Rhode Island grad transfer Tenin Magassa commits to Illinois

Weeks after ending the season with the program’s first-ever postseason title in the inaugural WBIT, Shauna Green and her dug through the transfer portal in an effort to boost a 2024-25 push for the Big Dance.

Just two days after announcing the pickup of Mississippi State transfer guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger, the program announced the addition of graduate transfer Tenin Magassa from Rhode Island on Sunday.

The addition of Illinois native Brown-Hagger is a reunion of sorts, as Green’s staff had recruited the rising sophomore out of high school; Magassa’s arrival can also be described as a reunion.

Before transferring to Rhode Island, the 6-foot-6 center from Morsang-Sur-Orge, France played for Green at Dayton.

“Having coached her for two years, I know she can help us right away,” Green said. “T is a big that can run in our pace, protect the rim defensively, and has the ability to score with her back to the basket. She knows our system and our standards. T is a winner, having won championships with us at Dayton and one at URI.”

In 2023-24, T averaged 7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2 blocks per game in 17.8 minutes for the Rams. According to HoopHeroines, she had a 26.5 PER, 102.6 Player Offensive Rating and +22.9 Net Rating last season, albeit in limited minutes.

Magassa, as of Sunday, is currently the tallest player on a roster that loses Camille Hobby, a 6-foot-3 grad transfer center who started all but 12 games last season.

Up up and away. . .

The two transfer pickups show a clear intent to grow taller and longer, something that Green has been building towards in her time at Illinois.

Green will also welcome five-star, McDonald’s All-American Berry Wallace next season alongside the in-state Hayven Smith. Wallace and Smith stand 6-foot-1 and 6-foot-6 respectively. Brown-Hagger stands at 5-foot-9, three inches taller than the Orange and Blue’s current guard duo of Makira Cook and Genesis Bryant, who are both listed at 5-foot-6.

The team loses six players from last season — two by graduation and four by transfer — and might not be done bulking up quite yet. Assistant coach Calamity McEntire took to X just hours after Magassa’s commitment with a message to Illini fans. . .