Illinois Women's Basketball Team Focused on Itself During NCAA Tournament Bye Week

Illini players given two days off before returning to practice to prepare for first-round matchup against Colorado

Mar. 16, 2026 at 5:49pm

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The Illinois women's basketball team returned home from the Big Ten tournament with a clear plan for the bye week before the NCAA tournament. Head coach Shauna Green gave the Illini players two days off to rest after the long regular season and conference tournament grind. Once practice resumed, the focus was almost exclusively on self-scouting, as Illinois did not know its first-round opponent until Selection Sunday.

Why it matters

Illinois was confident it would make the NCAA tournament field given its solid resume, including three Quad I wins and a Top 30 NET ranking. The Illini used the bye week to recharge and hone their own game plan, rather than focusing on a specific opponent, in preparation for the high-stakes tournament.

The details

During the practice week leading up to Selection Sunday, Illinois "focused in on ourselves and then (Monday) we'll get going with Colorado," according to head coach Shauna Green. The Illini worked on "a lot of competitive stuff, playing a lot, getting up and down, kind of just getting back to the basics of our core values, our participles both ends of the floor." This self-scout approach allowed Illinois to tighten up its game plan on both offense and defense, without knowing if it would face a zone or man-to-man defense in the first round.

  • Illinois defeated Wisconsin and Michigan State in the Big Ten tournament before losing to Iowa in the quarterfinals.
  • Green gave the Illini players two days off after returning from the Big Ten tournament.
  • Illinois' first-round NCAA tournament matchup against Colorado was revealed on Selection Sunday.

The players

Shauna Green

Head coach of the Illinois women's basketball team.

Illinois

The women's basketball team at the University of Illinois, which earned a No. 7 seed in the 2026 NCAA tournament.

Colorado

The No. 10 seed that Illinois will face in the first round of the 2026 NCAA tournament.

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What they’re saying

“We've just been doing a lot of competitive stuff, playing a lot, getting up and down, kind of just getting back to the basics of our core values, our participles both ends of the floor.”

— Shauna Green, Head Coach

What’s next

Illinois will face Colorado in the first round of the 2026 NCAA tournament on Saturday, March 22 at 8:30 p.m. in Nashville, Tennessee.

The takeaway

Illinois' approach during the NCAA tournament bye week, focusing on self-improvement rather than scouting a specific opponent, demonstrates the team's confidence and commitment to playing to its own strengths as it enters the high-stakes tournament.