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Illinois Basketball: 5 observations from the Illini win over Saint Peter’s

By Rees Woodcock

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 02: Genesis Bryant #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini interacts with teammates in the first half of the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the second round of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament at Target Center on March 2, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 02: Genesis Bryant #1 of the Illinois Fighting Illini interacts with teammates in the first half of the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the second round of the Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament at Target Center on March 2, 2023 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
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PISCATAWAY, NJ – FEBRUARY 15: The logo of the Illinois Fighting Illini on the uniform shorts during in a college basketball game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Rutgers Athletic Center on February 15, 2020 in Piscataway, New Jersey. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

2. Keep an eye on freshman Cori Allen

Most of the recruiting attention that Shauna Green has brought to the Illinois basketball program has been via the transfer portal. She has been able to snag some great transfers who have helped this team win a lot of games.

While the Illini are closing up the class of 2024 and the great players who are coming into the program next season, the class of 2023 is doing some decent work on the hardwood.

Gretchen Dolan has a bright future, but she had to leave the Saint Peter’s game due to an injury in the first minute. The other freshman who entered with Dolan in the class of 2023 is Cori Allen. She wasn’t as highly touted as Dolan, but Allen is looking like a great player in the making.

Allen only played two minutes in the first two games of the season. There is a lot of talent on this Illinois team, so it is understandable for a freshman not to get a ton of time. When you do, like in the game against Saint Peter’s, you better come to play. On Wednesday, Allen did just that.

Green would give Allen 21 minutes on the court, and she finished with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one block while hitting 6-of-9 from the field and 1-of-2 from three-point range.

The stat sheet is great, but what Allen brought to the court, the intangibles, are even better. Her energy and quickness were nice to see. She was controlled with the basketball as well. I am not saying she should be a starter, but I am saying look out for Allen to be one of the first few off the bench in the coming weeks. I think she has a ton of talent, and Illinois needs that quality depth.

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