University of Illinois
Minnesota
Game Notes | Illini Set for Final Road Game at Minnesota
February 23, 2022 | Women's Basketball
| ILLINOIS (6-17, 1-11 B1G) at Minnesota (12-16, 5-11 B1G) | |
|---|---|
| Date | Time | Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 | 7 p.m. CT |
| Location | Williams Arena | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Watch | B1G+ |
| Radio | Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen |
| Live Stats | Sidearm Stats |
| Printable Notes | Illinois |
| Minnesota | GopherSports.com |
| Shop | Online Store |
| Social Media | @IlliniWBB  | #Illini | @IlliniWBB  | Facebook  | YouTube  |
PREVIEW
Opening Tip
The Fighting Illini face their final road test of the 2021-22 regular season on Thursday, traveling to Minneapolis, Minn., for a matchup vs. Minnesota.
» Tipoff between the Fighting Illini (6-17, 1-11 B1G) and the Golden Gophers (12-16, 5-11 B1G) is set for 7 p.m. CT from Williams Arena.
» The game will be streamed live on B1G+.
» 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 are also available at FightingIllini.com.
About the Illini
Illinois enters Thursday at Minnesota with an overall record of 6-17 (1-11 B1G), and will be looking to snap a nine-game skid, overall, and secure the team's first win away from State Farm Center this season.
» The Illini are 0-7 on the road and 0-9 away from home, overall, including a pair of neutral-site games at the Daytona Beach Invitational in November.
» Offensively, the Illini have posted an improved scoring average from last season. Through 23 games, the Illini are averaging 64.30 points per game, an improvement of nearly five points per game over last year's season average of 59.6 ppg.
» Illinois enters Thursday at Minnesota with a 5-1 mark in games in which the Illini offense scores at least 70 points.
» Leading scorer, sophomore G Aaliyah Nye, ranks 19th in the Big Ten with a scoring average of 12.04 ppg, an improvement of nearly four points per game from her freshman campaign (8.1 ppg).
» Freshman G Adalia McKenzie ranks just behind Nye and is just shy of a double-figures scoring average at 8.9 points per game.
» Behind Nye and McKenzie, the Illini's offensive attack has been balanced with eight other players tallying at least one double-digit scoring game, and three others, De'Myla Brown (8.6), Jada Peebles (7.0), Kendall Bostic (6.5) entering action vs. Minnesota at 6.0 ppg or more.
» Sophomore F Kendall Bostic is the top rebounder in the Big Ten Conference and enters play this week ranked 10th nationally at 11.7 rebounds per game. Bostic, who has recorded five double-doubles on the year, is on pace to become just the sixth Illini in program history with 300 rebounds in a single season.
About Minnesota
Minnesota enters Thursday's game with an overall record of 12-16 (5-11 B1G) and are riding a two-game losing streak - vs. Rutgers (79-61) and at Nebraska (90-73) - since a 74-68 home win over Northwestern on Feb. 11.
» The Gophers went 7-5 in non-conference play including losses to three teams - No. 2/2 UConn (88-58), RV/RV Oklahoma (88-69), and RV/RV North Carolina (82-76) - that were ranked or receiving votes at the time of the contest.
» Eight of Minnesota's 11 conference losses have also come at the hands of teams that were ranked or receiving top-25 votes, while the team has posted league wins at Rutger (62-49), at Wisconsin (82-66), vs. Wisconsin (57-55), vs. Michigan State (71-60), and vs. NU (74-68).
» The Gophers are 8-7 at Williams Arena on the season, and had won three straight at home before suffering a 79-61 setback in their last home game vs. Rutgers on Feb. 17.
» Minnesota is led by is led by junior G Sara Scalia who averages 17.0 ppg (10th in the B1G). Scalia is joined in double-figures scoring by graduate transfer G Deja Winters (11.9). Junior G Jasmin Powell averaged 12.4 ppg, but left the team on Jan. 28.
» Scalia also leads the team in three-pointers (88), ranking sixth nationally and second in the Big Ten at 3.14 three-points per game.
» Winters leads the Gophers' defensive effort with team highs of 28 blocks and 44 steals.
» Redshirt junior F Kadi Sissoko is the team's top rebounder, pulling down 5.1 rebounds per game, while adding 9.5 points per contest.
» Head coach Lindsay Whalen, is in her fourth season at the helm of the program. Whalen played for the Gophers from 2000-04, closing her career as the program's all-time leading scorer (currently second) before going on to a 15-year WNBA career.
Series vs. Minnesota
Sunday's matchup vs. Minnesota marks the 70th in the series between the Illini and the Golden Gophers dating back to the 1974-75 season.
» Illinois leads the all-time series, 39-30. The Illini are 13-19 in games played in Minneapolis, 24-10 in Champaign, and 2-1 in neutral-site contests.
» The two programs split a pair of matchups during the 2020-21 campaign, each winning on its home court. Minnesota captured an 83-73 win at Williams Arena on Feb. 10, 2021, and Illinois won at State Farm Center, 72-64, on March 5, 2021.
» Overall, the Illini have won three of the last four matchups in the series. Prior to last year's home win in the regular-season finale, the Orange and Blue claimed a 74-71 win in Champaign on Jan. 12, 2020 after also earning a 66-62 win in Minneapolis on Jan. 6, 2019 over the then-No. 12-ranked Gophers.
» Sunday's matchup is the only scheduled game between Illinois and Minnesota this season.
Up Next
The Fighting Illini close the 2021-22 regular season, hosting the Rutgers on Senior Day at State Farm Center.
» Tipoff between the Illini and the Scarlet Knights is set for 2 p.m. CT, and the game will be streamed live on B1G+.
» Rutgers (9-18, 1-23 B1G) hosts Iowa on Thursday.
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.
