PREVIEW
The Illinois women's basketball team next hosts Ohio State for National Girls and Women in Sports Day on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. CT in State Farm Center.
The Illini own a 10-11 overall record on the season after finishing off the nonconference portion of their schedule with a 9-2 record, marking the best 11-game start for Illinois since the 2006-07 season. For the second-straight game, senior Courtney Joens paced Illinois as the senior led a contingent of four Illini in double figures in a 73-64 setback to Wisconsin on Sunday (Feb. 2) in State Farm Center. Joens turned in a game-high 16 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field and a 7-of-8 mark from the free throw line, while also pulling down a team-high seven rebounds and tallying two steals. Joining her in double digits was redshirt-junior Petra Holešínská with 13 points, including a trio of three-pointers, and senior Brandi Beasley and freshman Jeanae Terry each with 10 points. Also grabbing a team-high seven boards was freshman Kennedi Myles, with Terry notching six rebounds, while Beasley added three assists on the day.
Ohio State comes into Thursday's contest with a 12-9 overall record and a 5-5 mark in conference play. After dropping two-straight, the Buckeyes earned a 80-74 overtime win over Nebraska in Lincoln on Sunday. OSU is led by sophomore Dorka Juhasz with 13.1 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, while freshman Kierstan Bell adds 10.6 points per game. As a team, OSU is shooting at a 42.5 percentage from the field, but is averaging 16.5 turnovers per game, while also forcing 17.1 giveaways on defense.
Thursday's game will be broadcast on BTN Plus, and fans can listen online at FightingIllini.com.
PROMOTIONS | NATIONAL GIRLS AND WOMEN IN SPORTS DAY
Ticket Deal: $3 group tickets (registration required)
UP NEXT
Illinois will next head on the road to University Park, Pa., to take on Penn State on Sunday (Feb 9) in the Bryce Jordan Center at 1 p.m. CT.
NOTES
- Senior Courtney Joens has been locked in the last two games, averaging 15.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on a 72.2 field goal percentage from the floor, as well as a 75.0 percentage from beyond the arc and a 80.0 clip from the charity stripe.
- Redshirt junior Petra Holešínská ranks 13th in the conference with 13.6 points per game and sits third the Big Ten with a .424 three-point shooting percentage.
- Holešínská ranks sixth all-time in program history with 143 career three-pointers, just nine three-pointers away from equaling Kyley Simmons in fifth place with 149 treys. Senior Ali Andrews sits right behind her in seventh place with 141 career treys.
- Holešínská also ranks fifth in the B1G with a .788 free-throw percentage.
- Freshman Kennedi Myles ranks in a tie for second in the Big Ten with 8.8 rebounds per game, fourth-most among all Division I true freshmen, while also sitting fifth with 2.1 steals per game in the Big Ten.
- Myles' six double-doubles ties a Illinois freshman record for double-doubles in a season.
- Senior Brandi Beasley is fourth in Illinois history with 424 career assists.
- Illinois has three freshmen - Myles, Jeanae Terry, and Jada Peebles - contributing major minutes. Those three have combined for 32% of the Illini's points, 36% of their rebounds, 44% of the team's assists, 48% of steals and 49% of blocks.
- The Illini finished the nonconference with a 9-2 record, the best start to a season since 2006-07.
- Head coach Nancy Fahey ranks 12th among NCAA active head coaches in career victories (766).
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 in 2018-19, 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.
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.
TICKETS
Season and single-game tickets for the 2019-20 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.
