Nov. 20, 2004
Box Score
Illinois' women's basketball team began its season with a 50-point drubbing of Arkansas-Pine Bluff tonight at the Assembly Hall Saturday night in front of 1,379 fans. The Illini (1-0) forced 34 turnovers, including a team-record 25 steals and had five players in double figures en route to the victory.
The 50-point margin of victory is Illinois' second largest home victory, behind only a 52-point win over Ball State in 1981, and fourth largest win in school history. The win was the largest since a 58-point victory over Puerto Rico-Mayaguez in 1997.
Senior Angelina Williams scored 17 points and had five steals while Tiffanie Guthrie poured in 16 points to go along with five rebounds, four assists and two steals. The Illini used a 16-point first half run to distance themselves from the Golden Lions while cruising to a 45-18 halftime advantage.
In the second half, it was more of the same as Illinois had a run of 15-1 in the beginning of the half while outscoring Arkansas-Pine Bluff 28-13 over the final 11:18.
Junior Maggie Acuna directed the Illini attack on both ends of the floor, dishing out six assists to along with a career-high six steals, while freshman Danyel Crutcher, making a start in her first collegiate game, posted a double-double, scoring 11 points and pulling down 11 rebounds.
Junior Janelle Hughes, 12 points, and sophomore Erin Wigley, 10 points, were the Illini's other double-digit scorers and sophomore Kira Mowen scored her first career points on a 15-foot jumper and later added two free throws to finish with four points.
As a team, the Illini shot a sizzling .556 (35-63 from the field) while holding the Golden Lions to just .236 (13-55) shooting. Illinois won the battle of the boards 41-34 and handed-out 24 assists on 35 buckets.
Illinois hit the road to face Saint Joseph's (1-2) in Philadelphia, Pa. on Tuesday, Nov. 23 at 7 p.m. (ET). The game will be a homecoming to Illini Head Coach Theresa Grentz, who is from Philadelphia and started her career at St. Joe's, and three Illini players who are from Pennsylvania - sophomores Erin Wigley, Audrey Tabon and Kira Mowen.
