Dec. 4, 2007
Complete Illinois-Oklahoma Game Notes (PDF) 
Game 9: #9/9 Oklahoma (4-2) at Illinois (6-2)
Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007 // 8 p.m. // Assembly Hall (16,618) // Champaign, Ill. // Big Ten Network
On The Air
TV: Big Ten Network - DirecTV Ch. 220 and Dish Network Ch. 439 (Mark Neely and Brenda VanLengen)
Radio: Illini Sports Network - WDWS-AM 1400 and WDAN-AM 1490 (Dave Loane and Mike Koon)
Streaming Audio: Live on fightingillini.com (requires Illini All-Access subscription) v
Gametracker: Free at fightingillini.com
The Series
Oklahoma leads 2-1 - Last Meeting: Illinois 86, Oklahoma 75 (12/18/05 @ Champaign, Ill.)
The Coaches
Illinois: Jolette Law, 6-2 overall and at Illinois (first season)
OU: Sherri Coale, 236-120 overall and at Oklahoma (12th season)
Quick Hits
• The Game: Illinois (6-2) has a showdown against No. 9 Oklahoma (4-2) Wednesday at Assembly Hall at 8 p.m. The game will be televised live on the Big Ten Network (DirecTV Ch. 220) in the Illini's first TV appearance of the season and first-ever on the new network. The Illini are coming off of a 69-57 win over Illinois-Chicago on Sunday in Champaign, while the Sooners handled Arkansas State at home 93-36 the same day.
• Illini Make BTN Debut: The Illini will make their first-ever appearance on the new Big Ten Network Wednesday night against Oklahoma. Mark Neely will do the play-by-play with expert analysis from Brenda VanLengen. Illinois is scheduled to make seven regular season appearances on the BTN this season, with the potential of having more games televised if its matchup on March 2 against Purdue is picked up.
• Battle of the Bigs: Wednesday's game will feature two of the top post players in the country squaring off. OU's 6-4 junior Courtney Paris, last year's AP National Player of the Year, has been dominant since the her first day on campus and that has been no different this year as she's averaging 17.2 points and an NCAA-leading 15.3 rebounds per game on 58 percent shooting.
Not to be overshadowed, however, is 6-3 Illinois sophomore Jenna Smith, who is averaging 20.0 points and a Big Ten-best 10.6 boards a game while shooting 60 percent from the field. She has already been named Big Ten Player of the Week twice this year and is quickly making name for herself.
• Illinois Look to Continue Streak Against Ranked Teams: No. 9 Oklahoma is the first ranked opponent the Illini will face this season. Illinois has beaten at least one top-25 opponent in 13 straight seasons, and is looking to keep the streak alive. Last season, the Illini defeated #20/20 Michigan State 56-46 at home on Feb. 22 to keep the streak alive. A win over the Sooners would give the Illini their first win over a top-10 team since beating No. 10 Minnesota, 94-80, during the 2002-03 season.
• Smith Rakes in Honors: Sophomore Jenna Smith has been collecting her share of early-season honors thus far. She has been named Big Ten Player of the Week on two occasions this season (Nov. 12 and Nov. 26) and claimed Most Valuable Player honors at the FIU Thanksgiving Classic after leading Illinois to the title.
• Home Sweet Home: After going 12-3 at Assembly Hall last season, Illinois is off to a 3-1 start at home this year. The Illini hold an all-time record of 231-122 (.654) at home and 192-100 (.658) at Assembly Hall.
• Up Next: The Illini will play their annual game at the United Center in Chicago, facing Chicago State at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8 in the Lexus December to Remember Classic. The game will follow the Illini men facing Arizona at 11 a.m.
Breaking Down The Sooners
No. 9 Oklahoma is 4-2 on the season with losses to top-5 teams Maryland and Tennessee to open the year. Junior center Courtney Paris, the reigning AP National Player of the Year, averages 17.2 points and 15.3 rebounds a game and has a streak of 67 consecutive games with a double-double. Ashley Paris, Courtney's twin sister, is also a force in the paint in averaging 15.0 points and 6.5 rebounds a game and shooting over 70 percent from the floor. Guard Danielle Robinson averages double-figure points (11.3), while backcourt mate Jenna Plumley is shooting 43 percent (17-of-40) from the three-point line.
The Sooner's game against Illinois is their first true road game of the season and is the start of a three-game road stint. Oklahoma will face Big Ten foe Michigan State in East Lansing on Dec. 16 after traveling to nearby Tulsa on Dec. 8.
Oklahoma has advanced to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen the past two seasons, also winning back-to-back Big 12 regular season and conference championships. The Sooners are expected to dominate again in 2007-08, as the preseason pick to win the Big 12. Oklahoma is coached by Sherri Coale.
The Illinois-oklahoma Series
Oklahoma leads the all-time series 2-1, but Illinois won the last meeting between the two teams two years ago. The Illini upset the 15th-ranked Sooners, 86-75, on Dec. 18, 2005 at Assembly Hall. Oklahoma was victorious over Illinois in Norman, Okla. in both the 2001 and 2003 seasons.
Flashback: Illini Upset Sooners in 2005
Illinois came out on top the last time it faced Oklahoma, upsetting the No. 15 Sooners 86-75 at the Assembly Hall on Dec. 18, 2005. Then-sophomore Danyel Crutcher was the difference maker for the Illini, coming off the bench to score 24 points and grab 11 rebounds, while senior guard Janelle Hughes scored 11 straight points during a key 16-4 second half run that put the Illini in front. Sooners forward Courtney Paris finished with 27 points and 19 rebounds in 25 minutes, spending more time than usual on the bench after picking up her third foul with 6:44 to go in the first half. The victory marked the 12th season in a row the Illini beat at least one ranked opponent.
Illini in the NCAA Rankings
In the first NCAA statistical rankings of the season (Dec. 2), Illinois ranked in the top-25 in the nation in two different categories, and Illini individuals rank in the top-100 in eight different categories.
Team Category Rank Stat
Free Throw Percentage 5 81.5
Personal Fouls 23 14.6
Indiv. Category Player Rank Stat
FG Percentage Jenna Smith 14 60.0
Rebounding Jenna Smith 17 10.6
Scoring Jenna Smith 22 20.0
Steals Lacey Simpson 26 3.4
FT Percentage Lori Bjork 27 93.1
Blocks Jenna Smith 38 2.3
FT Percentage Jenna Smith 90 85.1
3FG Percentage Lori Bjork 94 39.0
ACC Wins Inaugural Challenge
The Inaugural Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge came to a close on Sunday, as the ACC won the challenge 8-3. Penn State upset No. 10 Duke at home on Sunday to give the Big Ten a marquee win. The only other Big Ten teams to win its match-ups were Michigan defeating Miami and Michigan State beating Clemson at home.
2007 Big Ten/ACC Challenge (ACC Wins 8-3)
Nov. 19 Michigan at Miami MICH, 65-50
Nov. 28 Wake Forest at Northwestern WF, 60-45
Nov. 28 Georgia Tech at Iowa GT, 76-57
Nov. 29 Purdue at North Carolina UNC, 90-72
Nov. 29 Illinois at NC State NCSU, 61-47
Nov. 29 Clemson at Michigan State MSU, 68-51
Nov. 30 Ohio State at Maryland MD, 77-53
Nov. 30 Minnesota at Virginia Tech VT, 68-62
Nov. 30 Florida State at Indians FSU, 85-78
Nov. 30 Wisconsin at Virginia VA 84-60
Dec. 2 Duke at Penn State PSU, 86-84
• Illinois vs. the ACC: Illinois has a combined record of 8-12 against teams currently in the Atlantic Coast Conference after Thursday's loss to NC State. Prior to that, Illinois' last game against an ACC foe was a 72-56 loss to Virginia in Knoxville, Tenn., in the first round of the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
Smith Off to Fast Start
Illini forward Jenna Smith has taken off at the start of her sophomore season. She took tournament MVP honors at the FIU Thanksgiving Classic and was named Big Ten Player of the week for the second time on Nov. 26. For the year, she is averaging 20.0 points and a Big Ten best 10.6 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the field and 85 percent from the line. She has led the Illini in scoring six times in eight games this season and in rebounding seven times already.
• Conference Leader: Smith ranks in the top-5 in the Big Ten in eight categories and is the leader in two, rebounding (10.6) and defensive rebounds (7.25). She also ranks second in scoring (20.0), FT percentage (.851) and minutes (36.50). Nationally, Smith ranks in the top-40 in four categories, most notably FG percentage, where she ranks 14th, and rebounding where she comes in at 17th.
• Double-Trouble: Smith has recorded double-doubles in six of eight games this season and has 12 in her career, which is second in the Big Ten behind only Wisconsin senior Jolene Anderson's 20. Illinois has won all six games in which Smith has recorded a double-double this season and lost both in which she hasn't.
• Career Day: Smith scored a career-high 32 points and had 10 boards against SIU on Nov. 18. She hit 13-of-19 from the field and scored 11 straight points for the Illini at one point in the second half.
• Big Ten Player of the Week, Part 1: Smith got her sophomore campaign off to a fast start, setting or tying career-highs in points, rebounds and assists in the first two games. In the opening weekend Smith averaged 19.0 points, 16.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 blocks while shooting 67 percent from the field and a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Her 19 rebounds in the opener against Eastern Illinois tied for the seventh most in school history and were the most for an Illini in 18 years.
• Big Ten Player of the Week, Part 2: Smith collected her second weekly Big Ten honor on Nov. 26 after averaging 23.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while leading Illinois to the FIU Thanksgiving Classic title with wins over South Carolina and Providence. Smith had 29 points and 10 rebounds in the title game against the Friars, to help the Illini claim the one-point win and the tournament trophy.
Toeing the Line
Illinois has done an excellent job getting to the line this season, and an even better job of converting those chances. Illinois ranks fourth in the Big Ten in FT attempts per game (21.6) and in FT percentage (.815), having knocked down 141-of-173 from the charity stripe. Illinois hit 11-off-11 from the line against UIC and have made 24 more FTs than its opponents have shot on the season (141-117). For the year, Lori Bjork (.931) and Rebecca Harris (.882) lead the way from the line.
Pressure `D' Already Catching On
Jolette Law's pressure defense looks to be catching on fast with the Fighting Illini. Through the first eight games Illinois is averaging 9.50 steals per game, which ranks third in the Big Ten. Sophomore Lacey Simpson leads the way, as she leads the conference in steals with 3.4 thefts per game. Last year, Illinois ranked last in the Big Ten in steals at 5.55 per game.
More Illini Tidbits
• Bjork Moving Up Chart: Junior Lori Bjork hit her 150th career three-pointer in the blowout win over South Carolina on Nov. 23. She has hit 18-of-56 on the season (39 percent) and now has 153 career three-pointers, which ranks third on the UI career list and is just 15 behind Mandy Cunningham's second place total of 168. Bjork, a preseason All-Big Ten selection, ranks fourth in the Big Ten in three's made per game (2.00).
• Scoring Big: The Orange and Blue claimed their first tournament title since winning the St. Mary's Thanksgiving Tournament during the 2001-02 season by taking two games at the FIU Thanksgiving Classic over Thanksgiving weekend. The Illini easily topped SEC foe South Carolina, 91-58, in the opening round on Nov. 23, before hanging on for a 60-59 win over Big East foe Providence in the title game on Nov. 25.
• Smith, Gordon Nab Tournament Honors: Jenna Smith was named the Most Valuable Player of the Classic after averaging 23.0 points and 10.0 rebounds in leading the Illini to the title. In addition, junior guard Chelsea Gordon also had a great weekend and was named to the All-Tournament Team. Gordon averaged 9.5 points and 4.0 rebounds to go along with solid defense to help the Illini bring home the hardware.
• Scoring Big: Illinois' 91 points scored in the win over South Carolina in the opening round of the FIU Thanksgiving Classic were the most since it put up 94 against Michigan on Feb. 1, 2004.
Jolette Law Era Off to Fast Start
New Illini head coach Jolette Law is off to the best eight-game start in school history at 6-2. Laura Golden, in 1984-85, and Theresa Grentz, in 1995-96, each got their UI careers off to 5-3 starts.
Law began her career with a pair of 20+ victories. She picked up her first-career victory on Nov. 9 with the win over EIU and her first win at Assembly Hall two days later when the Illini downed UW-Milwaukee. Law was named Illinois' head coach on May 11 after spending 12 seasons as an assistant at Rutgers, including the last four as associate head coach. In her short time in Champaign, Law has already established herself as one of the hardest workers in the game. She hired a young, energetic staff to help instill a new work ethic, winning attitude and up-tempo style that is based on pressure defense.
