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Kendall Bostic, Genesis Bryant, Adalia McKenzie Earn Big Ten Honors for Illini

Each of Illinois women's basketball's three leading scorers were named to All-Big Ten teams on Tuesday
Jackson Langendorf|
Illinois' Adalia McKenzie (24) and Kendall Bostic (44) celebrate McKenzie's basket during the Indiana versus Illinois women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025.
Illinois' Adalia McKenzie (24) and Kendall Bostic (44) celebrate McKenzie's basket during the Indiana versus Illinois women's basketball game at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting Illini

After an improbable and occasionally excruciating 2024-25 regular season, Illinois women's basketball program (21-8, 11-7 Big Ten) on Thursday – one day before the conference tournament tip-off – saw three of its players receive Big Ten honors.

Kendall Bostic, in her final season with the Illini, was named to the All-Big Ten First Team by both the media and coaches. Averaging 15.8 points, 11.3 rebounds (which led the conference) and 1.9 assists while tacking on 1.0 blocks, Bostic made the last season of her collegiate career her best.

Meanwhile, fifth-year guard Genesis Bryant received second-team honors, also from both the media and coaches, behind 14.9 points, 3.9 assists and 3.6 rebounds per game. She knocked down 62 triples on the season at a healthy rate of 39.0 percent, and she currently ranks third in program history in made three-pointers.

The final Illini to land on an All-Big Ten team was Adalia McKenzie, who was an honorable mention by the media. She put up 13.4 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists while adding 1.1 steals. The hard-nosed senior guard has suited up in every contest of her four year career at Illinois.

Following eight straight wins, the injury-plagued Illini stumbled through their last three contests – two of which came on the road against top-five national squads in UCLA and USC – losing all three to close out their regular season.

But led by its decorated trio – and after a bit of rest following a grueling regular season – Illinois has deisgns on making a run at a Big Ten Championship and perhaps climbing a seed line or two in the NCAA Tournament. The Illini are set to begin that journey Thursday (5:30 p.m. CT, on Big Ten Network) in Indianapolis against the winner of No. 10 Nebraska and No. 15 Rutgers.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Is Illinois Basketball Peaking? Friday's Purdue Showdown Will Tell Us

ESPN's Joe Lunardi Lifts Illinois Basketball in Latest Bracketology Seeding

CBS analyst Clark Kellogg on Illinois Basketball: 'I've Seen This Movie Before'

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Jackson Langendorf
JACKSON LANGENDORF

Primarily covers Illinois football and basketball, and Kansas basketball, with an emphasis on analysis, features and recruiting. Langendorf, a third-generation University of Illinois alum, has been watching Illini basketball and football for as long as he can remember. An advertising student and journalism devotee, he has been writing for On SI since October 2024. He can be followed and reached on X @jglangendorf.

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