Dec. 31, 2001

Complete Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader

Illini, Gophers Begin 2002 On The Hardcourt
Illinois takes a four-game winning streak into Thursday's match-up at Minnesota. The Illini are 9-3 overall, 2-0 and in first place in the Big Ten. The Gophers, meanwhile, are 10-2 overall and have played just one conference game, an 88-83 setback to Penn State on Friday. In that game Penn State's Kelly Mazzante scored 49 points. Minnesota is coming off an 80-65 non-conference win at Miami, Fla.

ILLINI LOOKING FOR 12th STRAIGHT OVER GOPHERS
Illinois is 11-0 vs. Minnesota in her six seasons at Illinois. Nine of the 11 wins have been by double digits. The Illini lead the all-time series with Minnesota, 25-13.

LAST YEAR AGAINST THE GOPHERS
Illinois defeated Minnesota, 88-81 in Minneapolis and 101-71 in Champaign. The 101 points the Illini scored were the most by an Illinois team at home against a Big Ten opponent. The two games were played just a week apart.

In Minneapolis, Illinois overcame great performances from Lindsey Whalen (26 points) and Lindsay Lieser (21 points). Five Illinois players scored in double figures, including Iveta Marcauskaite, who had 16 points and eight rebounds. The Illini shot 55.9 percent from the field. Illinois exploded to a 53-32 halftime lead in Champaign. Marcauskaite had 15 points for Illinois. The Illini shot 58.2 percent from the field in that game.

ILLINOIS UPSETS MICHIGAN
In one of the biggest wins in recent years, Illinois defeated pre-season Big Ten favorite, Michigan, 85-81, in Ann Arbor. Illinois won the game despite Michigan shooting 67 percent from the field. Iveta Marcauskaite was dominant at times in the post with 24 points. Cindy Dallas had 20 points and six rebounds, while Dawn Vana netted 14 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

The game was like a heavyweight title fight with each team exchanging baskets. There were nine ties and 15 lead changes in the second half alone and 12 ties and 19 lead changes for the game. In the end the Illini won on turnovers and rebounds. Illinois out-rebounded the Wolverines, 30-26 and had nine turnovers to Michigan's 18.

ILLINOIS HAS QUICK STARTS IN BIG TEN
The Illini have traditionally started well in conference play. 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.

ON THE ROAD IN THE BIG TEN
One of the reasons for Illinois' success under Theresa Grentz has been the ability to play well on the road. Last year Illinois tied a school record by going 5-3 on the road in conference play. Illinois has more wins (25) on the road in the Big Ten in Coach Grentz's 6+ seasons as it had in the first 12 years of Big Ten play. Prior to Coach Grentz's arrival the Illini had just one season of .500 or better on the road and a combined 20-96 (.172) conference road record. Since then the Illini are 26-23 (.531)

REMEMBERING 2000
The last time Illinois opened with two straight road wins was in 2000, marking the first time the Illini was 2-0 in conference play when those two wins were on the road. Illinois downed Ohio State, 63-57 in overtime, and 80-74 at Wisconsin.

CINDY DALLAS BIG TEN CO-PLAYER OF WEEK
Cindy Dallas earned co- Big Ten Player of the Week in women's basketball for the week ending Dec. 23

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.

STEALING A RECORD
Illinois junior Shavonna Hunter has 187 steals for her career in three seasons, which ranks fourth on the all-time Illinois list. Hunter is just 14 steals shy of third place held by Tauja Catchings. Assuming Illinois playing 30 games this season, Hunter would need to average 3.61 steals per game to become the new Illini steals leader by the end of the season (252).