THE COACHES
ILLINOIS: Nancy Fahey // 9-6 at Illinois (1st year) // 746-139 overall (32nd year)
NORTHWESTERN: Joe McKeown // 156-146 at Northwestern (10th year) // 665-318 overall (32nd year)
SERIES NOTES vs. NORTHWESTERN
Series Record: Illinois trails, 34-39
Last Meeting: February 19, 2017 // Northwestern 66, Illinois 53 // Evanston, Illinois
Series Streak: L-4
Series in Champaign: Illinois leads, 18-17
Series in Evanston: Illinois trails, 13-20
Fahey vs. Northwestern: 0-0
Illinois is...
...9-6 on the season and in the Nancy Fahey era
...giving away 2018 wall calendars to fans at Sunday's game
...playing on NYE for the sixth time in program history
...led in scoring and rebounding by Alex Wittinger
...2nd in the the B1G for its 76.4-percent free throw shooting
...led in FT shooting by Brandi Beasley (40-of-47)
QUICK HITS
• SUNDAY'S GAME: Illinois will host Northwestern in Champaign on New Year's Eve, welcoming the Wildcats at 2 p.m. Illinois will give away free 2018 wall calendars for fans in attendance.
• COMING UP: Illinois will again head out East, traveling to Piscataway, New Jersey to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on Wednesday, January 3. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.
• LAST TIME OUT: Fighting Illini women's basketball opened Big Ten play on Thursday, falling to No. 15 Maryland, 100-65. Three Illini scored in double-figure, led by sophomore Brandi Beasley who finished with 16 points. Junior Alex Wittinger tallied her seventh double-double of the season (12 points, 10 rebounds), and senior Alli Ball notched her second double-digit scoring game of the season with 10 points.
• SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN: The Wildcats are 7-8 on the season, also in search of their first Big Ten victory of the season. NU closed non-conference play with a 74-40 win over Eastern Illinois before falling to Minnesota, 90-63, to open league play. The Wildcats are led in scoring by Lindsey Pulliam (15.2 ppg) and in rebounding by Pallas Kunaiyai-Akpanah (10.2 rpg). Three players are averaging double-digit scoring numbers this season, as the team averages 62.7 points per game. NU is holding opponents to just 62.5 points per game, a number that ranks fifth in the league.
ILLINI IN THE LEAGUE
Illini sophomore Brandi Beasley was tops among players in the country for her minutes played last season, and she is continuing that trend this year. Beasley's 492 total minutes played this season rank 16th in the country and eighth in the Big Ten. Beasley comes in at fifth in the Big Ten for her 85.1-percent free throw shooting. Her 3.4 assists per game check in at No. 17 in the league, while her 51 total assists come in at No. 18.
Junior Alex Wittinger ranks third in the Big Ten 4.0 offensive boards per game and for her 2.5 blocked shots per game. Her 38 blocks this season check in at No. 6 in the nation while her offensive boards per game come in at No. 23 as well. Wittinger leads the Illini, averaging 9.0 total rebounds per game, which checks in at seventh in the Big Ten. Her 135 boards this year rank 17th in the nation and fifth in the league. The Delano, Minnesota, native, has netted 84 field goals this season, putting herself at No. 1132 in the Big Ten and No. 50 in the country.
Sophomore Ali Andrews has netted 21-of-51 from distance this season, and her 41.2-percent three-point shooting checks in at No. 6 in the Big Ten.
As a team, the Orange and Blue rank second in the Big Ten for their 76.4-percent free throw shooting and 10th for their 38.3rebounds per game. Illinois' 12.3 offensive boards per game check in at ninth overall, as well as the squad's 4.5 blocked shots per game. The Illini are ranked 10th in the league, holding opponents to 38.7-percent shooting.
ILLINI WBB ON NYE
Basketball season never stops, even on New Year's Eve. The Illini are 2-3 in program history when playing on December 31, with the last matchup coming against No. 6/5 Maryland in 2015.
Dec. 31, 2015 #6/5 Maryland 79, Illinois 63
Dec. 31, 2009 Illinois 69, Penn State 60
Dec. 31, 2006 Minnesota 80, Illinois 61
Dec. 31, 1984 #11 Virginia 74, Illinois 51
Dec. 31, 1981 Illinois 78, Montclair State 72
WATCHING WITTINGER
Illini junior Alex Wittinger has been on point over the last five games as she is shooting 51.9-percent from the floor (27-of-52). She has netted 50-percent of her shots from three-point range and is a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line. Wittinger has grabbed a team-leading 25 offensive boards during that span, and 8.6 total boards per game. Sophomore Brandi Beasley has led the team in scoring in three of the last five games and is averaging a team-leading 14 points per game in that time.
LOOKING AT THE NON-CON
The Illini closed non-conference play with a 9-5 record, marking the best start to the season since Illinois also earned nine non-conference victories in the 2014-15 campaign (9-3). Illinois won four of its last five games leading up to league play, with the streak marking the most consecutive victories for the Orange and Blue since the start of the 2015-16 season when the program won its first four matchups. Illinois wrapped up non-conference play against 15th-ranked Missouri, marking the first ranked non-conference opponent for the Illini the team topped then-No. 9 Kentucky on Nov. 11, 2014. The Orange and Blue averaged 65.2 points per game and 38.6 rebounds per game in the nonconference, forcing 15.1 opponent turnovers per game.
PROTECTING THE DISTANCE
Illinois has been tough defensively as of late. The Orange and Blue have held six opponents to less than 30-percent shooting from three-point range, including holding Chicago State to just 19-percent. Not only that, but the Illini have recorded more blocked shots than all but two opponents this season, and recorded six blocks to equal Maryland's total. Illinois has outrebounded its opponent in all but five games. Illinois has also won the turnover battle in five of its last six games, forcing 16.8 opponent turnovers per game while committing just 12.8 per game.
SECOND HALF SURGE
Perseverance has been key for the Illini this season as the Orange and Blue have played strong in the second half of games. Illinois' leading scorers Brandi Beasley and Alex Wittinger are averaging about three points more per game in the second half versus the first half of games. UI outrebounds its opponents by 1.1 boards per game in the second half and the squad is more accurate from the free throw line after the break, knocking down 79.6-percent of its shots from the charity stripe. Sophomore Ali Andrews is perfect in the second half, as she has knocked down 10-of-10 foul shots.
HAPPY AT HOME
The State Farm Center has been a difficult place for opponents to play this season as Illinois has a 6-2 record on Lou Henson Court so far this year. Illinois is shooting just under 40-percent from the floor at home (39.5) and knocks down 76.3-percent of its free throws while in Champaign. Alex Wittinger and Brandi Beasley lead Illinois in scoring at home, and Kennedy Cattenhead is shooting 57.6-percent from the floor. UI is averaging 8.1 steals per game at the State Farm Center, also forcing more than 16 opponent turnovers per matchup.
FREE THROW FEST
The Orange and Blue are second in the Big Ten for their 76.4-percent free throw shooting this season. The Illini have knocked down 165-of-216 foul shots, led by Brandi Beasley who has netted 40-of-47 from the stripe. Beasley's 85.1-percent free throw shooting ranks fifth in the league and she has been perfect from the charity stripe in six games this year. Eight Illini are shooting 70-percent or better from the free throw line. Illinois' accuracy improves as the game gets further along, as the Orange and Blue are shooting 79.6-percent from the charity stripe in the second half of games, compared to 70.3-percent in the opening half.
DISHING IT OUT
Illini sophomore Brandi Beasley leads Illinois with her 51 assists this season, along with junior Jaelyne Kirkpatrick who has passed out 34 dimes. Beasley ranks 17th in the Big Ten for her total assists this season, and has recorded at least one assist in every game of her career (46).
BLOCKING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
In her junior season, Alex Wittinger has already had quite the career for the Illini. She has 38 rejections through 15 games this season, a number that currently ranks 6th in the country. Wittinger has recorded at least one block in all but one game this season. She has recorded five or more blocks in four career games.
In her first two years on the court, the Delano, Minnesota, native racked up 124 blocks and climbed to the No. 6 spot on Illinois' all-time career blocks list. She carded 74 rejections last season to rank second all-time at Illinois and she led the Big Ten with her 2.6 blocked shots per game. Wittinger became just the eighth player in Illinois history to record 100 career blocks on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017 and also set a new single-game record with her eight rejections against Wright State last season.
Illinois Career Blocked Shots List
1. 271 Karisma Penn 2009-13
2. 231 Jenna Smith 2006-10
3. 163 Lacey Simpson 2005-10
4. 162 Alex Wittinger 2016-
5. 156 Kendra Gantt 1981-85
ANDREWS AT A DISTANCE
Illini sophomore Ali Andrews was on fire against Wichita State, knocking down 6-of-8 shots from distance, and going 9-for-11 from the field. She used a career-high 26 points to help lift the Illini over the Shockers. Andrews was also 2-for-2 from the free throw line, and grabbed four rebounds.
Andrews has netted a career-best six three-pointers in two career games (Nebraska, 3/1/2017), and the performance is tied for the sixth-best for an Illini in school history. The Lake in the Hills, Illinois, native has netted a team-leading 21 treys this year, shooting 41.2-percent from beyond the arc. She ranks sixth in the Big Ten for her three-point shooting percentage.
PETRA OFF THE PINE
Sophomore Petra Holešínská leads the Illini off the bench this season, averaging 8.7 points and 3.6 boards per game. She's racked up five steals and knocked down 12 three-pointers when coming off the bench, including a season-high four against Indiana State. Senior Alli Ball is shooting 48-percent from the floor off the bench so far this season, and Cierra Rice contributes 4.1 points per game when coming off the bench. The Illini bench accounts for 18.1 points per game, highlighted by a season-best 44 points against Indiana State. Illinois' bench averages 14.3 rebounds per contest and forces almost five opponent turnovers per game.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
With five newcomers and 11 underclassmen on the roster this season, the Orange and Blue boast one of the youngest rosters in the Big Ten. The Illini are composed of 73-percent underclassmen on the court, meaning redshirt sophomore or younger, and only Purdue has a larger percentage of young players. The Boilermakers have 10 underclassmen on their 13-person roster (76-percent). The next-youngest squad in the league is Northwestern, who is 66-percent composed of underclassmen.
A NEW ERA
Illinois opened the Nancy Fahey era of women's basketball on November 10 with a victory over the Fort Wayne Mastodons. A four-time hall of fame inductee, Fahey boasts 744 career victories and led Washington University to five Division III National Championship titles. Fahey was hired as the ninth head women's basketball coach in Illinois history on March 22, 2017.
BEASLEY'S BREAKOUT YEAR
Sophomore Brandi Beasley returns for the Illini this year, looking to build on a breakout freshman campaign. A 2017 Big Ten All-Freshman Team honoree, Beasley was among team leaders for the 13.6 points per game last season and also checked in at second among all Big Ten freshmen. She dished 120 assists on the season, becoming one of just four freshmen in Illinois history to record 100 dimes in their rookie season. Beasley was among league and national leaders for her 36.2 minutes played per game. She played a full 40 minutes in six contests.
Holešínská's Hot Shooting
Sophomore Petra Holešínská returns this season after a hot-shooting freshman campaign. The Vracov, Czech Republic, native was among the top three-point shooters in the Big Ten during her freshman season, leading all the league's freshmen with her 45.6-percent three-point shooting in conference play. Holešínská netted 54 treys during 2016-17, a number that ranks third all-time among Illinois freshmen. She shot 35.5-percent from distance on the season, which ranks fifth all-time on Illinois' freshman records list.
SENIOR STORIES
The Illini are looking to redshirt senior Kennedy Cattenhead for direction this season as the Bolingbrook, Illinois, native, has appeared in 87 games for the Orange and Blue. Cattenhead has been a staple in the starting lineup for two seasons, and earned the start in all of Illinois' games this season. She will look to continue her leadership both on and off the court.
Senior Alli Ball also brings experience to Illinois' lineup as she transferred from Akron after spending three years playing for the Zips. She appeared in 90 games for Akron, earning 13 starts throughout her career. Ball had quite the debut for Illinois, leading the team with 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.
KIRKPATRICK IN CANADA
Junior Jaelyne Kirkpatrick spent her summer traveling the world as she represented her home country on the Canada Development Women's National Team. Kirkpatrick traveled to both Japan and Australia this August for the U24 Women Basketball League Four Nations 2017 Tournament and the Taipei 2017 29th Summer Universiade. Kirkpatrick played in nine games through the two tournaments, averaging 20 minutes per game. She dished 22 assists overall, and averaged four points per game.
FAHEY SIGNS THREE FOR 2018-19
Head Coach Nancy Fahey announced her first recruiting class on Nov. 8, welcoming two top-100 recruits in Mackenzie Blazek and Arieal Scott, and a national team player in J-Naya Ephraim.
MACKENZIE BLAZEK | 6-3 | Forward | Franklin, Indiana | Whiteland Community High School
2017 IBCA Underclass All-State honoree,,,2016 IBCA Underclass Large School All-State honoree...Ranked No. 90 overall by ESPN Hoopgurlz...Daily Journal 2016-17 Player of the Year...Averaged 18 points and 13.4 rebounds per game for Whiteland last season
J-NAYA EPHRAIM | 5-9 | Guard | St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands | Southern Durham High School
Averaged 16.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game for Southern Durham last season and tallied 16 double-doubles...Represented the Virgin Islands on both the U16 and U17 National Teams at the FIBA World University Games (2013-15)...NCBCA 2017 First Team All-District...2017 Big Eight Conference Player of the Year...Chose Illinois over Temple and James Madison
ARIEAL SCOTT | 5-9 | Guard | Urbana, Illinois | Urbana High School
2016 IBCA First Team 1A/2A All-State...No. 39-ranked recruit in the country according to Prospects Nation...Ranked among the top 100 players in the country by ESPN Hoopgurlz...Two-time News Gazette All-Area First Team honoree...Chose Illinois over Missouri, USC and Washington, among others
ILLINI ON THE NETWORK
Five of Illinois' contests this season will air live on the Big Ten Network, and the remaining conference games will be streamed on BTN Plus. Illinois will have four home games televised live on the network, beginning January 7 against Iowa. Illinois will also host Michigan State on BTN at 8 p.m. on January 16. The Illini will also appear on the Big Ten Network January 28 against Wisconsin and February 4 against Purdue at the State Farm Center. Illinois will also play one road game on BTN, at Michigan on January 20.
All BTN on-air games can be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets and connected devices on BTN2Go, BTN's digital extension. More than 100 additional games also will be streamed on BTN Plus on BTN2Go, and many of those will air on delay on BTN as part of the Student U initiative.
ILLINI WBB TICKETS
Illinois women's basketball season and single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at FightingIllini.com, in person at the Illinois ticket office at State Farm Center or by phone at 1-866-ILLINI-1. General admission season tickets start at $30 each, while reserved season tickets are available for $75. Single game tickets can be purchased for $5.
