QUICK HITS

Illinois is...

...2-0 on the season after an OT win over Holy Cross

...taking on Austin Peay for the second time in school history

...3-0 in season-openers under Nancy Fahey 

...welcoming four newcomers this season

...returning 10 members from last year's squad

...among B1G leaders for its 12.0 steals per game 

...second in the league for its 17.5 offensive rebounds per game

THE COACHES

ILLINOIS: Nancy Fahey  //  21-42 at Illinois (3rd year)  //  758-175 overall (34th year)

AUSTIN PEAY: David Midlick //  57-85 at Austin Peay (5th year) // 102-81 overall (7th year)

SERIES NOTES vs. AUSTIN PEAY

Series Record: Illinois leads, 1-0

Last Meeting: December 16, 2017 // Illinois 59, Austin Peay 47 // Champaign, Ill.

Series Streak: W-1

Series in Champaign: Illinois leads, 1-0

Series in Clarksville: None

Fahey vs. Austin Peay: 0-0

• WEDNESDAY'S GAME: The Illini will host Austin Peay on Wednesday, Nov. 13 in a 7 p.m. matchup. The game will mark International Student Night, welcoming all University of Illinois international students to sing the traditional 3-in-1 at halftime on the court.  

• COMING UP: Illinois hosts another weekend contest on Saturday, welcoming the Illinois State Redbirds to town for a 2 p.m. contest. The game will mark UI's alumni game, welcoming women's basketball alumni back to Champaign-Urbana. Saturday's game will be streamed via BTN Plus, and fans can listen in on WDWS AM-1400. 

• LAST TIME OUT:  Fighting Illini women's basketball defeated the Holy Cross Crusaders on Saturday afternoon in a gritty, overtime thriller. Senior Ali Andrews led Illinois with 20 points and 11 rebounds, good for her first double-double of the season. Illini freshmen Jada Peebles and Jeanae Terry were also key contributors, putting up 17 and 12 points each, respectively. Terry added five assists on the day, and fellow freshman Kennedi Myles tallied 11 points and swiped five steals for the Orange and Blue. With Saturday's 78-75 win, Illinois improved to 2-0 on the season.

• SCOUTING AUSTIN PEAY: The Austin Peay Governors are also 2-0 on the season, coming to Champaign after an 82-62 win over Christian Brothers. The Governors are averaging 92.5 points per game this season, led by freshman Shay-Lee Kirby (16.5 ppg) and Tahanee Bennell (13.5 ppg). Austin Peay returns four of its starters and nine letterwinners from last year's 15-15 campaign, including Preseason All-Ohio Valley Conference honoree Arielle Gonzalez-Varner. 

2019-20 SEASON SLATE

The Orange and Blue are in store for an exciting slate in Nancy Fahey's third season at the helm of the program.  The Illini will take on 10 teams who saw postseason action during the 2018-19 season, including Northwestern, who advanced to the 2019 WNIT Championship game. The Orange and Blue are also set to welcome six of those opponents to the State Farm Center this season.

The 2019-20 nonconference slate features nine home contests, including five weekend matchups. Illinois will play an 18-game Big Ten schedule. It is the seventh time in the last 13 years the conference has played an 18-game schedule. Illinois will face five schools both home and away and play the eight remaining schools once. Of the single-play opponents, the Illini will play four at home and four on the road.

The FAHEY ERA CONTINUES

The Illini are in their third season under the direction of head coach Nancy Fahey. In her first season at Illinois, Fahey coached the Orange and Blue to a 9-5 nonconference record, which marked 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. Under Fahey's guidance, Illini junior Alex Wittinger garnered All-Big Ten Second Team honors, and also matched the school record for single-season offensive rebounds (125). Wittinger earned the program's second-ever triple double during the 2017-18 campaign, and set a new single-game record for blocked shots (11).

In her second season at the helm of the Illini, Fahey 's squad opened the year with a 7-0 record on Lou Henson Court for the first time since the 2006-07 season. The Orange and Blue opened the 2018-19 campaign with an 8-3 start in nonconference play, marking a .727 nonconference winning percentage. That number is the highest for an Illini squad since starting the 2014-15 campaign with a 9-5 nonconference record (.750). Fahey's squad has improved statistically in several categories under her leadership. The Orange and Blue averaged seven more points per game last season than in 2017-18, and improved their field goal percentage by more than four percent. 

FIGHTING FRESHMEN

Fighting Illini freshmen Jada Peebles, Kennedi Myles and Jeanae Terry came up big for Illinois in Saturday's OT win over Holy Cross. The three combined for 40 of UI's 78 points and added 12 rebounds, eight steals and eight assists. Myles is currently leading the Big Ten with her 11.0 boards per game and her 5.0 offensive rebounds. She ranks second in the league averaging 3.5 steals per contest. Terry ranks among the top 10 in the league with her 2.0 blocks per game.

HOT HOLESINSKA

Redshirt junior Petra Holesinska returned with a bang in the 2019-20 season opener, leading the team with a career-high 29 points on 9-for-16 shooting and five three-pointers. Her five treys match her previous career-best, and her nine field goals made set a new career mark as well. Holesinska's 29 points are the most for an Illini in a season opener in the 21st century. 

MYLES AND MYLES

Freshman Kennedi Myles was also hot for the Illini in the 2019-20 season opener, she opened the year with her first career double-double. Myles tallied 17 points and 15 rebounds in the contest, marking the most boards by an Illini since Alex Wittinger grabbed 16 on February 13, 2018 against Ohio State. Myles followed that up with a double-figure scoring performance in UI's overtime win over Holy Cross. 

ONE OF THE GREATS

Illinois head coach Nancy Fahey is in the midst of quite the storied career. She has accumulated 758 career victories, a number that ranks among the top totals in the NCAA. Her win total currently checks in at No. 19 among all NCAA head coaches, a category that's led by Pat Summitt (1098). Fahey's 757 career victories also rank eighth among current active NCAA Division I head coaches and 11th among all active NCAA head coaches. She has racked up the second-most career victories among active Big Ten head coaches as well. Of active head coaches with more than 700 victories, Fahey's .812 winning percentage ranks second only to Geno Auriemma (.884) and is tied with Stanford head coach Tara VanDerveer who boasts a 1067-247 career record. 

BRINGING BACK BEASLEY

Among team scoring leaders last season, Brandi Beasley returns for her senior season in 2019-20. Beasley averaged 11.6 points per game on the year in 2018-19, leading the Illini with her 4.9 assists per game. Beasley closed last season with 146 total dimes, a number that ranks eighth all-time on Illinois' single-season assists list. She currently sits at No. 6 for her 377 career assists. Beasley ranked fourth in the Big Ten last season for her 4.9 dimes per game.

ANDREWS OUTSIDE THE ARC

Also in her senior season, Illini Ali Andrews returns for Illinois this year. She was among team leaders for her 8.8 points per game last season and for her 38 three-pointers. Andrews has netted 120 treys for the Illini so far in her career at Illinois, which ranks seventh all-time in Illinois' history. Redshirt junior Petra Holesinska is also on that list, having racked up 95 treys so far. She comes in at No. 12. 

2019-20 NEWCOMERS

Illinois welcomes four newcomers to the squad for the 2019-20 campaign in Taylor Edwards, Kennedy Myles, Jeanae Terry and Jada Peebles. Edwards joins the Illini squad after spending four seasons with the Illinois softball program. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Myles was a two-year captain at Walnut Hills High school and was honored as an All-Conference player four times in her career. Peebles comes to Champaign from Raleigh, North Carolina where she was the North Atlantic Defensive Player of the Year.  Ranked the No. 18 guard in the class of 2019, Terry joins the Orange and Blue from Detroit, Michigan.  

All four newcomers made their Illini debut in UI's season opener against Chicago State, with Myles and Peebles earning spots among the starting lineup.

HOME SWEET HOME

The Illini got off to a strong start inside State Farm Center last season, opening the year with a 7-0 record on Lou Henson Court. Prior to the 2018-19 season, the last time an Illinois squad started the year with a 7-0 record at the State Farm Center was the 2006-07 season. Illinois went 7-0 at home to start the 2015-16 campaign, but the first four games were played at Parkland College due to arena renovations. 

The Illini shot 44-percent from the floor and outscored opponents opponents by 1.5 points per game inside State Farm Center in 2018-19 season. Then in her junior season, Brandi Beasley was among scoring leaders on her home court, averaging 11.1 points per game. She dished 90 of her 146 dimes at home. Ali Andrews was strong from distance at home in her junior campaign as she made 24 of her 38 treys at home. 

CLEAR BAG POLICY

Beginning last season, fans attending events at State Farm Center will be permitted to carry one clear plastic or vinyl bag that does not exceed 12"x6"x12", or one clear drawstring bag not to exceed 12"x12", or one, one-gallon clear plastic or zip-lock bag. A small clutch no larger than 4.5" x 7" may also be carried in addition to one clear bag. Diaper bags (with child) and bags approved for medical needs will be permitted after search by security personnel. All other bags, backpacks, totes and coolers are strictly prohibited. To present a safe event for everyone, jackets may be searched upon entry. If prohibited items are found, the item will be confiscated OR the guest may personally return it to their vehicle or otherwise dispose of the item away from the facility. State Farm Center does not check or otherwise safeguard personal belongings. This bag policy is subject to change. Please check the event details for any additional specific event restrictions.

Check here for more information: http://www.statefarmcenter.com/plan-your-visit/clear-bag-policy.

ILLINI ON TV 

Five of Illinois' games will air live on television this season, with three featured on the Big Ten Network. The Illini will make their television debut on Dec. 5 at North Carolina, appearing on the ACC Network, and the team will appear on the SEC Network Dec. 20 at Missouri. Illinois will make its Big Ten Network debut on January 6 at Indiana, with a tip time set for 6 p.m. CT. Illinois will have one home game televised live on the network, January 12 against Minnesota. Illinois will take on Northwestern on BTN at on February 29. The game time will be set for either 1 p.m. of 5 p.m. CT.  The 2019 Big Ten Tournament will be aired on the Big Ten Network, wcovering the first round through the semifinals from March 4-7, with ESPN2 set to air the tournament championship game on March 8. All of Illinois' remaining games will be live streamed via BTN Plus. 

All BTN on-air games can be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets and connected devices on through the FOX Sports app. More than 100 additional games also will be streamed on BTN+, with a full schedule available online at btnplus.com.

ILLINI WBB TICKETS

Season and single-game tickets for the 2018-19 Fighting Illini women's basketball season are available now. Fans can renew, upgrade or purchase new season tickets online, at the Illinois ticket office located inside the West Main entrance of State Farm Center, or by phone at 1-866-ILLINI-1.  General admission women's basketball season tickets are available for $40 each, while the combined women's basketball/volleyball season ticket is $80. Reserved season tickets in sections 101 and 109-113 are also available for $75. Floor seating, located behind the team benches (sections 10-12) is available for just $55 each. A limited number of courtside seats still remain for $100 each.