The women's Illinois basketball team is about to face their toughest test of the season with the No. 2 UCLA Bruins coming into town.
Shauna Green and the Illini are about to face their third top-10 team of the year after beating Maryland on January 1 and losing to Michigan on January 15. The Illini are looking to right the ship once again after a very disappointing 81-75 loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Lincoln.
Illinois will need to be close to perfect in order to knock UCLA off of their pedestal. But what are some key questions that we should be asking ourselves prior to Wednesday night's tip-off?
1. Can Illinois' defense slow down UCLA's elite scoring?
The Illinois basketball team has been special this year. Their 11-game winning streak at the beginning of the season was one of their longest in program history. The team is also on track to have yet another 20+ win season under Green.
The problem, however, is that the UCLA Bruins have been a juggernaut all season long. The No. 2-ranked team in the country is an astounding 19-1 on the season, and is ranked top-10 in the country in both offense (87.1 PPG) and scoring margin (30.9).
Head coach Cori Close's squad is elite from top to bottom. They have been dominant on both ends of the floor, with their top four scorers all averaging 12+ points per game. If Illinois wants to stay competitive with the Bruins, they will need to either stiffen up on defense or make this a fire fight.
2. Who will step up in place of the injured Gretchen Dolan on the wing?
Junior guard Gretchen Dolan has become one of the most important returning players for the Illini this season. Illinois' second-leading scorer, who has been averaging 13.6 points per game, has been another great veteran to help lead Green's young roster.
But recently, Dolan unfortunately sustained an injury that has caused her to miss Illinois' last three games. This has led to Green telling the media on Tuesday that Dolan "probably won't be available" for the Illini's epic clash at the State Farm Center tonight.
#illini WBB head coach Shauna Green said guard Gretchen Dolan "probably won't be available" against UCLA.
— Joey Wagner (@mrwagner25) January 27, 2026
Asked if Dolan is able to practice: "Not right now. No."
Guards Maddie Webber and Aaliyah Guyton will be looked upon to help fill the void that was created by Dolan's injury. In their past three games in that role, Webber and Guyton were able to average a combined 13.3 points per game on 29% shooting from the field.
They are going to be asked to do a lot on Wednesday. They have the ability to put a hefty amount of points on the board. But if Webber and Guyton let UCLA's defense get to them, then it might be a long night for the Illini.
3. How will Illinois' frontcourt stop UCLA's monstrous center?
The Illini have one of the most promising frontcourts in the country; there is no question about it. With sophomore Berry Wallace and freshman Cearah Parchment at the helm, this duo has certainly given Illini fans a lot to be proud of this season.
But on Wednesday, they will have to face arguably their biggest test of the season in UCLA senior Lauren Bett. Betts, a 6-foot-7 center from Centennial, Colorado, has a significant size advantage over the 6-foot-1 Wallace and 6-foot-3 Parchment. She has been one of the most dominant bigs in the entire country, leading the Bruins with 16.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
When Betts has the ball, Illinois is going to need to get multiple bodies on her. She is going to be the main cog in the Bruins' wheel and will require a great deal of attention all game long. If Illinois lets her get in the zone, the rest of the game is going to crumble around them.