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PREVIEW
Opening Tip
The Fighting Illini close out the 2021-22 regular season, hosting Rutgers on Senior Day, Sunday afternoon at State Farm Center.
» Tipoff between the Fighting Illini (6-18, 1-12 B1G) and the Scarlet Knights (9-19, 2-14 B1G) is set for 2 p.m. CT.
» The game will be streamed live on B1G+ with Scott Sudikoff (play-by-play), Anthony Pasquale (analyst) and Karidia Shelby (sideline).
» 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.
» The Illini will honor three senior student-athletes - Sara Anastasieska, Geovana Lopes and Eva Rubin - along with four senior team managers in a post-game celebration for Senior Day.
NGWSD CELEBRATION
In addition to Sunday's Illini women's basketball Senior Day celebration, many of the other Fighting Illini women's athletics programs will be hosting a fun-filled clinics and other activities throughout the State Farm Center concourse in celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day.
» Fans will also have the opportunity to enjoy a photo station, inflatables, a poster-making station, and more.
» The first 500 fans in attendance will also get a commemorative water bottle celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX.
» Doors open at 1 p.m. CT and free tickets are available for anyone 18 and under. The free tickets must be claimed (one per individual) at the State Farm Center ticket office at the west entrance on the day of the game.
About the Illini
Illinois enters Sunday vs. Rutgers with an overall record of 6-18 (1-12 B1G), and will be looking to snap a 10-game skid, overall, and secure the teams second conference win of the season.
» The Illini are 6-8 at State Farm Center, but have lost their last five home games since a 68-47 win over Wisconsin on Jan. 9.
» Offensively, the Illini have posted an improved scoring average from last season. Through 24 games, the Illini are averaging 63.9 points per game, an improvement of more than four points per game over last year's season average of 59.6 ppg.
» Illinois enters Sunday vs. Rutgers 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 12.13 ppg, an improvement of more than 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 9.1 points per game. McKenzie also ranks second on the team in rebounding (4.2 rpg).
» 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 (8.4), Jada Peebles (7.2), Kendall Bostic (6.3) entering action vs. Rutgers 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 ninth nationally at 11.58 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 Rutgers
Rutgers enters Sunday's game with an overall record of 9-19 (2-14 B1G) and are riding a two-game losing streak - vs. Purdue (70-59) and vs. No. 22 Iowa (87-78) - since back-to-back conference wins vs. Penn State (71-62) on Feb. 13 and at Minnesota (79-61) on Feb. 17.
» The Scarlet Knights went 7-5 in non-conference play, and started 0-12 in Big Ten play before their win over the Lady Lions.
» Rutgers is 1-11 away from Jersey Mike's Arena, including three losses on neutral floor, but are coming off a win at Minnesota in their most recent road trip prior to this weekend.
» RU is led by is led by forward Osh Brown a graduate transfer from Ball State who ranks as the team leader in scoring (10.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.1 rpg).
» Senior G Lasha Petree a transfer from Bradley, ranks second on the team in scoring at 8.7 ppg, and is the team's top three-point threat, having knocked down 37 three-pointers on 38.9 percent from beyond the arc.
» Shug Dickson, a graduate transfer guard from Missouri, leads the team with 75 assists while chipping in with 8.1 points per contest.
» Acting head coach Timothy Eatman, is in his seventh season overall at Rutgers and his first as the coach of record in place of C. Vivian Stringer who has taken a leave of absence from the team for the 2021-22 season. Eatman previously served as a head coach at UIC from 1998-2002.
Series vs. Rutgers
Sunday's matchup vs. Rutgers marks just the 10th in the series between the Illini and the Scarlet Knights dating back to the 2014-15 season.
» Illinois trails the all-time series, 8-1. The Illini are 1-3 in games played in Champaign and 0-5 in Piscataway. The two programs have never met on a neutral floor.
» Last season, Rutgers won the only matchup between the two programs with a 75-46 home win at the RAC.
» Overall, the Illini have lost five straight matchups to RU since a 78-41 win a State Farm Center on Jan. 7, 2017.
» Sunday's matchup is the only scheduled game between Illinois and Rutgers this season.
Up Next
The Fighting Illini will begin their postseason run, as they prepare for a first-round matchup at next week's 2021 Big Ten Women's Basketball Championship at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind.
» The Illini will play in one of two Round 1 games, with seeding to be determined based on the outcome of Sunday's home finale vs. Rutgers.
» With a win over the Scarlet Knights, the Illini would finish as the No. 13 seed and would face the No. 12 seed in Game 1 of the tourney at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT on Wednesday.
» With a loss on Sunday, the Illini would finish as the No. 14 seed and would face the No. 11 seed in Game 2 of the tourney at 4:30 p.m. ET/3:30 p.m. CT on 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.
FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)
