CHAMPAIGN – Throughout a season filled with unmet expectations, one obvious bright spot for the Illinois women's basketball team has been the play of freshman Karisma Penn.

Talk to any Illini observer and you'll inevitably hear optimism when discussing the Ohio product's future. So impressive was Penn's debut that she was named this week to the Big Ten All-Freshman team by the league's coaches.

News you can't leave work without:

A look at how each of the Illini's "Super Six" freshmen fared this season:

How News-Gazette staff writer Tony Bleill voted in this week's Associated Press women's Top 25 poll:

Illini forward gets fourth award of season

Joins Ashley Berggren as school's only three-timers

How News-Gazette staff writer Tony Bleill voted in the Big Ten postseason honors:

EVANSTON – Illinois' 58-48 victory Sunday against Northwestern meant more to the Illini than simply extending its winning streak against the Wildcats to 21.

With the win, the Illini (15-13, 7-11) finish the regular season on a two-game winning streak and are guaranteed to finish the season with a winning record – necessary for inclusion in the WNIT.

With a loss today, Illinois will finish no better than a tie for 10th ... in other words, in last place. Illinois hasn't suffered that ignominy since 1994-95, when the Illini shared it with Michigan. The Illini are tied with Indiana and Minnesota. If they remain tied with both, Illinois would be the No. 10 seed for the Big Ten tournament Thursday. (Illinois owns the head-to-head tiebreaker with Minnesota but loses it against Indiana.) If Illinois wins while Michigan and Indiana lose at home, the Illini could finish as high as seventh.