Under Shauna Green, Illinois thrives as the underdog — even as injuries mount

It’s been an unconventional three-year path for the Illini since Green took over ahead of the 2022-23 season. After she inherited one of the worst programs in the country, Illinois shocked everyone and made the NCAA Tournament that first year, finishing 22-10. Then, with pretty much the same roster, the Illini underachieved last season, missing the NCAA Tournament. But they qualified for the WBIT and won the whole thing.

This season has taken a similar turn to last year, with an experienced roster facing some rough patches early in Big Ten play. And with Makira Cook — a fifth-year guard who was arguably Illinois’ most valuable player the last three seasons — and Gretchen Dolan — a sophomore guard who was averaging nearly 11 points per game this season — both out for the year, the Illini have been forced to dig deep.

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Since transferring from Dayton to join Green at Illinois in 2022, Cook was the focal point of the Illini offense. When they needed a basket, Cook made it happen. She consistently ranked near the top of the country in scoring and assists.

Dolan, meanwhile, had begun to carve out an even more substantive role for herself this year after playing 31 games last season and contributing throughout Illinois’ WBIT championship run. Before being shut down for the season, she was averaging 10.5 points in 24.3 minutes per game.

In other words, it’s not hyperbole to say that losing both Cook and Dolan would’ve been enough to completely derail the season. That’s just not in the DNA of Green’s program, though.

Like in 2022-23, when everyone seemingly viewed the Illini as an afterthought, and in 2023-24, when few thought much of their WBIT qualification, they appear to be gelling when the doubt around them is greatest.

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Catapulted by the play of veterans like Kendall Bostic, Genesis Bryant and Adalia McKenzie and newer faces like Jasmine Brown-Hagger and Berry Wallace, Illinois has won three of its last four games after a 1-3 start to Big Ten play.

“The unfortunate part is injuries happen, so our guys that are able to play work together, they’re connected. Nothing’s changed,” Green told reporters in early January. “We’re still planning on competing and winning games. And standards, expectations, goals, everything stays the same. We just gotta continue to take it one day at a time, prepare at an elite level and then go out there and play as hard, as smart, as together as we possibly can.”

There are still key upcoming games for Illinois against Maryland, Nebraska, USC, UCLA and Michigan before drawing any sweeping conclusions. But this much is clear: Few programs thrive more than the Illini do when adversity strikes.

“I feel like people are looking at us as underdogs now, and there’s a lot of people on this team that can step up at any moment and do anything for us,” Bostic told reporters after Illinois beat then-No. 23 Iowa on Jan. 9. “I think a lot of people are counting us out, but I also think we made a statement today saying we may be down people, but don’t count us out for anything.”

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No Power Four forward or center plays as many minutes per game (34.3) as Bostic, per Her Hoop Stats. In the middle of a career-best season where she’s averaging 16.4 points and 11.2 rebounds per game, there’s been little reason for Green to take her off the floor.

“Any other five player in the country, I’d say it’s not sustainable,” Green said of Bostic’s heavy usage. “I don’t like to have her off the floor whether I have the pieces or not. She’s just too valuable to our team.”

The reliability in the post has proven to be key. With Bryant now handling most of Cook’s former responsibilities running the offense at point guard, Bostic’s consistency has stabilized the offense and contributed greatly to the team’s recent string of success.

McKenzie’s contributions in the backcourt have helped greatly, too. She’s scored in double figures in 10 straight games, including three straight 15-point efforts. And Bryant’s taken on her new role admirably as well, even though it’s required some adjustments for the fifth-year.

“When Cook is out there, she just brings so much attention, which can open me up for freer threes, and she’s just a playmaker, so taking on that role of being that playmaker, it’s a lot. It’s a lot of attention,” Bryant told reporters. “I feel like every game, I’m trying to adjust to different defenses, how they’re playing on ball screens. … I feel like I’m built for it, and my teammates support me, my coaches support me.”

While Green would surely prefer to have a completely healthy roster, some of her younger players are now receiving experience that will be valuable after Bryant and Bostic graduate.

Brown-Hagger’s been a prime example. The sophomore Mississippi State transfer came off the bench in Illinois’ first six games, only to be thrust into a starting role in every game since mid-December. At the guard position, she’s averaging nearly 10 points and over two assists per game.

“Every game, she looks more comfortable, to help Gen out,” Green said. “You gotta do what you gotta do at this point. It’s not like we have 20 people on the bench that you can put in there, so you gotta figure it out. And [I’m] just really proud of Jas for stepping up and being willing to do whatever she needs to do to help this team. 

“Her commitment to get better and learning, watching film, [getting] in the gym, it’s just been really awesome to see her growth and the maturity of how she’s approaching this situation.”

Add to the mix the former five-star recruit in Wallace, who’s scored at least 7 points in the last five games after hitting that mark just twice over her first seven, and the Illini suddenly have more options to turn to on offense.

Whether Illinois can make the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years remains to be seen. (Her Hoop Stats and ESPN both currently list the Illini as a No. 10 seed.) One thing is evident, though. Throughout Green’s time at Illinois, her teams appear to play their best when no one’s expecting it. Even with two of their best players out for the season, don’t expect that to change.

“I think we [feed] off being the underdog,” Bryant said. “Yeah, we had a lot of expectations coming into last year and this year, and things happen over the course of the year, but … the team’s identity is just we love being underdogs, we love people counting us out, and we come in just head down and doing what we gotta do.”

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