A whole new team, a lot of new expectations.
The countdown has begun, and expectations are higher than ever.
It’s a prove-it year for Shauna Green and the Illinois women’s basketball team.
This isn’t going to be a normal year for the squad. For the first time in a while, Illinois women’s basketball has real expectations and real pressure. Sure, they lost the majority of their minutes from last year’s NCAA Tournament team, but that excuse can’t fly in this new era.
Last October, Illinois Athletic Director Josh Whitman signed Shauna Green to a new deal to keep her in Champaign until at least the 2029-30 season. You don’t do that unless you truly believe you can see continued success.
More than a third of the Illini’s current roster is brand new to Champaign, but that doesn’t mean a rebuild. A juggernaut of a recruiting class is coming in this year, multiple four-stars and even a five-star. Green loves fast-paced basketball, with four guards out and one forward/center down low. The current roster could play into her ideology perfectly.
Even though the Illini lost key players like Genesis Bryant, Adalia McKenzie and Kendall Bostic you can’t dwell on the past. Gretchen Dolan and Berry Wallace are poised for breakout years; although they may not be labeled as veterans, they will have to lead a young Illini team.
The biggest question for Green: How do you replace Kendall Bostic? With only two players over 6-foot-3, Lety Vasconcelos and Hayven Smith will have to take big-time roles.
It could be a significant liability for the team. Smith played sparingly in her freshman season last year, and Vasconcelos hasn’t played a minute in almost two years due to injury.
Even so, one of the two will have to step up for the team to see major success against bigger opponents. The Illini will travel to Florida State, Oregon State and Missouri at the start of the season, who all have some serious size.
The guard play should be strong again, but some serious questions still have to be asked about the Illini frontcourt.
But I have to say, it feels good to have some expectations for this program. For far too long, we have been the bottom feeder of the Big Ten, and Shauna Green does not intend to go back there.
For most teams, non-conference games are a chance to experiment with various line-ups, but it will be even more so for the Illini.
Freshmen like Destiny Jackson and Naomi Benson will have serious prove-it minutes, as well as transfers Maddie Webber and Aaliyah Guyton. I’d look at Webber, Dolan and Wallace to be leading the Illini backcourt to start the season, but if last season taught us anything, it might not end that way.
Speaking of last season, it should be the perfect teaching moment for Green about adversity. Jasmine Brown-Hagger was thrust into big moments last year, and several freshmen could have the same experience as her.
With less than 50 days to go until the first tip, the ball is in Shauna Green’s court. Will her team be ready? Well, Josh Whitman and the Illini faithful definitely think so.
Category: General Sports
