Illinois will take on Marquette at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Sunday night. After a big win against No. 19 Florida State, Illinois will try to start 2-0 for the second time in three years. Before the game, the team will raise the banner for its inaugural WBIT championship win.
Do’s and don’ts for success
Do: Shoot threes
The Illini played well on Thursday night, but they weren’t perfect. They shot only 2-13 from three-point range, with both coming in the first half. However, Illinois has the talent to finish those shots. Both fifth-year guards, Makira Cook and Genesis Bryant, shot over 34% from three last season. Head coach Shauna Green said they need to continue to put up threes, and eventually, they’ll start falling.
Don’t: Get careless
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Illinois led by 17 during the second quarter against Florida State. The Seminoles went on a 9-1 run to end the half and get within nine. At one point late in the game, Illinois led by as little as five. A lead can evaporate quickly. The Illini can’t let a large lead make them careless. They must stay ready for aggression at all times. Strong defense throughout the game is how they held on against Florida State, and they must do the same against Marquette.
Do: Play aggressive
Despite the lackluster performance from behind the arc, the team made up for it with free throws. They got to the free throw line 31 times, sinking 23 of them. Green credited the free throws to her players getting to the rim aggressively.
“Everything I’ve been telling these guys is attack, attack, attack, get to the rim,” Green said after Thursday’s win. “I’m yelling at them to attack, and I want them to do that.”
Opponent overview
The last time these two teams played was almost exactly a year ago. Marquette won 71-67, leaning on a strong performance from senior forward Liza Karlen. The Illini struggled with turnovers against the Golden Eagles last year, and they cannot have a repeat of that if they want to establish themselves as a strong contender. Marquette was a top team in the Big East Conference last season, going 23-9 overall. Illinois is 2-6 against Marquette all-time.
However, they lost all five of their top five scorers. They only have five players returning from last year that saw the court at all. They also have a first-year coach, Cara Consuegra. This year’s team is still finding its groove together, as was evident in their first game. On the other hand, Illinois can use its chemistry to its advantage if all the women work in sync on the court.
Marquette lost to UCF 57-50. The Golden Eagles had only nine assists as a team and 19 turnovers. With so many new pieces, the team is still trying to find its footing. They also had trouble from behind the arc. As a team, Marquette shot 3-18, just under 17% from three-point range.
This bodes well for Illinois, as they defended the three against Florida State. They held the Seminoles without a three-pointer until the final two minutes of the first half. Overall, they only gave up five three-pointers on 21 attempts.
Thursday night review
Illinois beat Florida State 83-74, led by fifth-year forward Kendall Bostic. She had 18 points and nine rebounds, grabbing her 1000th career rebound in the process. The Illini had four players in double-figures, with two scoring 20.
As noted, Illinois’ defense played a big part in their victory. They held Florida State to 10 points in the first quarter and were gearing up to take a double-digit lead into the half. Florida State exploded for nine points in the last two minutes of the second quarter to cut the lead down to nine.
The Illini played tough defense throughout the game, hanging on for the victory. They also played physically, something Green likes to see.
“I’ve been on them a lot this last couple of months about being physical,” Green said. “We preach all the time: ‘We’ve got to be physical.’”
Pregame ceremony
Before the 7 p.m. tipoff, Illinois will hoist its WBIT championship banner. The Illini beat Villanova 71-59 to become the first WBIT champions in April.
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