Three Instant Observations From Illinois WBB's 84-64 Win Over Murray State

In action starting with a weekday a.m. tipoff, the Illinois women's basketball team improved to 3-1 on the season with an 84-64 win over Murray State on Tuesday – an encouraging result against a program that reached the NCAA Tournament last year and was picked to finish second in the MVC in the preseason.

The Illini controlled the game behind efficient guard play, strong rebounding and timely bench scoring. Even with some stretches of inconsistency, Shauna Green’s group showed the balance and growth she has been pushing for early in the season. The Illini gave the home crowd plenty to cheer about on Field Trip Day, including these three instant observations from the win:

14,361 cheering for an Illini victory 🗣 pic.twitter.com/O9aJJeBirw
— Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) November 18, 2025

1. Destiny Jackson is starting to come into her own

Illinois already knows exactly what it has in breakout sophomore forward Berry Wallace – unquestionably the team's offensive alpha and go-to scorer. But one of the biggest storylines early in 2025-26 has been the growth of freshman guard Destiny Jackson, who is beginning to look more and more like the five-star recruit she was billed to be. Againat the Racers, Jackson finished with 18 points on an efficient 6-for-8 shooting, including 3-for-4 from three, while adding five assists and three rebounds.

🚨 6🤷‍♀️7 🚨

is the amount of points the Illini have at the end of the third!@JacksonDestoo pic.twitter.com/koEXCSkN7U
— Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) November 18, 2025

Jackson played with confidence, made smart reads and showed poise handling the offense. For a young guard adjusting to the college game, her early-season progression is a major positive. If she continues on this trajectory, Illinois will have a dynamic one-two punch in the backcourt that raises the team’s overall ceiling.

2. The Illini won the game on the glass

Rebounding was a clear advantage for Illinois, and it showed throughout the afternoon. The Illini pulled down 41 total rebounds – 32 of them coming on the defensive end. Cearah Parchment anchored the effort with a game-high 11 boards, while Wallace, Jackson and Gretchen Dolan added strong support inside and even from the perimeter.

Illinois also secured nine offensive rebounds, creating valuable second-chance opportunities that helped offset periods of inconsistent shooting. By controlling the glass, the Illini limited Murray State’s ability to build momentum and dictated the flow of the game.

3. The bench continues to provide a spark

Although the starters carried most of the scoring load, the Illini bench delivered meaningful minutes and production. Aaliyah Guyton led all reserves with 12 points on 4-for-5 shooting while adding a steal and a rebound in 21 minutes. Maddie Webber followed with seven points and two rebounds off the bench, and Irene Noya Catoira chipped in a bucket and two boards in her limited run. Overall, the bench contributed 23 points – a great sign for a team looking to build depth and long-term reliability. As the schedule stiffens, the Illini will need this group to maintain (and ideally grow) that level of impact.