University of Minnesota Athletics
Game Preview: Illinois
1/16/2017 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
| Minnesota vs. Illinois | |
| Date / Time | Wednesday, Jan. 18 | 7 p.m. |
| Location | Williams Arena - Directions |
| Tickets | Click Here |
| Travel | Local Weather | Parking | Preferred Hotels |
| TV/Live Video | BTN Plus |
| Radio | 1500 ESPN | Listen Online |
| Live Stats | |
| Live Updates | Game Day Live |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Illinois |
| Official Sites | Minnesota | Illinois |
| Social Media | @GopherWBB | Facebook |
The University of Minnesota women's basketball team (10-8, 1-4 Big Ten) will host Illinois (8-10, 3-2 Big Ten) on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. The radio broadcast of the game will be on 1500 ESPN, and BTN Plus will carry live video.
Here are five things to know as the Gophers host their third Big Ten home game:
1 Carlie Wagner was named to the Big Ten Player of the Week Honor Roll (Jan. 16) following a career game at Michigan on Sunday. The junior guard tied the 12th-best scoring performance in program history with 38 points. (She and Rachel Banham are the only two Gophers since 2002 to score 38-plus points in a game.) Wagner went 7-of-9 from 3-point range and led the team with eight rebounds. With 1,351 points, the Naismith Trophy Watch List honoree also moved up to 12th on Minnesota's career scoring list, passing Ellen Kramer (1,336) and Marty Dahlen (1,345). Wagner is 12 points from tying Debbie Hunter.
2 Wagner is averaging 19.3 points per game this season, which would be her career-best season average should she sustain it. She ranks fifth in the Big Ten. (Her conference-only average of 21.0 ppg ranks fourth.) Kenisha Bell is also among Big Ten leaders with 5.6 assists (second), 2.2 steals (fifth) and 16.6 points (12th) per game. Another hot hand for the Gophers recently is Joanna Hedstrom, who has scored in double figures in five of the past six games. She is averaging 11.3 points per game during that stretch.
3 Bryanna Fernstrom continues to lead the Big Ten in shot blocking within conference play. The junior tied her season high with five blocks at Michigan and is averaging 3.4 per game. Jessie Edwards moved into the Gophers' career top 10 as she brought her total to 73 blocks, tying Zoe Harper. Fernstrom has 87 career blocks, with 70 of those coming at Iowa State prior to her transfer.
4 The Gophers have won two straight against Illinois. Last year's road win was their first in Champaign in seven years, and they tied a Big Ten record with 19 3-pointers as a team (including a program-record 10 by Banham). At home, Minnesota beat the Illini in its best comeback of the year. The Gophers are 17-12 at home against Illinois all-time, and are 33-7 overall at Williams Arena under Marlene Stollings.
5 The Gophers tied their season high with 13 3-pointers at Michigan, shooting a season-best .591 from behind the arc. Minnesota has made 10-plus 3-pointers 24 times under Stollings and is 19-5 in those games. Wagner is the Gophers' leading 3-point shooter this season with 50, already just 10 shy of her season total from last year.
SCOUTING THE ILLINI
• Illinois is 8-10 overall and 3-2 in Big Ten play. The Illini defeated Rutgers and Nebraska, split their series with Iowa and lost to Michigan State. Both losses came on the road.
• Matt Bollant, who earned his degree in Minnesota at Winona State, is in his fifth season at Illinois. His Illini have nearly equaled last year's win total (nine).
• Alex Wittinger is averaging 14.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game to lead the Illini. The Delano, Minn., native shoots 50.8 percent from the floor.
• Brandi Beasley joins Wittinger in double-figure scoring at 11.6 points per game, and also dishes out 4.2 points per contest.
