Although uncertainty surrounds Matt Bollant’s program, the second-year Illini women’s basketball head coach will get a chance to learn more about his team Sunday when Illinois takes on Cardinal Stritch at State Farm Center.

After losing leading scorer Karisma Penn and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Adrienne GodBold to graduation, a number of questions will need to be answered in the Illini’s first few games if the team wants to build off its successful 19-14 season and reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

One of the biggest things Bollant will look for in Sunday’s game will be the chemistry of his starting lineup, which features a new point guard in Sarah Hartwell, who sat out last season after transferring from Georgia Tech.

“I expect her to have a good year,” Bollant said. “She’s physically as talented as any point guard in the Big Ten. There’s not many kids who can go quicker with the basketball at 5-11, point guard with great length, and she’s really strong. … It’s just a matter of time to get her in games and let her adjust to the ups and downs of games and teaching her to fight through mistakes.”

Although Hartwell will be new to the starting lineup, she spent all of last season becoming accustomed to Bollant’s up-tempo offense and pressure defense. At Big Ten Media Day, Bollant said his system does not cater to bigs, as it requires constant pressure, movement and switching. Although Hartwell may be ready to step in and contribute, will freshmen forwards Jacqui Grant and Sarah Livingston be able to contribute immediately?

“Both of them are very, very creative freshmen,” junior guard Ivory Crawford said. “Their response to everything, every competitive challenge the coaches give or their own teammates, I think they take it pretty well. If they continue to do that, I’m pretty sure we’re going to do well this year.”

Although Cardinal Stritch is a division below the Illini in athletics, Bollant and Hartwell agreed the Wolves should not be taken lightly. Based in Milwaukee, Bollant knows a thing or two about collegiate programs in Wisconsin, as he coached Wisconsin-Green Bay for five seasons prior to joining the Illini before last season.

“One thing I love about Wisconsin kids is they play hard,” Bollant said. “They’re skilled. They pass the ball well, they shoot the ball well, and they have good discipline. They defend as a team and help each other, and it’ll be a good early test for us.”

The Wolves are ranked No. 15 in the NAIA preseason coaches poll and are coming off a season where they finished ranked No. 13 after a second-round loss in the NAIA national tournament. The exhibition will be the only game the Illini will get to work out the kinks before the season starts Friday at Bradley. Bollant said he wishes more exhibition games were scheduled, but the team’s lengthy practice schedule has prepared it to be ready for Friday.

“We’re excited to play somebody else,” he said. “I think that you get to this time of year, and you’re just kind of tired of practicing against each other, knowing each other, and you’re just ready to be a team and play against somebody else.”

Blake can be reached at [email protected].