Illinois women's basketball started where they loft off last year, raining threes in an exhibition win over Truman State, a Division II school located in Kirksville, Missouri.

The Illini never trailed in the game, opening a 22-12 lead midway through the first period, then rolling to a dominating 121-60 win.

Illinois now opens the regular season next Tuesday, November 7 with a home game against Morehead State.

Illinois rolled out the same staring five that capped of the 2022-23 season and qualified for its first NCAA Tournament since 2003. Getting the start were guards Makira Cook, Genesis Bryant, and Adalia McKenzie, and forwards Brynn Shoop-Hill and Kendall Bostic.

Cook, a preseason All-Big Ten selection, left the game in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury and didn't return. Cook appeared to take a shot to the head on a called foul. Head coach Shauna Green said in the post game that she was being evaluated.

The veterans dominated the outgunned Bulldogs. Bryant led eight Illini in double figures with 18 points. Senior guard Jada Peebles came of the bench to score 15 points including 11 in the first quarter.

Bostic, the leading rebounder in the Big Ten a year ago, posted a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Shoop-Hill was one rebound from a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 9 boards.

Illinois controlled the game on the glass, outrebounding the Bulldogs 53-16. Illinois yanked down 25 offensive rebounds and scored 26 second chance points. An aggressive Illini defense held Truman St. to less than 40 percent shooting, including 7-of-25 from three.

Illinois went 10 of 17 from downtown in the first half en route to a commanding 67-35 lead. Illinois coach Shauna Green then went deep into the bench after the break.

Newcomer Camille Hobby, a 6-foot-3 transfer from NC State, scored 8 of her 12 points in the scored. Heralded freshman wing Gretchen Dolan, a top 150 recruit from Buffalo, New York, scored11 points in 20 minutes.