McKenzie comes home to help Illini defeat Gophers

University of Illinois basketball player Adalia McKenzie seemed right at home as her team faced the University of Minnesota in a Big Ten women’s matchup Sunday, January 15, at Williams Arena.

The former Park Center High School girls’ basketball standout finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three steals in helping to lead the Illini to a 70-57 victory over the Golden Gophers. The 5’10” guard also led Illinois with four offensive rebounds.

“It was good to be back home,” McKenzie said after the game. “It was good to come back and get a win in front of family and friends.”

It has been quite the journey for McKenzie. She finished her prep career as Park Center’s all-time leading scorer with 2,573 points, led the Pirates to the 2020 Class 4A state tournament during her junior year, and was named Minnesota’s Miss Basketball as a senior in 2021.

After numerous scholarship offers to big-time NCAA Division I schools, McKenzie chose Illinois because of her desire to be part of something special. I went to Illinois to help build the program,” the sophomore guard said. “I wanted to be part of something new.” 

After starting 15 of 27 games as a freshman and averaging 9.4 points per game, McKenzie and her teammates have turned things around this season under new head coach Shauna Green. During the 2021-2022 season the Illini finished with a 1-13 Big Ten record and 7-20 overall. The team is currently sporting a 16-4 record, 6-3 in the Big Ten, and is ranked No. 21 in the Associated Press poll and No. 23 in the NCAA Women’s College Basketball Coaches poll.

“We didn’t make much progress last season,” McKenzie said, reflecting on her first year. “But things changed when new players and Coach Green took over.”

This year, she’s averaging 15 points-per-game while teaming with Mikara Cook, Genesis Bryant, Kendall Bostic, Jada Peebles, Brynn Shoup-Hill, and Jada Oden.

“I made the right choice,” McKenzie said. “I’m glad to be here.”