Calamity McEntire Associate Head Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Calamity McEntire Associate Head Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Genesis Bryant has been recognized as the Big Ten Player of the Week for the third time in her career, according to an announcement made by the conference office on Monday. This recognition comes after Bryant's exceptional performance during Illinois' undefeated week, which included two road victories and a historic win over Maryland. This marked Illinois' third victory over a team ranked in the AP Top-25 this season.
Throughout the week, Bryant averaged 20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.33 assists, and played an average of 36.6 minutes per game. Her shooting statistics were notable, with a field goal percentage of 44.4%, three-point shooting at 55.6%, and free throw accuracy at 91.7%.
Originating from Jonesboro, Georgia, Bryant was pivotal in Illinois' victories over Rutgers and Maryland. She played all minutes in both games: overtime against Rutgers and regulation against Maryland – marking Illinois’ first win against them.
In a decisive match against Purdue, Bryant contributed significantly despite limited playtime due to sitting out the fourth quarter entirely; she scored 13 points with impressive shooting accuracy.
During the overtime victory against Rutgers (69-65), she led with a game-high of 28 points while playing every minute of the contest. Notably, she outscored Rutgers herself in the fourth quarter to force overtime and subsequently secured Illinois’ lead through key free throws.
Her standout performance continued with a crucial role in defeating No. 14 Maryland (66-65). In this match, Bryant delivered vital free throws under pressure with only six seconds remaining after driving across the court without timeouts left.
Across these performances, Bryant achieved her sixth and seventh games scoring over twenty points this season while maintaining double-digit scores consecutively for four games now.
This accolade marks her first Big Ten Player of Week award since back-to-back recognitions during late December 2022 into early January 2023 season; also making her second Illini player honored this year following Kendall Bostic's acknowledgment last November.
The weekly honor is shared between Genesis Bryant from Illinois alongside Iowa’s Lucy Olsen.
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