Illinois' Lacey Simpson will try to keep her team perfect. The Illini host Missouri on Wednesday night. By Associated Press
On Women's Basketball
Minnesota review
Observations and opinions from a Saturday at the Hall
Read more…2008-2009 Illini Women's Basketball Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Time | Stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov.09 |
vs. SIU-Edwardsville (exhibition)
W: 68-53 |
Noon | |
| Nov.14 |
at IPFW
W: 64-44 |
1 pm | |
| Nov.16 |
vs. Eastern Illinois
W: 49-45 |
Noon | |
| Nov.19 |
vs. Missouri
W: 65-55 |
8:30 pm | BTN |
| Nov.23 |
vs. Temple
L: 66-47 |
7:30 p.m. | |
| Nov.26 |
vs. Montana#
L: 59-57 OT |
3:30 p.m. | |
| Nov.27 |
vs. South Dakota State#
L: 62-60 |
8:30 p.m. | |
| Nov.28 |
vs. Maryland#
L: 79-52 |
8:30 p.m. | |
| Dec.04 |
vs. Virginia (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
L: 63-39 |
7:30 pm | BTN |
| Dec.06 |
vs. Bradley (Lexus 'December to Remember' Classic)
L: 71-53 |
1:30 pm | |
| Dec.10 |
at UW-Milwaukee
W: 63-61 |
7 pm | |
| Dec.20 |
vs. North Carolina (Carolina Challenge)
L: 68-59 |
2 pm | |
| Dec.22 |
vs. Purdue*
L: 53-42 |
7 pm | |
| Dec.28 |
at Penn State*
L: 54-51 |
11 am | BTN |
| Jan.01 |
vs. Wisconsin*
L: 53-38 |
7 pm | |
| Jan.03 |
vs. Minnesota*
L: 52-48 |
11 am | CBS |
| Jan.08 | at Michigan* | 6 pm | |
| Jan.12 | vs. Ohio State* | 7 pm | BTN |
| Jan.15 | vs. Iowa* | 7 pm | |
| Jan.18 | at Wisconsin* | 5 pm | BTN |
| Jan.22 | at Ohio State* | 6 pm | |
| Jan.25 | vs. Indiana* | 3 pm | BTN |
| Jan.29 | at Northwestern* | 6 pm | BTN |
| Feb.05 | vs. Michigan State* | 8 pm | BTN |
| Feb.08 | at Indiana* | 11:30 am | |
| Feb.12 | vs. Northwestern* | 7 pm | |
| Feb.15 | at Purdue* | Noon | ESPN2 |
| Feb.22 | vs. Penn State* | 2 pm | TBA^ |
| Feb.26 | at Iowa* | TBA | TBA% |
| Mar.01 | at Minnesota* | TBA | TBA% |
| Mar.05 | vs. Big Ten Tournament | TBA | BTN/ESPN2 |
| Mar.21 | vs. NCAA First & Second Rounds | TBA | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Mar.28 | vs. NCAA Regionals | TBA | ESPN/ESPN2 |
| Apr.05 | vs. NCAA Final Four | TBA | ESPN/ESPN2 |
# Nov. 26-28 Cancun Caribbean Challenge MTE (Location: Cancun, Mexico)
* Big Ten Conference Game
^ ESPN2 Wildcard Game - Will be selected no later than Feb.1
% Big Ten Network Wildcard Game - will be selected no later than Feb. 16
UI women's Game 3 preview
GAME 3
UI women vs. Missouri,
8:30 p.m.
LINEUPS
MISSOURI (0-1)
Probable starters
P Name HT. YR. PPG
F Jessra Johnson 6-1 Jr. 11.0
F Shakara Jones 6-2 So. 16.0
G RaeShara Brown 5-8 So. 6.0
G Alyssa Hollins 5-11 Sr. 13.0
G Toy Richbow 5-6 Jr. 0.0
Top reserves
F Amanda Hanneman 5-11 Jr. 0.0
G Bailey Gee 5-11 Fr. 0.0
F Marissa Scott 6-2 Jr. 2.0
ILLINOIS (2-0)
Probable starters
P Name HT. YR. PPG
G Fabiola Josil 5-7 Fr. 2.5
G Lydia McCully 5-9 Fr. 6.5
F Chelsea Gordon 6-0 Sr. 4.5
F Lacey Simpson 6-1 Jr. 15.5
C Jenna Smith 6-3 Jr. 22.5
Top reserves
F Lana Rukavina 6-3 Fr. 0.5
G Macie Blinn 5-11 Fr. 2.5
F Whitney Toone 5-10 Jr. 2.0
FACTS & FIGURES
Site: The Assembly Hall (16,618), Champaign.
Radio: Brian Moline calls the action on WDWS 1400-AM and WDAN 1490-AM.
TV: Steve Schlanger (play-by-play), Jenean Ford (analysis) and Sarah Kwasinski (sideline) handle the chores on the Big Ten Network.
Series: Illinois leads 7-3 on the strength of seven straight wins. The Tigers last won in 1992, an 80-54 decision in Champaign. A year ago, four Illini reached double figures in a 66-52 victory. Smith had 19 points and 16 rebounds.
Coaches: Cindy Stein (160-143 in 11th season at Missouri; 225-166 in 14th season overall); Jolette Law (22-15 in second season at Illinois and overall).
STORYLINES
1
Welcome back
Tonight marks the return of two of the best players in Illini history: Missouri coach Cindy Stein (second on the single-season assists list) and her associate head coach, Lynnette Robinson (third in career rebounding). Robinson has been back many times as an assistant at Michigan. This is Stein's first appearance on campus as a head coach.
2
Appearances can deceive
Missouri was picked to finish last in the Big 12 Conference, but if it's possible for that nugget to be misleading, it is. The Big 12 is the deepest conference in the country; five teams are ranked in the top 19 of The Associated Press poll. Two others are receiving votes. Baylor, which wasn't even picked to win the league, just walloped then-No. 2 Stanford on Sunday. If the Tigers were in the Big Ten, they'd be selected no worse than seventh.
3
More alike than different
The Illini and Tigers have a somewhat similar makeup. Both teams' strengths lie across the frontline. Missouri has strong-bodied forwards in Jones and Johnson. Each team lacks depth. And each needs a quality nonconference victory to provide a boost into December. The Tigers' last game was a 55-50 loss against a good South Dakota State team; the Illini will get their shot at the Jackrabbits on Nov. 27 in Cancun.
PREDICTION
MISSOURI 58, ILLINOIS 55
First team to score 50 wins? Sounds good to me. It should be a hard-fought, low-scoring contest decided in the final five minutes, and we'll give the Tigers an oh-so-slight edge based on experience. (News-Gazette prediction record: 2-0).
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