The Illinois women’s basketball team opened up its season with a double dose of Panthers. On Friday the Illini faced the Eastern Illinois Panthers followed by the Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers on Sunday. Illinois was able to tame both of them.

The team tested its new full-court pressure defense for the first time this weekend, while sophomore center Jenna Smith led the team with double-doubles in both games. The team pulled off an 86-56 victory at Eastern Illinois, and came home to Champaign on Sunday to beat UW-Milwaukee 63-43 in its home opener.

In their season opener Friday, the Illini took to the court aggressively, pressing full-court from the beginning in front of a crowd of 2,358, a new attendance record for Eastern Illinois.

“Their crowd was loud so we just came out and played defense as we’ve been working on it,” said sophomore center Jenna Smith.

Although the team pulled through with a victory, Law said the team still could have played better.

“We sort of let down, let up, the game got close,” she said. “I’m upset because they got 56 points. Fifty-five for good teams is our limit.”

Smith had her sixth career double-double for the Illini, with 16 points and 19 boards.

Junior Lori Bjork led the team in scoring, putting up 22 points in 38 minutes of play, going 10 for 10 at the free throw line. Bjork matched up against the Panthers’ leading shooter, guard Jessica Huffman.

“She is legit,” Huffman said about Bjork. “I took it as a challenge to defend her.”

Huffman presumed her role as the leading scorer for her team, putting up 18 points.

“We just tried to contain her,” Law said. “We knew we weren’t going to totally stop her.”

Meanwhile, guard Chelsea Gordon made noticeable adjustments at halftime to put up 17 points, all of which came in the second half.

“I didn’t want to get my head down because in the beginning I missed a few shots,” Gordon said. “I just wanted to come out and be a spark for my team. They got within nine at one point, so I wasn’t ready to give up. I was going to jam it down their throats.”

The Illini’s pressure defense fared even better against UW-Milwaukee, as it held the Panthers to only 17 points in the first half.

Law said the team’s defensive pressure on the guards in the first half and communication on defense were what led the team to victory.

“The goal is 50, but we should have kept them under 50,” said senior forward Danyel Crutcher.

Smith recorded her seventh double-double for the Illini, leading the team with 22 points and 13 rebounds in 37 minutes of play. Smith was able to successfully box out Panther’s star center Traci Edwards, something she said she has been unable to do in the past. Crutcher, playing the post with Smith, came off the bench to play 31 minutes and tallied 13 points and five rebounds.

“I think they are the best post players in the country to be honest with you,” Law said about Smith and Crutcher. “The sky is the limit for them.”

Crutcher was able to put up the numbers of a starter even though she came off the bench.

“I can be productive either way,” Crutcher said. “I don’t mind coming off the bench because I can add a little spark either way.”

Law said the Illini will go back to the drawing board to work on forced turnovers before facing Alabama-Birmingham at home on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Wesley DeBerry contributed to this report