Women's Hoops Take On Missouri Wednesday
December 19, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Dec. 19, 2000
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Illinois (3-6) vs. Missouri (8-1)
Dec. 20, 7:00 p.m., Savvis Center, St. Louis, Mo.
Radio: Illini Sports Network (Dave Loane and Mike Koon)
NEXT UP FOR ILLINOIS....
Illinois meets Missouri in the Savvis Center in St. Louis on Wednesday at 7
p.m. Illinois takes a 3-6 record into the contest following Saturday's 65-63
loss to DePaul. Missouri is 8-1 following an 83-63 victory over Illinois
State in Normal on Sunday.
BEGINNING OF A NEW BRAGGIN' RIGHTS ERA
This is the first in the men's-women's Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis.
The men's teams are playing their 20th edition of this contest in the
Gateway City. The Illini-Tigers football teams have agreed to a two-year
commitment at the TWA in 2002 and 2003. Next year the basketball games will
be on Saturday and will be part of a doubleheader.
THE SERIES
Although this is the first game in St. Louis, Wednesday's game marks the
seventh meeting overall between the two schools in women's basketball. The
series is tied 3-3, but the Illini have won the last three meetings. Illini
head coach Theresa Grentz is 2-0 vs. the Tigers with wins in 1995-96 (72-54
in Columbia) and 1996-97 (82-66 in Champaign).
CINDY STEIN FACES ALMA MATER
This game has special significance for Missouri coach Cindy Stein, who
graduated from Illinois in 1983 and played for Illini coach Jane Schroeder.
The Illini were 35-23 in her two seasons and advanced to the NCAA Tournament
in her second season. Stein ranks 17th in steals (120) and sixth in assists
(323) in Illini career history. Stein's 170 assists in 1982-83 are the
second most in a single season in Illinois history. Stein served as
recruiting coordinator at Illinois from 1993-95.
ILLINOIS Playing third big 12 team
The Illini are becoming quite familiar with the many of the major conferences in the country. The Illini are playing three teams apiece from the rugged Big 12 and Southeastern Conferences.
Earlier this year, the Illini lost to Kansas, 73-60 in Lawrence, and to Texas, 70-54, in Champaign. Illinois is 10-18 all-time against Big 12 foes. Illinois has faced Iowa State the most times, holding a 2-5 record, and it has never competed against Baylor, Oklahoma, Texas A&M or Texas Tech.
Illinois has played Tennessee and will play Auburn and Georgia from the SEC.
INJURIES A FACTOR IN 2000-2001
Although all four players are expected to suit up for Illinois on
Wednesday, Allison Curtin, Holly Wilson, Karen Hagberg and Shavonna Hunter
have battled injuries this season.
Curtin is the latest Illinois player to be bit by the bug. She suffered a bad sprain in the Illini's game with Connecticut, She did not start against DePaul, but came of the bench to score 17 points, seven rebounds, and four steals in 37 minutes of play.
Holly Wilson has been bothered with an injured foot and has played just 22 minutes total in three games. Her best performance of the year came on Dec. 2 vs. Northern Iowa. She played a season-high 11 minutes and scored six points. She missed the next three games, however after reaggravating the injury. Wilson played eight minutes vs. DePaul.
Karen Hagberg suffered a high ankle sprain during pre-season and has played in just two games for a total of 13 minutes.
Shavonna Hunter has yet to miss a game, but asthma has affected her breathing and limited her minutes vs. Illinois State (24).
SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
- Allison Curtin became the quickest Illinois player to 1,000 points, doing so in just her first game of her junior season.
- Head Coach Theresa Grentz registered her 100th win at Illinois in an 80-62 victory over Clemson in the season opener
- The Illini made their first trip to Hawaii, playing in the inaugural Women's Maui Invitational. The Illini defeated Alcorn State and lost to Tennessee in the finals.
- The Illini set a Redbird Arena record for free throw (29) and free-throw attempts (40) at Illinois State on Dec. 7.
- Illinois played in the second ever women's basketball game at the United Center vs. DePaul. Allison Curtin came off the bench to score 17 points.
Dallas fulfills comeback
Regardless of what happens the rest of the season, Cindy Dallas has made a
successful comeback from her third off-season knee surgery. Dallas played
just 48 minutes in her first two seasons with Illinois, but started the
first four contests for the Illini and posted her first ever double double
with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Kansas. She began the season with a
career-high 12 rebounds vs. Clemson. She leads the Illini with an 6.7
rebounds per contest average.
CURTIN STEALING RECORD
Allison Curtin's quickness has certainly been a plus for Illinois this year.
The junior is steadily moving up the steals charts both at Illinois and in
the Big Ten. Curtin has 28 steals in nine games. Curtin is seventh on the
all-time list. If she averages 4.1 steals per game the rest of the season,
Curtin would break the all-time single-season scoring mark at Illinois held
by Jill Estey. She is just 23 steals from moving into second on the list,
currently held by Tauja Catchings (201).
MORE ON THE NUMBERS
The Illini have really improved in the foul department over last year.
Last year an Illinois player fouled out 23 times, this year it has happened
only twice.
- Coach Grentz has been able to rest her starters slightly more than last season. Starters averaged playing 30.2 minutes per game last year. This year that average is 29.5.
- Illinois had more assists than turnovers for the first time this season vs. Illinois State (19-16). For the season the Illini have just 99 assists to 171 turnovers.
- Allison Curtin has a streak of 20 games in a row with a least one steal. The last time she didn't have a steal was Jan. 30 vs. Michigan State. In fact, Curtin had a steal in 32 of 34 games as a sophomore and 27 of 31 games as a freshman meaning she has a steal in 68 of 74 games in her career.
ILLINOIS ON CBS DEC. 30
Illinois will the first game in a CBS tripleheader of women's basketball on
December 30. The Illini and the Auburn Tigers tip at 11 a.m. followed by
Michigan and Purdue. Tennessee and Connecticut wraps up the day of women's
basketball.
A RETURN TO HUFF NEARS
The Illini will return to its roots later this month, playing a game at
historic Huff Hall.
The Illini under Theresa Grentz began playing at Huff. The team has since outgrown the cozy arena and now play at Assembly Hall.
A limited number of tickets remain for that contest.
Illinois has won 23 of the last 24 games played at Huff Gym, including a 112-73 victory over Western Michigan to open last season's Pre-season WNIT.
Illini Double-Doubles
- Karen Hagberg (1 - career): 15 points, 10 rebounds vs. Michigan State (1/30/00).
- Shavonna Hunter (1 - career): 13 points, 10 steals vs. Kansas (12/18/99)
- Cindy Dallas (1- career, 1 season: 12 points, 10 rebounds vs. Kansas (11/28/00)
CAREER MILESTONES NEARING
Allison Curtin needs 44 points for 1,150, 45 rebounds for 40, 97assists for 200, and 22 steals for 200
Shavonna Hunter needs 29 field goals for 150, 31 rebounds for 150, 4 points for 350, 17 assists for 150, and 10 steals for 100.
Dawn Vana needs 13 points for 250, and 23 rebounds for 200.
GRENTZ TO HALL OF FAME
Theresa Grentz has been elected into the women's basketball Hall of Fame.
Grentz makes to the Hall in just the third class of honorees. Counting the
Class of 2001, just 61 people have that distinction. The formal induction
ceremony will be June 8-9 in Knoxville, Tenn.
Coach Grentz is being honored not only for her accomplishments as a coach but also for her accolades as a player. The coach was an imposing player on the Immaculata AIAW National Championship teams from 1972-74 and was the coach of the Olympic Team.
Grentz is beginning her 27th season as a head coach and sixth as the head coach for the Fighting Illini. She has compiled a 563-215 record overall and 102-60 mark at Illinois.
Besides her impressive credentials, Grentz is honored for her advancement of the game of basketball. Her 1992 Olympic Team was the catalyst for the present day women's professional league. She is currently President of the WBCA.
Consecutive Big Ten winners
Illinois has four straight winning records in Big Ten play, the second
longest streak going in conference play. Currently Purdue has the longest
string with six straight winning seasons while Penn State is the only other
school with multiple winning conference records running with two straight.
Big Ten records the last four years:
CURTIN ECLIPSES 1000
Allison Curtin passed the 1,000-point mark the first game into her junior
season. She hit two free throws five minutes into the game vs. Clemson to
reach that mark. Her 12 total points gave her 1,012 points for her career.
Ashley Berggren, Illinois' all-time leading scorer, reached that milestone
in the second game of her junior year.
ILLINOIS PICKED THIRD IN BIG TEN,
CURTIN SELECTED ALL-CONFERENCE
Despite losing four seniors, Illinois continues to garner the respect from
around the conference. The Illini were selected third in the pre-season
conference poll by both the coaches and the media. Allison Curtin was
selected First Team All-Big Ten from both entities as well.
ELITE TEAMS ON SCHEDULE
Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz doesn't believe in scheduling a
bunch of cream puffs in her schedule. A closer look at the powerful foes
reveal these observations:
- With a match-up with Tennessee in Maui, the Illini play three of last year's final four teams (Connecticut, Tennessee, and Penn State).
- On the slate are four of last year's Top Five Teams (No. 1 UConn, No. 2 Tennessee, No. 3 Penn State, and No. 5 Georgia) to go along with No. 16 Purdue.
- Nine teams on the schedule made the NCAA Tournament last year.
- Seven teams are ranked in the current AP Top 25, including five in the top 9: No. 1 Connecticut, No. 2 Tennessee, No. 4 Georgia, No. 6 Purdue, No. 9 Penn State, No. 12 Auburn, No. 23 Texas.
- Seven additional teams received votes for either the AP or ESPN polls -- Clemson, Wisconsin, Kansas, Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan and DePaul.
ILLINI SIGN IMPRESSIVE CLASS
Jere Issenmann was the first player to commit to the Illini from this
class, having made a verbal commitment in February. Playing on a talented
team will be nothing new for Issenmann since she plays for Mason (Ohio) High
School, the second-ranked team in the country. She has started every game
for the past three seasons (79 straight games). She averaged 10.5 points and
2.7 rebounds per contest in 1999-2000. Issenmann will bring another
three-point threat to the Illinois team, having scored 54 three-pointers in
1999-2000 after sinking 62 or 47.7 percent of her long-range shots as a
sophomore.
Tiffanie Guthrie (Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison) has earned almost every award imaginable. Twice she earned Greater Miami Valley Conference MVP honors, playing for the top team in the Dayton, Ohio, area, Trotwood-Madison. She was also twice named All-Ohio, one of the top girls' basketball states in the country and has also earned The Division I Area Player of the Year honor by the Dayton Daily News.
Angelina Williams is the first Grentz recruit from the Chicago Public league since coming to Illinois in 1996.
Like Guthrie, Williams' influence has been huge both scholastically and in the summer. With Williams guidance, her high school, George Washington, earned a berth in the state finals after winning a competitive Chicago Public League. Washington advanced to the state championship game before bowing to Buffalo Grove in overtime. Williams had two double-doubles in the state tournament, totaling 17 points and 10 rebounds in the quarterfinals and amassing 17 points and 16 rebounds in the final.
HEADLINE PREDICTED
Theresa Grentz predicted the headlines going into next year during her
pre-season press conference. With no seniors this year, "It will read:
'Illinois returns five starters'," she said.
HOMETOWN HEROES REPLACES GRENTZ GANG
All youth eighth grade and under are admitted free to all Illinois home
games when wearing any kind of uniform. The first 250 kids will be allowed
to sit behind the basket in Sections AA 19-20 as part of the "Grentz Gang."
That policy will take effect through the Jan. 7 contest. Following that Kids will be admitted if they members of the Hometown Heroes Kids Club. For $25, kids can join the club, and in part be admitted into every sport by men's and women's basketball and football. Members of the club will be admitted for $2 for subsequent women's game, but will able to sit in the same section if they are one of the first 250 club kids in the door.
CURTIN NAMED CAPTAIN OF FARM TEAM
Allison Curtin has also been named the captain of the All-American Farm Team
as named by Successful Farming Magazine, signifying the top womens'
basketball player that grew up in farming. The program is sponsored by
Dodge.
First Team
Allison Curtin, Illinois, captain
Janell Gerk, South Carolina
Alison Grubbs, Lake Forest College
Shauna Porter, Fort Hays State
Mary Stuehm, Hastings College
PERSONALLY SPEAKING....
- Illinois freshman Iveta Marcauskaite speaks four different languages and plans to learn two more -- Spanish and Italian.
- Shavonna Hunter is wearing No. 23, her old high school number, this year after donning No. 4 last season. Teammate Melissa Parker wore No. 23 last season.
- Nearly 1,400 fans have bought tickets from Taylorville to attend an Illini game each of the past two seasons since Allison Curtin signed with the Illini. Allison and sister, Suzanne, are No. 2 and No.3 in a family of nine. Older brother T.J. (22) was actually the first sibling to attend UI. The other six children of Fred and Mary Curtin are -- Danny (17), a starter on the playoff Taylorville football team, Meredith (15), Candace (13), Keith (9), Joe (7), and Mary Kate (2). Suzanne earned a scholarship for the 2000-2001 school year by the program.
- Junior Yolanda Smith's younger brother, Dwayne, is a redshirt freshman wide receiver for the Illinois football team. Dwayne caught a touchdown pass in the Illini's season finale at Northwestern.
- At 6-6, Brenda Blackburn is the tallest player to ever play at Illinois.
- Cindy Dallas played three straight games for the first time in her collegiate career after suffering an ACL injury each of the past two seasons.
- Anne O'Neil holds the Iowa High School scoring record for a season (30.3 ppg) and career (2,494).
