Tag: Makira Cook

Illinois women blow out Penn State 85-62 for win number 20

CHAMPAIGN — On the day the Fighting Illini athletic department raised a banner honoring Theresa Grentz to the rafters of State Farm Center, the Illinois women’s basketball team accomplished something it had only done once since Grentz was its head coach: win 20 games in a season.  The Illini ran away from Penn State on

No. 8 Maryland rallies in second half to beat Illinois 82-71

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (AP) — When it came time for Brenda Frese’s Maryland players to rate their performance at halftime, there was a bit of a disconnect between them and their coach. “They rate themselves a little higher than what I (did),” Frese said. “That was called out.” Whatever was said during that break, the

Illini women use big second half run to top Nebraska 72-64

LINCOLN, Neb. — The Illinois women’s basketball team used a 20-0 second half run to push past Nebraska Thursday night 72-64. The Illini (19-6 overall, 9-5 Big Ten) lost starting guard Genesis Bryant to injury in the first quarter, but Jayla Oden played well off the bench in Bryant’s absence, scoring 12 points and adding

Basketball player making layup

Illinois women top Minnesota for highest win total in ten years, 69-62

CHAMPAIGN — The last time the Illinois women’s basketball team won 18 games, Barack Obama had just started his second term as president. The Fighting Illini matched that total with a 69-62 win over Minnesota on Sunday in front of 4,533 fans at State Farm Center in Champaign. Makira Cook led Illinois with 21 points,

Illinois women's basketball team huddle

No. 22 Illinois women fend off Michigan State 86-76

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Makira Cook tallied 26 points, Genesis Bryant scored 21 and Adalia McKenzie added a double-double to help No. 22 Illinois beat Michigan State 86-76 on Sunday. Cook sank 8 of 21 shots from the floor and all 10 of her free throws for the Fighting Illini (17-5, 7-4 Big Ten Conference).

Bryant hits key 3, No. 21 Illini women hold off Northwestern

EVANSTON, Ill. (AP) — Genesis Bryant hit a clutch 3-pointer with 18.8 seconds left and scored 18 points, Kendall Bostic had a double-double, and No. 21 Illinois held off Northwestern 67-64 in a wild finish on Sunday. Makira Cook added 14 points, including two free throws with two seconds, left as the Illini (16-4, 6-3

No. 24 Illini women top Minnesota 70-57 in return to Top 25

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Makira Cook scored 20 points, Genesis Bryant added 18, and No. 24 Illinois celebrated its first game as a ranked team in 23 years with a 70-57 win over Minnesota on Sunday. Brynn Shoup-Hill and Adalia McKenzie both added 13 points for the Illini (15-3, 5-2 Big Ten Conference), who haven’t had

Bryant’s triple double leads Illini women past FAU 81-46

CHAMPAIGN — Genesis Bryant dazzled a matinee crowd at State Farm Center on Wednesday, notching a triple double in a blowout 81-46 win over Florida Atlantic. Bryant, filling in for starting point guard Makira Cook for the second straight game because of illness, scored 22 points, grabbed ten rebounds and dished out twelve assists. After

No. 5 Indiana women get past Cook and Illinois 65-61

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Mackenzie Holmes scored 23 points, including a go-ahead layup with 37 seconds left, and No. 5 Indiana got past Illinois 65-61 in their Big Ten opener. Indiana improved to 9-0. The Hoosiers hadn’t trailed in the second half of any game this season before going back and forth in the closing

Hot shooting Illini women blow out Pittsburgh 92-71

PITTSBURGH, Pa. — The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team won just seven games all of last season. They’ve equaled that total this season in just eight games. Behind hot shooting both inside and out, Illinois blasted Pittsburgh 92-71 to improve to 7-1. Adalia McKenzie tallied a career high 24 points. Three other Illini scored in

Illini women improve to 5-0 with blowout win over Oakland

CHAMPAIGN — The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team is off to its best start since the 2014-15 season after an 84-55 win over Oakland University Monday night in Champaign. Four Illinois players scored in double figures, led by junior Makira Cook with 18 points. Senior Jada Peebles added 12 points off the bench for the