Women's Basketball Plays Pepperdine At United Center

Dec. 7, 2001

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ILLINOIS HOPES TO MAKE WAVES AT UNITED CENTER
The Fighting Illini women's basketball team plays their third game in five days Saturday, taking on the Waves of Pepperdine at the United Center in Chicago. The game is the second part of a doubleheader which features the Illinois Men vs. Arkansas at 11 a.m.

ILLINOIS UNITED CENTER HISTORY
Illinois is playing at the United Center for the third straight season. The 19th-ranked Illini downed #20 Kansas, 61-59, on a last-second basket in 1999. Then last year Illinois lost to DePaul at the buzzer, 65-63.

In the victory on Dec. 18, 1999, Tauja Catchings scored 13 points and Shavonna Hunter added 11 points. Susan Blauser led in rebounding with 11 points. In that game, Shavonna Hunter, then a freshman, tied an Illinois record with 10 steals. That was the last game that Hunter did not start for the Illini. ?A three-pointer by Molly Watson with 4.9 seconds left gave DePaul the edge last season. Aminata Yanni had her best game as an Illini to date with 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting. Illinois led 41-39 at haltime. Cindy Dallas scored all ten of her points in the first half.

NOTES ON THE SERIES WITH PEPPERDINE
This is the first meeting between Illinois and Pepperdine, but the Illini are playing their second game this season against a member of the West Coast Conference. The Illini defeated St. Mary's in the championship game of the St. Mary's Holiday Inn Classic, 66-53, on Nov. 24. LAST TIME OUT Illinois is coming off a 75-57 victory over Illinois State on Thursday, the home opener for the Illini. Illinois shot over 50 percent for the third time in six outings. Iveta Marcauskaite and Cindy Dallas led Illinois with 18 points apiece. Dawn Vana had seven assists in the first half. The Illini also had a season-low 12 turnovers.

CHICAGO CONNECTION
Of the 14 players on Illinois' roster (including Brett Leonard who is sitting out this season), the Illini have six players from the Chicagoland area. Angelina Williams is the first Illinois' signee in the Theresa Grentz era from the Chicago Public League. Other Illinois players from Chicago includep Dawn Vana is from Des Plaines (Maine West), Karen Hagberg from Palatine (Palatine H.S.), Brett Leonard from Glenview, Ill. (Glenbrook South), Shavonna Hunter from Richton Park (Hillcrest), and Allison Guth from Arlington Heights (Buffalo Grove).

REMEMBERING THE STATE FINALS
Allison Guth and Angelina Williams have a special place in the annals of the state tournament. Now teammates, Guth and Williams squared off in the state finals in 2000. Guth and Buffalo Grove defeated Williams and the heavily favored Chicago Washington team, 60-51 in overtime. Guth scored seven of the nine Bison points in overtime. Williams starred as well with 17 points and 16 rebounds in the contest.

TALKING DEFENSE
Illinois has won games with stingy defense. Here are some of the numbers to back up Illinois' good defensive start.

Illinois leads the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense (.348) and ranks fourth in three-point percentage defense (.291).

Illinois ranks third in the conference in scoring defense (61.0).

Illinois has held every opponent 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 30 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.

SWEET HOME, CHICAGO
Illinois is making its second trip to Chicago this weekend. Illinois played at DePaul (L, 62-69) on Tuesday

ILLINOIS WINS ST. MARY'S TOURNAMENT
Illinois defeated James Madison, 85-45, and host St. Mary's, 66-53, to capture the St. Mary's College Tournament on Nov. 23-24. Shavonna Hunter was named MVP after scoring 21 points on 9 of 16 shooting and converting two assists and two steals in the championship game. Iveta Marcauskaite was also named to the All-Tournament Team. Marcauskaite had two double doubles with 19 points and 14 rebounds vs. JMU and 14 point and 11 boards vs. St. Mary's.

Illinois won its first tournament since 1998-99 when the Illini defeated Duke to claim the title in Puerto Rico.

THE SCHEDULE
The Illinois schedule includes nine teams who played in the NCAA Tournament last season. Purdue advanced to the championship game before falling to Notre Dame.

Other NCAA Tournament teams on the slate this year include Clemson. Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Penn State, St. Mary's and Wisconsin.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

Dawn Vana has made 15 free throws in a row to start the year. ?Illinois is averaging over 4.7 per game after averaging less than three blocks per contest last season.

Iveta Marcauskaite is ahead of last year's pace in field goal shooting. Last season Marcauskaite set the Illinois record with a .591 field-goal percentage. This season Marcauskaite is 40 of 66 from the field for .606. The career field-goal record is held by Nicole Vasey at .573 (1994-98). Currently Marcauskaite is

Illinois is shooting .476 from the field for the season, have shot over 50 percent three times and had a low night of .439 (vs. Duquesne). At this pace Illinois would have the best shooting team under Theresa Grentz and the second best in school history.

REACHING A BALANCE
Illinois has three players averaging in double figures.

Three different players -- Iveta Marcauskaite, Shavonna Hunter, and Cindy Dallas, have led Illinois in scoring this season, while four different players -- Dawn Vana, Dallas, Marcauskaite and Angelina Williams have led the team in rebounding.

DAZZLING DEBUTS
Illinois' freshmen class is one of the more mature groups to come along in recent years. Jer? Issenmann started at the No. 2 guard spot and scored three points and contributed two assists in the season opener. She added six points on two three-pointers at St. Mary's.

Angelina Williams made the most of her minutes off the bench with seven points, six rebounds and four steals vs. Clemson. Williams scored a career-high 13 points vs. St. Mary's. She had made 3 of 4 three-pointers and shot 8 of 11 (.727) for the tournament. Williams is a complete player, averaging 7.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, just over one steal per game, making the most of 15.2 minutes per contest average.

Tiffanie Guthrie has also given the Illini some quality minutes, coming close to a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds at Duquesne.

DISHING OUT
Shavonna Hunter's 10 assists vs. Kansas as a freshmen are an Illinois single-game record. The record nearly was tied in Monday's game with Clemson, but by a post player. Dawn Vana came within an eyelash of the record with nine assists. Vana ranked second on the team with 105 assists last season.

Vana leads the team in assists this year with 25. Iveta Marcauskaite is third with 13 assists.

Vana had seven assists in the first half on Thursday. 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) Iveta Marcauskaite (3-career, 2 season): 16 points, 10 rebounds vs. Wisconsin (1/25/01), 19 points, 14 rebounds vs. James Madison (11/23/01), 14 points, 11 rebounds vs. St. Mary's (11/24/01) Cindy Dallas (4- career, 2season): 12 points, 10 rebounds vs. Kansas (11/28/00), 11 points, 12 rebounds vs. Northwestern, 2/08/01, 19 points 11 rebounds at Duquesne (11/27/01), 17 points, 10 rebounds at DePaul (12/4/01). Dawn Vana (1-career): 14 points, 14 boards vs. OSU (1/11/01) Coach Grentz reaches out to kids Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz wants the kids to be a part of Illinois basketball. She understands how important they are to her program. Here are the ways the Coach Grentz is reaching out to the youth of the Champaign-Urbana area:

Coach Grentz is presenting an all-school assembly at an elementary school about once per week.

Coach Grentz is sponsoring the "A for Apple Program." That means that Coach Grentz will buy any student who gets straight A's and has perfect conduct a ticket to the games. ?The Grentz Gang continues underneath the Illinois basket.

The coach is inviting junior high and grade school teams to practice. call 217/333-8612 for an appointment.

The women's basketball team is a part of the literacy program where the players are reaching out by reading to area youth.

GRENTZ VISITS SCHOOLS
Coach Grentz is visiting several area schools this year. If a Champaign area school would like the coach to visit, please call 217/244-8021. Here is a list of what she has on her upcoming schedule so far: -- Dec. 11, Yankee Ridge School, Urbana, 8:30 a.m.
-- Dec. 13 , Countryside School, Champaign, 9:30 a.m.
-- Dec. 20, Ludlow Grade School, Ludlow, 9 a.m.
-- Dec. 21, King Grade School, Urbana 9 a.m.
-- Jan. 8, Philo Grade School, Philo, 9 a.m.
-- Jan. 10, Southeast Elementary School, Decatur, 9:30 a.m.
-- Jan. 23, St. Joseph Grade School, St. Joseph, 9:15 a.m.

THERESA GRENTZ TV SHOW
The Theresa Grentz Show is going to school, literally. Beginning Dec. 16, continuing on Jan. 6 and the following nine weeks, the Grentz Show will be aired on WCIA-TV Sunday morning at 10 a.m.. The shows will be taped at local grade schools and junior high schools the Friday before. Coach Grentz is issuing a life message to kids in each of the shows. The first four show sites have been set (taping dates): -- Dec. 14, Barkstall Elementary, Champaign
-- Jan. 4, Dr. Howard Elementary, Champaign
-- Jan. 11, Robeson Grade School, Champaign
-- Jan. 18, Southside Grade School, Champaign

Grentz Gang Continues
Illini Fans are encouraged to join the Hometown Heroes Kids Club. Members of the Hometown Heroes Kids Club will be able to get into women's basketball games for free and sit behind the Illinois basket as part of the Grentz Gang. Other kids will be able to sit in the Grentz Gang by purchasing a $2 ticket and being one of the first 400 kids through the door.

GRENTZ RADIO SHOW DEBUTS
The Theresa Grentz Radio Show debuts on Dec. 10 at 5:35 p.m. along select Illini Sports Network stations. The show, hosted by Brian Barnhart will run every Monday throughout the season.

Grentz EYES 600 Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz, fresh off her induction into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, eyes yet another milestone. The winningest coach at both Rutgers and Illinois, has 580 victories, just 20 wins shy of 600.

When Grentz reached other milestones:
50 wins -- Rutgers 83 Wm. Patterson 57, Jan. 10, 1978
100 wins -- Rutgers 75, Penn State 62, Jan. 19, 1980
150 wins -- Rutgers 86, Cheney 82, Dec. 20, 1981
200 wins -- Rutgers 109, Queens 53, Feb. 2, 1984
250 wins -- Rutgers 85, W. Virginia 65, Feb. 22, 1986
300 wins -- Rutgers 81, Temple 65, Feb. 2, 1988
350 wins -- Rutgers 68, UMASS 55, Feb. 10, 1990
400 wins -- Rutgers 93, So. Miss 63, March 18, 1992
(NCAA First Round)
450 wins -- Rutgers 88, St. Bonaventure 75, Jan. 19, Oe95
500 wins -- Illinois 106, Providence 74, Nov. 29, 1997
550 wins -- Illinois 86, Iowa 60, Jan. 7, 2000.

GRENTZ TO HALL OF FAME
Theresa Grentz was elected to the women's basketball Hall of Fame. Grentz made it 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 was 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 28th season as a head coach and seventh as the head coach for the Fighting Illini. She has compiled a 577-227 record overall and 116-72-65 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.

DALLAS EMERGING
Cindy Dallas has emerged as a dominating force on the inside. The emergence really began last season when she scored a career high 16 points in a 80-68 upset of third-seeded Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament.

Over the summer Dallas scrimmaged with some men's players at Point Park College in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa. She gives a lot of credit to that experience in the advancement of her game.

That really showed during the international tour. Dallas had six double doubles in six games. She averaged 16.3 points and 11.7 rebounds per game on the trip. She began the trip with 14 points and 14 rebounds vs. Club Dynamo Kursk then poured in 21 points and 12 rebounds in the rematch with Dynamo.

In the exhibition games, Dallas had 47 points and 18 rebounds while shooting 65 percent from the field.

Dallas played 661 minutes last season after playing just 48 minutes combined in her first two years with Illinois. Dallas is in the same class as seniors Holly Wilson and Dawn Vana.

Dallas had her first double-double of the year with 19 points and 11 rebounds in returning to her hometown of Pittsburgh on Nov. 27 vs. Duquesne.

Dallas had her second double double with 17 points and 10 rebounds at DePaul.

TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE
Illinois competed in six games over 13 days in an international tour of Russia, Latvia and Lithuania from Aug. 7-19.

Playing against players ages 25 and up, Illinois posted a 2-4 record and nearly won the last three games of the trip.

Illinois visited the Hermitage and St. Isaac's Cathedral while attending the Russian Ballet in St. Petersburg. In Lithuania the team toured the world famous Hill of the Crosses outside Sialiaui, Lithuania. The last four days were spent in Riga, Latvia, during the 800th anniversary of the City of Riga celebration.

One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to Iveta Marcauskaite's hometown of Sialiaui. Illinois played a team of university all-stars preparing for a trip to China while in Lithuania. Marcauskaite stole the show by scoring 29 points and eight rebounds on 12 of 18 shooting. She scored 18 of her points in the first half.

ATTRACTING WINNERS

ATTRACTING WINNERS
Although Illinois has always attracted talent from winning teams, that is no more apparent then in this year's freshmen and the recent signees.

Jer? Issenmann played for Mason, Ohio, the 2000 Ohio state champion which finished the season ranked second in the nation after placing second in 1999. Mason lost a totjal of five games in four seasons with Issenmann on the squad.

Tiffanie Guthrie played for Trotwood-Madison, which won four GMVC titles and made three straight tournament appearances.

Angelina Williams played for George Washington in Chicago, which advanced to the championship game of the 2000 state tournament, posting a 31-4 record.

In the Class of 2006, which just signed letters of intent on Nov. 14, Jessica Wright has played Indiana Class 3A finalists and one runner-up at Indianapolis Cathedral High School, Brittney Daugherty and Peoria advanced to the Elite Eight the last two years, Maggie Acuna has a combined for a record of 80-13, including 60-3 in the last two years, Kari Embree played for Loyola when the Ramblers reached the Elite 8 (Oe99), Janelle Hughes' Hillcrest team combined for an 80-9 record, three regional and two sectional titles the past three years.

YANNI RETURNS FROM SURGERY
Forward Aminata Yanni is returning to the team after suffering a tear of her ACL on Jan. 28 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.

ILLINOIS CLASS OF 2006

Maggie Acuna, 5-6, G, Hinsdale, Ill. (Hinsdale Central)
Illinois found the point guard it was looking for in Acuna. An all-state selection, Acuna averaged 8.5 points and 3.4 rebounds per game for her career, including 10.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per contest last season. Acuna's strength is running the offense and distributing the basketball. Acuna had 475 assists for her career compared to just 236 turnovers, over a 2:1 ratio. Acuna has also amassed 381 steals, including 137 last season. Acuna earned all-state honors in 2001 and three times was named to the All-West Suburban Silver team. She also was named all-tournament at both Wheaton North and Hinsdale South three times each. The Hinsdale Central Red Devils won sectional titles in 2000 and 2001 and have claimed regional titles all three years with Acuna on the roster.

Brittney Daugherty, 6-2, F, Peoria, Ill. (Peoria Central)
Brittney Daugherty is the latest to commit to Illinois. A 6-2 center, she joins godbrother, Jerrance Howard, as basketball players for Illinois. This summer she teamed up with some of her teammates and assistant coach and ex-Illini Anita Clinton to win the top class at the Gus Macker tournament in Peoria. As a member of the Chicago Hoops Express, Daugherty played on teams that participated in the prestigious Loyola Blue Chip Tournament and won the Deep South Classic. Daugherty was the team MVP. In helping Peoria Central to the state tournament the last two years, Daugherty averaged 12.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting .523 from the field last season. She led the Lions in rebounding 19 times. She was also named to the all-tournament team at Galesburg and garnered all-Mid-State Six first team accolades. Daugherty scored 20 points in the supersectional win over Urbana in 2001.

Kari Embree, 6-4, Center, Wheeling, Ill. (H.S.)
Embree is a two-time NIKE All-American and was named a Street and Smith's All-American in both 2000 and 2001. Embree is ranked No. 34 in the latest Blue Star ratings of incoming seniors. Embree played two years at Loyola, playing on the Ramblers Elite Eight team in 1999 before transferring to Wheeling. Embree was tenacious, averaging a double double -- 18.2 points, 10.7 rebounds per game. What's even more amazing were her 108 blocks. Embree earned all-state accolades from the Chicago Sun-Times and is a three-time all-conference selection.

Janelle Hughes, 5-8, G, Country Club Hills, Ill. (Hillcrest)
Hillcrest Head Coach John Maniatas called Hughes "the best point guard I've ever coached." Hughes will give Illinois versatility at the guard spot. She averaged 20.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 4.1 steals per game for Hillcrest last season playing the point. This year Hughes will be an off-guard. She is listed among the state's all-time best with 65 three-pointers last year, also a school record. Hughes did so in 135 attempts for a 48 percent clip.

Jessica Wright, 6-0, F, Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral)
Wright, ranked 45th in the nation by StudentSports.com, averaged 12.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game in 2001 for the Indiana High School Class 3A state champions. Wright was invited to attend the NIKE camp in 2001 and earned Pre-season First Team All-State honors by Hoosier Basketball Magazine. Wright was named the state tournament MVP last season after scoring a game-high 16 points vs. Plymouth for the 29-1 Lady Irish. She earned all-city honors by the Indianapolis

MARCAUSKAITE HAS HOMECOMING
Illinois sophomore Iveta Marcauskaite competed in the Junior World Championships July 14-22 in the Czech Republic. In the six-game tournament, Marcauskaite had the second-best scoring average of any player in the entire tournament, scoring 128 points in six games for an average of 21.3 points per game. In other statistical categories, Marcauskaite led the tournament in two-point field goals (46) and was fourth in offensive rebounds (32). She was 46 of 91 from the field (.505) and 5 of 10 in three-pointers in six games. Marcauskaite then scored 29 points in the Illini's 99-75 win over the Lithuanian University All-Star team in August.

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Women's Basketball Plays Pepperdine At United Center

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