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Shavonna Hunter had 15 points, four assists and five steals vs.Missouri last time out.

Women's Basketball

Illini Prepare For A Pair This Weekend

Women's Basketball

Illini Prepare For A Pair This Weekend

Dec. 26, 2001

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Illinois (7-3, 0-0) at #12 Michigan (10-1, 0-0)
Dec. 28, 2001, 6:00 p.m., Crisler Arena, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Radio: Illini Sports Network (Brian Barnhart and Mike Koon)

Northwestern (4-8, 0-0) at Illinois (7-3, 0-0)
Dec. 30, 2001, 2:00 p.m., Assembly Hall, Champaign, Ill.
Radio: Illini Sports Network (Mark Schultz)

ILLINOIS BEGINS BIG TEN PLAY THIS WEEKEND
Illinois starts Big Ten Conference action this weekend with a pair of games. The Illini travel to Michigan on Friday for a 6 p.m. tip then return home to meet Northwestern Sunday (2 p.m).

CINDY DALLAS NAMED BIG TEN CO-PLAYER OF WEEK
Cindy Dallas has earned co- Big Ten Player of the Week in women's basketball, the conference office announced on Monday.

Dallas had a stellar game in lifting the Illini to a 74-53 win over Missouri on Saturday at the Savvis Center in St. Louis. The sophomore from Pittsburgh posted 19 points, 17 rebounds and five steals. The 17 rebounds were the most by an Illinois player since Susan Blauser grabbed 18 boards in a win over Stanford on Nov. 19, 1998. Dallas also had 13 points, five rebounds and six steals in a 91-49 victory over Eastern Illinois on Wednesday and made 14 of 20 shots from the field in the two games.

Dallas averages 13.0 points and is among the Big Ten leaders with a 9.3 rebounds per game average. She also is tied for the team lead with 27 steals. The double-double on Saturday was her third of the season.

Dallas shares the honor with Kelly Mazzante of Penn State.

ILLINOIS HAS QUICK STARTS IN BIG TEN
Illinois has sprung to fast starts in Big Ten play the past few seasons. In 1996-97, the Illini started conference play 5-1 en route to the Big Ten title. The following year, Illinois began 8-0 and finished 12-4 and second in the conference. The Illini then began 3-1 in 1998-1999, 4-0 in 1999-2000 and 4-0 last season.

ILLINOIS IN ELITE BIG TEN COMPANY
Illinois is one of two teams to post winning Big Ten seasons each of the last six seasons. Illinois went 12-8 in 1997, 12-4 in Oe98, 10-6 in Oe99, 11-5 in 2000 and 9-7 last season. Purdue is the only other team with that distinction.

REMEMBERING 2000
Illinois open with two straight Big Ten road games in 2000 and went 2-0 in those games marking the first time the Illini won two straight road games to start the conference season. Illinois downed Ohio State, 63-57 in overtime, and 80-74 at Wisconsin.

STEALING A RECORD
Illinois junior Shavonna Hunter has 179 steals for her career in three seasons, which ranks eighth on the all-time Illinois list. Hunter is just 22 steals shy of third place held by Tauja Catchings. Assuming Illinois playing 30 games this season, Hunter would need to average 3.65 steals per game to become the new Illini steals leader by the end of the season (252).

NOTES ON MICHIGAN

  • Illinois leads the all-time series with Michigan, 27-16, but the Wolverines have won the last four contests. The Wolverines have swept the season series from Illinois just twice. Illinois is 11-11 all-time in Ann Arbor.
  • Michigan is ranked 12th in the country after posting a 10-1 non-conference season. The ranking is the highest in the history of the program. The Wolverines have defeated three ranked teams, including an 86-81 win at No. 21 LSU in 20T.
  • LeAnn Bies leads Michigan in points (16.7) and rebounds (9.0).
  • Eight different players have started for Michigan with Bies the only player to start every game.

    NOTES ON NORTHWESTERN

  • Northwestern leads the all-time series, 31-14, but Illinois has won seven of the last eight meetings between the two schools, including winning 88-65 in Evanston and 65-45 in Champaign last season.
  • Northwestern enters the contest, 4-8 after starting the year 0-5. The Wildcats opened Big Ten play with a 74-47 loss at home to Iowa.
  • Illinois and Northwestern have two common opponents. The Illini lost at DePaul, 69-62, and defeated Eastern Illinois, 91-49. Northwestern lost at home to DePaul, 67-50 and defeated EIU, 68-44.
  • Northwestern has been playing without Emily Butler, who has missed all but the first four games. Samantha McComb and Melissa Culver started in the backcourt vs. Iowa.

    TEACHER VS. PUPIL
    Northwestern coach June Olkowski was an All-American for Rutgers during its national championship run in 1982. Olkowski played for Illinois coach Theresa Grentz. Olkowski's #45 jersey is retired by Rutgers.

    This is the seventh meeting between Grentz and Olkowski. Grentz leads 5-1. Grentz?s Rutgers team defeated Olkowski?s Arizona team, 77-54 in 1988. Grentz?s Illinois squad split games with Olkowski's Butler Bulldogs with the Illini winning 94-62 in 1996-97 and Butler coming out on top 81-65 in 1998-99. The Illini won both meetings with the Wildcats in 2000, 82-65, in Evanston on Jan. 23 and 87-58, on Feb. 10. Illinois also won both games last year.

    YANNI GETTING INTO SWING FOLLOWING SURGERY
    Forward Aminata Yanni returned to the team after suffering a tear of her ACL on Jan. 28, 2001 against Minnesota. Yanni made 40 percent of her three-points attempts (12 of 30), including making 4 of 7 vs. Michigan State on Jan. 18. Yanni combined for 46 points in three straight games before suffering her injury.

  • Yanni took some time to get back into the swing, but has made steady progress. After averaging 2.4 points and 10.8 points per game in the first five contests, Yanni moved into the starting line-up on Dec. 6 vs. Illinois. She has averaged 8.4 points and and 20.2 minutes of action since then.
  • Yanni scored 14 points in 26 minutes vs. EIU and 12 points in 20 minutes vs. Missouri.
  • Yanni was beginning to really play well in early January before suffering her knee injury. She had 15 points, three assists and two three pointers at Northwestern on Jan. 9.

    DEFENSE SHINES AGAIN
    Illinois entered play at Michigan with a 7-3 record. While the offensive production has been about the same, the Illini have turned things around with defense.

  • Last year Illinois averaged 71.7 points per game. This year the Illini are averaging 73.5. But last year the Illini gave up 72.9 points per contest compared to this year?s 63.2.
  • Illinois ranks fourth in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense (.371)
  • Illinois has held eight of 10 opponents under 45 percent shooting this season and two under 35 percent.
  • Illinois' defense held James Madison to just .246 shooting, including .125 (4 of 32) in the first half. St. Mary's shot just .268 for the game and .231 (9 of 39) in the second half. Overall the Illini allowed just 98 points in the two games of the St. Mary?s Tournament while forcing 49 turnovers.
  • The Illini had nine blocks vs. Duquesne.
  • A total of 27 percent of opponents field-goal attempts have come from three-point range as Illinois? defense has forced the shot clock to run down on numerous occasions.
  • Illinois has forced 221 turnovers in ten games or an average of 22.1 turnovers per game. The Illini are No. 2 in the Big Ten turnover margin (+2.20).
  • The Illini also average 12.80 steals per game which leads the Big Ten.

    LAST TIME OUT
    Illinois is coming off arguably its finest game of the year, a 74-53 win over Missouri at the Savvis Center in St. Louis. The Illini thus retained the Busch Braggin' Rights trophy. Cindy Dallas led the way with 19 points and 17 rebounds. Dallas had a double-double at halftime with 12 points and 10 boards.

    Illinois also forced 28 turnovers and held Missouri to 36.5 percent shooting. The Illini led by 30 at one point (71-41). Shavonna Hunter had 15 points, four assists and five steals. Iveta Marcauskaite had 14 points, while Aminata Yanni had a season-best 12 points playing a season-best 20 minutes.

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