The women’s basketball team has played two games thus far, but the difference about Saturday’s upcoming game is that it will count.

The Illini host Arkansas-Pine Bluff at the Assembly Hall at 7 p.m.

The Illini come into Saturday’s game 2-0 in exhibition games defeating BK Poprad 114-74 – scoring more points than any other Illini team – and besting the Ohio Girl’s Basketball Review Legend team 62-45.

Last season, the Illini finished tenth in the Big Ten with an overall record of 10-17.

“We’ve been looking forward to this,” said point guard Maggie Acuna. “It’s definitely good to start the season. We’ve learned a lot from our exhibition games, now it’s time to play for real.”

Sophomore center Brittney Daugherty is expected to miss Saturday’s game. In Monday’s exhibition against the Ohio Legends, Daugherty collided with another player and hurt her knee.

Daugherty had nine points and 12 rebounds on Monday.

“I don’t anticipate her playing on Saturday,” said head coach Theresa Grentz. “She is definitely feeling better, but it is going to take a little time to get better.”

Without Daugherty, the responsibility in the paint relies heavily on sophomore forward Audrey Tabon, freshmen forwards Stephanie Chelleen and Danyel Crutcher and sophomore forward Erin Wigley, Grentz said.

Thus far, Crutcher and Tabon have had impressive performances in two exhibition games. Crutcher is averaging 10 points per game and seven rebounds and Tabon averages 9.5 points and six rebounds.

Although Daugherty is not expected to play, senior forward Angelina Williams and junior guard Janelle Hughes are expected to play on Saturday after missing Monday’s exhibition for disciplinary reasons, Grentz said.

One focus for the Illini on Saturday will be their shooting. In the Illini’s two exhibition games, they have done well. The Illini shot 61.9 percent from the field against BK Poprad and 46.2 percent from the field against the Ohio Legends.

“We want to shoot the ball well this season,” Acuna said. “We still need to work at it. That will be our focus for Saturday.”

Last season, Arkansas-Pine Bluff finished with a record of 4-23, landing in tenth place in the Southwestern Athletic Conference. They return leading scorer Jessica Fulce, who averaged 7.7 points per game last season.

Arkansas-Pine Bluff and Illinois both like to get up and down the court.

“It is really important for us to be on the same page (in practice this week) and focus on our opponent,” Grentz said. “They are athletic and like to run. We like to run too and we should be at full strength.”

If the Illini are going to run, they cannot commit 25 turnovers like they did against the Ohio Legends last Monday.

“We definitely threw the ball away too much last game,” Acuna said. “We need to make good, smart passes on Saturday.”

Illini sign Top-100 recruit

On Tuesday, high school senior Torie Arndt signed a letter of intent to play for Illinois. Arndt, of West Branch, Ohio, is the 91st-ranked senior in the country. During her junior season, she averaged 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and shot .552 from the field. She was a second team All-State selection in 2004. Arndt, who is 6’2″ and played as a center in high school, will likely play as a guard or forward in college.

“We’re thrilled,” Grentz said. “She’s versatile and left-handed. She loves to compete and comes to play. She’s a gym rat – I like gym rats, because they are so passionate about the game.”