AUSTIN, Texas – [8] Illinois earned its first NCAA Tournament win since 2000, battling to a 66-57 first-round victory over [9] No. 23 Creighton at Moody Center on Saturday night.
The Fighting Illini led for the final 34 minutes, registering their fourth ranked triumph of the season with the nine-point win over the Bluejays.
Genesis Bryant registered double-digit points for the 13th game in a row, leading the Orange and Blue in scoring with 17 points while knocking down two 3-pointers. Bryant made six clutch free throws down the stretch to seal the victory, and she also added four assists and a rebound.
Kendall Bostic became the program's all-time double-doubles leader with the 54th such performance of her career. Grabbing a season-high 17 rebounds, the most by an Illini in an NCAA Tournament ever, Bostic also collected 12 points, two assists, two blocks, and a steal.
Adalia McKenzie poured in 14 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out two assists, and corralled one steal.
Berry Wallace marked her NCAA Tournament debut with 11 points while going 4-for-8 from the field. She also corralled five rebounds and tallied one assist.
Brynn Shoup-Hill logged nine points, while both of her rebounds came on the offensive glass. Making two 3-pointers in the third quarter that swung the momentum back into the Illini's favor, Shoup-Hill also tacked on an assist and a block.
The Illini took an early lead following a Bryant 3-pointer before the Bluejays briefly went ahead via a 6-0 run. The Orange and Blue countered with a 7-0 scoring stretch to jump back in front, 10-6, with that three-minute stretch featuring three different scorers.
After Creighton cut its deficit in half, Illinois used an 8-2 run across the final four-and-a-half minutes of the frame to take an 18-10 lead through the opening 10 minutes of play.
That advantage climbed into double digits for the first time with 8:30 remaining in the second quarter, with Bryant's layup moving her into double figures. Back-to-back buckets from McKenzie helped the Illini maintain that 12-point edge, but a 7-0 Bluejay run over a nearly five-minute span cut Creighton's deficit down to 26-21. A 3-point play from Shoup-Hill ended the Illini's lengthy scoring drought, extending Illinois' lead up to eight points.
Illinois eventually entered the intermission with a 31-26 edge after shooting 48% from the field across the opening 20 minutes of action. Bryant led all scorers at the break with 11 first-half points while going 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
A 5-2 Creighton run to start the second half cut the Bluejays' deficit down to two, but corner treys from Shoup-Hill on consecutive possessions fueled a 6-0 run to give Illinois a 41-33 edge. After Creighton reduced the Illini lead back down to two, Illinois closed the frame with a 6-2 stretch to hold a 47-41 advantage with 10 minutes left to play.
Already in double figures, McKenzie grabbed a steal early in the fourth quarter and went coast-to-coast for the transition layup. Bostic then made a basket of her own to lengthen the Illini lead back up to double digits, 51-41, with 8:44 to go.
A 6-2 Bluejay run trimmed the Orange and Blue's edge down to six, but Jasmine Brown-Hagger drained her first 3-pointer of the night to push that advantage back up to nine with just under six minutes remaining.
Creighton continued to battle, posting a 4-0 run to reduce its deficit to four. Bostic's layup moved the Illini lead back to six before the Bluejays made a layup to cut the Orange and Blue advantage back down to four. After the Illini missed a free throw, Wallace grabbed the offensive rebound before making the putback to help Illinois retake a six-point edge, 60-54, with 1:39 to play.
Bryant made six late free throws to put the game out of reach, clinching the Illini victory.
With the win, [8] Illinois advances to the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Monday, with the Illini set to take on the winner of [1] No. 5 Texas and [16] William & Mary.
PRESS CONFERENCE
POSTGAME NOTES
Player Notes:
- Kendall Bostic posted a double-double with 12 points and 17 rebounds while also tallying two assists, two blocks, and a steal.
- Became the program's career double-doubles leader with her 20th double-double of the season and the 54th such performance of her career.
- Scored in double figures for the 28th time this season and for the 77th time in her career.
- Has 10+ points in 15 of the last 16 games.
- Now has surpassed 1,500 points in her career.
- Set the program's NCAA Tournament single-game rebounding record with her 17-rebound performance.
- Recorded double-digit rebounds for the 23rd time this season and for the 77th time in her career.
- Had 15+ rebounds for the fifth time
- Now has at least six rebounds in all 31 games this season.
- Added to her lead atop the program's career rebounding list:
- 1. Kendall Bostic (2021-pres.) - 1,344
- 2. Jenna Smith (2006-10) - 1,217
- Remained in third place on the Big Ten all-time career rebounding list (of players who played in the league) and moved closer to the two players above her:
- 1. Megan Gustafson (Iowa, 2016-19) - 1,460
- 2. Jantel Lavender (Ohio State, 2008-11) - 1,422
- 3. Kendall Bostic (Illinois, 2020-Present) - 1,408
- 4. Denise Jackson (Indiana, 1981-84) - 1,273
- Moved into third place on the program's single-season rebounding list.
- 1. Jenna Smith (2009-10) - 387
- 2. Kendall Bostic (2023-24) - 372
- 3. Kendall Bostic (2024-25) - 350
- 4. Lynette Robinson (1980-81) - 335
- 5. Jenna Smith (2007-08) - 329
- Played her 124th game as an Illini.
- Now tied for sixth on the program's games played list.
- Has not missed a game during her time at Illinois while starting all 124 possible games.
- Genesis Bryant led the Illini in scoring with 17 points while also amassing four assists and a rebound.
- Scored in double figures for the 25th time this season and for the 75th time in her career.
- Has also done so in 13 straight games.
- Led all scorers with nine first-quarter points and 11 first-half points.
- Scored the 1,500th point of her career in the contest.
- Connected on two 3-pointers to solidify her spot in third place on the Illinois career makes list:
- 1. Amber Moore (2009-14) - 295
- 2. Lori Bjork (2005-08) - 214
- 3. Genesis Bryant (2022-Present) - 205
- Played all 40 minutes for her seventh complete game of the season.
- Has logged 40 minutes in three of the last four games.
- Adalia McKenzie poured in 14 points in addition to seven rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
- Scored in double figures for the 25th time this season and for the 81st time in her career.
- Has 10+ points in each of the last eight games.
- Played her 124th game as an Illini.
- Now tied for sixth on the program's games played list.
- Brynn Shoup-Hill logged nine points, two rebounds, an assist, and a block.
- Scored 9+ points for the seventh time this season.
- Made multiple 3-pointers for the second time this season.
- Went 2-for-3 from beyond the arc.
- Berry Wallace tallied 11 points, five rebounds, and an assist.
- Scored in double figures for the 11th time this season.
- Made her NCAA Tournament debut.
- Registered the fifth start of her collegiate career.
Team Notes:
- Creighton won the opening tip, though the Illini opened the scoring on a Genesis Bryant 3-pointer on the team's second possession of the night.
- The Illini had four double-figure scorers (Bostic [12], Bryant [17], McKenzie [14], Wallace [11]).
- Illinois forced Creighton into eight turnovers and scored nine points off of them.
- The Illini forced single-digit turnovers for just the third time this season.
- The Illini outrebounded the Bluejays at a 33-23 clip.
- UI grabbed nine offensive rebounds and scored eight second-chance points.
- Illinois outscored Creighton in the paint, 32-22.
Misc. Notes:
- Starters: Genesis Bryant, Adalia McKenzie, Berry Wallace, Brynn Shoup-Hill, Kendall Bostic
- This lineup is now 1-4 on the season.
- Shauna Green is now:
- 63-34 at Illinois
- 31-25 in Big Ten play
- 190-85 as a Division I head coach
- 219-109 overall
- Illinois vs. Creighton: 2-0 (second meeting)
- The Illini are now 17-0 when allowing 60 points or fewer.
- Illinois won its first NCAA Tournament game since March 17, 2000, snapping a three-game skid in the event.
- The Illini moved to 9-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
- Illinois is now 3-2 when playing as the No. 8 seed.
- UI is now 3-0 when playing as the No. 8 seed against the No. 9 seed.
- The Illini are 3-1 in the 8/9 game (including years when only 40 teams were invited to the NCAA Tournament).
- Illinois is 7-2 in the NCAA Tournament First Round.
- The Illini have held opponents at/below 15 points in 69 of 124 regulation periods.
- Illinois tied its program record for ranked wins in a season with its fourth such victory against No. 23 Creighton.
- Also achieved that feat during the 1999-2000 campaign.
- The Illini improved to 22-9 on the season.
- Illinois' 22 wins are tied for the third-most victories in a single season in program history.
- The Illini are 4-5 against ranked opposition this season.
- Illinois is now 14-5 when wearing white uniforms this season and 37-12 when doing so under Green.
- UI had just six players get playing time in the victory, the fewest players of any team to play in an NCAA Tournament game thus far this season.
- The Illini are now 14-3 in games starting after 5 p.m. CT this season.
- Illinois is now 2-0 in games played on Saturdays this season.
- The Illini are now 1-2 in March.
- Illinois is now 11-6 during the 2025 calendar year.
- Illinois is now 2-2 in neutral games this season.
Score after 1st Quarter: 18-10
Score at Halftime: 31-26 (13-16 Q2)
Score after 3rd Quarter: 47-41 (16-15 Q3)
Score after 4th Quarter: 66-57 (19-16 Q4)
