiana run to close the frame sent the sides into the fourth quarter with Illinois in front, 49-41.

The Hoosiers cut their deficit to four early in the final frame, but a stretch of five-straight points from Wallace carried the Illini’s lead back into double figures. After making a steal and a transition layup, Wallace followed it up by knocking down a 3-pointer less than 20 seconds later. That momentum swing extended the Orange and Blue’s edge to 55-45 with 6:08 left to play.

A buzzer-beating Indiana 3-pointer cut the home side’s deficit back to seven, but Brown-Hagger accounted for the game’s next five points, including a corner three, to re-establish Illinois’ double-digit advantage, 62-50, with three-and-a-half minutes remaining in the contest.

Bryant and McKenzie’s back-to-back buckets brought the Orange and Blue back up by 12 with under one minute to go, sealing the team’s first conference road win of the year.

Illinois plays host to a ranked opponent for the third time this season on Sunday, when No. 22 Michigan State makes the trip to Champaign. The opening tipoff between the Fighting Illini and Spartans at State Farm Center is set for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+, with tickets available at the door or online at FightingIllini.com.

HIGHLIGHTS

POSTGAME RADIO INTERVIEW

Coming soon.

POSTGAME NOTES

Player Notes:

• Kendall Bostic scored a game-high 21 points to go along with eight rebounds, three assists and a block.
  

  • Recorded her fourth 20-point game of the season and her eighth such performance of her career.
    

    • Scored in double figures for the 15th time this season and for the 64th time in her career.
      

      • Has eclipsed the 10-point mark in 14 of her last 15 games.

  • Now has at least six rebounds in all 17 games this season.

    • Continues to climb the program’s all-time rebounding list:

      • 1. Jenna Smith (2006-10) – 1,217
      • 2. Kendall Bostic (2021-pres.) – 1,182

• Jasmine Brown-Hagger scored seven points and added two rebounds and four assists.

  • Has at least three assists in three-straight games, a season-long streak.

• Genesis Bryant scored 12 points while dishing out seven assists.

  • Scored in double figures for the 12th time this season and the 62nd time in her career.
  • Her seven assists match a season-high mark.

• Adalia McKenzie scored 15 points while posting five rebounds and four assists.

  • Finished in double figures for the 14th time this season and for the 70th time in her career.

    • Has 10+ points in eight-straight games.

  • Three of her rebounds came off the offensive glass.
  • Fourth game this season with at least four assists.
  • Has at least three assists in two-straight games.

• Berry Wallace came off the bench to score 13 points and secure four rebounds.

  • First Illini off the bench, checking in at 6:19 in the first quarter.
  • Scored in double figures for the second time this season and for the first time during Big Ten play.
  • Matched her career high with three 3-pointers made.
    

Team Notes:

• The Hoosiers won the opening tip, and Indiana opened the scoring on a 3-pointer on its first possession.
• Illinois’ 14-point margin of victory is the largest over Indiana at Assembly Hall since a 14-point victory on Feb. 11, 1996.

  • Just the fifth time the Illini have defeated the Hoosiers by double digits on the road.

• Illinois held Indiana to 54 points, the Hoosiers’ lowest point total at Assembly Hall since scoring 46 points vs. Michigan State on Dec. 28, 2017.

  • Fewest points allowed by the Illini in a game at Assembly Hall since holding the Hoosiers to 50 on Jan. 7, 2010.

• The Illini had four double-figure scorers (Bostic, Bryant, McKenzie, Wallace).
• Illinois used an extended 19-2 run from 9:22 to 3:50 in the first quarter to jump out to a 19-5 lead. 

  • The Illini went 8-for-11 from the field during this stretch while holding Indiana to 1-for-9 from the floor and forcing them to commit four turnovers.
  • Illinois also went on a 13-0 run during that stretch over 3:15.

    • Went 3-for-3 from beyond the arc during that span.

• The Orange and Blue’s 25 points in the first quarter tied the most points scored by the Illini at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, while the +11 margin in the opening frame is the largest in any quarter by Illinois at this facility.
• Illinois closed the game on a 6-0 run, holding Indiana scoreless over the final 2:08 of the ballgame.

  • Overall, the Illini made their final seven shots from the floor.

• The Illini out-rebounded the Hoosiers 28-26, including a 5-3 advantage in offensive boards.

  • The Illini turned those five o-boards into four second-chance points.

• Illinois forced Indiana into 14 turnovers on the night.

  • The Illini have forced double-digit turnovers in all 17 games this season.
  • Scored 14 points off of those takeaways.

    • By comparison, Indiana scored just three points on six Illinois turnovers.

• The Illini assisted 18 times on their 27 field goals.

Misc. Notes:

• Starters: Genesis Bryant, Jasmine Brown-Hagger, Adalia McKenzie, Brynn Shoup-Hill, Kendall Bostic
  

  • This lineup is now 6-2 on the season.

• Shauna Green is now:

  • 54-29 at Illinois
  • 22-20 in Big Ten play
  • 181-79 as a Division I head coach
  • 210-104 overall
  • Illinois vs. Indiana: 32-49 (81st meeting)
  • Shauna Green‘s coaching record vs. Indiana: 2-3

    • The Illini have won two-straight over the Hoosiers for the first time since capturing back-to-back wins on Feb. 12, 2012, and Feb. 23, 2013.

  • Illinois is now 11-28 against Indiana when playing on the road.

    • The Illini earned their first win in Bloomington since Feb. 12, 2012.

• The Illini have held opponents at/below 15 points in 40 of 68 regulation periods.
• Illinois is now 3-2 when wearing blue uniforms this season.
• The Illini are now 8-1 in games starting after 5 p.m. CT this season.
• Illinois is now 5-0 in games played on Thursdays this season.
• The Illini are now 2-1 in January.
• Illinois is now 2-1 during the 2025 calendar year.

        Score after 1st Quarter: 25-14

        Score at Halftime: 35-22 (10-8 Q2)

        Score after 3rd Quarter: 49-41 (14-19 Q3)

        Score after 4th Quarter: 68-54 (19-13 Q4)