QUICK HITS
THE COACHES
ILLINOIS: Nancy Fahey // 19-42 at Illinois (3rd year) // 756-175 overall (34th year)
CHICAGO STATE: Misty Opat // 2-28 at Chicago State (2nd year)
SERIES NOTES vs. CHICAGO STATE
Series Record: Illinois leads, 6-0
Last Meeting: November 15, 2017 // Illinois 66, Chicago State 56 // Champaign, Ill.
Series Streak: W-6
Series in Champaign: Illinois leads, 3-0
Series in Chicago: Illinois leads, 1-0
Fahey vs. Chicago State: 1-0
Illinois is...
...opening the 2019-20 campaign on Tuesday
...hosting its third annual Field Trip Day
...welcoming four newcomers this season
...returning 10 members from last year's squad
...set to face 10 opponents coming off postseason appearances
...set for five weekend nonconference matchups
...2-0 in season-openers under Nancy Fahey
• TUESDAY'S GAME: Illinois opens regular season play on Tuesday, November 5 against Chicago State. The game will mark the third-ever Field Trip Day at the State Farm Center, welcoming elementary and middle school children from around the state. Live audio for the game will be streamed on FightingIllini.com and the game will be broadcast via BTN Plus.
• COMING UP: Illinois returns to action on Saturday, November 9, hosting Holy Cross at 2 p.m. The game will mark the second meeting between the two teams, and the first in Champaign. The Illini will host Kids Club Day on Saturday, giving away free Illini notebooks to all All-American Kids Club Members. Fans can also purchase four tickets for Saturday's game for just $15.
• LAST TIME VS. CHICAGO STATE: The Illini and Cougars have met six times in program history, with the Illini holding a 6-0 advantage in the series. The Cougars last came to Champaign in 2017 with the Orange and Blue earning a 66-56 victory. Then a sophomore, Ali Andrews was among Illini scoring leaders with 15 points on 3-for-4 shooting from distance. She also added eight rebounds and five blocks in the matchup.
• SCOUTING CHICAGO STATE: Chicago State will also open up its 2019-20 campaign on Tuesday, marking the second season under the direction of head coach Misty Opat. The Cougars went 2-28 last season, earning wins over Grand Canyon and Seattle University. Chicago State returns its two leading scorers from last season in Tyeshia Bowers and Ines Mata Boix who averaged 12.3 and 9.1 points per game, respectively. Mata Boix also led the team in rebounds last season, averaging 10.7 per game and racking up 51 blocked shots on the year. As a team, the Cougars averaged 55.5 points per game last season, allowing 85 points per game from their opponents.
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, beginning on Tuesday, November 5 against Chicago State. 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.
ONE OF THE GREATS
Illinois head coach Nancy Fahey is in the midst of quite the storied career. She has accumulated 756 career victories, a number that ranks among the top totals in the NCAA. Her win total currently checks in at No. 20 among all NCAA head coaches, a category that's led by Pat Summitt (1098). Fahey's 756 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 wtih 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 115 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 90 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.
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.
