Illinois downs Villanova in WBIT Championship, first postseason title in program history
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WCIA) — Illinois senior Makira Cook scored 11 points in the midst of a 16-0 run early in the second half to get the Illini back into the WBIT Championship and eventually take down (1) Villanova for the program’s first ever postseason title.
“The thing was we were in a great spot,” head coach Shauna Green said. “We were only down three points at half, I knew they were gonna make a run and we just came out with great poise and confidence in the second half.”
“When that clock hit zero it was awesome for us,” Kendall Bostic said.
“I knew that I don’t care what happens, what I did, I don’t care if I had zero points,” Cook said. “I just wanted to win and I wanted to wear this hat and have the confetti fall on me.”
Cook had 27 points in the final, and averaged 21 per game in the five total WBIT games, sealing Player of the Tournament honors for the senior.
“If you knew the season that we had which, I mean, people made their own assumptions and things like that,” Cook said. “But we got through so much adversity and we grew so much as a group.”
“We came here with the vision to win championships,” Green said. “In year two to be able to cut down nets and have confetti fall. This is what we wanted, what our mission was.”
Illinois last won a trophy by winning a share of the Big Ten regular season title in 1996-97.
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