No. 22 Illinois Ranked in AP Top 25 for Third-Straight Week

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Two weeks after returning to the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for the first time in over 20 years, Illinois Women’s Basketball has remained in the rankings for the third-straight week, coming in at No. 22 in the latest poll.

Illinois is off to a 16-4 start under first year head coach Shauna Green, one of the best starts in program history. Two of Illinois’ three losses came by a combined 10 points on the road at a pair of top-5 Big Ten foes. Illinois is up to a 6-3 record in the Big Ten, which ties the squad for fifth in league’s standings as of Jan. 24.

The Fighting Illini program has appeared in 66 AP Polls total across nine different seasons now. Shauna Green joins Theresa Grentz, Laura Golden and Jane Schroeder as Illini coaches to led a ranked Illinois squad. Green is the lone coach to achieve a Top-25 ranking in her first year leading the program.

The complete Jan. 24, 2023 AP Rankings can be viewed HERE.

NOTES (AS OF 1/24/23)

• Illinois has matched the best 18-game start in program history with a 15-3 record. 
• With a 5-2 start to Big Ten play, Illinois owns its best start conference play since a 6-3 B1G start in 2012-13 (finished 9-7 vs. B1G).
• With 15 wins, the Illini have more wins than any season since 2014-15 (15-16).
• As of the day of the poll, Illinois owned a NET ranking of 27th – up 156 spots from a year ago.
• Illinois is already 9-0 at home this season – matching the fifth-longest home winning streak in program history.
• The Illini have seen notable success on the road as well, owning wins at Pitt, Butler, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota for the program’s most road wins since the 2012-13 campaign (7).
• Shauna Green has implemented a defensive mentality that has helped lead the program’s resurgence – opponents are averaging 62.1 PPG (133rd NCAA, 4th B1G), 28.6% rate from 3-point range (78^th NCAA, 3rd B1G), and 37.5% from the field (71st NCAA, 2nd B1G). 
• The Illinois offense has been just as lethal – UI is averaging 80.7 PPG (16^th NCAA, 4^th B1G), 41.0% rate from 3-point range (3rd NCAA, 1^st B1G), and 47.1% from the field (16^th NCAA, 5^th B1G).
• The Illini’s scoring and rebounding margins have been remarkable under Shauna Green so far. Illinois’ rebounding margin sits at 10.1, which ranks 13^th in the nation and 1^st in the…