Jan. 4, 2006
Illinois-Rhode Island Notes in PDF Format
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GAME 13: Illinois (8-4) at Rhode Island (3-8)
January 5, 2006 • 7 p.m. (ET) • Ryan Center (7,657) • Kingston, R.I.
On the Air
Radio: Illini Radio Network - WDWS-AM 1400 - LIVE (Dave Loane, play-by-play; Derek Neal, analysis)
Internet: Fightingillini.com streaming audio and Gametracker
The Series
Will be the first meeting between the two schools
The Coaches
Illinois: Theresa Grentz, 644-288 overall (32nd season), 183-133 at Illinois (11th season)
URI: Tom Garrick, 22-38 overall and at Rhode Island (3rd season)
ILLINOIS (8-4)
Probable Starters
Pos. No. Name Ht. Yr. PPG RPG APG Notes
G 21 Maggie Acuna 5-6 Sr. 4.1 5.1 4.4 Ranks in the Top-10 in the Big Ten in 5 categories
G 1 Janelle Hughes 5-8 Sr. 14.0 3.2 2.3 Averaging 18.0 points over last six games
G 20 Lori Bjork 5-11 Fr. 10.2 3.1 1.7 Leads all Big Ten freshmen in scoring and 3FGM
F 34 Erin Wigley 6-1 Jr. 11.4 4.6 1.4 Averaging 18.0 points over last four games
F/C 15 Audrey Tabon 6-2 Jr. 8.0 6.3 0.3 Consecutive double-doubles vs. Bradley, Florida
Off the Bench
C 00 Erin McCarthy 6-5 Fr. 3.5 2.2 0.7 Poured in season-high 12 points vs. St. Louis
G 14 Megan Nyquist 5-10 r-Fr. 4.5 1.5 1.0 7 pts. in 7 minutes vs. Michigan
F 32 Danyel Crutcher 6-2 So. 6.3 5.1 0.3 Big Ten POW 12/19 after CH 24 vs. Oklahoma
F 33 Chelsea Gordon 6-0 Fr. 2.4 0.8 0.3 One of 4 frosh averaging over 10 min. per game
G 35 Danielle Gratton 6-0 Fr. 5.2 2.2 1.2 Tied CH with 9 pts. vs. Michigan
F 44 Brittney Daugherty 6-2 Sr. 1.1 1.8 0.1 Started half of UI's games in 04-05
F 50 Stephanie Chelleen 6-3 So. 2.1 1.1 0.0 Can provide offensive spark off bench
Out for Today's Game
F 11 Victoria Arndt 6-2 Fr. - - - Intends to redshirt the 2005-06 season
F 22 Lacey Simpson 5-11 Fr. 2.0 2.5 1.0 Out indefinitely due to illness
Quick Hits
• For Openers: After splitting the first two conference games, Illinois steps out of conference for the final time when it travels east to battle the Rhode Island Rams (3-8) Thursday night at 7 p.m. (ET). The Illini are coming off an 84-65 loss at Iowa on Sunday - a game in which the they led by as many as 15 in the first half. Illinois (8-4, 1-1) returns to Big Ten play on Sunday, when it hosts Northwestern at Assembly Hall at 2 p.m.
• A win over Rhode Island would...
...wrap-up Illinois' non-conference schedule at 8-3
...improve Illinois' road record to 3-3
• Illini Trends: This year the Fighting Illini are...
...5-0 when scoring 70 or more points
...5-0 when holding opponents to under 35% shooting
...4-0 when shooting 45% or better
...3-0 when coming off a loss
...7-1 when leading at halftime
...7-1 when shooting better than their opponent
...2-3 on the road
• Familiar Five: Illinois has used the same starting five of Maggie Acuna, Janelle Hughes, Lori Bjork, Erin Wigley and Audrey Tabon in all 12 games this season.
• The ILL-URI Series: Thursday's game will be the first-ever meeting between Illinois and Rhode Island.
• Countdown to 650: With 644 career victories, Hall of Fame coach Theresa Grentz is just six away from becoming the eighth D-I women's basketball coach to reach the 650-win plateau. Georgia's Andy Landers (643 as of 1/2) and Stanford's Tara Vandeveer (642) are right on Grentz's heels nearing the 650 mark.
• Faculty/Staff Appreciation Day: University of Illinois Chancellor Richard Herman is giving a pair of free tickets for Sunday's game vs. Northwestern to all UI faculty and staff as a "Thank You" for their hard work. Tickets will be available to pick up any weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Friday, Jan. 6, at the Athletic Ticket Box Office at the Assembly Hall.
• Defensive Slide: Illinois entered Sunday's game at Iowa leading the Big Ten in FG percentage defense (.356) and was allowing just 57.4 points per game. After a solid first half vs. the Hawkeyes, allowing just 29 points, the Illini `D' faltered in the second half, allowing 55 points and 56.3 percent FG shooting.
• Getting to the line: After averaging only 13.8 FT attempts over the first eight games, the Illini have gotten to the line 102 times during the last four games (25.5 per game). They have hit 77 of those attempts (.755).
Scouting the Rams
Rhode Island enters Thursday's match-up 3-8 overall and just 1-5 at home this season. The Rams have lost four in a row, including a 55-48 loss to LaSalle on Tuesday night. Junior forward Tanya Rhodes (15.2 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and sophomore guard Safi Mojidi (15.2 ppg, 27 3FGM) lead the Ram attack, which averages just 57.4 points per game. Illinois and URI have one common opponent - Florida. The Rams lost by 14 at Florida, while Illinois dropped a five-point decision in Gainesville. The Rams are coached by Tom Garrick, who is in his third season with Rhode Island.
Erin Wigging Out
After averaging 7.3 points in Illinois' first seven games, forward Erin Wigley has begun to live up to expectations as Illinois' leading returning scorer from last season. The junior poured in a career-high 22 points and grabbed eight boards in just 25 minutes vs. Illinois State and is averaging 18.0 points in the last four games and 11.4 for the season. Over that four-game stretch, Wigley has shot .595 from the field (25-42), .625 from three-point land (5-8) and .810 from the free throw line (17-21).
Sweet J
Senior guard Janelle Hughes, know as "J" by her teammates, has been tearing it up as of late, averaging 18.0 points over the last six games. Illinois' leading scorer for the season (14.0), Hughes had a monster night in Illinois' 80-64 win over Bradley, hitting a career-best 4 of 6 from downtown en route to a career-high 22 points. In the upset win over Oklahoma, Hughes scored 11 consecutive points in a span of 2:39 to turn a 64-59 deficit into a 70-64 lead. The Illini took their first lead during the run and would not relinquish it.
More Illini Tidbits
• Crutcher named Big Ten POW: Sophomore forward Danyel Crutcher was named Big Ten Player of the Week (Dec. 12-18) after her 24-point, 11-rebound performance in the upset of No. 15 Oklahoma.
• Ranked Opponent Win Streak Extended: With the victory over the Sooners, the Illini have now beaten at least one ranked team in 12 straight seasons. UI has beaten 26 ranked foes during the streak. No. 15 OU was the highest ranked team knocked off by the Illini since No. 10 Minnesota, 94-80, on Jan. 26, 2003.
• Home Cookin': Illinois is 4-0 this year at Assembly Hall and is riding a seven-game home winning streak dating back to last season, the longest since an eight-game streak in 2002-03. All-time, Illinois is 213-113 (.653) at home and 174-91 (.657) at Assembly Hall.
• Big Ten Highs: According to the most recent Big Ten stat rankings (12/29), Illinois' 59 rebounds vs. St. Louis and 20 steals vs. Loyola rank as the top totals in the conference this year.
