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 Team Effort Leads Illinois Women Over Wisconsin In Big Ten Basketball Tournament 

Published on March 5, 2026 6:38 am
Last Updated on March 5, 2026 6:38 am

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BY UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

INDIANAPOLIS –A pair of 20-point games from Berry Wallace and Destiny Jackson fueled the Illinois women’s basketball team past [15] Wisconsin, 82-70, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the First Round of the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday.

The Fighting Illini (20-10) had four players score in double figures, led by Wallace, who had 22 points and three steals. Jackson added a career-high 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Cearah Parchment posted 14 points and broke the program’s freshman season rebounding record. Lety Vasconcelos registered a career-high 12 points while adding six boards.

Illinois out-rebounded Wisconsin 37-29 in Wednesday’s game, paced by six boards – five offensive – from Vasconcelos. The Fighting Illini also collected 15 offensive rebounds and turned in 14 second chance points. Illinois dominated the battle of the paint, 46-28.

The Illinois defense was effective at taking away the basketball in Wednesday’s win, forcing 19 Wisconsin turnovers. Those takeaways turned into 24 points on the offensive end of the floor. Wallace’s three steals led the way individually for the Fighting Illini.

How It Happened

After Wisconsin took a brief 7-6 lead, Illinois went on an 11-0 run with 6:31 left in the first quarter, culminating in a trey from Wallace, to take a 17-7 lead. The Fighting Illini led 23-17 after 10 minutes of play. Illinois did most of its first quarter damage in the paint, scoring 12 of its 23 points close to the basket.

Illinois built that first quarter lead to 33-23 before going on a 6-0 run starting at the 4:37 mark in the second period, highlighted by a bucket from Vasconcelos, to increase its lead to 39-23. The Badgers battled back, but the Fighting Illini still owned a 41-33 advantage heading into halftime after a steal and layup at the buzzer by Aaliyah Guyton. Illinois dominated in the paint, scoring 16 of its 18 points close to the basket in the frame.

Out of the break, Illinois went on an 8-0 run to expand its lead further to 62-48 with 41 seconds to go in the third. The Illini entered the fourth quarter with a 62-50 edge. Illinois took advantage of three Wisconsin turnovers in the quarter, scoring six points off of takeaways. Vasconcelos took control in the period, scoring eight points on 3-for-4 shooting and a pair of free throws to go along with three rebounds.

A Wallace layup grew the Illinois lead to 78-62 with 2:08 to go in the contest and Illinois closed things out for the 82-70 win. Illinois took advantage of four Wisconsin turnovers in the quarter, scoring five points off of those takeaways. Jackson and Wallace owned the fourth quarter, scoring eight and seven points, respectively.

POSTGAME NOTES

Player Notes:

  • Berry Wallace turned in her 16th 20-point game of the season, scoring a team-best 22 points. Wallace added 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 3 steals.
    • Posted her 28th outing with double-digit points this season and the 40th such game of her career.
      • Has scored in double figures in each of the last 20 games.
    • Wallace’s 16th 20-point game of the season tied her for the fifth-most in a single season by an Illinois player in program history.
      • Lisa Robinson (1980-81) – 19
      • Ashley Berggren (1995-96) – 18
      • Jonelle Polk (1985-86) – 18
      • Jonelle Polk (1986-87) – 17
      • Berry Wallace (2025-26) – 16
      • Karisma Penn (2012-13) – 16
    • With 566 points on the season to date, Wallace sits at No. 12 on Illinois’ single-season scoring list, climbing from 16th.
    • Connected on a 3-pointer for the eighth-straight game.
    • Went a perfect 5-for-5 from the free throw line.
  • Cearah Parchment posted 14 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals.
    • Tallied 10+ points for the 22nd time this season/in her career.
      • Has scored in double figures in 12 straight games and in 14 of the last 15.
      • Sits in third place on the program’s freshman season scoring list (413).
      • Grabbed 5+ rebounds for her 29th consecutive game.
      • Moved into first place on the program’s freshman season rebounding list (252) with her first rebound of the game.
    • Finished the game 1-for-3 from behind the arc.
      • Has made a 3-pointer in seven-straight games
  • Destiny Jackson delivered a season-high 21 points – the first 20-point game of her career. She added 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.
    • Scored in double figures for the 13th time of the season.
    • Recorded multiple steals for the fourth time in the last five games and 14th time this season.
    • Continued to add to the Illinois freshman season assist record.
      • With 156 assists on the season, Jackson is now in fourth on Illinois’ overall single-season assists list.
        1. 173 – Michele Vossen – 1983-84
        2. 170 – Cindy Stein – 1982-83
        3. 163 – Alexis Smith – 2012-13
        4. 156 – Destiny Jackson – 2025-26
        5. 154 – Jill Estey – 1990-91
        6. 153 – Cindy Stein – 1981-82
    • Jackson went 11-for-13 from the free throw line, the most free throws an Illini has made this season.
  • Lety Vasconcelos scored a career-high 12 points while adding 6 rebounds – five on the offensive boards.
    • Vasconcelos grabbed 5 o-boards for the second time this season.
    • The redshirt-sophomore finished 5-for-8 from the field, a new career-high for made field goals.
    • She went 2-for-3 from the free throw line.

Team Notes:

  • Wisconsin won the opening tip, and the Badgers scored first.
  • The first Illini off the bench was Maddie Webber, who checked in at 5:22 in the first quarter.
  • Illinois created separation with an 11-0 run over 2:04 leading into the first quarter media timeout for a 17-7 lead.
  • After Wisconsin pulled within one, Illinois went on an 8-0 run over 1:26 to pull away for good in the third quarter.
  • Four Illini scored in double figures (Berry Wallace [22], Destiny Jackson [21], Cearah Parchment [14], Lety Vasconcelos [12]).

Misc. Notes:

  • Starters: Destiny Jackson, Aaliyah Guyton, Jasmine Brown-Hagger, Berry Wallace, and Cearah Parchment.
    • This lineup is now 6-5 this season.
  • Shauna Green is now:
    • 8-9 in neutral games
    • 41-37 vs. Big Ten teams
    • 2-3 in the Big Ten Tournament
    • 83-45 at Illinois
    • 210-95 as a Division I head coach
    • 239-120 across her career
  • Wednesday’s win secured the third 20-win season in four years at Illinois by Shauna Green.
    • With three 20-win seasons, Green is now tied with Theresa Grentz for the most 20-win campaigns by an Illinois head coach.
  • Across her Division I career, Shauna Green has now collected seven 20-win campaigns across nine “traditional” seasons.
  • Wednesday’s win over Wisconsin moved Shauna Green into a tie for second place on Illinois’ all-time win list by a head coach with her 83rd win in the Orange and Blue.

Theresa Grentz – 210 wins – 12 seasons – 1995-2007
Shauna Green – 83 – 4 seasons – 2022-Present
Laura Golden – 83 – 6 seasons – 1984-90

  • Illinois vs. Wisconsin: 44-43
  • Illinois is now 1-0 in neutral games this season and 8-9 under Shauna Green.
  • Illinois is now 14-2 when wearing white uniforms this season and are now 51-14 when doing so under Green.
  • The Illini are 13-4 in night games (after 5 p.m. local) this season and 43-26 under Green.
  • Illinois is 4-3 in games played on Wednesdays this season and 15-7 under Green.
  • Illinois is 1-1 in the month of March this season and 7-7 under Green when playing in March.
  • Illinois is 8-9 during the 2026 calendar year.