Illini Head to Evanston to Face Northwestern Sunday Afternoon

Game 27: [RV/--] Illinois (18-8, 8-7) at Northwestern (8-18, 2-13)
Date | Time	Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026 | 2 p.m. CT
Location	Evanston, Ill. | Welsh-Ryan Arena
Stream	B1G+ | B1G+ App | WATCH
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen | Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 389
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Rosters	Illinois | Northwestern
Game Notes	Illinois | Northwestern
Stats	Illinois | Northwestern
Record Books	Illinois | Big Ten | NCAA
Availability/Interviews	Media Availability 2/20/26 | YouTube Playlist
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Social Media	@IlliniWBB  | @IlliniWBB  | Facebook  | YouTube

Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 237-118 (.670), 12th season
Division I Record: 208-93 (.695), 10th season
At Illinois: 81-43 (.661), Fourth season
Big Ten Record: 38-31 (.556), Fourth season

THE NEXT WIN WOULD...

• Move the Illini to 42-49 all-time vs. Northwestern
• Improve Green to 8-1 across her career vs. Northwestern
• Improve Illinois to 8-0 vs. Northwestern under Shauna Green
• Move Illinois to 18-24 vs. Northwestern in Evanston
• Move Illinois to 24-21 in road games under Green
• Move Green's career record to 238-118 in 12 seasons
• Improve Green to 39-31 in Big Ten games
• Move Green's DI record to 209-93 in 10 seasons
• Move Green's Illinois record to 82-43
• Give Illinois WBB an all-time record of 728-783
• Move UI to 16-3 vs. unranked teams this season

OPENING TIP

The 52nd campaign of Illinois women's basketball continues on Sunday, Feb. 22, when Illinois faces Northwestern for a 2 p.m. CT road matchup on B1G+. Mike Koon (PxP) and Kendall Bostic (analyst) 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 has a ranked win all 4 seasons under Green
• Back-to-back seasons with multiple ranked wins for first time since 1999-01.
• Illinois has been ranked by the AP during all 4 seasons under Green
• Achieved the third sell out of State Farm Center in program history and first under Shauna Green on Feb. 8, 2026 with all 15,544 seats sold for the game vs. USC.
• The Illini's 11-game win streak was the longest single-season streak and tied the longest win streak that spanned the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons
• 10 noncon wins tied program record
• Illinois went a perfect 6-0 in December
• Illinois' 3-0 start in Big Ten play was the program's best start since a 4-0 start during the 1999-2000 season
• The Illini faced a 3-game 7-day span vs. ranked opponents (#7/6 Maryland, at #24/19 Michigan State, #19/19 Ohio State)

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

The Northwestern Wildcats (8-18, 2-13) are amidst a cold snap prior to Sunday afternoon's matchup in Evanston. The Wildcats have dropped their last eight contests with their last win coming over a month ago on Jan. 15. Four of NU's last eight losses were ranked, with Illinois, UCLA, Michigan and Michigan State all breaking the top 25. 

Northwestern's two conference victories came in back-to-back fashion over Rutgers and Wisconsin mid-January. 

NU's Grace Sullivan, one of the top scorers in the nation, is averaging 21.9 points per game on the 2025-26 campaign. The senior forward has shot an efficient 54.1% from the field while adding an average 6.5 boards.

Head Coach Joe McKeown is now in his 18th season with Northwestern, his 40th year as a Division I head coach. NU has made two trips to the NCAA Tournament in the McKeown era, and has notched a 276-276 record.

ALL-TIME SERIES INFO

Illinois and Northwestern's in-state rivalry runs deep, with Sunday's game being the 91st meeting between the schools. While the Wildcats lead the series 49-41, the Illini have taken the last seven contests and are undefeated under Shauna Green. Northwestern has a 24-17 record when facing Illinois in Evanston.

DOMINANT HOME WINS

The Orange and Blue head into Evanston following back-to-back 20-point home wins over Wisconsin and Rutgers. Illinois used efficient shooting and dominant individual performances to cruise past both conference foes.

Tuesday night's 76-56 victory over Rutgers was a product of big games from Berry Wallace and Cearah Parchment accompanied by strong ball security and defense. Wallace and Parchment combined for 41 points and 19 rebounds while Destiny Jackson ran the offensive with eight assists. The Illini dished out 24 assists in total while only giving up 12 turnovers, all while holding Rutgers to 38.9% shooting from the field.

Prior to Rutgers, Illinois blew by Wisconsin in 90-62 fashion on Feb. 11 at State Farm Center. The Illini shot a season-high matching 64.7% from three, led by Aaliyah Guyton, whose 6-for-6 shooting from deep led to a career-high 22 points. Guyton's 100% 3-point percentage is the best (min. 6 makes) in program history. Six Illini scored in double-digits, all making at least one three.

FAMILIARITY WITH THE WILDCATS

While Shauna Green has a 7-1 record against Northwestern across her career, and is 7-0 during her time at Illinois, she's familiar with the Wildcats on a deeper level than just being an opposing head coach. Green spent the 2015-16 season working as an assistant coach under Joe McKeown, her last season before returning to Dayton to take the head coaching job.

The 2015-16 Wildcats finished with a 18-17 record. They wrapped up the year with a postseason berth in the WNIT.

THIRD SELLOUT IN PROGRAM HISTORY

The Sunday, Feb. 8 game vs. USC marked the third sellout in the history of Illinois Women's Basketball and the first instance under Shauna Green. The sellout was the first since the 1998-99 campaign.

The attendance of 15,544 became the first Big Ten game of the 2025-26 season to surpass 15,000 fans. It also made Illinois the fourth team in NCAA women's basketball to have multiple games with 14,000+ in attendance this season.

The previous two sellouts of State Farm Center for Illinois women's basketball games occurred under Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz. Most recently, on Feb. 21, 1999, an attendance of 16,450 saw the Illini take down the Iowa Hawkeyes. Two seasons prior, on Feb. 23, 1997, 16,050 fans attended an Illinois vs. Purdue showdown.

Green has now drawn the three largest crowds in State Farm Center at its current 15,544 capacity (2/8/26: 15,544; 11/18/25: 14,361; and 11/18/24: 13,486) and owns three of the top-five single-season attendances in program history.

Illinois women's basketball has now achieved back-to-back seasons surpassing total attendances of 80,000 for the second time in program history and first time since the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons. The 2025-26 squad achieved the feat with three home games remaining.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

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 in the Big Ten. 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. 

EFFICIENCY FROM THE CHARITY STRIPE

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. Following the holiday break, Illinois leads Division I with an 81.5% mark from the stripe.

BERRY WALLACE'S SOPHOMORE SURGE

Through 26 games of the 2025-26 campaign, Fighting Illini sophomore Berry Wallace is averaging 18.9 points per game up from 9.0 ppg last season, despite being at the top of every opponents' scout.

Along with her 18.9 points, Wallace is averaging 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.5 steals, and 0.4 blocks across 34.8 minutes per game. The Pickerington, Ohio, native opened the season with four consecutive 20-point outings, including the first double-double of her career in the Orange and Blue's season opener. Wallace is shooting a scorching 49.9% FG, 34.7% 3FG, and 84.5 FT% through 26 games.

Wallace's four straight 20-point games to open the season made her the only player in a P4 + Big East conference to do so. The sophomore is up to 14 20-point games on the season.

20-POINT GAMES

Berry Wallace's team-leading 14 20-point games across the 2025-26 season rank as the fourth-most in the Big Ten and tie for 20th-most across NCAA DI this season. Wallace along with Ohio State's Jaloni Cambridge, Penn State's Kiyomi McMiller, and Michigan's Olivia Olson are leading the Big Ten lead of freshmen and sophomores with 20-point games this season and rank tied for third and seventh across the NCAA.

MADDIE WEBBER OFF THE BENCH

After starting 47 games across her two seasons at Villanova, Maddie Webber has embraced a new role at Illinois and is owning it. Webber become an instant spark for the Fighting Illini off the bench and is putting up a strong argument to be considered the sixth player of the year. Webber came off the bench for the first 17 games of the season and earned her first start as an Illini at Michigan due to a starter being out with injury. Beginning with the game vs. Northwestern, Webber asked to come off the bench for Illinois. Webber is one of just four P4 players across NCAA DI averaging 11.2+ points per game that has started 1 or fewer games this season.

Webber has scored in double figures 16 games in 2025-26 including a pair of 20-point outings. The junior is averaging 11.2 ppg across 25.0 mpg and is shooting marks of 46.3% FG, 40.2% 3FG, and 77.1% FT. Webber exploded for 17 points in the fourth quarter at Michigan State on Jan. 4, the most points in a frame under Green.

FRESHMAN STANDOUT

Destiny Jackson is one of 17 players across D1 averaging at least 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.5 steals per game in the NCAA and averages the second-fewest turnovers per game (2.2). Jackson is averaging 30.9 minutes per game, the fourth-fewest minutes among the group.

Jackson is the only Power 4 freshman across NCAA D1 averaging at least 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, and is one of two freshmen overall (Kaylinn Kemp, SFA).

NCAA FRESHMAN DOUBLE-DOUBLES

Fighting Illini rookie Cearah Parchment has recorded 10 double-doubles across her freshman campaign. That mark ranks as tied for the third-most among all NCAA freshmen and leads all Big Ten freshmen. Additionally, 10 double-doubles is the most among Illinois freshmen since at least 2019-20. Kennedi Myles (2019-20) most recently recorded eight double-doubles as a rookie.

REGULAR SEASON BIG TEN WINS 

In her fourth season at Illinois, head coach Shauna Green has led the Fighting Illini to a 38-31 regular season record against the Big Ten. Those 38 victories are already third all-time among Illinois head coaches. 

YOUNGEST TEAM

Green's fourth Illini squad is by far her youngest, with an average age of 19.83 years as of the start of the 2025-26 campaign. This places Illinois as the third-youngest roster in the Power 4 + Big East behind Kansas State (19.78) and Creighton (19.79). Providence (19.91), Louisville (19.91), and Pittsburgh (19.91) are all tied as the fourth-youngest team while Wake Forest (19.95), NC State (19.97), and North Carolina (19.98) rounded out the teams with average starting ages under 20 for the 2025-26 season.

Only two players — redshirt-sophomore Gretchen Dolan and graduate student Gisela Segura — started the season above the age of 21 for the Fighting Illini. Segura is the team's oldest, celebrating her 23rd birthday in December. 

Meanwhile Cearah Parchment is the youngest player on the team, starting the season at 18 years, four months. She was born on July 4, 2007, just five days after the launch of the iPhone.

RANKED WINS UNDER COACH GREEN

Illinois' first ranked win of 2025-26 came over No. 7/6 Maryland, the first top-10 win for Illinois since 2012-13. The victory also marked the highest-ranked Big Ten win in program history. The Illini added another ranked road win at #25/24 Washington on Feb. 1.

In 2024-25, when Illinois went on the road and upset No. 14 Maryland in College Park, Green's unit became the first team since 1999-2000 to win three games vs. AP Top-25 ranked teams. Green led the team to a fourth ranked win in the NCAA Tournament First Round as Illinois took down No. 23 Creighton, which secured a ranked win at home, away, and in a neutral setting. Four ranked wins in a single season tied the program record (1999-00).

The latest win marked the eighth such triumph under fourth-year head coach Shauna Green, who guided the Illini to ranked wins six times in Big Ten play.

Green's eight wins over ranked teams are the second-most in Illinois program history behind Theresa Grentz' 26. Overall, Green is 8-21 against top-25 foes.