Nov. 12, 2007

PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- Illinois sophomore forward Jenna Smith has been named Big Ten Conference Player of the Week the league office announced Monday. Smith had a pair of double-doubles over the weekend to lead Illinois to a 2-0 start with a pair of blowout victories.

In Friday's 86-56 season-opening victory over Eastern Illinois the Bloomington, Minn., native had a career-high 19 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards, and added 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, and 3 blocks. Her 19 boards tied for the seventh most in school history and were the most for an Illini in 18 years, when Sonya Waters pulled down 21 against St. Joseph's on Dec. 21, 1989.

Then in Sunday's UI 63-43 victory over Horizon League favorite UW-Milwaukee Smith put up a career-high tying 22 points to go along with 13 rebounds and a career-high six assists. Smith hit 8-of-13 from the field and 6-of-6 from the line in that victory, while also adding two blocks and two steals.

Maybe more impressive than her offensive numbers, however, was Smith's defense on reigning Horizon League Player of the Year Traci Edwards. After scoring 30 points in UW-Milwaukee's opener on Friday, Edwards was held to just 11 points on 5-of-15 shooting with Smith serving as the primary defender.

For the weekend Smith averaged 19.0 points, 16.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 steals while shooting 67 percent from the field (14-of-21) and a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line.

It is Smith's first career Big Ten Player of the Week honor. She is the first Illini to earn the weekly conference accolade since Danyel Crutcher on Dec. 19, 2005.

Smith and the Illini return to action on Wednesday, Nov. 14, when they host the UAB Blazers at Assembly Hall at 7 p.m.