Three Instant Observations From Illinois Women's Basketball's 92-88 Loss at Iowa

Illinois left Iowa City without the win Tuesday night, but an 82-78 defeat against the No. 9 team in the country didn’t look like a team getting exposed; it looked like a young team being tested – and grading out quite impressively.

Playing on the road against one of the Big Ten’s best in Iowa (23-5, 14-3 Big Ten), the Illini traded punches for 40 minutes, answered every mini run and put themselves in position to steal it late. That matters this time of year. Illinois (19-9, 9-8) has enough shot-making, toughness and balance to make an opponent – and maybe more than one – uncomfortable in March, and this game was another reminder of that potential.

Final.

Back in State Farm Center for our final home game on Sunday at 1 PM. pic.twitter.com/Pleo6XQUCX
— Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) February 27, 2026

Here are three more observations from the Illini's slugfest with the Hawkeyes on Thursday:

1) Illinois looks like a team that can make real noise in March

There’s no moral victory or participation prize coming for Illinois' performance in Iowa City, but coach Shauna Green got confirmation that the team's overall profile travels. The Illini got big-time production from multiple starters – Cearah Parchment (20 points, 12 rebounds) was steady and physical, Berry Wallace (21 points) carried the scoring load, and Jasmine Brown-Hagger (15 points) was efficient as well.

Illinois fought back after what could have been a disastrous 10-0 opening run by Iowa, and it traded punches with a top-10 foe in a contest that saw eight ties and 14 lead changes. When the Illini are able to compete like that on the road against a high-level opponent, it’s not hard to imagine them being a problem in a one-and-done setting.

2) The three-point shot kept the Illini alive

Illinois’ margin for error against Iowa was always thin because the Hawkeyes manufacture offense in the paint like they invented it. The Illini had to keep pace somehow, so they did it by torching the nets with threes – lots of them. Illinois finished 11-for-19 from deep (57.8 percent), and the timing was just as important as the percentage.

ANOTHER ONE FOR PARCHMENT pic.twitter.com/dyqnPEYUgy
— Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) February 27, 2026

The Illini hit their last nine threes, including a perfect 8-for-8 in the second half – practically an official document delivered to the Iowa bench stating their refusal to go away. That type of shooting stretch can flip a tournament game in moments, and it’s why Illinois kept climbing back even when Iowa appeared ready to separate.

3) Late-game execution – and experience – decided it

This is where the difference showed – and it wasn’t just talent. Illinois has no seniors in its rotation, and late-game possessions can get messy when the moment speeds up. Down two with about a minute left, Illinois came out of a timeout and turned it over – the kind of mistake that kills you against elite teams.

CLUTCH 👊@StuelkeHannah x @ava_heiden pic.twitter.com/TmJKL6mKWj
— Iowa Women's Basketball (@IowaWBB) February 27, 2026

Iowa immediately showed why: The Hawkeyes called timeout and ran a clean pick-and-roll, with senior Hannah Stuelke delivering a gorgeous pass to Ava Heiden for a basket that pushed it to a four-point cushion and effectively sealed it. Illinois still had a chance late, but another crucial mistake followed: Down three with 10 seconds left, the Illini committed an offensive foul on a dribble hand-off to try to get off a game-tying attempt. A few key moments showed the experience gap, and they decided the outcome.

Still, this was an impressive showing from a young Illini team that demonstrated how good this team can be at its peak. With one regular-season game remaining, Illinois is close to rounding into shape – and at just the right time.