DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Illinois women's basketball added a 70-43 win over Charlotte from the Daytona Beach Invitational onto its impressive start to the 2022-23 campaign on Friday. All 12 Fighting Illini players dressed would see action in the game as Illinois held the NCAA Tournament team from a year ago to just 28.3 percent shooting on the night.
With the first regular-season neutral site win for the program since 2017, Illinois is now off to a 6-0 start. The last time the Illini won their first six games of a season was the 1986-87 and additionally, Illinois is on a six-game winning streak for the first time since 2009.
Illinois struck first for the sixth-straight game, needing just eight seconds after winning the tip for Kendall Bostic to lay in the Orange and Blue's first points from the Sunshine State. Illinois would lead 23-10 after the opening quarter, after the sides were tied 10-10. With 4:12 left in the frame, the Illini started a 13-0 run to end the period.
The Illini added a point to their lead in the second quarter to own a 37-23 lead at the break. Charlotte's first bucket of the second quarter brought the 49ers within 11 but Illinois fired right back and grew its lead to as many as 17 in the period. The Illini held Charlotte scoreless from the field for the final 4:52 of the frame as UNCC was limited to just 5 points off free throws. Illinois shot 51.5 percent in the half while holding Charlotte to a 23.1 mark.
Adalia McKenzie scored 13 points in the opening half to lead all scorers.
Charlotte cut the Illini lead to 11 for the final time at 39-28 with 7:48 left in the third quarter. From there, Illinois went on a 7-0 run capped by a Jada Peebles 3-pointer. CLT would score for the last time of the quarter with 2:28 remaining for Illinois to close play on a 4-0 run. Illinois held the 49ers to just seven points in the period, marking the eighth single-digit quarter by an opponent this season.
Leading 50-30 with 10 minutes to play, Illinois kept its foot on the gas to outscore Charlotte 20-13 in the fourth quarter. All 12 Illini dressed for the game would see action in the period. Geovana Lopes led the Orange and Blue in the frame with six points and five rebounds. Illinois shot 52.9 percent from the field in the frame including 50 percent from deep.
Illinois' largest lead of the game came at the 4:29 mark of the final quarter at 67-36 – a 31-point margin. The contest saw four ties and two lead changes as Illinois led for 37:02 to just 19 seconds for Charlotte.
McKenzie led the Illini in scoring with 17 points – her eighth-consecutive game in double figures dating back to last season.
Charlotte was held without a made 3-pointer in the contest. The last time Illinois women's basketball kept an opponent off the board from deep was against Chicago State in the first game of the 2015-16 season – 208 games.
Illinois has a quick turnaround, taking on Delaware on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT from the Ocean Center.
POST-GAME NOTES
Player Notes:
- Kendall Bostic scored eight points to go along with seven rebounds and a season-high four assists.
- Geovana Lopes delivered 13 productive minutes for the Illini, tallying eight points and seven rebounds along with two steals and an assist.
- Adalia McKenzie tied her season-high with 17 points.
- The sophomore tallied 12 points in the first half.
- McKenzie has scored double digits in all six games this season and eight consecutive contests dating back to last season.
- Jayla Oden tallied eight points, five rebounds and three assists.
- Brynn Shoup-Hill scored a season-high eight points while adding two rebounds, an assist and a block.
Team Notes:
- First basket came eight seconds into the game on a Kendall Bostic layup.
- The Illini defense held the 49ers to 23.3 percent (15-53) from the floor.
- Illinois has held all six of their opponents this season to under 40 percent shooting.
- Charlotte marked the third team Illinois held below 30 percent shooting.
- Illinois outscored Charlotte in the paint, 48-18.
- UI tied its season-high effort with 18 assists - assisting on 51.1 percent of its made field goals - a season best.
- The Illini defense did not allow Charlotte to make a 3-pointer. The last time an Illini opponent didn't make a shot from beyond the arc was against Chicago State on Nov. 13, 2015.
- Friday's win marked the first game of the season where fewer than four players (only one) scored in double figures.
- Six Illini finished with eight points or more.
Misc Notes:
- Starters: Makira Cook, Jayla Oden, Adalia McKenzie, Brynn Shoup-Hill, Kendall Bostic. Illinois is now 6-0 with this unit.
- Shauna Green is now:
- 6-0 at Illinois
- 133-50 as a Division I coach
- 162-75 overall
- Against Charlotte record: 1-0
- Illinois held Charlotte to 7 points in the third quarter and 10 points in the first period.
- The Illini have held its six opponents to a combined 10 10-point or less quarters in 24 chances.
- Uniforms: Illinois is now 5-0 when wearing its white uniforms.
- Illinois women's basketball has now started a season 6-0 or better four times in program history. The last time Illinois started 6-0 in a season was the 1986-87 campaign.
- This is also the Illini's first six-game winning streak since 2009.
- Friday's win over Charlotte marked the program's first regular-season neutral site win since Nov. 25, 2017 (Wichita State in Albuquerque, N.M.)
- With the game not starting until 5:30 p.m. ET, it will be considered a night game. Illinois is 3-0 in night games.
