Aug. 22, 2007
Printable 2007-08 Illinois Women's Basketball Schedule (PDF)
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Illinois released its women's basketball schedule on Wednesday (Aug. 22), revealing a challenging slate of non-conference games leading up to the always tough Big Ten Conference schedule. Match-ups with perennial powers Oklahoma and North Carolina State, as well as a trip to Miami for a Thanksgiving tournament highlight the non-conference schedule.
"Our schedule this year is extremely challenging," said first year head coach Jolette Law. "We'll have some tough non-conference tests early on that will not only give us the opportunity to open some eyes, but also prepare us for the rigorous conference schedule."
The schedule includes 15 home dates, including one preseason tune-up, and features games against opponents from the ACC, SEC and Big 12 Conference, plus two additional Big Ten Conference games as the league moved from a 16-game to an 18-game schedule this season. The slate also includes 19 games against teams that played in either the NCAA Tournament or WNIT last season.
The Illini will have just one public preseason tune-up this year, with DT3, an all-star team out of Florida, coming to Assembly Hall for an exhibition game on Sunday, Nov. 4. The Orange and Blue then open the regular season on the road with a trip to nearby Eastern Illinois on Nov. 9, followed by three straight games at Assembly Hall beginning with the home opener against UW-Milwaukee on Nov. 11.
After a one-year hiatus, the Illini will be taking a trip around the Thanksgiving holiday once again. This year they will be traveling to Miami, Fla., for the FIU Thanksgiving Classic hosted by Florida International University. Illinois will face SEC foe South Carolina in the first round on Friday, Nov. 23, and either FIU or Providence on Sunday, Nov. 25. In recent years, Illinois has taken trips to Hawaii, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, New York and Colorado during the week of Thanksgiving.
Following the Miami trip, Illinois will head to Raleigh, N.C., to face North Carolina State in the inaugural Big Ten/ACC Women's Basketball Challenge. Last season, the Wolfpack reached the Sweet 16 under the leadership of legendary head coach Kay Yow.
After a home date against Illinois-Chicago on Dec. 2, Illinois will welcome the Oklahoma Sooners to Assembly Hall on Dec. 5 in what figures to be a marquee match-up. The Sooners, led by All-American Courtney Paris, will likely be a top-10 team heading into the season. Illinois will be looking to repeat its 86-75 over the 15th-ranked Sooners in 2005, the last time Oklahoma took the floor at Assembly Hall.
The annual Lexus December to Remember Classic will be on Dec. 8, with the women facing Chicago State and the Illini men taking on Arizona in the doubleheader at the United Center in Chicago. Then after a week off for final exams and a road game at Big 12 foe Missouri on Dec. 19, the Illini will be ready for conference play.
Illinois and Northwestern will open the Big Ten season in Evanston, Ill., on Thursday, Dec. 27, with the rest of the conference starting up action the next day. The Big Ten home opener for the Illini will be against Wisconsin on Sunday, Dec. 30.
This year the Big Ten transitions from a 16-game to an 18-game schedule for the first time since 1993-94, meaning each school will play eight Big Ten opponents twice each, and two once each. Illinois' single plays this year are Northwestern and Iowa. The Big Ten Tournament will be held March 6-9 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The tournament, which runs from Thursday-Sunday, will be held on four consecutive days for the first time since 2001.
Illinois returns all five starters and six of the top seven scorers from last year's team which went 19-12 overall, finished fourth in the Big Ten and reached the postseason for the 10th time in the last 11 years. In addition, senior center Audrey Tabon returns after missing all of last season with a knee injury, and two talented newcomers join the fold in guards Chelsea Buher and Lydia McCully.
"I think this team is poised for big things this season and that our schedule will give us the opportunity to show the country what Illinois basketball is all about," Law said. "I can't wait to get started in November and show the home fans that they have an exciting year ahead."
Additional game times and television coverage will be announced as the information becomes available.
For ticket information, contact the UI Athletic Ticket Office at 1-866-Illini-1.
