Illinois Basketball: Makira Cook leads Illini in All-Big Ten honors

After an impressive regular season, the women’s Illinois basketball team is earning some honors.

Most Illini fans haven’t seen a team this good in quite some time. In fact, anyone under the age of 24 wasn’t alive for the last time Illinois won 21 games in a season.

To get to 21 wins overall and 11 wins in the Big Ten, players had to step their game up. Illinois needed leadership on this squad to achieve the heights this team managed to get to.

On Tuesday, the Big Ten released the list of awards won by players across the conference. Let’s just say, Illinois was well-represented.

The women’s Illinois basketball team had multiple players named to All-Big Ten teams

One of the big-time contributors on the Illinois basketball team this season was Makira Cook. Her transfer in helped the program tremendously, and she is now getting accolades for her great season.

Cook ended up getting voted onto the first-team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and the media. This honor comes after Cook led the Illini in both points and assists. She would finish the season averaging 17.9 points, 4.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per contest.

Illinois wasn’t done there, though. We had both Kendall Bostic and Genesis Bryant make the All-Big Ten second team for both the coaches and media as well.

Bostic led the Illini in both rebounds and blocks, and she was so dominant in the paint. Illinois couldn’t have pulled off this type of season if it wasn’t for her 10.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.0 assist per game.

The numbers Bryant put up were extremely impressive as well. She was second on the team in both scoring and assists. Bryant would average 14.8 points, 3.8 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per contest. I think her most impressive number was the 42% she shot from three-point range. Bryant was a true sniper.

Rounding out the All-Big Ten list is Adalia McKenzie. She was selected for the honorable mention list by the coaches and the media. McKenzie was a rock for the Illini, as she was in the top three on the team in points, rebounds, and assists. She also led the team in steals. McKenzie finished the season averaging 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

I don’t think a player was snubbed on these lists, but I do believe our coach was wrongfully left out.

Shauna Green should have won the Big Ten Coach of the Year. I realize that Indiana had a great season and that in most years Teri Moren should win, but this award should have gone to Green.

Indiana had a great season, but they were 22-8 last year and made the Sweet 16. While they are improved, the job Green did with the Illini this season should take the cake.

Illinois was 21-8 overall and 11-7 in the Big Ten. Last season, the Illini were 7-20 overall and 1-13 in the Big Ten. The 11 Big Ten victories this season were more than the Illini had in the prior six seasons combined.

Green was robbed of this award. What she has done for Illinois basketball is incredible. It is a travesty she didn’t win the Big Ten Coach of the Year.