Illinois (19-8, 9-7) is gearing up to hit the road to travel to Iowa City, Iowa, to take on No. 9 Iowa (22-5, 13-3) Thursday night. The Hawkeyes will be the Illini’s first ranked opponent in almost a month after they fell to the No. 2 UCLA Bruins (27-1, 17-0) on Jan. 28.
“I think we’re playing with confidence,” said head coach Shauna Green after the Illini’s victory on Sunday. “We’re playing well as we go into our last two games that are going to be obviously really, really tough games, but I think we’re feeling good now.”
Iowa marks a pivotal point in Illinois’ journey. After a rough sequence of games and poor performances the past two months, the Illini are seemingly on the right track again. Illinois is currently on a three-game win streak, with each win by 20-plus points. In the Illini’s most recent game, they took down the Northwestern Wildcats, 92-65, on Sunday.
With the increasing momentum and cohesiveness of the team, the Illini are bound to give the Hawkeyes a run for their money.
Guyton’s old stomping grounds
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The Illini’s trip to Iowa to take on the Hawkeyes is a special place for one Illini. Sophomore guard Aaliyah Guyton is returning to her stomping grounds and will have to take on her former team. Guyton spent her first year of collegiate basketball playing for Iowa.
After facing some adversity with injuries earlier in the season, Guyton is starting to make her mark in Champaign. Guyton rose to the challenge and became the Illini’s newest starter after redshirt sophomore guard Gretchen Dolan’s injury at the beginning of January.
It is more imperative now that Guyton continues to step up to the plate. Dolan’s injury was announced to be a season-ending one after undergoing surgery on Monday.
The transfer struggled against Northwestern, only scoring 2 points. However, going back to her old stomping grounds is the perfect chance for her to showcase the talents she has. Guyton recently scored a career-high of 22 points. The same night, she also went a perfect 6 for 6 from the 3-point line.
If Guyton is able to play to her highest potential, she is sure to make some moves against her old squad. Going back to Iowa is the perfect chance for Guyton to prove herself and leave Carver-Hawkeye Arena victorious.
Shot efficiency, selection
Of course, the best way the Illini can come out victorious is if their shots fly over the Hawkeyes straight into the basket. If the Illini are able to match their success from their trip to Evanston, Illinois, Thursday should be another high-scoring game. Sunday was a prime example of what the Illini can accomplish if they stop and think to make the best shot. Illinois arguably had one of its best games in terms of shot selection and efficiency against Northwestern. It shot 50% from the field, 66.7% from beyond the arc and 83.3% from the charity stripe.
“I think we’re still playing really well together, making the right reads,” Green said. “There’s a lot of times I wasn’t even having to call things. We were just able to play and organically let things happen.”
On top of the Illini’s improved shooting, they are making smarter plays together and improving their communication on the court in order to do so. Keeping this up is important since Iowa is sure to be a high-pressure game. However, the Illini have been struggling from the charity stripe as of late. Illinois lost its first-place spot in the NCAA rankings in free-throw percentage. In the Illini’s last four games, they are averaging 71.63% from the free-throw line. Illinois missing its free throws is an easy mistake that can cost it a high-stakes, close game.
Against Iowa, it is extremely important that Illinois stays on top of the basics when it comes to shooting from all three levels.
Playing a full 40 minutes
The Hawkeyes are the Illini’s biggest challenge in recent weeks. Illinois has had a streak of unranked and easy wins. However, Iowa is a whole new challenge. The Illini do not have the best luck when it comes to ranked opponents since they are currently 5-2. Illinois was able to start off the year strong with a win against then No. 7 Maryland, which has since fallen several spots in the AP polls. Illinois also had a road win against then No. 25 Washington.
Iowa is the No. 9 team in the country right now and will require a fight from Illinois. In the past three games, Green has rotated the majority of her bench near the end of the fourth quarter, providing a much-needed break for her main rotation.
It is unlikely that this will be the case in Iowa City. Green’s main rotation will be pushed to their limits and need to give it their all for the full 40 minutes.
The key for Illinois is to start and finish strong. In the past, Illinois has struggled to play at a consistent level throughout the four quarters. While this has been a struggle in the past, the Illini appear to be on the up-and-up. This new momentum, despite injuries and losses, showcases just how much strength and determination the Illini have.
Tipoff for Illinois’ contest against Iowa is set for 8 p.m. CST at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Iowa will be honoring its fans for its fan appreciation game.
@lauram0131
