Michigan
Illinois
Michigan to Host No. 25 Illinois on Sneakerhead Night
1/13/2026 5:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Promotions
Jan. 15
• Sneakerhead Night -- Gear up in your freshest kicks and join a vibrant community of sneaker enthusiasts for an unforgettable night of high-energy rivalry basketball. All fans in attendance will be eligible to enter to win Nike's Jordan Brand sneakers -- winners will be announced throughout the game.
• Jordan Brand Shoes Enter-to-Wins -- Available for all fans in attendance via QR code signups
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan women's basketball team (14-2, 5-1 Big Ten) completes a two-game homestand at Crisler Center on Thursday (Jan. 15), hosting No. 25-ranked Illinois (14-3, 4-2 Big Ten) on Sneakerhead Night. Fans are encouraged to wear their best sneakers to the game.
Notes
• U-M knocked off Illinois 78-69 last season in Champaign after ending the game on a 19-4 run. Illinois leads the all-time series, 41-38, but Michigan has won 21 of the last 23 games between the teams.
• Syla Swords and Mila Holloway competed with Illinois' Cearah Parchment for Canada Basketball this past summer, competing at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Czechia. In addition, Michigan general manager/assistant coach Natalie Achonwa served as a coach for that team.
• Michigan is off to a 14-2 start, tying the best mark in program history through 16 games. The most recent 14-2 start came during the 2021-22 season, when Michigan eventually started with a 20-2 record en route to an Elite Eight appearance. The 2012-13 squad also started 14-2 through 16 games on the strength of a 10-game winning streak after a couple of early-season losses. The 2012-13 season was the first in Ann Arbor for head coach Kim Barnes Arico, with all three 14-2 starts coming under KBA.
• Brooke Quarles Daniels reached the 1,000-point mark in Michigan's last game, putting up eight points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. She is just the 17th player this season to hit those numbers in a game, according to Her Hoop Stats. On the season, she has appeared in all 16 games, starting 12 times. She is averaging 5.9 points and 5.2 rebounds in 22.7 minutes per game. BQD leads U-M with 36 steals, racking up eight games with at least three steals.
• Michigan, ranked No. 6 in the latest NET rankings, picked up its third Quad 1 win against Minnesota. U-M rallied from down as many as 12 points to beat Minnesota 70-60 at Crisler on Jan. 5. U-M also has Quad 1 wins at Oregon (92-87, Dec. 29) and against Notre Dame (93-54, Nov. 15). Michigan is one of 12 schools nationally to have at least three Quad 1 wins.
• No. 25 Illinois marks Michigan's third ranked opponent of the season. U-M is 1-1 this season against top-25 teams, with a 93-54 win over No. 18 Notre Dame in Detroit (Nov. 15) before falling 72-69 to No. 1 UConn in the Basketball Hall of Fame Women's Showcase (Nov. 21). Michigan is 3-5 all-time against the No. 25-ranked team, winning the last two games. This is Michigan's first ranked opponent at Crisler this season.
• Michigan is 9-0 at home this season and has led wire-to-wire in all but two games. Purdue held a one-point lead for 12 seconds, with Minnesota holding the lead for 17:13.
• U-M does not return to Crisler Center again until hosting USC on Jan. 25. Katelynn Flaherty will have her No. 3 jersey honored before that contest.
