Chambana Sun

Illinois women’s basketball opened its 2025-26 season with a decisive 91-67 win over Southeast Missouri State at the State Farm Center on Tuesday night. The Illini led for the entire game, with three players reaching double figures in scoring.

Berry Wallace was the standout performer, recording her first career double-double with 27 points and 11 rebounds, both personal bests. “Her 27 points are the most by an Illini since Genesis Bryant's 28 at Rutgers on Jan. 30, 2025,” according to team records. Wallace also added three assists.

Maddie Webber contributed 16 points off the bench, marking her first double-digit scoring effort as an Illini and the 41st of her collegiate career. Gretchen Dolan also had a strong showing in her return to action after nearly a year away from competition, tallying a career-high 16 points along with seven assists and five rebounds.

Illinois demonstrated effective ball movement throughout the game, registering 19 assists on their 31 made field goals. Dolan led in assists with seven, tying her previous best set last season against Le Moyne. Destiny Jackson added six assists in her debut—the most by an Illinois freshman in a debut since at least the 2002-03 season.

Lety Vasconcelos played her first game for Illinois after missing all of last season due to injury, finishing with seven points and six rebounds—both career highs or ties.

The Illini established control early, building a lead that grew throughout each quarter. After leading by four at the end of the first period (19-15), they expanded their advantage to twelve by halftime (43-31). A dominant third quarter saw Illinois outscore SEMO by seventeen (29-12), extending their lead to twenty-nine entering the final frame.

Defensively, Illinois forced Southeast Missouri State into seventeen turnovers and converted those into twenty-one points. The team also dominated inside, outscoring SEMO in the paint by twenty (44-24) and grabbing eleven offensive rebounds that resulted in thirteen second-chance points.

Nine different Illini scored during the contest—the most since November last year—reflecting contributions from both starters and bench players. Freshmen Destiny Jackson and Cearah Parchment were among five players making their debuts; both started Tuesday’s game, marking the first time two Illinois freshmen have started a season opener since November 2019.

Coach Shauna Green noted this year’s squad is her youngest at Illinois so far, averaging just under twenty years old per player. With this win, Green improved to a record of nine wins and one loss in Division I season openers as head coach.

Illinois has now won nine consecutive season openers under Green’s leadership and holds an undefeated record when wearing white uniforms this season.

The team returns home Sunday afternoon for an in-state matchup against Illinois State.