The resurgence of the women’s Illinois basketball program has been fun to watch.
Shauna Green not only has the Illini winning at a high clip, but recruiting off the court is at an all-time high as well.
Berry Wallace was one of the first massive recruits Green landed. She was a five-star and the highest-rated recruit this program has seen walk through the doors. That snag by Green is paying off in a big way.
Wallace is entering her third year with the program. She broke out in 2025-26 due to the upperclassmen leaving the team, and she could finally get a chance to shine. Wallace did that to the tune of 18.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and shooting 34.7% from three-point range.
Those are great numbers, but what really stands out about Wallace is her efficiency and, according to Peter Newmann of CBB Analytics, the ice in her veins.
Newmann posted on social media that there are only six players in the country to shoot at least 60% from the field and 90% from the free throw line in clutch time, which is the final five minutes of a game and the score being a five-point margin or less, last season.
Wallace is one of the six.
Ice water in their veins. 🧊
— Peter Newmann (@petenewmann) August 2, 2026
Only 6 players in the country shot at least 60% from the field and 90% from the line in clutch time this season. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/l6Bxo5V0R7
Last season, Wallace shot 86% from the field and 91.7% from the charity stripe when the game was on the line. She was one of the most clutch players in the country, and Illinois could rely on her to make a play and convert when needed the most.
Illinois basketball is the best team in the country that no one is talking about
I think Wallace has a legitimate chance to not only be the best player in Champaign this season, but she could be the best player in the Big Ten and one of the best players in the country.
Illinois has a loaded roster heading into the 2026-27 campaign. Unlike the pre-Green era, Illinois has a ton of talent around their star player.
Destiny Jackson, Gretchen Dolan, Aaliyah Guyton, Jasmine Brown-Hagger, Cearah Parchment, and Maddie Webber are all back and will be helping elevate Illinois to heights we have never seen before.
This is literally the same squad that was a No. 7 seed and got to the second round of the NCAA tournament last season. Plus, we added a five-star transfer portal player.
Illinois isn’t a brand name in the women’s game. We should be talked about more. This program is about to sneak up on some people in 2026-27. Don’t be shocked if we are a top-four seed in the NCAA tournament.
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