Illini Women's Basketball 2026-2027

#30      
Last year NET rankings

IL - #30

Marquette - #69 - Lost 4 of top 5 scorers
Ball State - #70 - Return most other than top scorer
Mizzou - #83
St. Joseph - #88
WIU - #94
ODU - #151
Southern - #217
Semo - #232
Evansville - #265
Wright St - #294
Detroit Mercy - #302
Chicago State - #346

Definitely not challenging the team in the non-conference. Guess they're going to rely on the B1G for any scheduling strength.
 
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#32      
This is a pitiful schedule for a pre-season Top 20 team with all of the top players returning. PITIFUL NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE!!
Pretty sure Vanderbilt backed out. That would have made it better. We are gonna play 11 tough ones in B1G play. I agree though this isnt gonna be much of a challenge. We surely dont want to lose any of these. Win them all and go 13-5 in B1G and get a top 4 seed. I hope.
 
#33      
Interesting that Shauna put together such an boring non conf schedule. She could have scheduled some fun road games for the team

Hawaii
Florida
California
Las Vegas tournament
Puerto Rico

contrast this with UCONN non conf - Geno has no fear
uconn ww.jpg
 
#34      
Interesting that Shauna put together such an boring non conf schedule. She could have scheduled some fun road games for the team

Hawaii
Florida
California
Las Vegas tournament
Puerto Rico

contrast this with UCONN non conf - Geno has no fear
View attachment 51715
You have to play the best to be the best. Beating up on creampuffs will not make you ready to beat the top 15 teams in women's basketball.
 
#35      
Interesting that Shauna put together such an boring non conf schedule. She could have scheduled some fun road games for the team

Hawaii
Florida
California
Las Vegas tournament
Puerto Rico

contrast this with UCONN non conf - Geno has no fear
View attachment 51715
UConns Big East schedule=NOBODY
Illini B1G Ten opponents
USC 3
MICH 5
Iowa 9
Nebr 11
Minn 12
Wash 15
Md 13
MSU 20
Ore 21
OSU 14
UCLA 25
Overall schedules are somewhat similar.
The goal for us is to get a top 4 seed and get home court. Im sure Shauna scheduled with that in mind. If Vandy was on the original schedule (as rumored) it would look much different.
 
#37      
Interesting that Shauna put together such an boring non conf schedule. She could have scheduled some fun road games for the team

Hawaii
Florida
California
Las Vegas tournament
Puerto Rico

contrast this with UCONN non conf - Geno has no fear
View attachment 51715

I remeber seeing comments in the past that a lot of teams turned them down. Don't remeber if that was this year or last.
 
#39      
You have to play the best to be the best. Beating up on creampuffs will not make you ready to beat the top 15 teams in women's basketball.
I understood the cupcake schedule last year, but with essentially the entire team coming back, this will cost them in the long run. Playing almost no one for the first 2 months of the season is not going to get you ready for conference play. If they get beaten by any of these weaker teams, it will affect their tournament seeding.
 
#42      
UConns Big East schedule=NOBODY
Illini B1G Ten opponents
USC 3
MICH 5
Iowa 9
Nebr 11
Minn 12
Wash 15
Md 13
MSU 20
Ore 21
OSU 14
UCLA 25
Overall schedules are somewhat similar.
The goal for us is to get a top 4 seed and get home court. Im sure Shauna scheduled with that in mind. If Vandy was on the original schedule (as rumored) it would look much different.

Playing 10 cupcakes is not the way to prepare for tough B10 schedule. Team needs to be challenged in at least 1/2 the non conf games.

At least play P4 schools
 
#43      
UConns Big East schedule=NOBODY
Illini B1G Ten opponents
USC 3
MICH 5
Iowa 9
Nebr 11
Minn 12
Wash 15
Md 13
MSU 20
Ore 21
OSU 14
UCLA 25
Overall schedules are somewhat similar.
The goal for us is to get a top 4 seed and get home court. Im sure Shauna scheduled with that in mind. If Vandy was on the original schedule (as rumored) it would look much different.
Which ranking service do these numbers come from? Is Illinois listed there?
 
#44      
Which ranking service do these numbers come from? Is Illinois listed there?
Yhese come from a couple different way too early rankings in April and May. I believe Illinois was 16 and 20. I couldnt find a more up to date one after the rosters were all set.
 
#45      
Playing 10 cupcakes is not the way to prepare for tough B10 schedule. Team needs to be challenged in at least 1/2 the non conf games.

At least play P4 schools
I dont disagree. Playing cupcakes does nothing for you. I really doubt that Shauna wanted this easy of a schedule. I think circumstances were such that this is how it ended up. That's just my thinking. I have no proof of that. We definitely had somebody (Vanderbilt?) cancel out on us late in the process. That certainly didn't help.
 
#46      
We are no longer desperately seeking wins to get to .500. We are confident we will make the NCAAs so we are just trying to improve our seeding till we can host a regional (4 seed).

Playing 10 cupcakes is no longer necessary. Kids want to go to top 20 (or better) program. We have arrived. Lets play glamor games in preseason as well.

Shauna is pulling excellent 4/5 star recruits - Gretchen, Destiny, Berry, Cearah and getting 4/5 stars in transfer portal Aaliyah and Divine. We have the talent to compete.
 
#47      
We are no longer desperately seeking wins to get to .500. We are confident we will make the NCAAs so we are just trying to improve our seeding till we can host a regional (4 seed).

Playing 10 cupcakes is no longer necessary. Kids want to go to top 20 (or better) program. We have arrived. Lets play glamor games in preseason as well.

Shauna is pulling excellent 4/5 star recruits - Gretchen, Destiny, Berry, Cearah and getting 4/5 stars in transfer portal Aaliyah and Divine. We have the talent to compete.
Remember we were 2-9 against the good teams in the B1G last year and we were the youngest team in the NCAA tourney.
 
#48      
Free article:


  • 🛑 The deal includes a non-compete clause with any NCAA or WNBA team for the next four years.
    • Green receives a $1.2 million signing bonus
    • Green's annual retention rate risesfrom $200,000 to $225,000
    • Green's annual salary increased by an average of $117,500 during the six guaranteed years.
    • Green can receive two additional one-year extensions if the Illini make four NCAA Tournaments during the next six years. Each extension comes with a $50,000 increase in total compensation.
  • 🗣️ The approved amended proposal states: "This commitment reflects the depth of the university's relationship with Ms. Green and the university's confidence in the program's continued upward trajectory under her leadership.
 
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