THE COACHES
ILLINOIS: Nancy Fahey // 9-10 at Illinois (1st year) // 746-143 overall (32nd year)
MICHIGAN STATE: Suzy Merchant // 237-113 at Michigan State (11th year) // 438-233 overall (23rd year)
SERIES NOTES vs. MICHIGAN STATE
Series Record: Illinois trails, 28-41
Last Meeting: January 1, 2017 // Michigan State 71, Illinois 47 // East Lansing, Mich.
Series Streak: L-5
Series in Champaign: Illinois trails, 15-16
Series in East Lansing: Illinois trails, 10-22
Fahey vs. Michigan State: 0-0
Illinois is...
...9-10 on the season and in the Nancy Fahey era
...live on the Big Ten Network Tuesday night
...welcoming Michigan State for Hail to the Orange Night
...headed out on a two-game road swing, beginning Jan. 20
...led in scoring and rebounding by Alex Wittinger
...6th in the the B1G for its 73-percent free throw shooting
...7th in the B1G for it's offensive rebounding numbers
QUICK HITS
• TUESDAY'S GAME: The Illini are at home to host Michigan State on Tuesday, Jan. 16, with tip off set for 8 p.m. The game will mark Hail to the Orange Night, and will air live on the Big Ten Network. Fans in attendance will receive a free Hail to the Orange t-shirt.
• COMING UP: Illinois will hit the road for back-to-back matchups, heading to Michigan on Jan. 20 and Penn State on Jan. 23. The Orange and Blue return to Champaign for the annual Pack the House game on Jan. 28.
• LAST TIME OUT: Fighting Illini women's basketball battled the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Wednesday, falling 80-72. The Illini kept the game close throughout, coming within one possession in the final minute of play. The Huskers used strong three-point shooting and late free throws to secure the victory inside State Farm Center. Four Illini put up double-digit scoring numbers, led by Alex Wittinger who closed the night with a season-best 23 points. Sophomore Brandi Beasley earned her first double-double of the season dishing a career-high 11 assists and posting 10 points. It's the third double-double of her career. Sophomores Ali Andrews and Courtney Joens also finished in double digits, each scoring 13 points and netting three three-pointers.
• SCOUTING MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans come to Champaign after an 82-68 victory over No. 11 Maryland and boast a 3-2 record in league play. Michigan State has earned wins over Northwestern and Indiana as well. The Spartans are led in scoring by Shay Colley (11.1 ppg), and led in rebounding by Jenna Allen (5.3 rpg). Allen and Sidney Cooks also join Colley in averaging double-digit scoring numbers for Michigan State.
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 629 total minutes played this season rank 38th in the country and 10th in the Big Ten. Beasley comes in at sixth in the Big Ten for her 84.2-percent free throw shooting. Her 3.9 assists per game check in at No. 10 in the league, while her 74 total assists come in at No. 11.
Junior Alex Wittinger ranks third in the Big Ten 4.1 offensive boards per game and for her 2.5 blocked shots per game. Her 48 blocks this season check in at No. 9 in the nation. Wittinger leads the Illini, averaging 8.9 total rebounds per game, which checks in at fifth in the Big Ten. Her 170 boards this year rank 24th in the nation and fifth in the league. The Delano, Minnesota, native, has netted 121 field goals this season, putting herself at No. 10 in the Big Ten and No. 41 in the country. Her 14.2 points per game rank 13th in the Big Ten.
Sophomore Ali Andrews is shooting 42.4-percent from three-point range this season (28-66), a number that ranks fourth in the Big Ten.
As a team, the Orange and Blue rank sixth in the Big Ten for their 73-percent free throw shooting and Illinois' 4.4 blocked shots per game check in at eighth overall. The Illini are averaging 12.1 offensive rebounds per game in league play, which comes in at No. 7 in the league.
ILLINI IN BIG TEN PLAY
Junior Alex Wittinger and sophomore Brandi Beasley continue to lead the Illini through league play. Wittinger is averaging 17.4 points per game in Big Ten play on 54.4-percent shooting, while Beasley averages 10.4 points per contest. Wittinger has tallied 45 rebounds through five league games, and comes in at No. 5 in the Big Ten for her 9.0 rebounds per game in Big Ten play.
Wittinger is second in the league with her 4.6 offensive boards per game in Big Ten play as well. She sits just behind Maryland's Stephanie Jones in that category. Wittinger is averaging 2.8 blocked shots per Big Ten contest to rank second, and her 17.4 points per game in league play come in at No. 8 along with her 54.4-percent shooting.
Beasley checks in at No. 3 in the Big Ten for her 5.0 assists per game in conference play.
Ali Andrews ranks third in the big ten for her 47.1-percent three-point shooting in league play. She is 8-of-17 from distance.
As a team, Illinois is shooting 35.3-percent from three-point range in Big Ten play, which ranks sixth in the league, and the Illini average 6.0 thee-pointers per game in Big Ten play to rank seventh. The team's 4.4 blocked shots per game come in at No. 7 in the Big Ten, and Illinois' 11.8 offensive boards per game check in at No. 9.
BLOCK IT OUT
The Illini are big on rejection lately, as the squad has recorded more blocked shots than its opponent in 13 games and hold an 8-5 record when out-blocking the competition. Illinois has tallied the same number of blocked shots as its opponent in four games, including blocking six shots against No. 15 Maryland.
WATCHING WITTINGER
Illini junior Alex Wittinger has been on point over the last five games as she is shooting 54.4-percent from the floor (43-of-79). Wittinger has grabbed a team-leading 23 offensive boards during that span, and 9.0 total boards per game. She has led Illinois in scoring in three of the last five games, and in rebounding in four of the last five. Sophomore Brandi Beasley has led the team in scoring in two of the last five games, and is averaging 10.4 points per game in that time. She's knocked down 8-of-10 from the charity stripe and has dished 25 assists. Sophomore Ali Andrews has also been strong over the last five games, knocking down 50-percent of her shots and making 8-of-17 from distance. She is averaging 8.4 points per game in that span.
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.
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 almost three points more per game in the second half versus the first half of games. UI outrebounds its opponents in the second half and the squad is more accurate from the free throw line after the break, knocking down 75.8-percent of its shots from the charity stripe. Sophomore Ali Andrews is perfect in the second half, as she has knocked down 12-of-12 foul shots, and Beasley is shooting 83.3-percent from the stripe after halftime. As a team, Illinois is shooting 40.2-percent from the field in the second half.
HAPPY AT HOME
Illinois has grabbed six wins on Lou Henson Court so far this year, as the Illini are playing strongly at home. UI is shooting just over 40-percent from the floor at home (40.5) and knocks down 74.8-percent of its free throws while in Champaign. Alex Wittinger and Brandi Beasley lead Illinois in scoring at home, and Kennedy Cattenhead is shooting 56-percent from the floor. UI is averaging 7.3 steals per game at the State Farm Center, also forcing 14.5 opponent turnovers per matchup.
FREE THROW FEST
The Orange and Blue are sixth in the Big Ten for their 73-percent free throw shooting this season. The Illini have knocked down 195-of-267 foul shots, led by Brandi Beasley who has netted 48-of-57 from the stripe. Beasley's 84.2-percent free throw shooting ranks sixth in the league and she has been perfect from the charity stripe in six games this year. Six Illini are shooting 70-percent or better from the free throw line, including Ali Andrews, who is also shooting 84.2-percent from the line (16-of-19). Illinois' accuracy improves as the game gets further along, as the Orange and Blue are shooting 75.8-percent from the charity stripe in the second half of games, compared to 67.4-percent in the opening half.
DISHING IT OUT
Illini sophomore Brandi Beasley leads Illinois with her 74 assists this season, along with junior Jaelyne Kirkpatrick who has passed out 34 dimes. Beasley ranks 10th in the Big Ten for her 3.9 assists per game, and has recorded at least one assist in every game of her career (50). She has passed out five or more assists in four games this season and in 14 career games. Her 5.0 assists per game in league play rank third in the Big Ten.
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 28 treys this year, shooting 42.4-percent from beyond the arc. She ranks fourth in the Big Ten for her three-point shooting percentage.
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 746 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.
BLOCKING UP THE RECORD BOOKS
In her junior season, Alex Wittinger has already had quite the career for the Illini. She has 48 rejections through 19 games this season, a number that currently ranks 11th 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. 172 Alex Wittinger 2016-
4. 163 Lacey Simpson 2005-10
5. 156 Kendra Gantt 1981-85
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.
