Illinois Women's Basketball Faces Colorado in NCAA Tournament Opener The University of Illinois women's basketball team will open its 2026 NCAA Tournament campaign on Saturday, March 21, against No. 10 seed Colorado in a first-round matchup hosted by No. 2-seeded Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee. The winner of the game will face the victor of Vanderbilt and No. 15 seed High Point in the second round on Monday, with all action broadcast on ESPN2. Head Coach Shauna Green, entering her fourth season at Illinois, will lead the Fighting Illini in their first postseason game against Colorado, marking the first-ever neutral-site meeting between the teams. Illinois, ranked No. 7 in the latest poll, will face a Colorado squad with a 22-11 record, including an 11-7 mark in Big 12 play. The Buffaloes, led by head coach JR Payne in her 10th season, have advanced to the NCAA Tournament four times under her leadership. Colorado’s record against top-ranked teams includes a 48-47 loss to eventual tournament champion West Virginia in the Big 12 semifinals. The two teams have not faced each other in the regular season, and Illinois will be making its first postseason appearance against Colorado. Green’s Illini, ranked No. 7 in the latest poll, will be the youngest team in the 68-team NCAA Tournament field, with an average age of 19.83 years. This places Illinois third among Power 4 + Big East teams behind Kansas State (19.78) and Creighton (19.79). Only two players—Gretchen Dolan and Gisela Segura—started the season above age 21, with Segura, the team’s oldest player, turning 23 in December. Cearah Parchment, the youngest starter at 18 years and four months, was born just five days after the iPhone’s launch.#shauna_green #colorado #university_of_illinois #vanderbilt #james_r_payne
Illinois falls to Iowa in Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals INDIANAPOLIS — The Illinois women’s basketball team suffered a 64-58 loss to Iowa in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Friday. The Hawkeyes seized control early, capitalizing on a slow start from the Illini, who struggled to find their rhythm throughout the game. Despite a late 15-0 run in the fourth quarter, Illinois couldn’t overcome the deficit, and the final score did little to reflect the intensity of the contest. Iowa’s early dominance was evident from the outset, with the Hawkeyes building a significant lead in the first half. The Illini, who have often found themselves in similar situations this season, failed to respond effectively to the early pressure. By halftime, Iowa had already established a comfortable cushion, and the Illini’s inability to adjust their approach proved costly. The game’s turning point came in the third quarter, when Iowa extended its lead and began to rotate its bench players. The Hawkeyes’ decision to rest some of their starters may have inadvertently opened the door for Illinois to mount a late rally, but the Illini’s execution faltered in critical moments. Key shots from Illinois’ leading scorer, Berry Wallace, were either missed or blocked, leaving the team with few opportunities to close the gap. Wallace, who finished with just six points, was particularly ineffective in the first half, struggling to find his range. His only highlight came in the final minutes when he banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key, a rare moment of luck for the Illini. Despite the late surge, Illinois couldn’t sustain the momentum, and Iowa’s depth proved too much to overcome.#big_ten_tournament #ucla #illinois_womens_basketball #iowa_womens_basketball #shauna_green
