THE BASICS

The Coaches

Illinois:    Matt Bollant  //  51-59 at Illinois (4th year)  //  333-115 overall (14th year)

Indiana:    Teri Moren //  25-24 at IU (2nd year) // 224-154 overall (13th year)

SERIES NOTES vs. INDIANA

Series Record:    Indiana leads, 36-30

Last Meeting:    Indiana 85, Illinois 58 // Feb. 11, 2015 // Bloomington, Ind.

Series Streak:    Lost 3

Series in Champaign:    Illinois leads 17-13

Series at Indiana:    Indiana leads 21-10

Bollant vs. Indiana:    1-3

Illinois is...

...averaging 19 points off opponent turnovers this season 

...coming off of a B1G win over Wisconsin

...ranked 2nd in the Big Ten for its 7.6 treys per game

...ranked 34th in the country for its 7.6 3FG per game

...averaging 4.4 blocks per game, 6th in the Big Ten

...assisting on more than 51-percent of field goals

...forcing 17.8 turnovers per game, 4th in the B1G

...averaging 8.0 steals per game

QUICK HITS

• WEDNESDAY'S Game: Illinois is on the road once again, facing Indiana at 6 p.m. CT on Wednesday. The Illini trail 21-10 in the all-time series in Bloomington. The game will be streamed on BTN+ and fans can tune in on WDWS-AM 1400. 

• LAST TIME OUT:  A strong defensive effort gave Fighting Illini women's basketball its first conference win on Sunday afternoon (Jan. 17) as the Illini overcame the Wisconsin Badgers, 71-65. Illinois improves to 8-9 on the season and 1-5 in Big Ten play while Wisconsin falls to 6-10 overall and 2-4 in league play. The Orange and Blue got off to 10-0 run to start the game and never looked back, holding the Badgers to just 36.8-percent shooting from the floor, the lowest percentage UI has held a Big Ten opponent to this year.  Six Illini scored nine or more points each in the game, with four in double-figures, led by sophomore Chatrice White and Alex Wittinger who each put up 16 points on the day. White tallied her 11th double-double of the season as she added 11 rebounds and two rejections. Wittinger shot 80-percent from the field for the day. 

• SCOUTING INDIANA: The Hoosiers have a 10-8 record on the season, boasting two victories in Big Ten play coming over Michigan and Michigan State. Indiana will host the Illini after a loss at Minnesota, 78-76. The Hoosiers are led by sophomore Tyra Buss who is averaging almost 19 points per game tis season. She dishes a team-leading 4.3 assists per game as well. 

• COMING UP: Illinois is hosting Penn State in the annual Pack the House game. Admission to Pack the House is free for all fans and the Illini will give out 200 free t-shirts in addition to 150 bags of Michael's Catering popcorn. 

LAST TIME VS. INDIANA

Illinois struggled defensively and couldn't recover, falling to Indiana 85-58 at Assembly Hall Wednesday night. Chatrice White had a team-high 18 points, Jacqui Grant had 11 points, eight rebounds and four blocks, and Ivory Crawford had 10 for the Illini, who fell to 12-13 overall, 3-10 in the Big Ten. Indiana (14-10, 4-9) shot a blistering 55.2 percent (32-of-58) from the field, including 13-of-23 (56.5 percent) from three-point range, compared to 37.3 and 29.2 percent, respectively, by Illinois.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOKS

After setting the Illinois Freshman Record with 60 blocked shots last season, sophomore Chatrice White continues to move up in the record books. She's racked up 96 rejections so far in her career, and she is soon to become one of just six Illini to reach 100 blocks in school history. Currently, her 96 blocked shots ranks eighth overall in program history. The record is currently set at 271 career blocks by Karisma Penn, who played for the Illini from 2009-2013. 

White has also racked up 745 career points in just 48 games played in her career so far. White needs to average just over 19.5 points per game for the rest of the regular season to join the 1,000 point club. Only 27 Illini have reached 1,000 career-points in Illinois history. Should White reach the milestone in 61 career games, she will become one of the fastest players in school history to reach that mark.  

Fastest Illini to Reach 1,000 Points

    Ashley Berggren (1994-98) - 56 games

    Lisa Robinson (1978-92) - 61 games

    Susan Blauser (1998-00) - 64 games

    Kendra Gantt (1981-85) - 65 games

    Jenna Smith (2006-10) - 66 games

    Allison Curtin (1998-01) - 66 games

    Jonelle Polk (1983-87) - 70 games

A BANG IN THE BIG TEN

Not only does Kyley Simmons rank among the top of the nation for her three-point shooting, but she's at the top of the Big Ten. Simmons is fifth in the Big Ten with her three-point field goals per game (2.6), fifth for her three-pointers made (45) and her three-point field goal percentage (41.7) ranks seventh. Her 35.7 minutes played per game ranks fifth in the league. 

Chatrice White is among the top in the Big Ten in several categories as well. She ranks second in the league for her 7.0 defensive rebounds per game this season and eighth for her 2.5 offensive rebounds per game. Her 2.1 rejections per game ranks third while her 9.5 rebounds per game sit second.

Alex Wittinger sits fourth in the Big Ten for her 3.1 offesnsive rebounds per game, and her 1.6 blocks per game sits fifth. 

As a team, Illinois is among the top of the league in several categories. The Illini rank sixth in the conference for their 4.4 blocked shots per game and second for their 7.6 treys per game. Illinois' +3.8 turnover margin ranks third.

BALANCE IS BEST

Sharing is caring, as the Illini have noticed this season. The Orange and Blue have seen at least three players put up eight or more points in all but one game this season. Multiple players have reached double-figure scoring numbers in all but one game this year as well. The Illini are 6-4 when three or more players reach double-digits and 4-1 when four or more players score in double-figures. 

Not only do they take turns with the scoring, but the Illini are assisting on more than 51-percent of field goals this season. Illinois has recorded 232 assists on 451 field goals with Kyley Simmons leading the way (57). Six Illini have dished more than 20 dimes this year, while seven players have racked up at least 16 assists.  

GO THE DISTANCE

The Illini have found success from beyond the arc to start the season, as they currently rank 34th in the country and second in the Big Ten in three-point field goals per game (7.6). Illinois has netted at least eight triples in eight games this season, including 10 triples in five games this season. The Illini have knocked down 129 threes this season, the second-most in the Big Ten and 34th in the nation. 

Redshirt senior Kyley Simmons certainly leads the charge from distance this season as she has knocked down four or more treys in five games this season. She has made at least one trey in 14 games this year. Her 25 treys ranks 31st in the country. 

Brooke Kissinger has made major contributions in the three-point department for the Illini as well. She has knocked down 22 threes this season, shooting 38.8-percent from distance. Sophomore Chatrice White (16) and senior Sarah Hartwell (14) have contributed in the three-point department as well. 

HARDWORKING HEARTY

Redshirt senior Sarah Hartwell is making waves for the Illini this season as she has made herself a staple in the Orange and Blue starting lineup. Hartwell played in just 14 games last season, averaging less than one point per game. This year, she has put up 124 points, averaging 7.3 per game, while grabbing more than four rebounds per game. She has dished 44 assists, the second-most on the team only to point guard Kyley Simmons. Hartwell's 22 steals are third on the team to Simmons and Chatrice White. 

Hatwell is not just a hardworker on the court, but she spends her time well off the court also. She was recently nominated for the Allstate Good Works Team for her community service efforts. The communication major spends countless hours volunteering in the Champaign-Urbana community. She is a member of Illinois' Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and is the leader of the group's Hometown Heroes subcommittee that plans service events throughout the year.

A CHANGE OF PACE

After starting the same five players for the first 10 games of the season, head coach Matt Bollant switched things up against George Washington. Both Jaelyne Kirkpatrick and Alex Wittinger earned the start for the first time in their careers. The Illini again made again made a change against Purdue as Kennedy Cattenhead rejoined the lineup for that contest. Brooke Kissinger made her first career start at Nebraska. The Illini have started four different lineups so far this season. 

DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE

Sophomore Chatrice White has started the season with 11 double-doubles so far this year, which means she has cracked the top-10 on Illinos' single season double-doubles list. Five players sit in the No. 9 spot with 11 double-doubles on the season, and the record is set at 21 in a year by Jenna Smith (2009-10). White has 17 double-doubles so far in her career, and with just three more she will break into the top-10 all-time career double-doubles list as well. That record is also held by Jenna Smith, who finished her career with 53 total double-doubles.

BLOCK PARTY

As a team, the Illini have tallied 74 rejections on the season, averaging 4.4 per game. Illinois averaged almost four blocks a game last season, led by Chatrice White's freshman record 60 blocks. White is once again leading the charge as she is on track to surpass that number with 36 blocks through 17 games. If she keeps up this pace, White could place herself atop the Illinois Season Blocks list currently led by Karisma Penn who rejected 78 shots in the 2010-11 season. White's 60 blocks last season ranks sixth all-time at Illinois, and she is currently in eighth overall with 96 career blocks. She is certainly holding up her end of the bargain as she swiped seven blocks against South Dakota, matching her career-best and the State Farm Center record set by Karisma Penn.  White's 2.12 blocks per game this season rank third in the Big Ten. 

White has some help this season as freshman Alex Wittinger is also racking up the rejections. Wittinger has 27 total so far this season, including a season-best, six, against Lehigh. Wittinger's 1.59 blocks per game rank sixth in the Big Ten. 

TURNOVER TIME 

Averaging 14 turnovers a game, the Illini have been able to force 17.8 turnovers from their opponents on average this season.  In conference games, Illinois is averaging just 12.3 turnovers per game, while continuing to force more than 16.5 opponent turnovers each contest. Illinois has forced 20 or more turnovers in five games this season, and Illini opponents have committed 17 or more in 10 games. Illinois has only led in the turnover category in five games this year. The Orange and Blue have also been taking advantage of those turnovers, averaging 19 points off turnovers each game. Illinois has recorded more points off turnovers than its opponents in nine of the last 11 games.

WHITE'S WAYS

Sophomore Chatrice White has been making waves this season, starting the year off with back-to-back double-doubles. She didn't stop there, however, as she has put up 20 or more points in five games so far this season. White currently has 11 career 20+ point games and 17 career double-doubles, including one in nine of the last 11 games.

• She recorded five consecutive double-doubles this season, which has not been done since Karisma Penn earned six-straight double-doubles in the 2010-11 season. 

    • The last Illini to start the season with consecutive double-doubles was Karisma Penn in the 2012-13 season  (11 pts., 12 rbs. vs. Evansville; 29 pts., 16 rbs. vs. Bradley). Penn also recorded a double-double in three of the first four games of the year. 

    • Prior to Penn, Jenna Smith started the 2009-10 season out with four-straight double-doubles, and continued on  to record a double-double in six of the first seven games. 

    • White currently leads the Big Ten and sits 7th in the nation for her 11 double-doubles this season. George Washington's Jonquel Jones lead the country with 15. White is No. 29 in the country for her seven defensive rebounds per game as well. 

    • White's 17.5 points per game rank 10th in the Big Ten this season and her 2.12 blocks per game rank third. She is second in  the league for her 9.5 boards per game as well. 

    • White has been the team's leading scorer and rebounder in seven games this season, and she has led the team in one of the two categories in each of Illinois' 17 games this year. 

TOP OF THE LINE

Illinois' hot start has paid off as the Illini are ranked among the nation's best in several categories this season. 

Category    National Rank    B1G rank

    3FG Made per game - 7.6    34th    2nd

    3FG Made - 129    33rd    2nd 

    3FG Attempts - 400    29th    2nd

    Turnover Margin - 3.76    40th    3rd

    Fewest Turnovers - 238    50th    5th

    3FG Made - Kyley Simmons - 45    31st    5th

    3FG Per Game - Kyley Simmons - 2.65    37th    5th

    3FG Percentage - Kyley Simmons - 41.7    35th    3rd

    Rebounds per game - C. White - 9.5    43rd    2nd

    Rebounds - C. White - 162    40th    3rd

    Double Doubles - Chatrice White - 11    7th    1st

    Blocked Shots - Chatrice White - 46    40th    3rd

    Blocks per game - C. White - 2.12    40th    3rd

    Defensive Rebs. per game - C. White- 7    25th    2nd

    FG Attempts - C. White - 303    16th    3rd

    FG Made - C. White - 117    57th    11th

    Points - C. White - 281    80th    13th

    Points per game - C. White - 17.5    69th    11th

OFFENSIVE PRODUCTION

Illinois started the season with a bang, outscoring opponents by more than 20 points in victories this year. In its eight wins, the Illini are holding opponents to just 33.7-percent shooting and 28-percent from distance. The Orange and Blue are shooting 44.5-percent from the field in victories, outrebounding opponents by three boards a game. The Illini force almost 17 turnovers per game in wins, only committing 12 of their own. 

NON-CONFERENCE NUMBERS

The Orange and Blue finished the non-conference slate with a 7-4 record, starting the season with five consecutive wins. The Illini averaged almost 75 points per game, and limited opponents to just 30-percent shooting from beyond the arc. Illinois forced more than 18 turnovers per game from its opponents and aslo assisted on more than 53-percent of shots during non-conference play.

TOP 10 WINNINGEST

Now in his 14th season of head coaching, Matt Bollant came into the year with a .754 winning percentage. That number puts him 10th among all active head coaches in the country. Not only that, but Bollant has a 100-percent graduation rate during his 19 years of head coaching. 

RECORDS FALL

Redshirt senior Kyley Simmons knocked down seven three-pointers, helping to lead Illinois over Lehigh on Dec. 6. She shot 70-percent from distance in the game, and her seven treys matched the State Farm Center single-game record set by Amber Moore in 2011. Simmons is currently shooting 48.5-percent from distance, good for first in the Big Ten and 15th in the nation. 

DEFENSE IS KEY

Illinois' defense has largely contributed to its hot start to the year. UI has held three opponents to less than 32-percent shooting from the field, including holding Tennessee State to just 21.7-percent. Four Illini opponents have shot 25-percent or worse from distance as well this season. The Illini held Wisconsin to just 36.8-percent shooting this season, the lowest for a Big Ten opponent this year. 

DOUBLING UP

Six Illini reached double-figure scoring numbers in two games this season. The Illini first spread the production out against Tennessee State, seeing career-bests from Kennedy Cattenhead and Brooke Kissinger as well. The Illini again spread out the scoring against SIU on Dec. 8, seeing six players hit double-digits once again. Prior to Tennessee State, Illinois last saw six or more players reach double-figure scoring numbers was on Nov. 17, 2013 against Alcorn State. Seven players put up double-digits in that 112-28 victory.

FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK TIMES THREE

Cierra Rice has earned Big Ten weekly honors twice this season, the most for an Illini freshman since Karisma Penn received the honor four times in the 2009-10 season. She first garnered the award on Monday, Nov. 23, coming off of a 20-point performance against UT Martin and helping the Illini to a 94-74 win. Rice went 6-for-6 from the field against UT Martin, banking three triples on the day. She had a 6-for-7 performance from the charity stripe as well. The Grosse Pointe, Mich., native scored 21 points, dished five assists and grabbed five rebounds in the game, only tallying one turnover. She then earned her second nod on Dec. 7, after putting up 22 points against Miami and following up with a 12-point performance in Illinois' win over Lehigh. 

Alex Wittinger joins Rice in earing the weekly honor as she was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Dec. 13 after bacl-to-back double-digit scoring games against SIU and Central Michigan and her second-career double-double against CMU. 

It is the first time since the award was developed in 2009-10 that Illinois has had two players receive Freshman of the Week honors.

THE ROARING TWENTIES

Illinois saw three players score at least 20 points against UT Martin as freshmen Cierra Rice and Alex Wittinger each put up double-figure scoring numbers for the first time in their careers. Wittinger (20), Rice (21) and Chatrice White (26) combined for 67 of Illinois' 94 points in the game. The last time three Illini scored 20 or more points was UI's 95-69 win over Minnesota on Feb. 5, 2015. Wittinger also grabbed 11 rebounds in the contest, marking her first-ever double-double.

Cierra Rice continued to rack up the points, dropping 22 at Miami on Dec. 2. Rice is one of just three freshmen in Illinois history, dating back to 1980, to put up 20 or more points twice within the first five games of her career. Also on that list is sophomore Chatrice White, who scored 20 or more points in six games last season. Krista Reinking (1994-95) rounds out the total list. Reinking has four 20+ points games in her freshman season. 

BOLLANT'S 50TH

Head coach Matt Bollant earned his 50th victory at Illinois in a 74-69 defeat of Central Michigan. Bollant is currently 332-107 in his career. He has taken his teams to 12 postseason appearances in his head coaching career, including four NCAA Tournament appearances and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2011. The Illini earned a 7-1 start to the season, the best during Bollant's tenure at the helm of Illinois Women's Basketball. 

THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH

With only two starters returning this season, the Illini have a few new faces in the starting lineups. Redshirt senior Kyley Simmons and sophomore Chatrice White are returning for a second year, but they were originally joined by first-time starters Sarah Hartwell, Kennedy Cattenhead and Cierra Rice. The Orange and Blue switched things up against George Washington, with freshmen Jaelyne Kirkpatrick and Alex Wittinger earning the start as well. Three of the five starting Illini are underclassmen, while three of the five are also first-time starters. 

A PROMISING FUTURE

The Illini are headed into the 2015-16 season with a positive outlook on things to come. The team returns starters Chatrice White and Kyley Simmons, and also brings back experienced returners in Kennedy Cattenhead, Sarah Hartwell, Brooke Kissinger and Ashley McConnell. Several Illini newcomers bring major promise, as Simone Law and Eriel Davis each have Division I playing experience under their belts. Illini freshmen Cierra Rice, Jaelyne Kirkpatrick and Alex Wittinger are a decorated incoming class as they are each ranked among the top-5 recruits in their home state. 

ILLINI CRUISE PAST GREYHOUNDS IN EXHIBITION

Fighting Illini Women's Basketball started its season on a high note Saturday afternoon, tallying a 95-36 exhibition win over the University of Indianapolis at Parkland College. The Orange and Blue saw all nine players on the floor put up at least three points in the game, and the Illini assisted on 20 of 35 field goals in the contest. Illinois out rebounded the Greyhounds 38-26 and held UIndy to just under 23-percent shooting in the game. The Illini dropped 13 three-pointers in the contest, while shooting over 54-percent from the floor. 

WHITE RETURNS FOR SUPER SOPHOMORE SEASON

Returning for her sophomore season, Chatrice White, expects no sophomore slump. She closed out the 2014-15 season averaging 14.5 points per game and a team-leading 7.0 rebounds per contest.  She owns the Illinois freshman records for scoring and blocked shots as she led the team with 60 rejections. 

ILLINI LOOKING FOR NEW CONTRIBUTORS

The Illini will have a few holes to fill in the absence of recent graduates Ivory Crawford and Brittany Carter. The two combined for an average of 23.6 points per game, and Carter led the team in steals, closing the season with 80. Crawford grabbed 64 steals herself last season, helping the Illini to a league-leading 11.2 steals per game. 

NEWCOMERS 

The Illini welcome a decorated class of freshman this year, including Parade All-American Cierra Rice, who was ranked as the No. 1 player out of Michigan. Ranked at No. 5 in the state of Minnesota, Alex Wittinger also joins the Illini this year. She grabbed 21 rebounds in her first outing with the Illini, an exhibition matchup against the AMW All Stars in Paris, France. Coming off of a stint with the Canadian National team, Jaelyne Kirkpatrick joins the Illini this season. She was ranked as the No. 1 guard in Canada. 

The Illini also welcome some experience to the program this year in seniors Eriel Davis and Simone Law. Law comes to Illinois from Loyola-Chicago, where she earned First Team All-Horizon League honors and was twice named to the Horizon League All-Tournament Team. Davis, a native of Danville, returns to the Illini squad after two seasons. She was a member of the 2012-13 squad and assisted the team as a practice player prior to that. 

ILLINI WELCOME JODY MARTINEZ

Head coach Matt Bollant announced the addition of Jody Martinez to the Illini staff over the summer. Martinez brings 17 years of head coaching experience with him, and he has led his teams to more than 400 wins in his head-coaching career. Martinez comes to Illinois from Southeastern University, where he led the Fire to a 25-7 record in the 2014-15 season and guided the program to its first-ever NAIA Division II Women's Basketball NIT. Prior to his stint at Southeastern, Martinez served as the head coach for the Bethel Pilots, where he led the Lady Pilots to 20 or more wins in 15 of his 16 seasons at the helm of the program, and prior to his arrival in 1998, the program had never seen a winning season. Martinez guided the Lady Pilots to six NCCAA National Championship titles and made seven trips to the NAIA National Tournament including five elite eight appearances. His teams won three MCC regular season titles and an MCC tournament championship as well.

ILLINI MAKE WAVES ON A NATIONAL STAGE

Illini sophomore Chatrice White and freshman Jaelyne Kirkpatrick were busy over the summer, competing at the FIBA U19 World Championships. Kirkpatrick competed for Canada, while White helped to bring home the gold on team USA. White averaged five points per game while in Russia, playing in seven games throughout the tournament. 

TOUR DE FRANCE

The Illini packed in some extra practice over the summer, heading overseas to play a few games in France. The Illini faced off against Paris' professional team, the AMW All Stars, and also played two games against Bretigny Select. Freshmen Alex Wittinger, Jaelyne Kirkpatrick and Cierra Rice got a taste of competition, as they competed with their new teammates for the first time. 

While across the pond, the Illini got to take some time to see the sights. Tour stops included the Eiffel Tower, Monaco, Lyon, and Nice. 

A NEW HOME

After the 2013-14 season, the Fighting Illini had to vacate their home arena, State Farm Center, as the three-year, $169.5 million Illinois Renaissance renovation project began. The renovation includes the installation of premium seating, upgrades to team locker rooms, all concourses, concession and restroom facilities, and wider aisles and increased access for patrons with disabilities. In addition, air conditioning will be installed and grand entrances will be constructed on the arena's east and west sides. While most of the first year of construction's work was mechanical and infrastructure-related, fans will notice new, blue seats in the 200 level, which was formerly known as "C" section.

ILLINI INK FOUR FOR 2016

The Fighting Illini Women's Basketball program and head coach Matt Bollant announce the signing of four standout players to national letters of intent on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Ali Andrews (Lake in the Hills, Ill.), Brandi Beasley (Memphis, Tenn.), Courtney Joens (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and Sarah Overcash (Chevy Chase, Md.) will join the Illini for the 2016-17 season. 

Ali Andrews // 6-2 // F // Lake in the Hills, Ill. // Huntley  HS 

Ranked the No. 14 forward in the country and No. 1 in Illinois by ESPN HoopGurlz…Ranked as the No. 79 recruit in the nation…Class 4A All-State Team…Helped Huntley to two-straight Fox Valley Conference Valley Division titles…Has scored more than 1,800 points in her high school career so far…Daily Herald Fox Valley All-Area Team Co-Captain…Associated Press First Team All-State selection…Has earned Huntley three consecutive regional titles and two straight sectional titles.

Brandi Beasley // 5-6 // G // Memphis, Tenn. // Ridgeway HS

Stands as the No. 2-ranked recruit from the state of Tennessee and the No. 27-ranked point guard in the nation by ESPN HoopGurlz…AAA Miss Basketball Finalist…Chose Illinois over Florida, MTSU, UT Martin, Vanderbilt and Memphis…Plans to study engineering at Illinois.

Courtney Joens // 5-10 // G // Iowa City, Iowa // City High 

Achievements: Ranked the No. 27 point guard in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz, and the top out of the state of Iowa…Ranked among the top-5 guards in Iowa by IowaPreps.com…Holds City High's single-game records for points (42) and three-pointers (8)…Chose Illinois over Creighton, Drake, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota and DePaul…Made 41 three-pointers in her sophomore season while averaging 14.6 points per game…Took City High to the 2013 state semifinals…Volunteers at her local elementary school and at her church…Consistently appears on the Iowa City High School Honor Roll.

Sarah Overcash // 6-1 // F // Chevy Chase, Md. // St. John's College 

The top-ranked recruit out of the District of Columbia…Named DCSAA First Team All-State in 2015…Played with Penn State's Amari Carter and Michigan signee Kayla Robbins...Chose Illinois over Penn and Princeton…First-Team All-WCAC selection.