Illini Women Claim Historic NCAA Tournament Victory

The University of Illinois Fighting Illini women’s basketball team made program history Saturday night at the Moody Center, securing their first NCAA Tournament win since 2000 with a hard-fought 66-57 first-round triumph over No. 23 Creighton. The Fighting Illini seized the lead early and held it for the final 34 minutes, marking their fourth ranked victory of the season.

Illinois quickly established control after an initial exchange of blows. A Genesis Bryant three-pointer gave them an early edge, and after a brief Creighton surge, the Orange and Blue responded with a 7-0 run to take a 10-6 lead. They extended that advantage to 18-10 by the end of the first quarter, capping an 8-2 run over the final four and a half minutes.

The Illini’s lead stretched into double digits in the second quarter, fueled by Bryant’s continued scoring. Despite a 7-0 run by the Bluejays that cut the deficit, a crucial three-point play from Brynn Shoup-Hill halted Creighton’s momentum, and Illinois entered halftime with a 31-26 lead, shooting 48% from the field. Bryant led all scorers at the break with 11 points.

Creighton attempted to rally in the second half, narrowing the gap to two points early in the third. However, back-to-back corner treys from Shoup-Hill ignited a 6-0 Illini run, giving them a 41-33 edge. Illinois maintained a 47-41 lead heading into the final quarter.

In the fourth, Adalia McKenzie’s coast-to-coast layup and a basket from Kendall Bostic pushed the lead back to double digits at 51-41. Though Creighton fought back, Jasmine Brown-Hagger drained a timely three-pointer, and a pivotal offensive rebound and putback by Berry Wallace maintained the Illini’s cushion. Bryant then sealed the victory by sinking six late free throws, sending Illinois to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. They will face the winner of No. 5 Texas and William & Mary on Monday.