Opening night for the women’s Illinois basketball team went off without a hitch.
The first half for the Illini wasn’t bad, but the defense struggled a bit. I attribute this to a relatively new team and players needing to gel.
Illinois came out in the second half and put Southeast Missouri in their place. The Illini shot 68.75% from the field in that third quarter, and the lead expanded from 12 points to 29 points. This all but ended the game, as Illinois would beat Southeast Missouri, 91-67.
Here are five interesting observations from the Illinois basketball win over Southeast Missouri
1. Berry Wallace put the world on notice
Coming into the season, I was pegging Berry Wallace for an All-American campaign. I thought she could be that special as a sophomore. Through game one, it looks like that could end up coming true.
Wallace was great against Southeast Missouri, as she finished the game with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and three assists. She went 10-of-18 from the floor and was 2-of-5 from three-point range.
There are so many things Wallace can do on the court. She can play back-to-the-basket style of basketball, but she can also step out and shoot from three-point range. She displayed that versatility on Tuesday night. Wallace is going to be the engine that moves this ship to the NCAA tournament.
2. I love the contributions from Maddie Webber
Illinois had maybe the sneakiest transfer portal addition when Maddie Webber transferred in. She was a great get from Villanova, and her addition is already paying dividends.
Webber finished with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from three-point range. All of those numbers are great, but what I was most impressed with is her speed and understanding of the game. She processes things quickly, and having her come off the bench is an incredible asset to have moving forward. That makes Illinois extremely dangerous.
3. Illinois is leaning away from the 3-pointer
The 2024-25 rendition of the Illinois basketball team wasn’t exactly a three-point shooting juggernaut. We attempted 16.5 three-pointers per game last season, which ranked No. 284 out of 353 teams in college basketball
We might be seeing even fewer this season. Illinois only attempted 11 three-pointers against Southeast Missouri. We were efficient with the shot selection, which is great for the offense. The Illini can shoot from three-point range, though. The team went 4-of-11, 36.4%, so that isn’t bad. But Illinois can shoot from all levels. We are great around the hoop, and the mid-range is deadly. This is a very balanced squad.
4. The luxury of having Lety Vasconcelos is nice
There aren’t many teams in the country that can say they bring a 6-foot-7 center off the bench. Illinois has that luxury with Lety Vasconcelos.
We finally got to see Vasconcelos hit the floor last night, as she missed the 2024-25 season with injury. She was a little rusty and needed some touch work around the hoop, but her size and strength are going to be great for the Illini in the paint. She only played 12 minutes but still had seven points and six assists. Once Vasconcelos gets more time and experience, she will develop into a monster.
5. Gretchen Dolan can mid-range you to death
I believe Gretchen Dolan can sit back and shoot 15 three-pointers a night and be effective. But that isn’t her game at all. Dolan is a pure shooter, and she displayed that against Southeast Missouri.
Dolan did take one three-pointer on Tuesday night, but she still managed to finish with 16 points to go along with her seven assists, five rebounds, and one steal. Dolan showed her full repertoire of skills. She was knocking down shots all game long from the mid-range. She would pull up baseline and knock down a jump. She would hit shots from around the elbow. Dolan can shoot from deep, but she can also mid-range you to death. Her full set of skills is quite impressive, and Southeast Missouri experienced it on Tuesday night.