Chambana Sun

Illinois faced a challenging game against Michigan in their regular-season finale, falling 78-69 at the State Farm Center on Sunday afternoon. Despite leading by as much as 10 points, the Fighting Illini could not withstand a 17-0 run by the Wolverines in the fourth quarter.

Kendall Bostic delivered a notable performance with 24 points and 12 rebounds, tying the program's career double-doubles record with her 53rd such performance. "Bostic moved into a tie for first place on the program's career double-doubles list," noted the team report. Additionally, Genesis Bryant contributed significantly with three successful three-pointers, finishing with 15 points and six assists.

Adalia McKenzie also added to Illinois' efforts with 12 points and eight rebounds. The team ends its regular season with a record of 21-8 and is set to begin the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday in Indianapolis.

The game saw Illinois opening strong but ultimately unable to maintain their lead through Michigan's aggressive comeback. Coach Shauna Green now holds a record of "62-33 at Illinois" and "30-24 in Big Ten play." The match was witnessed by an audience of 6,889 fans, contributing to a season attendance of 84,437 at State Farm Center, marking it as one of the highest in program history.

Illinois' final statistics include outrebounding Michigan 37-34 and recording an assist on more than half of their field goals. Despite these efforts, they were unable to capitalize on turnovers effectively.

The upcoming Big Ten Tournament will be another opportunity for Illinois to showcase their strengths as they seek to advance further this season.