Illinois
Three Observations From Illinois WBB’s 75-66 Win Over No.25 Washington
West Coast trips are rarely comfortable, and Illinois (16-6, 6-5 Big Ten) learned that the hard way earlier this season. After dropping a tough road game at Oregon State in their first trip out to the Left Coast, the Illini returned to the Pacific Ttime Zone this week with something to prove – and this time, they left with a win.
That’s a ranked road win! pic.twitter.com/gYrk2EJuDE
— Illinois Women’s Basketball (@IlliniWBB) February 2, 2026
Illinois took care of business in Seattle, knocking off No. 25 Washington (17-5, 7-4) 75-66 in a game that was never particularly pretty but was controlled for most of the night. The Illini led for long stretches, absorbed Washington’s runs and consistently responded when things threatened to get tight. It wasn’t a highlight-reel performance or a shooting clinic, but it was the kind of road win that good teams learn how to secure as the season goes on.
After a disappointing result on their first West Coast swing, this one felt like a step forward.
1. Cearah Parchment has cemented herself as Illinois’ No. 2 option
Berry Wallace has been the offensive engine for Illinois all season, but games like this highlight how important it is to have another reliable scorer next to her. Cearah Parchment delivered exactly that in Seattle.
Cearah Parchment with the rebound put back! 💥💥
3Q 4:55 | Illini 43, Washington 35 pic.twitter.com/wCP6hgTreY
— Illinois Women’s Basketball (@IlliniWBB) February 2, 2026
Parchment finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, showing her ability to score efficiently while also impacting the game on the glass. She knocked down shots from the perimeter, finished inside and punished Washington when attention shifted toward Wallace. That balance changes the ceiling of the Illini offense. When Illinois can play through more than one primary option, it becomes much harder to defend – especially on the road.
2. The Illini won in spite of a poor three-point shooting day
Illinois didn’t exactly catch fire from deep, finishing just 4-for-15 from three-point range. Instead of forcing shots or letting misses spiral into momentum swings, the Illini stayed patient.
Maddie Webber on the move! +2 for the Illini
2Q 9:20 | Illini 17, Washington 16 pic.twitter.com/aumMbOZHan
— Illinois Women’s Basketball (@IlliniWBB) February 1, 2026
They attacked the paint, earned trips to the free-throw line and converted when it mattered. Illinois attempted 24 free throws and made 17, quietly building separation without relying on long-range shooting. That’s a positive sign, especially in a hostile environment where shooting legs can disappear quickly. Winning a road game without relying on threes is a trait of a mature team.
3. The defense did enough to survive the Huskies’ stars
Washington star guard Sayvia Sellers got her points, but Illinois avoided letting her completely take over the game. Only three Huskies reached double figures, and none scored more than 17 points – a sign of how difficult Illinois made consistent offense all night.
Destiny Jackson fights through defense to put up 2 for the Illini!
1Q 2:35 | Illini 13, Washington 12 pic.twitter.com/Meq9n8zaks
— Illinois Women’s Basketball (@IlliniWBB) February 1, 2026
The Illini didn’t dominate defensively, but they stayed connected, avoided extended breakdowns and forced Washington to work for nearly every basket. By making scoring a grind and preventing a single explosive run, Illinois maintained control and closed the game out comfortably – exactly what you want from a road performance.
Illinois
Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting IL
A number of Taco Bell locations have posted signs announcing they are “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” according to Detroit-area news radio outlet WWJ.
Taco Bell told the Post it would keep monitoring the situation and follow authorities’ guidance.
Taco Bell Lettuce Linked To Growing MI Parasite Outbreak: FDA
“Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer,” the company told the Post. “While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”
In Michigan, where cases have been concentrated, media reports said notices were posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell restaurants last week telling customers the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro-Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”
Illinois
Illinois GOP trails badly in midterm cash
The Illinois Republican Party filed its quarterly campaign finance report on the July 15 deadline. The party reported having just $223K in the bank. The next day, the party sent a letter to the Illinois State Board of Elections saying they were “reconciling” their records after a leadership change, and then noted that their actual end balance was $101K higher than it had reported the day before.
But that bit of found money was basically the end of the “good news” for the GOP last week.
Republicans no longer have a pet billionaire. Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin have fled the state. The legions of wealthy business titans who once contributed and raised money have either retired to sunnier climes or passed away. Several prominent party members have publicly shunned labor unions and their hefty political war chests, although the state GOP legislative leaders have at least tried to rebuild ties to trade unions and even the Illinois Education Association. But the heavily gerrymandered legislative map combined with the current political climate means they’ll mostly receive scraps.
And, yes, the House Democrats are struggling this month with scandals, including a state representative who resigned under pressure and another who was indicted. I’m not trying to downplay that at all. But Democrats have the national political environment, the local infrastructure and tons of cash behind them. The Republicans have little to none of that.
The GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, Darren Bailey, raised $1.3 million in the second quarter, which ended June 30. That sounds like a lot, but he spent almost all of that on direct mail fundraising costs. The huge expenditures do give him a prospect list for future fundraising, but he ended the quarter with a mere $128K in the bank. That was still a whole lot more than the rest of the statewide ticket.
Attorney General nominee Bob Fioretti, a perennial candidate, raised $31K, spent $39K and had $28K on hand at the end of the quarter along with almost $15K in recent debt. Secretary of State candidate Diane Harris raised $6K, spent a bit over $4K and had a paltry $1,816.42 in the bank. Treasurer candidate Max Solomon, who ran as a write-in during the primary because the party failed to recruit anyone, raised less than $3K, reported no spending and ended the quarter with less than $8K. Comptroller candidate Bryan Drew raised $30K and received $47K in in-kind contributions from a company owned, ironically, by independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett, spent less than $3K, ended with $54K and had $25K in debt from earlier this year.
Man, that’s just downright pathetic.
But I suppose it doesn’t really matter anyway unless we see a massive sea-change in national opinion in the coming months or the federal government finds a way to not certify certain election results. Regardless of where individual candidates are at this moment, they’ll have the money to compete. Unlike the Republicans, the Dems do have a pet billionaire (JB Pritzker) and, I assume eventually for most of them, organized labor.
The Republican legislative leaders have tried to scrape and claw as much as they can, but they’re vastly outgunned. Senate Republican Leader John Curran raised just $75K in the second quarter. He spent $71K and reported having a bit more than $3 million in the bank. His caucus committee reported having $160K in the bank.
Leader Curran has three Republican-held districts to defend in the Chicago media market that have all trended Democratic in the last three cycles. Depending how bad things get, he could be defending a couple, two or three more.
The Senate Democrats have a ton of money to do whatever they want. Senate President Don Harmon has about $20 million in his personal campaign account and $1.7 million in his caucus account.
Over in the House, Republican Leader Tony McCombie has at least four Democratic-trending or swingy districts to defend and just $1.3 million in her personal campaign account and another $363K in her caucus account so far.
In contrast, House Speaker Chris Welch had $11.4 million in his personal account and $1.2 million in his caucus account. Like Senate President Harmon, he has more than enough money already, but more is never enough when there’s so much out there, so those numbers will likely rise by November.
Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.
Illinois
Hillsboro grad, Springfield golfer Alex Eickhoff 2nd at state amateur
BLOOMINGTON — Springfield’s Alex Eickhoff nearly had a magical Thursday as he tied for second place in the 95th annual Illinois State Amateur Championship at Crestwicke Country Club.
Eickhoff, a 2020 Hillsboro High School graduate and former standout on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s men’s golf team, shot a 4-under-par 68 in Thursday’s third round and followed that with an even-par 71 to finish the three-day, four-round event 1-over 285. He tied for second with Bloomington’s Logan Stauffer.
Eickhoff briefly took the lead through nine holes of his fourth round when he sat at 1-under par. Chicago’s Charlie Kulwin finished both of Thursday’s rounds under par and finished 2-under 282. He was the lone golfer to finish under par for the tournament.
Eickhoff was The State Journal-Register’s Small School Boys Golfer of the year twice in his high school career: once as a freshman in 2016-17 and again as a senior in 2019-20. After high school, he golfed for the University of Minnesota for two years before transferring to SIUE.
He began the tournament with a 3-over 74 on Tuesday and shaved off a stroke Wednesday with a 2-over 73. He closed out the event with an even-par 71 in Thursday’s final round.
Other area golfers who made the cut were Springfield’s Charles Hoogland (7-over 291, tied for 20th) and Jacksonville’s Brady Kaufmann (8-over 292, 25th).
The last golfer from The State Journal-Register’s coverage area to win the Illinois State Amateur was Jay Davis. Davis, a Jacksonville Routt graduate, won the 1991 and ‘92 tournaments.
Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.
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