This offseason, the women’s Illinois basketball program landed one of the biggest fish in the transfer portal in five-star guard Divine Bourrage.
Bourrage, a former member of the LSU Tigers, was the No. 1-ranked shooting guard in the country as a prospect according to 247sports. She is an elite talent for the Illini who can score with ease at all three levels and is someone who can be a threat defensively with her length and athleticism.
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During the 2026-27 season, it is reasonable to believe that Bourrage will control the lion’s share of the minutes on the wing. But last year’s starter, Jasmine Brown-Hagger, will still be a key factor for Shauna Green as a lockdown perimeter defender.
Brown-Hagger, a product of Shorewood, Illinois, first came to Champaign as a transfer from Mississippi State before the 2024-25 season. In 34 games for Illinois last season, she recorded 6.7 points and 2.2 rebounds in 24.6 minutes per game.
The Example Academy graduate has become a major cog in Illinois’ wheel defensively, as she has been trusted with guarding some of the nation’s top ball-handlers over the years. She has an uncanny ability to set the tone on the defensive side of the ball, forcing opponents to play her game and not the other way around.
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Jasmine Brown-Hagger brings a veteran voice that any coach would love to have on their team
Last season, one of the biggest headlines that circulated through sports media was about Illinois having the youngest roster in the nation. It was a major topic in women’s college basketball, as the Illini were playing top-tier basketball with mostly underclassmen on their roster.
When you have all of that youth on a roster, you need upperclassmen who can help keep everyone on the straight and narrow. That is where Brown-Hagger comes in, with moments like this from last season that really display her leadership as one of the veterans in Champaign.
The Illini may be another year older and may already be familiar with the system, but they still need their veterans. They still need the juniors and seniors who have been there before, and who know what to expect when the going gets tough.
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This season, we as fans should expect Brown-Hagger to be that leader. She will be a major contributor in multiple aspects of the game, and the folks in Illinois couldn’t be more proud to have her.
This article was originally published on www.writingillini.com as Senior guard will play a monumental role for the Illinois basketball program.
