Illinois Women's Basketball Routs Northwestern for Third Straight Big Ten Blowout

Illini cruise to 92-65 victory behind balanced scoring attack and stifling defense

Feb. 22, 2026 at 10:35pm

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The Illinois women's basketball team dominated Northwestern 92-65 on Sunday, building a 24-point halftime lead and cruising to their third straight Big Ten blowout win. Freshman Destiny Jackson and Cearah Parchmore led the Illini with 19 points each, while five players scored in double figures as Illinois shot 50% from the field and outscored Northwestern 16-0 in second-chance points.

Why it matters

The convincing victory over Northwestern continues Illinois' strong late-season surge, as the Illini have now won three straight Big Ten games by 20-plus points against lower-tier conference opponents. This balanced scoring attack and stifling defense will be crucial as Illinois prepares to face ranked opponents Iowa and Minnesota in the final week of the regular season.

The details

Illinois built a 57-33 halftime lead, thanks to a 30-point second quarter, and never looked back in the rout. The Illini shot 50% from the field and dominated the boards, outscoring Northwestern 16-0 in second-chance points. Freshman duo Destiny Jackson (19 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds) and Cearah Parchmore (19 points, 10 rebounds) led the way, while Berry Wallace, Jasmine Brown-Hagger and Maddie Webber also scored in double figures.

  • Illinois defeated Northwestern 74-71 in Champaign on January 18, 2026.

The players

Shauna Green

The head coach of the Illinois women's basketball team.

Destiny Jackson

A freshman guard for Illinois who scored 19 points, with 7 assists and 7 rebounds in the win.

Cearah Parchmore

A freshman forward for Illinois who recorded a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds.

Berry Wallace

A player for Illinois who scored 17 points and grabbed 5 rebounds.

Jasmine Brown-Hagger

A player for Illinois who scored 18 points and had 6 rebounds.

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What they’re saying

“I thought all of us we were really locked in. We were connected on both ends of the floor. We did a good job of coming out strong and staying strong throughout the 40 minutes.”

— Shauna Green, Illinois Head Coach

“Honestly, just constantly watching film and getting that experience on the court, and like I said, being out there and getting more comfortable knowing where my teammates are going to be at, knowing where I can excel in.”

— Destiny Jackson

What’s next

Illinois will face two ranked opponents to close out the regular season, taking on No. 13 Iowa on Thursday and No. 23 Minnesota next Sunday.

The takeaway

Illinois' balanced scoring attack and stifling defense in this blowout win over Northwestern demonstrates the team is peaking at the right time heading into the final week of the regular season and the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini have proven they can win convincingly against lower-tier conference opponents, which will be crucial experience as they prepare to face ranked foes Iowa and Minnesota.