Tip-off is right around the corner.
It’s almost October, and you know what that means. The return of college basketball is upon us. Teams have now started their training camps to prepare for this upcoming season, generating excitement and buzz for their respective fan bases.
This is the case for Shauna Green and the Illini.
Although this year, it’s a little different. This is a new-look Illini, and the rotation will look a lot different from what we have been accustomed to seeing. The big question that arises from this is, who makes up the starting five?
Here’s my projection.
Guard, Gretchen Dolan, Junior
One of the few names from last season’s rotation that is returning, Dolan is entering her 3rd year here in Champaign and is poised to take over the offense as the focal point of the team.
The experience that she has under her belt so far, along with the type of production that came with it, makes her the first name that should be on the team sheet every game.
With Dolan coming back from a season-ending injury, she’ll be hungry to get back into her rhythm and lead this Illini team. Look out for her to take that next step in her career.
Guard, Jasmine-Brown Hagger, Junior
Similar to Dolan, Brown-Hagger has a good amount of experience coming into this season.
You could make the conversation that Villanova transfer Maddie Webber could also be the one starting alongside Dolan, but I give the edge to Brown-Hagger due to the familiarity of Shauna Green’s system.
After transferring from Mississippi State after her freshman year, Brown-Hagger had her most productive year. She cracked into a rotation of an Illini squad that made the postseason, and played a huge part in most games she appeared in.
Now, it’s time for her to step into the role as a starter and continue her upward trajectory. The combo of her and Dolan makes the backcourt for this year really interesting, especially once you add in rotation pieces like highly-ranked freshman Destiny Jackson, Iowa transfer Aaliyah Guyton, and others.
Forward, Berry Wallace, Sophomore
Sophomore year leap incoming for Wallace.
Being a huge recruitment win at the time for Shauna Green, Wallace showed glimpses of her potential last season, when late in the year her number was called more and more often as the games went by. Being so productive with the opportunities that she got, it’s hard not to get excited about what kind of player she’ll become for the Illini.
Wallace will be an impact player from the first game. Believe that.
Forward, Gisela Segura, Graduate
The first newcomer in this list.
Segura brings Division I basketball experience from LIU. Twenty starts in 22 games is valuable for a team that looks to build a new identity that has had so many of those pieces leave. Before then, when at the Division II level at Franklin Pierce, she was named to the NE10 All-Rookie team in 2021-22.
This shows that she has what it takes to play college ball. Obviously, the Big Ten will be a step-up in competition to what she’s faced her entire collegiate career, but the experience will help with the transition.
And Illini fans know by now that getting older in college basketball has led to success.
Center, Lety Vasconcelos, Redshirt Sophomore
The most intriguing part of the squad.
Filling in the shoes of Illini great Kendall Bostic will be no easy feat. However, Vasconcelos perhaps has the chance to take that spot and truly make it her own. Standing at 6-foot-7, which is 5 inches taller than Bostic, she brings in a dynamic that hasn’t been seen at Illinois for a while.
After transferring from Baylor after her freshman year, Vasconcelos unfortunately didn’t see the court at all last season due to her season-ending injury before the season had even started. Now, after recovering and seeing first-hand what it takes to be the starting big for the Illini, Vasconcelos will look to bounce back and show off her talents for the first time to the Orange and Blue faithful.
It may take a couple of games for her to get back into the rhythm of an actual game, but once she hits her stride, she’ll be one to look out for as a difference maker.
The new-look Illini will certainly be different from the kind of teams we’ve seen so far in the Shauna Green era, but with the uncertainty that may come with it, there’s also a lot to be excited for.
So, what do you think, Illini fans? Agree with these predictions? Comment down below what you think may be the starting five we see on opening night!
