Opening Tip
Following the holiday break - which was extended a week by the postponement of Illinois' games vs. Maryland (Dec. 30) and at Iowa (Jan. 2) - the Fighting Illini return to conference play at Ohio State on Thursday, Dec. 6.
» Tipoff between the Fighting Illini (5-7, 0-1 B1G) and the host Buckeyes (9-3, 1-2 B1G ) is set for 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT at OSU's Schottenstein Center.
» The game will be streamed live on B1G+ with Zachary Nienaber (play-by-play) and Matt Goldman (analyst).
» Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (1400 AM / 93.9 FM). » Streaming audio and live stats is also available at FightingIllini.com.
About the Illini
Illinois enters Thursday's matchup at Ohio State with an overall record of 5-7 (0-1 B1G), and will be playing their first game in 15 days since a home loss to Missouri on Dec. 22.
» Illinois' two most recently scheduled games, Dec. 30 vs. Maryland and Jan. 2 at Iowa, were postponed due to COVID-19 related concerns within the Illini program.
» The Illini are 5-3 at home, most recently coming off of a loss to Missouri at State Farm Center on Dec. 22.
» The team is 0-4 away from home with a pair of neutral-site losses - vs. Dayton and Middle Tennessee - as part of the Daytona Beach Invitational over Thanksgiving weekend, and a setback in their Big Ten opener at Michigan State on Dec. 9 prior to a loss at Southern Illinois on Dec. 19.
» Offensively, the Illini have opened the season with an improved scoring average from last season. Through 12 games, the Illini are averaging 65.1 points per game, an improvement of nearly six points per game over last year's season average of 59.6 ppg.
» Illinois enter Thursday's matchup at Ohio State with a 5-0 mark in games in which the Illini offense scores at least 70 points.
» Leading scorer, sophomore G Aaliyah Nye, is averaging 11.3 ppg, an improvement of more than three points per game from her freshman campaign (8.1 ppg).
» Behind Nye, the Illini's offensive attack has been balanced with eight other players tallying at least one double-digit scoring game so far this season, and three others - De'Myla Brown (9.5), Jada Peebles (9.1), and Adalia McKenzie (9.1) entering action vs. OSU averaging better than 9.0 ppg.
» Sophomore F Kendall Bostic averages a team-leading 11.3 rebounds per game, first in the Big Ten Conference and 11th nationally..
About Ohio State
Ohio State enters Thursday's game with an overall record of 9-3 (1-2 B1G), and is coming off of a 90-71 loss at No. 9/7 Michigan in their most recent game on Dec. 31.
» OSU's game on Jan. 3 vs. Penn State was postponed due to COVID-19 concerns within the Nittany Lions' program.
» The Buckeyes went 9-1 in non-conference play, aided by a 5-0 start with blowout wins over Bucknell (71-48), Norfolk State (86-48), Bowling Green (94-63), Bellarmine (110-58) and Cincinnati (86-50) before a 97-91 loss at Syracuse as part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge on Dec. 1.
» OSU is 4-2 since the loss to the Orange, with a conference road win at Purdue (70-53) on Dec. 5, followed by Big Ten losses vs. Indiana (86-66) on Dec. 12 and at MIchigan (90-71) on Dec. 31.
» OSU is 7-1 at home and is coming off of a 97-51 victory over Alabama State in their most recent game at the Schottenstein Center since their home loss to the No. 10/8-ranked Indiana on Dec. 12.
» Ohio State is led by led by junior G Jacy Sheldon, a 2020-21 second team All-B1G selection. Sheldon leads the team and ranks fifth in the B1G in scoring at 19.3 ppg. Sheldon also leads the team in steals (23) and free-throw percentage (.875).
» Senior G Taylor Mikesell and junior F Rebeka Mikulasikova also average double-figures scoring at 17.7 ppg and 11.3 ppg, respectively.
» Mikesell ranks as one of the nation's top three-point threats, leading the Big Ten in both three-pointers made per game (3.75) and three-pointer percentage (.511).
» Mikulasikova is the Buckeyes' top rebounder, pulling down 5.3 rebounds per game.
» Head coach Kevin McGuff is in his ninth season at the helm of the OSU program after previously serving as the head coach for two seasons at Washington (2011-13) and nine more at Xavier (2002-11).
Series vs. Ohio State
Thursday's matchup at Ohio State marks the 75th in the series between the Illini and the Buckeyes.
» Illinois trails in the all-time series, 20-54. The Illini are 5-28 all-time in games played against the Buckeyes in Columbus, while posting a 14-20 mark in Champaign, and a 1-6 record in neutral-site contests.
» The Illini last defeated the Buckeyes, 66-55, in Champaign on Feb. 14, 2015. OSU has won eight straight in the series.
» Illinois' last road win the series came Jan. 6, 2013 (79-73). OSU has won five straight at home vs. the Illini..
Up Next
The Fighting Illini return to State Farm Center to play host to Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon.
» Tipoff between the Illini and the visiting Badgers is set for 2 p.m. CT.
» Wisconsin is 3-9 overall and is off to an 0-2 start to Big Ten play. The Badgers are scheduled to host Indiana on Wednesday evening in their first Big Ten action since early-December losses at Northwestern (61-49) and vs. Michigan (93-81).
» The Badgers opened the season with a win over St. Thomas (67-51) and moved to 2-4 with a neutral-site victory over Boise State (60-45) on Nov. 27 in Boulder, Colo. UW lost their next five before capturing a 70-60 home win over Illinois State on Dec. 16, their most recent game entering Wednesday.
Follow The Illini
For more Fighting Illini women's basketball news, stay tuned to FightingIllini.com and follow @IlliniWBB on social media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook.
