Welcome to the poll
Following Sunday’s win over Marquette (0-2), Illinois (2-0) snagged its first season ranking in the AP poll this week. With 100 votes, Illinois clinched No. 23, just above Stanford and Oregon.
Following the win, head coach Shauna Green answered what she hopes to accomplish with her team if they were to rank.
“It’s going to be a great test to see how we do,” Green said. “Last year, we did not do well with it.”
Last season, the Illini ranked No. 23 in the preseason. After just two weeks, Illinois dropped out of the rankings with a loss to Marquette. The team never broke back into the top 25.
Get The Daily Illini in your inbox!
This season, the Illini have a well-rounded unit that appears to have learned from last season’s mistakes — so far. The difference between starting ranked and breaking into the top 25 changes nothing for Green, and she wants to make the most of the opportunity either way. However, they have a thinning roster due to injuries of critical players like freshman forward Berry Wallace.
“You want to be a top 25 team,” Green said. “You want to compete to be the best in the country. When you’ve got a number beside you, people come at you a little. Everyone gets pumped up to play you.”
Opponent up next
The Eastern Illinois Panthers (0-2) have suffered unfortunate losses in their opening games. They lost by three to North Dakota and nine to North Dakota State, putting them on their back foot against Illinois.
Illinois and EIU have competed only five times in program history. The last time was over a decade ago, in 2013, when Illinois trumped EIU 62-54. The Illini have never lost to the Panthers, and that likely won’t change now.
Part of this rocky start is because EIU starts its season with four consecutive away games. Last season, the Panthers struggled with away games and went 6-11 on the road. So far, this season is shaping up to be more of the same.
Leading the charge for the Panthers is the team’s leading scorer, senior forward Macy McGlone. She has scored almost as many points as Illinois’ two top scorers, guards fifth-year Makira Cook and senior Adalia McKenzie. Cook and McKenzie have 58 total baskets, while McGlone only slightly trails with 51.
McGlone was second in the NCAA last season in double-doubles with 26. McGlone has achieved a double-double in both games so far. She scored 24 points and made 13 rebounds against North Dakota, then 27 points and 14 rebounds against North Dakota State.
In her collegiate career, McGlone has 1,000 points, 600 rebounds and 100 blocks. This season, the senior has 51 points, 27 rebounds and five blocks while shooting 86% at the line.
While the entire team cannot rely on one player, having McGlone on the opposing side will force Illinois to stay on top of their defensive game intensely. The forward is effective all over the floor and will keep the game pace up.
Senior guard Kiyley Flowers isn’t as effective offensively but makes all the difference defensively for the Panthers. In two games, she has 13 steals and eight defensive boards.
Shutting down these two players will be critical for the Illini, but if they can do it, they will leave victorious.
Prediction
Illinois should have this one game in the bag. Coming in with a new ranking and back-to-back wins should push the Illini to a solid performance. If they up their conversions on offense, they will likely win by a large margin.
Ultimately, this game will come down to a disciplined defense. Forcing the Panthers out wide will contain McGlone, who has only made one three-pointer, and limit her descent on the basket. Against a team with such strong defenders, the Illini will have to win the ball with aggression. Establishing a scoring rhythm early is within the Illini’s capabilities despite it being a struggle on Sunday.
Green remembers her team’s struggles from last season, but this will likely be a more satisfying time for the Illini as they show off their new numbers.
“You keep winning, and you stay ranked,” Green said. “You lose, you drop out. We know how that goes.”
Illinois may have struggled with this in the past, but at least through the end of this week, the Illini should be able to keep their ranking. How long that lasts is yet to be seen, but based on recent performance, this is a step in the right direction for a multi-week ranking for Illinois.
Illinois is set to tip off against EIU this Thursday at 6 p.m. at State Farm Center, and the game will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
