Shauna Green notched her third AP Top 25 victory as Illinois head coach with a big win over No. 19 Florida State on Thursday night. The Illini, in just their second game of the season, took down the Seminoles 83-74 in a statement victory on their home court.
The team’s senior leadership was key, with fifth-year guard Makira Cook and senior guard Adalia McKenzie each scoring 20 points to lead the Illini. Fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic added 18 points and nearly recorded a double-double, finishing with nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Gretchen Dolan provided a spark off the bench, contributing 11 points — a familiar role for her in her career at Illinois.
With a total team effort, Green earned her third career win over a ranked opponent, continuing the momentum she built last season. In her first year with the Illini in 2022-23, she led the team to a 90-86 win over Caitlin Clark and No. 12 Iowa, followed by a dominant 86-66 victory against No. 14 Indiana.
Shauna Green
“This is one win, but it’s a big one,” Green said. “It sets the tone for the whole year, especially after the kind of start we had last year where we lost a lot of close games. We talk all the time about protecting our home court, and that’s what we did tonight.”
The Illini will look to build on this win and continue their strong start. If they keep playing at this level, they could find themselves ranked in the AP Top 25 next week.
