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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.

"We couldn't guard her," Purdue coach Sharon Versyp said.

You'll have a hard time finding a critic ... unless you speak with Penn.

"Overall," she said, "I don't even feel like I played that good this season."

Those sentiments reflect the high standards Penn has established for herself, built through a scholastic career in which she was ranked as the country's No. 17 player as a senior. Penn has averaged 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds, but those numbers don't accurately express the ability she has displayed.

Most – all? – coaches would take those figures from a freshman. Certainly, Illinois' Jolette Law falls into that category.

"As we prepare to take Illinois basketball to the next level, Karisma Penn represents what I think is a bright future for this program," Law said this week.

Penn, however, expected better.

"I feel like my free throws were terrible, obviously, the whole year," said Penn, who shot 59 percent. "My jump shot was nonexistent. I'm hard on myself. I don't feel like I played good. But one thing I do try to keep up is my intensity, every game."

The adjustment to college – both on the court and off – hasn't been that difficult for Penn. She enjoys being away from home (part of the reason she chose Illinois), so homesickness wasn't an issue. On the court, she handled the Big Ten's bruising style with aplomb, save for some occasional foul trouble.

The biggest transition? Practices. Not surprisingly, Penn found Law's three-hour, high-intensity workouts to be culture shock.

"We have to go hard the whole time," Penn said. "In high school, you could take breaks. Here, it's three hours hard."

Penn acknowledged that she hit the "freshman wall," the point in midwinter when the high school season ends – but the college season just keeps going.

"I definitely hit my wall in one stretch," Penn said. "It's long. The amount of effort you have to give up every day, and the time you put in, it gets real hard at one point. Especially when we were losing, it was a lot to take mentally because I've never been through anything like that. And physically, still having to put out that effort every day, it was definitely hard."

It didn't show during games. Penn maintained consistency, never going more than two games without scoring in double figures. She twice scored 21 points, including a loss at Ohio State. She hit the game-winner against Wisconsin, gutted Purdue in the second half of a Senior Day win and had six assists, four blocks and three steals in Sunday's win at Northwestern.

"When she has confidence and finishes and she's aggressive, it takes a lot of pressure off of me, off everybody," senior Jenna Smith said. "She's so strong. I play against her in practice all the time, and she's just extremely strong.

"She works hard each day, and she loves to compete. That's the best thing about her."

Next season, Penn will become the focal point of the UI offense. She knows she'll need to be better, and her freshman season will be part of the fuel that gets her into the gym to work on her game.

She isn't dissatisfied with her first year in an Illinois uniform, but ...

"I was happy but at the same time if I played the way I know I can play, I could have been Freshman of the Year," she said. "Just to know that I let that get away ..."

Debut doings
A look at how each of the Illini’s “Super Six” freshmen fared this season:
Adrienne GodBold
(18.2 minutes per game, 6.0 points)
Playing time has dropped lately, and she has struggled with turnovers (2.6 a game). But her athleticism has created trouble for foes. Raw but improving.

Brianna Jones
(5.3 minutes, 0.8 point)
Jenna Smith’s backup before a late-November Achilles’ injury set her back. She never seemed comfortable on the offensive end. Remains prime candidate to play key role next season.

Kersten Magrum
(14.8 minutes, 4.0 points)
Has come out of nowhere to play a major role, starting last nine games. Has a high basketball IQ and is willing to perform any role. Shot 42 percent with strong midrange jumper.

Amber Moore
(one game, ACL injury)
The team’s top long-range shooter tore her ACL in first game, had surgery in December and should be ready for start of next season.

Karisma Penn
(28.9 minutes, 10.9 points)
Big Ten All-Freshman team selection. Averaged 5.4 rebounds. Figures to be the top offensive option in 2010-11 season.

Destiny Williams
(one game, transferred)
McDonald’s All-American never meshed with her teammates. Will become eligible at Baylor at the semester break in December 2010.