Nov. 1, 2004

The 2004-05 Fighting Illini women's basketball team will take to the floor at Assembly Hall for the annual Orange and Blue Scrimmage this Tuesday, Nov. 2. Instead of splitting up into two teams and battling each other as is customary in the scrimmage, the Illini will instead be taking on their all-male scout team to help better prepare them for the rigors of the upcoming season.

Gates open at 6 p.m. The scrimmage will begin at 7 p.m. and will consist of two 20-minute halves. After the scrimmage, fans will be allowed down to the floor for an autograph session.

The scrimmage will serve as a good measuring stick for the Orange and Blue, with the beginning of the regular season less than three weeks away. After Tuesday's scrimmage, the Illini will have two exhibition games before opening the season Nov. 20 at Assembly Hall against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

The first exhibition will be this Sunday, Nov. 7, when the Orange and Blue host BK Poprad, a Slovakian team, at Assembly Hall at 7 p.m. Then on Monday, Nov. 15, Illinois will host the Ohio Girls Basketball Review squad in the second and final exhibition at Assembly Hall.

The 2004-05 Fighting Illini boast two returning All-Big Ten performers in seniors Angelina Williams and Tiffanie Guthrie. Other returning starters are sophomore Erin Wigley and junior Maggie Acuna. Three newcomers join the fold this year. They are 5-10 guard Megan Nyquist (Lee's Summit, Mo.) , 6-2 forward Danyel Crutcher (Orange, N.J.) and 6-3 forward Stephanie Chelleen (Des Moines, Iowa). Illinois is led by Hall of Fame Coach Theresa Grentz, who is now in her 10th season at Illinois and her 31st overall.

Season and single-game tickets for Fighting Illini women's basketball may be purchased now by calling the Illinois Athletic Ticket Office (217-333-3471) or by logging onto www.fightingillini.com and following the "Tickets" link.