Feb. 15, 2002
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Illinois (14-9, 7-6) at Penn State (16-9, 9-4)
Feb. 17, 2002, 12:00 p.m., Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, Pa.
TV: Fox SportsNet Chicago (Dave Eanet and Toni Roesch)
Radio: Illini Sports Network (Dave Loane and Mike Koon)
ILLINOIS MEETS BATTLES FOR TOP FOUR IN BIG TEN
Illinois continues on their quest for a top-five seed and a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. The Illini travel to University Park, Pa., for a dual with third-place Penn State on Sunday. The game is being televised by Fox SportsNet Chicago and begins at Noon CT. Illinois brings a 14-9 overall record and a 7-6 mark in the Big Ten. Penn State is 15-9, 9-4.
A look at that remaining games for the teams battling for fourth:
4. Iowa (8-6) -- at Michigan St. (5-9), vs. Illinois (7-6)
5. UW (8-6) --at Minnesota (10-3), at Ohio State (6-8)
6. ILL (7-6) --at Penn St. (9-4), vs. Indiana (5-8), at Iowa (8-6)
SERIES NOTES
Penn State leads the all-time series, 13-9, but the Illini have had the upper hand of late. The Lady Lions won 9 of the first 10 in the series. Since then, the Illini have won 8 of 11.
Penn State has a 7-2 edge at University Park. The Illini last won there on Feb. 1, 1998 by a score of 78-69. Last year at Penn State, PSU won 101-80. Kelly Mazzante had six three-pointers and 38 points.
Illinois won the first meeting this season, 81-75, the fourth straight win for the Illini vs. Penn State at Champaign.
ILLINI-PENN ST. HAVE HAD CLASSIC TUSSLES
Penn State and Illinois have put had some tremendous games in recent years. Although Penn State leads the overall series, 13-9, the Illini have won 7 of the last 11.
The Lions and Illini have squared off in three of the last four Big Ten Tournaments. Seventh seeded Penn State upset second seeded Illinois, 74-71 in the 1998 quarterfinals. The Illini got their revenge a year later with a thrilling 77-75 victory over Penn State in the semifinals that sent Illinois into the championship game against No. 1 Purdue. Tauja Catchings hit a short jumper in the waning seconds to provide the difference.
Last season Penn State came into the contest ranked No. 9 in the nation, but the Illini prevailed, 75-71. That marked the third win over a ranked team that season. Illinois jolted to a 26-10 lead and never trailed. Shavonna Hunter had 14 points and a game-high five steals for Illinois.
Penn State freshman sensation Kelly Mazzante put on an incredible display in State College later in the year, scoring 38 points and draining six three pointers in a 101-80 Penn State win.
PORTLAND-GRENTZ RENEW RIVALRY
Long-time friends Rene Portland and Theresa Grentz renew their rivalry Sunday afternoon. Portland and Grentz were members of the Immaculata College team that won three straight AIAW national championships from 1972-74.
Immaculata coached by Cathy Rush, was a pioneer program in women?s basketball. Portland inherited the St. Joseph?s head coaching job after Grentz left in 1976 to take the job at Rutgers. The series is tied 22-22.
Rutgers (Grentz) vs. St. Joseph?s (Portland): Portland 3, Grentz 0.
Rutgers (Grentz) vs. Penn State (Portland): Grentz 14, Portland 14
Illinois (Grentz) vs. Penn State (Portland): Grentz 8, Portland 5
Penn State vs. Illinois scores:
Penn State 105, Illinois 79 (1/26/96), Illinois 85, Penn State 74 (1/18/97), Illinois 94, Penn State 79 (2/2/97), Illinois 82, Penn State 58 (1/6/98), Penn State 74, Illinois 71 (2/28/98), Illinois 94, Penn State 85 (1/22/99), Illinois 77, Penn State 75 (2/28/99), Penn State 76, Illinois 66 (1/13/00), Penn State 81, Illinois 74 (3/4/00), Illinois 75, Penn State 71 (1/7/01), Penn State 101, Illinois 80 (2/15/01)
EARLIER THIS YEAR VS. PSU
The Illini got out of the gates early jumping to a 40-23 lead with 29 seconds left in the first half en route to an 81-75 victory. But Penn State, one of the pre-season conference favorites, responded in the second half closing to within 45-40 with 16:21 left in the game. For Illinois, a steady defensive effort and some nice transition baskets insured Penn State could get no closer than five points the rest of the way.
Illinois was effective for the most part in slowing the Big Ten?s scoring leader, Kelly Mazzante of Penn State. The sophomore had just seven points until nailing a three-pointer just before halftime. She ended up with 30 points, but took a lot of shots, 32 field goals and 14 three-pointers to be exact, to get there.
Iveta Marcauskaite came off the bench to again lead Illinois in scoring with 18 points to go along with eight rebounds. Aminata Yanni scored a season-high 16 points, one off her career best in playing 30 minutes.
The difference in the game was field-goal shooting. Illinois shot a season-best .577 from the field compared to Penn State?s .329. The Lions shot .289 from the field in the first half.
Illinois had 33 free throw attempts (The Illini made 20) to Penn State?s 16.
FRESHMEN SHINE VS. OSU
Illinois played its second straight game without the services of point guard Shavonna Hunter. That meant the Illini used three freshmen guards.
Angelina Williams played all 40 minutes and led a contingent of six Illinois players in double figures with a career-high 23 points. Her impressive numbers don?t stop there. Williams added seven rebounds, six assists and six steals.
Jer? Issenmann played a total of 52 minutes combined in the eight games leading up to last Saturday?s Michigan State game. The last two games, without Hunter in the line-up, Issenmann has played 77 of a possible 80 minutes and has made great strides. She scored 11 points, three treys, five assists and two steals and just turnovers.
Tiffanie Guthrie added 12 points, four rebounds and four assists
Illini Double-Doubles
Karen Hagberg (1 - career): 15 points, 10 rebounds vs. Michigan St. (1/30/00).
Shavonna Hunter (1 - career): 13 points, 10 steals vs. Kansas (12/18/99)
Iveta Marcauskaite (5-career, 4 season): 16 points, 10 rebounds vs. Wisconsin (1/25/01), 19 points, 14 rebounds vs. J. Madison (11/23/01), 14 points, 11 rebounds vs. St. Mary?s (11/24/01), 26 points, 12 rebounds vs. N?western (1/20/02), 20 points, 12 rebounds vs. Purdue (2/7/02).
Cindy Dallas (9- career, 7 season): 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), 19 points, 17 rebounds vs. Missouri (12/22/01), 13 points, 10 rebounds vs. Northwestern (12/30/01), 18 points, 12 rebounds vs. Purdue (2/7/02), 18 points, 13 rebounds at Michigan St. (2/9/02), 15 points, 14 rebounds vs. Ohio State (2/13/02).
Dawn Vana (1-career): 14 points, 14 boards vs. OSU (1/11/01).
more on the freshmen
Angelina Williams? production has increased throughout the season. Williams has had six double digit scoring games in the last ten games, including the 23 points vs. Ohio State. Williams is a complete player, averaging 6.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, just over one steal per game, making the most of 18.8 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. Guthrie had 19 points and 9 rebounds at Minnesota and 14 points vs. Michigan. She plays solid defense
Another freshman, Jer? Issenmann hit the game-tying shot -- a three pointer in the final seconds to send Illinois? game with Pepperdine into overtime. The Illini went on to win, 77-71.
MARCAUSKAITE LEADS BIG TEN, SEVENTH NATIONALLY IN FIELD-GOAL SHOOTING
Iveta Marcauskaite leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the nation in field-goal shooting. Marcauskaite is shooting .630 for the year (165-262). She set Illinois? all-time single-season field-goal shooting record by making 59.1 percent of her field goal attempts (152 of 257) in 2000-2001. That makes her career percentage at .611 (317 of 519). Nicole Vasey holds the Illinois career record at .573.
In Big Ten games, Marcauskaite is shooting .646 (104-161). The Big Ten record is held by Katrina Hannaford of Northwestern (.652) in 1995-96.
Cindy Dallas ranks 34th nationally at .554
CINDY DALLAS PLAYING TENACIOUSLY
Cindy Dallas has been a main cog of the Illinois success:
Dallas ranks third in the Big Ten rebounding at 8.8 RPG
She has seven double-doubles this season, including the last three games in row. She has come within an eyelash of five straight double doubles. She had 16 points and nine rebounds vs. Michigan, 20 points, 9 rebounds vs. Minnesota, 18 points, 12 rebounds vs. Purdue, 18 points at 13 rebounds at Michigan State, and 15 points and 14 rebounds vs. Ohio State.
With 203 rebounds, she is ranked 26th on the Illini?s Top 25 single-season rebound list.
Dallas? top game came vs. Missouri when she scored 19 points and had a season-best 17 rebounds.
DALLAS PROGRESS STARTED IN SUMMER
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 an 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.
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.
SUCCESS IN THE BT TOURNEY
Although Illinois? shot at a Big Ten regular season title has passed, the Illini are trying to gain momentum prior to the Big Ten Tournament. Once at the tournament, Illinois and Head Coach Theresa Grentz have had great success. The Illini have been to the semifinals four of the last five years and to the championship game twice.
The Illini have come close to some near upsets, falling to No. 1 and national champion Purdue, 80-76, in the 1999 title game and fighting to the end with tournament champion Iowa, before falling, 86-79, last year.
A look at the number of semifinal Big Ten Tournament appearances of the other Big Ten schools in the past five seasons:
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.
GUTHRIE GETS GOING
Freshman Tiffanie Guthrie has burst onto the scene in 2002. In the first game of the new year she scored a career-best 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds at Minnesota. Since then she has made four starts. Against Purdue, she scored 10 points and brought down five boards as well as playing a 2002 high 34 minutes. The current starting streak began against Michigan on Jan. 27 when Guthrie shot 6-11 from the floor en route to scoring 14 points while also grabbing four rebounds. Guthrie's? other highs in 2002 include leading the Illini with four steals at Northwestern and blocking two shots at Purdue on Jan. 24. She had 10 points and five rebounds at Michigan St. and 12 points vs. Ohio State.
Block "I"
The Illini have blocked 61 shots in the past ten games, averaging 6.1 rejections per contest during that stretch. Iveta Marcauskaite leads Illinois with 35 blocked shots this season. She blocked three shots against Michigan State to move into seventh on the all-time Illinois list.
ILLINOIS HAS HOT HAND
The Illini are shooting .475 for the season, which ranks second behind Minnesota (.514).
Illinois has had some fantastic shooting performances of late. The Illini were 27 off 44 from the field (.614) against Michigan State, then shot .540 last at Northwestern and 58.3 percent against Michigan. Illinois has had eight games of better than 50 percent shooting from the field. The Illini are currently at .475 for the year from the field, the best under Theresa Grentz. The all-time record is .490 set in 1986-87. That figure increases dramatically when you take out three-point shooting
BUS TRIPS PLANNED
The Illini play their final regular season contest at Iowa on Sunday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. The Courtsiders have arranged for a bus trip to the game. The cost of the package is $50 and it includes round-trip transportation and a ticket to the game.
The Courtsiders will be sponsoring bus transportation to Conseco Fieldhouse for the Big Ten Tournament. The bus leaves from the Assembly Hall parking lost on the corner of First Street and St. Mary?s Road and returns following the session Illinois is playing in each day. The cost is $20 for each round trip and does not include a game ticket. To reserve a seat, call Dave Chestnut at 217/892-2181 or Michelle Smalling at 217/253-4537.
CELEBRATE THE SEASON
The annual Fighting Illini women?s basketball banquet is scheduled for April 13 at the Champaign Country Club. The public is invited to share in the celebration of Illinois women?s basketball. For more information, call the basketball office at 333-8612.
FORE
Make plans now for the annual Theresa Grentz Golf Outing on Monday, June 3. If you are interested in playing or sponsoring, please call the women?s basketball office at 333-8612. Proceeds benefit the Fighting Illini Scholarship Fund.
BIG TEN TOURNEY NOTES
The Big Ten Women?s Basketball Tournament is Feb. 28-March 4 at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis with opening round games being played Feb. 28-Mar. 1 and the final two rounds scheduled for March 3-4. The first three rounds will be broadcast live on FoxSportsNet and the championship game is Monday, March 4 on ESPN.
Ticket Information: To sit in the Illinois cheering section, Illini fans can order tickets through the Fighting Illini Ticket Office by calling 217/333-3470. For more ticket information, visit www.bigten.org
Hotel Information: Hotels during the weekend are limited. For more information, call 1-800-556-INDY
PEP RALLY AT ADAM?S MARK
Those Illini fans traveling to Indianapolis for the Big Ten Tournament can participate in a pre-game pep rally two hours before every game at the tourney. The, which will include the band and cheerleaders, will take place in the Illini hotel -- the Adam?s Mark in downtown Indianapolis.
Post players serve multiple roles
The trio of Iveta Marcauskaite, Cindy Dallas, and Dawn Vana have proven to be valuable members of the Illini team in numerous and perhaps non-traditional ways.
When you look in the top ten of the Big Ten in assists you see nine guards and one forward -- Dawn Vana of the Fighting Illini. Jess Strom of Penn State leads the the conference at 6.50 assists per game. Vana averages 4.61 assists per contest for all games (sixth). In Big Ten games, Vana is fourth in the conference in assists at 5.31 behind only Lindsey Whalen at 6.54, Lauren Shenk (5.79), and Strom (5.69).
Cindy Dallas provides a similar asset in the steals department. Dallas is eighth in the conference in steals at 2.39 per game. The six ahead of her are all guards -- Kelly Komara (PUR), 4.00, Tamara Moore (WIS), 3.04, Shavonna Hunter (IL), 2.86, Lindsey Whalen (MIN), 2.83, Kristen Haynie (MSU), 2.48, Jerica Watson (IA), 2.43, and Corrion Von Wold (2.42).
TALKING STATS
Illinois had six players in double figures for the first time this season in the win over Ohio State.
Dawn Vana has seven games with at least seven assists and three games with at least nine assists.
Illinois is 13-1 when leading at half.
The Illini are shooting .481 from the field in Big Ten play, which ranks second in the Big Ten.
Dawn Vana has 69 assists and 43 turnovers in Big Ten play.
Shavonna Hunter has had at least two steals in 17 of 21 games this season.
Angelina Williams has scored in double digits in six of the last six games, scoring 12 vs. Penn State, 11 vs. Michigan State, 12 at Northwestern, 11 at Purdue, and a career-high 15 points vs. Michigan.
If Shavonna Hunter scores in double digits, Illinois is 11-3.
Vana has 106 assists in 23 games. She is on pace for 138 assists in 30 games, which would put her into the top six on the Illini single-season list.
The Illini have 258 steals as a team. The school record is 319 in 1981-82.
During their three-game losing streak, the Illini have just 21 steals to their opponents 43. Illinois had 12 steals vs. Ohio St.
THE TALENTED ILLINI
Illinois players don?t just have talent on the basketball floor. Cindy Dallas and Holly Wilson share the love of singing as members of The University of Illinois Black Choir. Aminata Yanni demonstrates her dancing skills with Special Effects, a university sponsored urban dance team.
Illini Double-Doubles
Karen Hagberg (1 - career): 15 points, 10 rebounds vs. Michigan St. (1/30/00).
Shavonna Hunter (1 - career): 13 points, 10 steals vs. Kansas (12/18/99)
Iveta Marcauskaite (5-career, 4 season): 16 points, 10 rebounds vs. Wisconsin (1/25/01), 19 points, 14 rebounds vs. J. Madison (11/23/01), 14 points, 11 rebounds vs. St. Mary?s (11/24/01), 26 points, 12 rebounds vs. N?western (1/20/02), 20 points, 12 rebounds vs. Purdue (2/7/02).
Cindy Dallas (9- career, 7 season): 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), 19 points, 17 rebounds vs. Missouri (12/22/01), 13 points, 10 rebounds vs. Northwestern (12/30/01), 18 points, 12 rebounds vs. Purdue (2/7/02), 18 points, 13 rebounds at Michigan St. (2/9/02), 15 points, 14 rebounds vs. Ohio State (2/13/02).
Dawn Vana (1-career): 14 points, 14 boards vs. OSU (1/11/01)
THE ORANGE SHIRTS
Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz believes every player on this 2001-2002 team important on her basketball team. Each home game four players (who see limited playing time) sit at the end of the end bench and act as assistant coaches if you will.
Donning special orange shirts, they are in charge of running the scout team during practice and during the game helping the rest of the team understand the game plan in stopping the opponents. The "Orange Shirts" as Coach Grentz calls them include Holly Wilson, Allison Guth, Yolanda Smith and Brenda Blackburn.
Wilson has stayed upbeat despite only playing two games during her senior year because of bad feet. Yolanda Smith, likewise is a senior who returned to the Champaign area after earning Champaign News-Gazette "Player of the Year" honors at Rantoul High School and playing two seasons at John A. Logan Junior College.
Guth, likewise, is living her dream of playing Division I college basketball. A walk-on, who joined the team this summer after playing on the golf team last year, decided to pursue the dream this summer. She led her high school, Buffalo Grove, to the Division I state title in 2000.
Blackburn is a 6-6 sophomore from Ardmore, Okla. The tallest player in Illinois history spells Iveta Marcauskaite at times in the Illinois line-up.
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.
By Comparison
Illinois closed out the non-conference season with a 7-3 record. That was the second best mark in the seven seasons under Theresa Grentz with only the 1997 Big Ten champion team having a better record.
FG SHOOTING ON TARGET
Illinois has been a consistent field-goal shooting team this season, shooting over 50 percent nine times and over 45 percent six other times in five outings. Illinois shot a season best 61.1 percent from the field against Michigan State, including making 70 percent (14 of 20) from the field in the second half. The Illini have shot below 40 percent just twice (Pepperdine, .368 and Purdue, .375). As a result the Illini?s season average is .475. The 1996-97 team shot .456, the best by an Illini team under Theresa Grentz. The Illinois record is .490 in 1986-87.
WINNING STAFF
Blue Star Report ranks Illinois? recruiting class for the Class of 2006 as the No. 5 ranked class in the nation. One of the reasons has been a strong stable staff. Associate Head Coach LaVonda Wagner is in her eighth year with Illinois and seventh with Theresa Grentz. Assistant Coach Renee Reed is working her eighth season with Coach Grentz, two at Rutgers and six at Illinois.
STRONG SUPPORT
Three new faces who joined the Illinois team this year bring even more winning. Brett Leonard, who is transferring from Arizona State, and athletic trainer Lisa Himmelspach, who was the trainer, at ASU, were members of the Pac-10 champions a year ago. Assistant coach Jennifer Jacoby was the starting point guard on the Purdue Final Four team in 1994.
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 teams on the slate include Clemson, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Penn St., St. Mary?s and Wisconsin.
REMEMBERING THE 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.
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.
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 2-3 times 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 youth.
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.
THERESA GRENTZ TV SHOW
The Theresa Grentz Show is going to school, literally. Beginning Jan. 6 and the following eight 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.
-- Jan. 4, Dr. Howard Elementary, Champaign
-- Jan. 11, Robeson Grade School, Champaign
-- Jan. 18, South Side Grade School, Champaign
-- Jan. 25, King Grade School, Urbana
-- Feb. 1, St. Matthews, Champaign
-- Feb. 8, Countryside School, Champaign
-- Feb. 15, High Cross Christian, Urbana
-- Feb. 22, Barkstall Elementary, Champaign
-- March 1, Leal School Grade School, Urbana
Sunday?s show features a look at Holly Wilson and Cindy Dallas with the Black Choir on campus.
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.
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.
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 in her 28th season as a head coach and seventh as the head coach for the Fighting Illini. She has compiled a 591-234 record overall and a 130-84 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.
GRENTZ RADIO SHOW
The Theresa Grentz Radio Show is every Monday at 5:35 p.m. during the school year across the Illini Sports Network (WDWS, AM-1400 locally). The host is Brian Barnhart.
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 total 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 tourney berths.
Angelina Williams played for George Washington in Chicago, which advanced to the championship game of the 2000 state tournament,
