Nov. 6—’s title as top defender on the Illinois women’s basketball team might at least be challenged this coming season.
The senior guard McKenzie’s ability to be a lockdown defender has in no small part contributed to Illini third-coach labeling the Brooklyn Park, Minn., native as the X-factor for her team’s success.
is showing off some of the traits that have made McKenzie thrive in Champaign.
Brown-Hagger, a Mississippi State transfer, is expected to be one of the first players off the bench for Illinois this season, with the 5-foot-9 sophomore guard and former four-star recruit in the Class of 2023 — she was the No. 1 player in the state of Illinois in her class, according to eSPNW’s HoopGurlz — trying to be the latest transfer to flourish in Green’s system.
Of the seven reserve players that appeared in the Illini’s 80-53 exhibition win against Lewis last Friday night, Brown-Hagger played the most minutes (21) while producing nine points (thanks to finishing 7 of 7 at the free-throw line) and adding three rebounds and one assist.
“Jas, she’s still trying to figure out our defensive principles, but she works so hard and she’s so quick,” Green said. “Sometimes, she’s almost so quick that she gets herself out of position. She plays really, really hard. She had 19 points off the bench in our scrimmage (on Oct. 26) against an SEC team. She’s capable of scoring it, and she’s able to defend so we have (McKenzie) as kind of our defender, and now we have someone that I can put in and maybe give Dal a break and/or put them in together to really be able to lock down. Jas the other night (in the scrimmage) … she hit a few threes.
“I’m really excited about Jas. She wants to be great, and how much she’s invested in the gym, in the film room, working on her mindset with our sports physiologist, this kid is all-in, and everything that she can control she’s putting the work in and those are the type of kids you want to be successful and those are the type of kids that are going to be successful because it’s the holistic approach with her she’s really attacking.”
