Dallas leads the Big Ten in field-goal percentage at .649 (37 of 57). Over
the last five games, Dallas has made 30 of 42 field goals (.714).
MULTI-TALENTED ATHLETES
Angelina Williams and Tiffanie Guthrie are two Illinois athletes that can
play all five positions. The Illini have gone to a point guard by committee
with Williams and Guthrie primarily at the point. Williams has also played
inside where she averages 16.2 points, 1.3 blocks and 5.4 rebounds.
Oftentimes, Williams has sacrificed her own scoring for the benefit of the
team. Case in point was the Pepperdine game in which Williams had three
points at the half and ended up with 14 after getting an opportunity to play
more inside. Guthrie likewise has played all five positions. This has caused
match-up problems for opponents.
ATTENTION DISH OWNERS
The Illinois-Minnesota game will be broadcast on FoxSportsNorth on Jan. 15.
That game can be seen in Champaign on satellite.
BLOCK I
Illinois had 10 blocks against Oklahoma, the second-most blocks in school
history. The record is 11 set against Minnesota on March 1, 1997. Illinois
has 52 blocks on the season, the second-most in the Big Ten. The school
record for blocks in a season is 137 in 2001-02, 4.7 blocks per game.
Angelina Williams leads Illinois with 13 blocks on the season, giving her
60,10th on the Illinois all-time list.
WIGLEY SETS CAREER HIGH
Freshman Erin Wigley set a career-high by scoring 16 points against
Mississippi State Sunday afternoon. Wigley has started all 12 games for
Illinois this year, averaging 7.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game. Wigley
hit the go-ahead basket against MSU with under two minutes to play, then
all but sealed the victory with a three-point play on the next trip down the
floor.d Wigley also had 14 points at DePaul.
Dallas HONORED BY TRiBUNE
Cindy Dallas earned Pre-Season First Team All-Big Ten honors from the
Chicago Tribune. Joining Dallas on the first team are Erika Valek and
Shereka Wright of Purdue, Kelly Mazzante of Penn St. and Lindsey Whalen of
Minnesota.
Moving up the charts....
Several Illinois players are moving up the Illini's career statistical list
this season, most notably Cindy Dallas, who has 811 career rebounds. She
needs 98 to break the Illinois record set by Jonelle Polk that has lasted
for 17 years. Dallas also recorded her 1,000-point in the final game of the
season, just the 15th Illinois player to reach that milestone, and stands
fifth on the all-time steals list with 191 for her career.
Last season Illinois set a school-record by canning 171 three-pointers,
shattering the old mark of 142 form 1996-97 Big Ten championship team. As a
result, several players are moving up career three-point list. Aminata Yanni
(99) is fifth, followed by Jer? Issenmann (8th, 67). Tiffanie Guthrie (41)
and Angelina Williams (40) are 10th and 11th, respectively.
DALLAS TO JOIN ELITE LIST
Cindy Dallas has 1,120 points, 835 rebounds and 193 steals. She is just the
sixth Illinois player with 1,000 points and 800 rebounds and would be just
the second player in Illinois history with 1,000 points, 800 rebounds and
200 steals. The other player is Tauja Catchings who had 1,502 points, 825
rebounds and 211 steals.
RECORD FALLS IN OPENER
Illinois led comfortably 52-12 at halftime against Wayne State in the
opener. That tied an Illini record for fewest points by an opposition in
Champaign in school history. Illinois is now 6-3 in openers under Theresa
Grentz.
THE Theresa Grentz SHOW
The Theresa Grentz Show airs each Sunday at 10 a.m. on WCIA (Channel 3). The
new season features Coach Grentz a Tip of the Week, Coach Grentz chatting
with Illini and Big Ten coaches, and highlights from the previous week's
games..
KEYSTONE CONNECTION
This year's Illinois team features four players from the state of
Pennsylvania, led by sixth-year senior Cindy Dallas. Dallas graduated from
Schenley High School in Pittsburgh. Another Pittsburgh product, Audrey
Tabon, a forward from Oakland High School, played former WBNA great Suzie
McConnell-Serio. Erin Wigley, who started the first two exhibition games, is
from Moon Township, Pa., just north of the Steel City. Audrey Tabon, who
hails from Waynesboro, Pa., in the south central part of the state, rounds
out those from the Keystone State.
DALLAS GRANTED 6th YEAR
Cindy Dallas was granted a sixth year to complete her four years of
eligibility by the NCAA. Dallas has suffered three ACL injuries, one in high
school and two at Illinois. Dallas played only 48 minutes during her
freshman and sophomore seasons combined all the way back in 1998-99 and
1999-2000, suffering season-ending ACL injuries early in both years. Dallas
has been a force down low, earning second team All-Big Ten honors last year.
This year, Dallas had her "good" knee scoped in October and has been slowly
working her way back. The Illini coaching staff has been careful. Dallas
returned against Louisiana Tech, scoring six points and grabbing five
rebounds in 15 minutes of action.
THE POCKET BOOK
Illinois Head Coach Theresa Grentz is series about raising money for Coaches
vs. Cancer. Each home game she brings an orange "pocket book" to the game
and sets it beside the bench. In the pocket book are brochures for Coaches
vs. Cancer.
Illini in the Big Ten rankings
Illinois continues to lead the Big Ten in rebounds per game (41.9), led by
Cindy Dallas, who is third in the league at 8.5 boards per game and Tiffanie
Guthrie, who stands seventh at 7.4 rebounds per contest. The Illini are also
fourth in the league in blocked shots with 59 just seven behind leaders
Minnesota and Penn State. Angelina Williams is seventh in the league at 1.18
bpg.
Balance characterizes Illinois attack
Perhaps the biggest Illinois strength is balance. Angelina Williams leads
Illinois in scoring at 16.2 points per game followed closely by Aminata
Yanni (15.8) and Tiffanie Guthrie (15.1). Cindy Dallas also averages in
double digits at 11.1 ppg. Williams and Dallas have each recorded career
highs in recent games ? Angelina Williams had 25 points at Iowa, while Cindy
Dallas scored 23 vs. Alabama State.
GUTHRIE HAVING CAREER REBOUNDING YEAR
Tiffanie Guthrie has 89 rebounds for the season, on pace to have by far her
best rebounding year. She had 108 rebounds (3.8pg ) as a freshman and 118
(4.1 pg) as a sophomore.
AN ANCHOR ON THE BENCH
New Illinois assistant coach Marsha Frese, who has become a nationally
respected recruiter at Ball State, Minnesota and Maryland, joined the
coaching ranks after three years as a sportscaster. Frese was the first
female sports anchor for KALB-TV in Alexandria, Va. She also served brief
stints as a color analyst for Rice University and Louisiana College radio
broadcasts.
