B1G Game 7: Gophers Host Illinois (1-15-23)

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Ignatius L Hoops

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The Gophers (1-5), continuing their trek through the e a s y portion of the conference schedule, face the surprise team of the league-if not the nation-Illinois (4-2). It’s a return from the wilderness for the Illini and a program that for years demonstrated no matter how bad things are they can get worse until you figure out what you’re doing wrong.

In 2007, after 12 seasons of generally mediocre basketball, Illinois parted ways with recent HOF honoree Theresa Grentz who complied a 101-91 conference record. She was replaced by recruiting wizard Jolette Law who posted a 27-59 B1G mark in five years. Matt Bollant followed Law with a remarkably worse five-year conference record of 22-62. Bollant was topped by the inexplicable five-year 7-77 run of Nancy Fahey.

Nancy Fahey was finally replaced by Dayton’s Shauna Green. Why Green didn’t wait for a better job, I don’t know. What we do know is that Green arrived with a plan, some players and some coaching chops.

Two players traveled with Green from Dayton. First there was 5’6” junior guard Makira Cook who has found the Big Ten to her liking with 21.3 points per conference game. Cook is hitting .412 from beyond the arc. The second Flyer was sophomore Byrnn Shoup-Hill who at 6’3” added some height and physicality to the Illini. Shoup-Hill is the only starter averaging under 30 minutes per game. The third transfer of note is 5’6” junior guard Genesis Bryant from NC State. Bryant averages 15.7 per game and is nailing .455 % of her three balls.

The remaining starters were already in Champaign: Park Center’s 5’10” sophomore Adalia McKenzie (15.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game) and 6’2” junior Kendall Bostic (13.7 points and 12.2 rebounds per game).

Obviously, the Illini can attack on several fronts. More important, Shauna Green has figured out what the Illini can do right while Lindsay Whalen is still trying to figure out what the Gophers are doing wrong.
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"Obviously, the Illini can attack on several fronts. More important, Shauna Green has figured out what the Illini can do right while Lindsay Whalen is still trying to figure out what the Gophers are doing wrong."

Looks like Shauna Green had some pretty good success as assistant and head coach prior to be hired by Illinois....
 

Interesting fact about Illinois:

3 of the 5 starters are transfer players.

Markira Cook is a junior who last season won most improved player while at Dayton, a transfer player.

Genesis Bryant is a junior transfer from North Carolina State.

Brynn Shoup-Hill is a sophomore transfer from Dayton.

Adalia McKenzie is sophomore from Park Center High School Minnesota.

Dendall Bostic is a junior who was the only player to start all games last year and named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention.

Coach Shauna "Green comes to Illinois following six successful seasons as the head coach at the University of Dayton, where her teams captured five Atlantic 10 regular season championships and qualified each year of her tenure for postseason play, including four appearances in the NCAA Tournament." --Illinois WBB website
 

Illinois Genesis Bryant

Last Week:
Co-Player of the Week
Genesis Bryant, Illinois
Jr. – G – Jonesboro, Ga. – Lovejoy – Major: Communication
• Also named espnW National Player of the Week on Monday
• Averaged 19.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game with a .684 field-goal percentage in helping Illinois extend its current winning streak to six games with a pair of victories last week
• Scored a career-high 24 points (8-10 FG, 3-3 3FG, 5-5 FT) and grabbed four rebounds in Sunday’s win over No. 12/10 Iowa, giving the Fighting Illini their first home win against a ranked opponent since 2015
• Added 14 points and four assists in a Dec. 29 win over Wisconsin
• Earns her second career Big Ten Player of the Week award
• Last Illinois Player of the Week: Genesis Bryant (Dec. 27, 2022)


fightingillini.com

Bryant Earns B1G Co-Player of the Week Honors - University of Illinois Athletics

Genesis Bryant earns Illinois Women's Basketball's first Big Ten Player of the Week nod since 2013.
fightingillini.com fightingillini.com

fightingillini.com

Bryant’s Triple-Double Powers Fighting Illini Past Florida Atlantic - University of Illinois Athletics

Genesis Bryant recorded the third triple double in program history in Illinois' 81-46 win over Florida Atlantic on Wednesday, Dec. 21.
fightingillini.com fightingillini.com
 

Women's Basketball January 13, 2023

NCAA Coach of the Year: Shauna Green Tabbed Midseason Frontrunner​

With teams now halfway through conference play, the 2023 college basketball landscape is starting to take shape. That means we have a better idea of which teams could make a run in March, which players have the best cases for the Player of the Year award and who the frontrunners are to take home Coach of the Year honors.

Here are Just Women's Sports' top five candidates for Coach of the Year at this point in the season.

SHAUNA GREEN, ILLINOIS​

If the Coach of the Year race ended today, Green would be the clear frontrunner. And unless something goes terribly wrong for her team in the next couple of months, I don't see that changing. In her first season at the helm, Green has taken Illinois from just seven wins in 2021-22 to a 14-3 record so far in 2022-23, including an upset win over No. 12 Iowa on New Year's Day. Illinois has also worked its way into the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2000, settling in at No. 24 in week 10.

Green has done an excellent job of working in transfers like Makira Cook from Dayton and Genesis Bryant from NC State with players who were already on the team when she took over, such as Adalia McKenzie and Jada Peebles. Meanwhile, junior forward Kendall Bostic is thriving in her second season after transferring from Michigan State, averaging 10.2 points and 10.4 rebounds per game.

Green clearly knows how to get the best out of her team, and she's a coach they want to play for. If Illinois' turnaround wasn't evidence enough, Cook and Brynn Shoup-Hill both transferred from Dayton when Green got the Illinois job in order to join her new team.

KEVIN MCGUFF, OHIO STATE​

KARA LAWSON, DUKE​

LYNNE ROBERTS, UTAH​

TERI MOREN, INDIANA​




fightingillini.com

NCAA Coach of the Year: Shauna Green Tabbed Midseason Frontrunner - University of Illinois Athletics

Just Women's Sports has listed Illini WBB head coach Shauna Green as the midseason frontrunner for NCAA Coach of the Year.
fightingillini.com fightingillini.com
 


50 Impactful D1 Women's Basketball Assistants - Article is a couple years old.​


Carly Thibault-Dudonis (Minnesota assistant coach)​

Coach Thibault-Dudonis is a rising star in the coaching ranks. In just seven years as a coach she has already begun to place her stamp on the game. Most recently, before she landed in Minneapolis to coach alongside five time WNBA All-Star, four time WNBA champion Lindsay Whalen, Coach Thibault-Dudonis was part of the Mississippi State staff that went to back to back title games and won a nation’s best 37 games. She is the daughter of Mike Thibault, a three time WNBA coach of the year, two time NBA champion as an assistant and 2019 WNBA champion with the Washington Mystics.


Calamity McEntire (Dayton assistant coach)​

McEntire is an experienced and proven recruiter, with ties across the country in the grassroots realm. She has made an enormous impression on many with her ability to step into any room, anywhere and attract prospects from around the country. McEntire gained a wealth of experience and knowledge from legendary Coach Pat Summit, while she worked as a team manager 2001-2003 for the Tennessee Volunteers. Although the bulk of her time was spent at Boise State (2008-2012) and Arizona (2012-2016), McEntire also had stops at Hawaai, UC Santa Barbara and Fresno State.



Shimmy Gray-Miller (Clemson assistant coach)​

Gray-Miller has coaching experience that expands over twenty years. She has taken on many roles and facets over that time and represented a program in each of the Power Five conferences. Coach Gray-Miller also has head coaching experience. For seven years she was at the helm of the St. Louis WBB program. Gray-Miller is an enormous advocate for women in coaching and a vocal leader. Her mentorship of young woman coaches has been invaluable. She is a tough, demanding coach but also very nurturing and supportive. She has done a great job developing players at everyone of her stops.




www.silverwavesmedia.com

50 Impactful D1 Women's Basketball Assistants

I compiled a list of 50 NCAA D1 assistant coaches that are impacting the game and their programs in a variety of ways. These 50 coaches are at different points in their careers, from associate head coaches all the way to graduate assistants, but they all bring a variety of skills and assets to the
www.silverwavesmedia.com www.silverwavesmedia.com
 

Bfan said:
What is going on! Mara Braun has completely dropped off the top 20 scorers list. This is outrageous.

Yet four Illinois players make the list?

Yes, Mara Braun is a casualty of this outrageous Minnesota program.

What is the heck is going on in Minnesota!

I was at the game and there was no help from this coaching staff for Mara Braun. She had someone on her the whole first half and then much of the second. No help getting her open.

THIS MINNESOTA PROGRAM IS TRASH!


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Who are you and what have you done with the real bfan?
 

Bfan said:
What is going on! Mara Braun has completely dropped off the top 20 scorers list. This is outrageous.

Yet four Illinois players make the list?

Yes, Mara Braun is a casualty of this outrageous Minnesota program.

What is the heck is going on in Minnesota!

I was at the game and there was no help from this coaching staff for Mara Braun. She had someone on her the whole first half and then much of the second. No help getting her open.

THIS MINNESOTA PROGRAM IS TRASH!


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A little too much Wine? I get the team hasn't been playing well but not necessary to call them trash.
 

Bfan said:
What is going on! Mara Braun has completely dropped off the top 20 scorers list. This is outrageous.

Yet four Illinois players make the list?

Yes, Mara Braun is a casualty of this outrageous Minnesota program.

What is the heck is going on in Minnesota!

I was at the game and there was no help from this coaching staff for Mara Braun. She had someone on her the whole first half and then much of the second. No help getting her open.

THIS MINNESOTA PROGRAM IS TRASH!


View attachment 23113
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So you are off the bandwagon? No ncaa next year?
 




Use her more in pick and roll create mismatches gives options… angles to drive shoot or dish
 

Shauna Green's presser. She fields a couple of questions about Adalia Mckenzie and briefly mentions the Gophers. She's concerned about Minnesota's rebounding and thinks the Gophers are very handsy looking to get steals.
 

Anybody seen Katie B on the bench. Was there word on whether she's sick or injured or did I just miss her on the bench?
 





Hopefully all ok with her, hopefully not the latest point guard to butt heads with Lyndsey. She has been careless with the basketball and I was thinking she would see less minutes until she figures it out. That being said, not much improvement on the court so far today
 






Illini definitely the better team. Terrific game for Rose...24 points, 14 rebounds. Although the double foul in the first half forced her to miss a lot of time. Tough day for Mara. 1 of 12 from the field. Gophers held Bostic to only 3 points, way below her average, but the Illinois guards easily won the battle against the Gopher guards.
 

tripledouble said:
Illini definitely the better team. Terrific game for Rose...24 points, 14 rebounds. Although the double foul in the first half forced her to miss a lot of time. Tough day for Mara. 1 of 12 from the field. Gophers held Bostic to only 3 points, way below her average, but the Illinois guards easily won the battle against the Gopher guards.
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lack of depth really hurts the Gophers, Battle and Rose in foul trouble in the 1st half and Illinois created their lead.
 

Defensively, Gophers not quick enough to handle Illinois guards and wings. Defensively, Illinois guards and wings did a good job of not allowing many good looks from perimeter. When Gophers did get a look, cold shooting. Saw Heyer miss 2-3 great looks. She's usually pretty effective when she gets wide open 3's. By the end of the game, you could see they'd lost confidence in their shots.

Thought Rose played really well on both ends.
 

tripledouble said:
Illini definitely the better team. Terrific game for Rose...24 points, 14 rebounds. Although the double foul in the first half forced her to miss a lot of time. Tough day for Mara. 1 of 12 from the field. Gophers held Bostic to only 3 points, way below her average, but the Illinois guards easily won the battle against the Gopher guards.
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Tough day for Braun as Illinois did a great job of not giving her any room. However, the lefty 3 that she made at the end of the first quarter never showed up on the Live Stats.
 


only 10 TO's today.. just couldn't keep up with the Illini guards at all..

Mara is off off.. almost in her head.. leaving her pull up jumper shot too now..

Rose HAD her best game of the season by FAR.. if we could get this Rose game in and game out would be so helpful..

Rose 11 made baskets.. rest of the team 11 made baskets..
 

Gophers112233 said:
only 10 TO's today.. just couldn't keep up with the Illini guards at all..

Mara is off off.. almost in her head.. leaving her pull up jumper shot too now..

Rose HAD her best game of the season by FAR.. if we could get this Rose game in and game out would be so helpful..

Rose 11 made baskets.. rest of the team 11 made baskets..
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Agree, Rose needs some help. This team has difficulty making layups, right now not a good shooting team.
 

Katogopher said:
Agree, Rose needs some help. This team has difficulty making layups, right now not a good shooting team.
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just felt like that was a lid on the basket for everyone but Rose today.. Mal missed some easy shots that she usually hits..
 

Excepting Micheaux, we were pretty much out classed especially at the guard position. Rose caused Shauna Green and the Illini some consternation especially after the foul and technical Rose earned. Micheaux had a nifty spinner to the right side in the second half that she missed-it still looked nice. But elsewhere, blah. It took almost three quarters for Braun to get her first point. And the Illini offense just took us one on one sometimes and set up threes other times. The Illini sped it up or slowed it down at will.

It was family weekend and there was a good turnout.
 

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