Illini Women's Basketball 2025-2026

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#151      
Played against two #1 seeds centers - although UCLA AA center was injured.
Not in their class but Shauna had to play her with KB in foul trouble. Good experience for her.
She is very slow so she needs to work hard on agility, shot blocking and rebounding in off season. She did not get many defense rebounds despite her size (did not jump).
Yep. If she postions herself, she may pick up more rebounds. Hopefully, Lety is more of an athlete.

Can’t wait for season tickets to go on sale.
Any idea when that will happen.
 
#152      
I think our. 5 spot is covered with all young players but I believe all of them have had a premium example to follow so I'm looking at that position as a good solid 15 fouls and a 15 point 11 rebound between the three.. Same goes for the 4 spot I think Cearah will separate herself there with Berry mostly at the three Great hen at the 2 and 3 The point guard spot is given to Destiny but I'm sure Guyton will find her time.Same as Haggar Brown..I think we have enough players but if the right 4 with a shooting touch comes along......
 
#154      
Yes I think it will be the 5 spot by committee unless someone takes charge. Anyone notice former Illini Aaliyah Nye was the first player drafted in the second round? Heading to Vegas.
Kendall was all B10. Going from strength to major weakness. Counting on bunch of underclassman that gave never played more than 5 mpg. Still hoping for portal upperclassman like Camille Hobbes

Pretty cool. Shame Shauna could not persuade Aaliyah to stay. 2022 She avg 12 ppg on very bad Illini squad. 2024 averaged 12 ppg 24-9 Alabama team that lost in 2nd round to MD. I suspect she will be our only alum in WNBA. Last 3 years avg 42% on 3 pointers.
 
#155      
It would indeed be nice to add via the transfer portal an experienced frontcourt player to our mix of first- and second-year forwards and centers for 2025-6. Here are some that are still in the portal (per wbbblog.com):

Name / Transfer from... / Height / Class Year in 25-26 / Pts & Rbs per game in 24-25
*Serah Williams Wisconsin 6’4” SR 19/10
Jersey Wolfenbarger LSU 6’5” SR 5/3
*Madina Okot Mississippi St 6’6” SR 11/10
*Sophie Glancy Northern Arizona 6’2” SR 18/10
*Dayana Mendes WSU 6’2” SO 8/8
*Gift Uchenna SIU 6’3” SR 15/13
*Naya Ojukwu Morgan St 6’2” JR 17/9
Nora Francois New Orleans 6’2” SR 15/8
Harriet Ford Omaha 6’3” SO 8/8
Khady Leye Towson 6’2” SO 10/7
Chloe Williams Indiana State 6’3” SR 13/7
Savannah White Indiana State 6’2” SR 7/6
Faith Stinson IU-Indianapolis 6’2” SR 10/5

I highly doubt we’re getting Serah Williams unless some serious dough has suddenly come to the NIL fund.
I’d guess that Okot is looking to play next year at a place like South Carolina, but we wouldn’t pass on a productive center from the SEC.
Wolfenbarger is a former 5 star recruit who hasn’t put things together at the college level.

So I look to a few players from mid-majors…
- Sophie Glancy could play in the style of Kendall Bostic, though she might be a little narrower in body and would have to prove she can do it in the Big Ten.
- Dayana Mendes is an exciting rising sophomore. 6’2” with a 6’7” wingspan and athleticism. I’d be psyched to see her join the fray.
- Gift Uchenna was a quality big at Southern Illinois who put up good numbers--including the 13 rebounds per game that will make a fan happy after Bostic's graduation--and has some explosiveness in her game.
- Ojukwu is another athletic, explosive player.
 
#156      
It would indeed be nice to add via the transfer portal an experienced frontcourt player to our mix of first- and second-year forwards and centers for 2025-6. Here are some that are still in the portal (per wbbblog.com):

Name / Transfer from... / Height / Class Year in 25-26 / Pts & Rbs per game in 24-25
*Serah Williams Wisconsin 6’4” SR 19/10
Jersey Wolfenbarger LSU 6’5” SR 5/3
*Madina Okot Mississippi St 6’6” SR 11/10
*Sophie Glancy Northern Arizona 6’2” SR 18/10
*Dayana Mendes WSU 6’2” SO 8/8
*Gift Uchenna SIU 6’3” SR 15/13
*Naya Ojukwu Morgan St 6’2” JR 17/9
Nora Francois New Orleans 6’2” SR 15/8
Harriet Ford Omaha 6’3” SO 8/8
Khady Leye Towson 6’2” SO 10/7
Chloe Williams Indiana State 6’3” SR 13/7
Savannah White Indiana State 6’2” SR 7/6
Faith Stinson IU-Indianapolis 6’2” SR 10/5

I highly doubt we’re getting Serah Williams unless some serious dough has suddenly come to the NIL fund.
I’d guess that Okot is looking to play next year at a place like South Carolina, but we wouldn’t pass on a productive center from the SEC.
Wolfenbarger is a former 5 star recruit who hasn’t put things together at the college level.

So I look to a few players from mid-majors…
- Sophie Glancy could play in the style of Kendall Bostic, though she might be a little narrower in body and would have to prove she can do it in the Big Ten.
- Dayana Mendes is an exciting rising sophomore. 6’2” with a 6’7” wingspan and athleticism. I’d be psyched to see her join the fray.
- Gift Uchenna was a quality big at Southern Illinois who put up good numbers--including the 13 rebounds per game that will make a fan happy after Bostic's graduation--and has some explosiveness in her game.
- Ojukwu is another athletic, explosive player.

Uchenna committed today to Wisconsin.
 
#157      
This is how I see things as they stand now.

Main rotation:
1-Destiny, Aaliyah, Jasmine
2-Aaliyah, Jasmine, Maddy,
3-Maddy, Gretchen, Berry
4-Berry, Gretchen?
5-Lety, Manuella, Hayven

Bench:
Erica, Cearah, Naomi, Irene, Mia

I think Cearah would have the best chance of breaking into the rotation. at the 4. And those top 6 would see the vast majority of the playing time. Erica would be strictly a 3pt specialist. Naomi could be a surprise.

Extremely young and inexperienced. Nothing like this years team. Probably take a while to gel. Lookout the following years.
 
#158      
Naomi is supposed to be a banger! 6'2" forward avg 15 ppg 12 rbg
 
#160      
This is how I see things as they stand now.

Main rotation:
1-Destiny, Aaliyah, Jasmine
2-Aaliyah, Jasmine, Maddy,
3-Maddy, Gretchen, Berry
4-Berry, Gretchen?
5-Lety, Manuella, Hayven

Bench:
Erica, Cearah, Naomi, Irene, Mia

I think Cearah would have the best chance of breaking into the rotation. at the 4. And those top 6 would see the vast majority of the playing time. Erica would be strictly a 3pt specialist. Naomi could be a surprise.

Extremely young and inexperienced. Nothing like this years team. Probably take a while to gel. Lookout the following years.
I still see the top 8 players as being: Destiny Jackson, Gretchen Dolan, Berry Wallace, Cece Parchment, Lety Vasconcelos, Maddy, Aliyah and Manuella
 
#162      
I still see the top 8 players as being: Destiny Jackson, Gretchen Dolan, Berry Wallace, Cece Parchment, Lety Vasconcelos, Maddy, Aliyah and Manuella
I have to believe Jasmine will be in the rotation. I thought she performed rather well this past year. And she looks like she has the potential to get better. She has size, speed, decent handles, decent shot, and good defender.
 
#164      
The 2 freshmen that redshirting I'm sure have a leg up just from watching and practicing with the seniors,in addition to the facility benefits.
Excellent point. Usually only do it in football. Erica came from down under so she graduated HS normally. Cearah came from Canada so she gave up 2nd semester SR year of HS.

......Freshmen Erica Finney and Cearah Parchment both arrived with the program at the semester break as early-enrolling members of the Class of 2025 who will take a redshirt as they acclimate to college basketball.....
 
#165      
So again I'm curious if the staff is looking to add one or two more? Because it does seem like so far this team consistently has an injury bug.. But if 3 or 4 of these freshmen pan out,it will feel like they're loaded..
 
#166      
I am sure staff would like to add an experienced center. Then again everyone would. She can see how. Letys injury is healing in practice. Only been 6 months.
 
#167      
Hmm.. Well that screams need to me because of it was an ACL that takes at least a year to be healthy enough to play..... Unless you heal like Adrian Peterson.lol. It's really like 18 months to feel like your old self.. The way Maryland has recruited and for now those freshmen have to grow faster because our biggest talent upgrade and reason for higher aspirations, unless we find a extremely productive big relies on their rapid growth.
 
#168      
So if the freshmen have say 3 like of the five gives us like 7 to 10 points per game in the season this will be a real grind because all of the teams ahead of us have made significant gains.We have also but as much as I believe Hayven will grow this upcoming off-season that massive production from the interior is hard to replace.I think the guards and wings will be fine,but winning in the B1G with a donut hole ain't to likely..I'm sure Coach Green has a better pulse on the team .I guess it's trust the process..
 
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#169      
So if the freshmen have say 3 like of the five gives us like 7 to 10 points per game in the season this will be a real grind because all of the teams ahead of us have made significant gains.We have also but as much as I believe Hayven will grow this upcoming off-season that massive production from the interior is hard to replace.I think the guards and wings will be fine,but winning in the B1G with a donut hole ain't to likely..I'm sure Coach Green has a better pulse on the team .I guess it's trust the process..
This team is going to be incredibly young and there will be growing pains. Unlike this year when the players had been together for years, the team next year will need time to learn to play together. Roles need to be defined. Players need to learn the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates. Coaches need to learn which players can do what. Who can shoot the three? Who can rebound? Who can inbound the ball? Who can drive the ball? Who should release on the fast break? Who should come off the bench? Which combinations work well together?
Now, the entire team COULD return intact the following year. If that was to happen, the team would have answers to all of the above. That team would be a well-oiled machine.
 
#170      
This is how I see things as they stand now.

Main rotation:
1-Destiny, Aaliyah, Jasmine
2-Aaliyah, Jasmine, Maddy,
3-Maddy, Gretchen, Berry
4-Berry, Gretchen?
5-Lety, Manuella, Hayven

Bench:
Erica, Cearah, Naomi, Irene, Mia

I think Cearah would have the best chance of breaking into the rotation. at the 4. And those top 6 would see the vast majority of the playing time. Erica would be strictly a 3pt specialist. Naomi could be a surprise.

Extremely young and inexperienced. Nothing like this years team. Probably take a while to gel. Lookout the following years.
Irene should transfer out…
 
#171      
This team is going to be incredibly young and there will be growing pains. Unlike this year when the players had been together for years, the team next year will need time to learn to play together. Roles need to be defined. Players need to learn the strengths and weaknesses of their teammates. Coaches need to learn which players can do what. Who can shoot the three? Who can rebound? Who can inbound the ball? Who can drive the ball? Who should release on the fast break? Who should come off the bench? Which combinations work well together?
Now, the entire team COULD return intact the following year. If that was to happen, the team would have answers to all of the above. That team would be a well-oiled machine.
But the talent level has increased right?
 
#175      
I'm not so sure about that. We just graduated 4 All B1G players. It sure could be though with 6 top 100 players coming in. Plus a top player from Australia.
Yes, but that was a group of 5th seniors.
I am sure we will see lots of growing pains with this group , but I do think there is an upgrade in pure talent. The question is, how will that translate on the court.
 
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