Illini Conclude Regular Season against #22/22 Minnesota

Game 29: [RV/--] Illinois (19-9, 9-8) vs #22/22 Minnesota (21-7, 12-5)
Date | Time	Sunday, Mar. 1, 2026 | 1 p.m. CT
Location	Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center
Tickets	Single Game | Free Admission for 8th grade & under
Promotions	Senior Day | Illinois Watches Womens Sports Day | Digital Game Program
Stream	Big Ten Network | Fox Sports App | WATCH
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Rosters	Illinois | Minnesota
Game Notes	Illinois | Minnesota
Stats	Illinois | Minnesota
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Head Coach Shauna Green

Career Record: 238-119 (.668), 12th season
Division I Record: 209-94 (.689), 10th season
At Illinois: 82-44 (.651), Fourth season
Big Ten Record: 39-32 (.549), Fourth season

THE NEXT WIN WOULD...

• Move the Illini to 43-32 all-time vs. Minnesota
• Improve Green to 4-1 overall vs. Minnesota
• Move Illinois to 27-10 vs. Minnesota in Champaign
• Move Illinois to 52-14 in home games under Green
• Move Green's career record to 239-119 in 12 seasons
• Improve Green to 40-32 in Big Ten games
• Move Green's DI record to 210-94 in 10 seasons
• Move Green's Illinois record to 83-44
• Give Illinois WBB an all-time record of 729-784
• Move UI to 3-6 vs. ranked teams this season

OPENING TIP

The 52nd campaign of Illinois women's basketball continues on Sunday, March 1, when Illinois concludes the regular season facing #22/22 Minnesota at State Farm Center at 1 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network. The Senior Day ceremony will take place postgame. 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.
• 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.
• Illinois has been ranked during all 4 seasons under Green
• 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)
• Destiny Jackson broke the Illinois freshman season assist record on Feb. 22, 2026 with her 141st assist of the season.
• Cearah Parchment's 12 double-doubles are a new freshman season record.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

No. 22 Minnesota (21-7, 12-5) heads to State Farm Center after falling short on their home court to No. 18 Michigan State last weekend. The 75-61 loss snapped a nine-game win streak dating back to Jan. 21 and included ranked wins over No. 10 Iowa and No. 10 Ohio State.

Minnesota's Feb. 15 win at Wisconsin marked its 20th win of the year, giving Head Coach Dawn Plitzuweit her third consecutive 20-win season in her third year with the program. Last year's Gophers team finished 13th in the Big Ten but took victory in the WBIT, joining the Fighting Illini as winners of the new event.

ALL-TIME SERIES INFO

Sunday's regular season finale will mark the 75th meeting between Illinois and Minnesota, the Fighting Illini lead 42-32 in the all time series. While Minnesota took last year's meeting at a final score of 68-61, Illinois won all three prior matchups in the Shauna Green era. 

Historically, the Orange and Blue have held up strong on their home court against the Gophers — Illinois has taken 26 wins in Champaign compared to Minnesota's 10.

SHARPSHOOTING ON THE ROAD

Illinois Women's Basketball was red hot from deep on its two-game road trip, shooting 23-for-37 (62.2%) in matchups at Northwestern and Iowa. Berry Wallace led the sharpshooting efforts with 7-for-13 3-point shooting while Cearah Parchment shot 5-for-7 and Jasmine Brown-Hagger went 4-for-5. 

Last Sunday's 12-for-18 (66.7%) 3-point shooting at Northwestern was Illinois' best performance from behind the arc of the 2025-26 campaign. The Orange and Blue followed that up with an 11-for-19 (57.9%) effort on the road at #9/9 Iowa. The Illini made their last nine 3-point attempts against the Hawkeyes.

ILLINOIS' BIG TEN TEAM

The Fighting Illini notched their third consecutive 20+ point victory on Feb. 22, taking down Northwestern 92-65 on the road. Illinois scorched the nets from 3-point range, shooting a season best 12-18 from deep. Illinois is now 8-0 over Northwestern in the Shauna Green era.

Five Illini scored in double-digits in the 27-point victory, freshmen Cearah Parchment and Destiny Jackson leading the way with 19 apiece. Meanwhile, Jasmine Brown-Hagger poured in a season-high 18 points while grabbing six rebounds, five from the offensive glass.

Berry Wallace started the night 4-for-4 from deep to match her career high. She turned in 17 points, five rebounds and two assists to mark her 17th consecutive game scoring in double-digits. Maddie Webber knocked down three from deep, reaching 1,000 career points, finishing with 13 on the night.

BLOWING BY THE BADGERS

Illinois used highly-efficient shooting to cruise past Wisconsin 90-62 in Wednesday's matchup in State Farm Center. The Illini shot a remarkable 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. The triumph was Shauna Green's 50th home victory at Illinois.

Six Illini scored in double-digits, all making at least one three. Freshman Cearah Parchment recorded her ninth double-double of the year, turning in 12 points and a career high 15 rebounds. Parchment reached double-double status in the second quarter with 7:29 remaining on the clock. Meanwhile, Maddie Webber scored 15 points on an efficient 7-9 night from the field.

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 81.7% mark from the stripe.

BERRY WALLACE'S SOPHOMORE SURGE

Through 28 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 6.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.4 blocks across 35.0 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 48.6% FG, 36.8% 3FG, and 85.4 FT% through 27 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 15 20-point games on the season.

20-POINT GAMES

Berry Wallace's team-leading 15 20-point games across the 2025-26 season rank as the fifth-most in the Big Ten and tie for 19th-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, seventh, and eighth 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 first game vs. Northwestern, Webber asked to come off the bench for Illinois. Webber is one of just four P4 players across NCAA DI averaging 11.1+ points per game that has started 1 or fewer games this season.

Webber has scored in double figures 17 games in 2025-26 including a pair of 20-point outings. The junior is averaging 11.1 ppg across 24.7 mpg and is shooting marks of 47.2% FG, 42.6% 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 20 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 31.0 minutes per game, the fifth-fewest minutes among the group.

Jackson is the only major conference freshman across NCAA D1 averaging at least 9.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists.

NCAA FRESHMAN DOUBLE-DOUBLES

Fighting Illini rookie Cearah Parchment has recorded 12 double-doubles across her freshman campaign. That mark ranks as tied for the second-most among all NCAA freshmen and solely leads the Big Ten. Additionally, 12 double-doubles is the most ever by a Fighting Illini freshman. 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 39-32 regular season record against the Big Ten. Those 39 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.

FOUR-TIME FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

Cearah Parchment turned in a stellar week as the Fighting Illini won their second- and third-straight games. For her efforts on the court, the Illinois rookie was tabbed Big Ten Freshman of the Week the league office announced Monday.

The Illini rookie achieved the elusive 50/40/90 shooting numbers across the week while averaging 19.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game against zero turnovers committed. Parchment shot 16-for-25 (64.0%) from the field, 6-for-8 (75.0%) from 3-point range, and 1-1 (100%) from the free throw line. She turned in double-doubles in four-straight games now and owns a Big Ten-leading 11 double doubles on the season.

The Feb. 23 accolade marks the fourth Big Ten Freshman of the Week recognition of the season for Parchment and fifth overall for the Fighting Illini. Four weekly accolades matches Illinois' program record for Big Ten Freshman of the Week awards, held by Karisma Penn during the 2009-10 campaign.

GREEN CLIMBS PROGRAM'S ALL-TIME WIN LIST

Fourth-year head coach Shauna Green continued to move up the program's all-time wins list. Illinois' latest win saw Green post her 82nd win at the helm of the program, the third-most victories by an Illinois women's basketball head coach.