Oct. 6, 2010
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Illinois women's basketball team will begin official practices on Thursday morning, Oct. 7, at the Ubben Basketball Complex. A new NCAA rule allows women's basketball programs to begin official practices 40 days before their first regular season game. During those 40 days, teams can have 30 practice sessions, including exhibition games.
With the Illini's first game scheduled for Nov. 12, the first day Illinois could have practiced was actually Oct. 3, but fourth-year head coach Jolette Law and staff elected to begin workouts on Oct. 7. Like the last season, most of Illinois' workouts will take place in the early morning. Thursday's first session is no different, running from 7-10 a.m.
The Fighting Illini are coming off a 19-15 season that saw them advance to the quarterfinals of the WNIT. However, the departure of senior stars Jenna Smith, a former All-American and the program's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, and Lacey Simpson, a two-time third-team All-Big Ten selection, leave Law with some big shoes to fill heading into the 2010-11 season.
Despite the losses, there is no shortage of talent on this year's Orange and Blue squad. Illinois is one of seven teams in the country without senior on its roster, but that doesn't mean there isn't an abundance of experience returning. Headlining the returnees is 2010 Big Ten All-Freshman Team member Karisma Penn, who averaged 10.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.7 blocks during her rookie campaign last season. Penn is joined by a pair of returning starters in junior point guard Lydia McCully and freshman forward Kersten Magrum. That duo, along with sophomore Adrienne GodBold, a top reserve in 2009-10, is poised to take a big step forward this season.
Also returning are veterans Macie Blinn, Eboni Mitchell and Lana Rukavina, all experienced juniors that played in 20+ games last season, and redshirt freshman Amber Moore, a sharp-shooter who tore her ACL in the first game last season and sat out the rest of the year.
Added to the mix this year is a pair of top-100 recruits in Alexis Burke and Centrese McGee. Burke is a 5-11 small forward from Bainbridge, Ga., who was ranked 50th in the class of 2010 by ESPN HoopGurlz. McGee is a 5-8 guard from Chicago that was ranked No. 86 by Blue Star coming out of high school. Both Burke and McGee are expected to make an immediate impact this season.
Illinois will have one exhibition game on Nov. 9 at Assembly Hall against Kentucky Wesleyan before opening the season at home on Nov. 12 against Illinois State. Click < a="" href="http://www.fightingillini.com/sports/w-baskbl/sched/ill-w-baskbl-sched.html">HERE for the full 2010-11 Illinois schedule.
For season ticket or single-game ticket information, contact the UI Athletics Ticket office at 217-333-3470 or 1-866-ILLINI-1 or visit http://www.fightingillini.com
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