Nov. 26, 2014
Illinois is...
...4-0 for the 1st time since 2002-'03
...ranked 15th nationally & 2nd in B1G in FG% defense (.311)
...ranked 33rd nationally & 4th in B1G in scoring defense (52.8 ppg)
...ranked 31st nationally & 4th in Big Ten in steals (12.5 spg)
...ranked 4th in the Big Ten in turnover margin (+6.2 pg)
...leading the Big Ten in offensive rebounding (17.3 pg)
...in its third season under head coach Matt Bollant
...returning 72.3 percent of its scoring from 2013-14
...returning 77.9 percent of its rebounding from 2013-14
Quick Hits
•Illini Hit Paradise: Illinois (4-0) heads to the U.S. Virgin Islands this week for Paradise Jam, which is widely regarded as the top Thanksgiving tournament in collegiate women's basketball. True to its reputation, the tournament's Reef Division will pit the Fighting Illini against No. 9 Kentucky, and Oklahoma and South Florida, which are both receiving votes in both this week's Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls. Illinois, making its first appearance at the event, opens the tournament on Thanksgiving when it faces the ninth-ranked Wildcats at 5 p.m. CT, followed by South Florida on Nov. 28 at 7:15 p.m., and Oklahoma on Nov. 29 at 5 p.m.
•Illini Start Season Hot: The Illini are 4-0 to start a season for the first time since 2002-03, meaning freshmen Amarah Coleman and Chatrice White were only six years old the last time it happened. Illinois started that campaign 5-0 on its way to the program's most recent NCAA Tournament berth.
•Defense Does It For Illinois: The Orange and Blue rank 33rd nationally and fourth in the Big Ten in scoring defense, averaging 52.8 points allowed per game. Illinois ranks 15th nationally and second in the Big Ten in field-goal percentage defense (31.1), has an average turnover margin of +6.2 per game - which ranks fourth in the Big Ten - and is holding opponents to 33.8 percent shooting (46-of-136) inside the arc, a dramatic improvement over last season when foes shot 49.4 percent on two-pointers.
•Illinois Turns Defense Into Offense: With that turnover margin of +6.2 per game, the Illini also have out-scored their three opponents 103-59 off turnovers. Illinois out-paced IPFW 44-12 in the season's first game and posted a 36-12 margin off miscues against Robert Morris. Memphis out-scored the Illini 24-15 off turnovers in game three, but UI rebounded with a 26-10 edge against Southern. The performance against RMU was even more impressive because Illinois converted those turnovers in the halfcourt, as they only had six steals and two fast-break points in the game.
•White Announces Her Presence with Authority: Reigning Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Week Chatrice White has made a big impact already for the Illini, scoring in double figures in all four of Illinois' games and recording three double-doubles. She is tied for second nationally in double-doubles, one of 23 players with three double-doubles, ranks fifth in the Big Ten in rebounding (11.3 rpg) and 12th in scoring (16.3 ppg). She also is tied for second in the Big Ten in offensive rebounds with 4.8 per game and is tied for 12th in blocks (1.5 per game).
•Grant Gets Going: After a slow start to the season, sophomore forward Jacqui Grant has returned to her dependable scoring ways in Illinois' last two games, scoring 14 points each against Memphis and Southern. In Illlinois' first two games, Grant scored just eight total points on 2-of-15 shooting. But she's turned it around lately, posting 28 points on 13-of-24 shooting in UI's last two games. Her rebounding stayed steady throughout, with 14 in the first two games and 13 in the last two for a season average of 6.8 rpg.
•Crawford Stuffs Stat Sheet: Senior guard Ivory Crawford is well-known for her ability to fill up the box score, and this season is no different. Two games in, she is averaging 10.3 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She also has nine assists and 10 steals, despite averaging only 21.3 minutes per game. Crawford is tied for sixth in the Big Ten in steals per game with 2.5.
•Carter Chips In Immediately: Senior guard Brittany Carter has shown early on in the season why she was able to earn a starting spot among a crowded backcourt. Against Southern, she filled in at the point guard spot for an injured Kyley Simmons and posted eight points, eight rebounds and four assists. She also posted her first career double-double against Robert Morris with 11 points and 10 rebounds. In 93 career games at Ball State, Carter got within two rebounds of a double-double three times but never broke through.
•New Faces Contribute for Illini: Illinois head coach Matt Bollant played nine players in the season-opener against IPFW and six of them were making their debut in Orange and Blue. Senior transfer Brittany Carter, junior transfer Kyley Simmons, redshirt-freshman Kennedy Cattenhead, and true-freshmen Amarah Coleman, Brooke Kissinger and Chatrice White, all saw their first game action for Illinois against the Mastodons and combined for 48 points, 21 rebounds, 11 steals and eight assists. Through three games, that sextet has scored 168 of Illinois' 258 points (65.1 percent) and has grabbed 57.7 percent of its rebounds (104 of 180).
•Big Second Half Lifts UI Past Jaguars: The Illini held Southern without a field goal for over 11 minutes in the second half, using a 21-1 run to pull away for a 62-42 victory on Nov. 23. Chatrice White notched her second-straight double-double and third of the season with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Jacqui Grant chipped in 14 and Ivory Crawford scored 12.
•Orange & Blue Hold On to Tame Tigers: Illinois didn't score in the game's final 3:19 but kept Memphis from scoring in its final five possessions to hold on for a 60-58 win on Nov. 20. Chatrice White posted her second double-double of the season with 13 points and 15 boards, while Jacqui Grant and Amarah Coleman each had 14 points. Grant also grabbed eight boards and Coleman dished four assists.
•Illini Cruise Past Colonials: Chatrice White posted a game-high 23 points and Brittany Carter notched her first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds as Illinois never trailed on the way to a 66-48 win over Robert Morris on Nov. 18. The Illini held RMU to 23 percent shooting in the first half, and out-scored the Colonials 36-12 in the paint and 31-18 off turnovers.
•Illini Come Back to Beat Mastodons: Illinois staged an impressive second-half comeback to take down IPFW on Nov. 14, out-scoring the Mastodons 44-31 after halftime. Illinois trailed 32-26 at intermission after shooting just 28 percent in the first half. But Ivory Crawford and Amarah Coleman took over in the second half, with Crawford scoring 16 points and Coleman chipping in 11 after the break. It marked only the Illini's fifth win when trailing at halftime under head coach Matt Bollant and first since beating Michigan State 61-51 in East Lansing on Jan. 23, 2014.
•Crawford Starts Season Among 1,000-Point Club: Senior Ivory Crawford became only the 15th player in school history to score 1,000 points with eligibility remaining when she reached the milestone last season. She currently stands tied for 23rd with former teammate Adrienne Godbold on the career scoring list with 1,060 points. Crawford needs 13 points to pass former teammate Adrienne Godbold (1,060). She also stands tied for 10th in career steals (187), 11th in career three-pointers attempted (278), and 12th in career three-pointers made (82).
Scouting the Wildcats
•No. 9/10 Kentucky enters Thursday's game 4-0 with a signature win already on its résumé: a 74-64 triumph over then-No. 8 Baylor on Nov. 17. That was payback for the Bears' 90-72 win in the NCAA Sweet 16 last season, when they bounced the Wildcats from the tournament.
•Kentucky ranks 19th in the country in scoring offense (86.8 ppg) and is 13th in offensive rebounds per game (21.0). The 'Cats also stand 33rd in turnover margin (+7.50 per game).
•Senior guard Jennifer O'Neill has led the way thus far for UK, averaging 18.8 points per game in only 28.5 minutes per game. Linnae Harper, a sophomore from Chicago's Whitney Young, stands second on the team in scoring (12.8 ppg) despite coming off the bench, as does sophomore guard Makayla Epps, who is third at 12.3 ppg.
Series History Against the Wildcats
Illinois leads the all-time series against Kentucky by a 3-2 margin but the teams haven't met since 1988 - meaning neither of the teams' players were alive when the Illini beat UK 84-71 in Champaign on Dec. 18, 1988. Illinois has won three straight in the series, taking victories in C-U in 1985 and '88, and winning in Lexington in 1986.
Scouting the Bulls
•South Florida enters Paradise Jam 3-1 on the season, with an 85-67 loss at Maryland its only blemish. The Bulls, who are receiving votes in both this week's Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Poll, have an international flavor to their roster as six of their 17 players come from overseas. Three players hail from Spain, while USF has one each from Denmark, Portugal and Sweden.
•USF is ranked 34th nationally in three-point field-goal percentage (39.3) but is only 119th in three-pointers per game (6.0). The Bulls also stand 36th in fouls per game (15.5) but handle the ball well, ranking 29th in turnovers per game (12.5).
•The Bulls have a double-double threat similar to Illinois' Chatrice White in junior forward Alisia Jenkins. Jenkins is tied with White for second nationally with three double-doubles and is averaging 11.5 ppg and 10.5 rpg. USF is led in scoring by junior guard Courtney Williams (17.5 ppg).
Scouting the Sooners
•Oklahoma, which is receiving the second-most votes among unranked teams in both the AP poll and USA Today Coaches Poll, is 3-0 after beating Washington, Lamar and Bradley - all in Norman, Oklahoma - to start the season. OU reached the NCAA Tournament last season but lost to DePaul in the first round, finishing the campaign 18-15.
•The Sooners are second in the nation in scoring offense (98.0 ppg) and 19th in scoring margin (+28.7 pg). Oklahoma also leads the nation in field-goal percentage (54.7) and is fourth in assists per game (22.7). In addition, OU is 22nd in rebounding margin (12.7 pg).
•Junior forward Kaylon Williams leads the way for the Sooners with 16.0 ppg, while senior guard Sharane Campbell-Olds is averaging 15.0 ppg. OU has two more players averaging double figures in sophomore guards Peyton Little (13.7 ppg) and Derica Wyatt (10.0). Williams also is ranked second nationally in field-goal percentage (76.9) and Little is eighth in assist-to-turnover ratio (7:1).
Series History Against the Sooners
Illinois trails Oklahoma 3-1 in the all-time series, with OU holding victories in Norman in 2001 and 2003, and in Champaign in 2007. The Illini notched an 86-75 win in Champaign in 2005, knocking off the No. 15 Sooners one week before Christmas.
