After suffering its first loss, Illinois (2-1) returns to Champaign on Tuesday to face Murray State (2-1) for its ninth-annual Field Trip Day. Before the Shauna Green era, attendance peaked in 2019 with 4,189. Under Green, attendance exploded to over 8,000 in 2022 and peaked last year with 13,846.
“It’s gonna be an exciting environment,” Green said. “Thirteen thousand kids are gonna be there tomorrow, so if that doesn’t give us the motivation to play hard, then I don’t know what will.”
Under Green, no opposing team has scored over 38 during the Field Trip Game, and the Illini’s average margin of victory is 66 points.
Welcome back, Murray State
The Illini and the Racers have only met twice heading into this matchup. Both contests took place in State Farm Center, and Illinois won 84-52 in 2018 and 64-44 in 2014. This history puts Illinois in a good position to dominate, but Murray State is no slouch of a program.
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“Murray State was the highest scoring team in the nation last season,” Green said. “They want to play extremely fast, take a lot of threes and get downhill. We’re gonna have to be ready to guard their action and their pace.”
The Racers split their away games this season, losing most recently by 31 to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. Their two wins are thanks in large part to junior guard Halli Poock, one of the team’s leading scorers.
Poock shoots only 27.7% from the floor, but has the reliable ability to get to the charity stripe, which accounts for 32 of her 57 points this season. She was a perfect 13 for 13 in free throws to open the season against Southern Indiana, and made 15 of her 17 tries versus Saint Louis.
Illinois’ starting point guard, freshman guard Destiny Jackson, has fouled out once already and was in foul trouble against Oregon State. The Racers could target the rookie to get Poock more chances at the stripe.
Poock won’t be the only Racer tough to defend. Her teammates Sharnecce Currie-Jelks and Keslyn Secrist both accomplished double-doubles their last time out.
Currie-Jelks scored a game-high 28 points with 10 rebounds, while Secrist finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Currie-Jelks attempted 15 free throws, so boxing out and crashing the boards cleanly will be essential Tuesday.
Illini to watch
Sophomore forward Berry Wallace has had three consecutive 20-point games and should be able to continue her hot streak. In her lowest-scoring game, she recorded 22 points but attempted no three-pointers.
In her 27- and 24-point performances, Wallace sank two and attempted at least four. Last season, she shot at least one three in 23 of her 25 appearances, so this is unlikely to become a trend.
“What I love about her game right now is that she’s scoring in every way,” Green said. “She can score in every facet, she’s rebounding, she’s getting to the free throw line.”
Wallace has been carrying more than the team’s scoring, though. Her versatility allows the sophomore to be an almost positionless player, who can take on dual roles as a post-up forward and a downhill-driving guard.
“Every part of her game has taken a step up and she’s really put the work in,” Green said. “We’ve really worked her on her handle and her guard skills. Position-wise, we play her at the four, but she’s a guard. She’s a guard we’re utilizing mismatches against, we’re gonna put her at the wing, we’re gonna post her up, and we’re gonna get her to her spots where she’s super efficient in those elbow and paint areas. She’s playing at a really high level.”
The Illini tip off against the Racers at 11 a.m. CST in State Farm Center.
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