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Women's Basketball
2009-10 Illini Women's Basketball Season Outlook
Nov. 5, 2009
2009-10 Illinois Women's Basketball Media Guide The Illinois women's basketball team enters the 2009-10 season hungry to take the next step toward becoming a championship-caliber program. With everyone returning from the end of last season and the third-best freshman class in the country joining them, the team has lofty goals of finishing in the top-tier of the Big Ten and returning to the NCAA Tournament. The Illini should be an exciting team to watch, as third-year head coach Jolette Law has the numbers and players capable of adapting to her preferred up-tempo style of play for the first time since her arrival in Champaign. The Orange and Blue boast a full roster of 14 players, as eight returning letterwinners with plenty of game experience are coupled with six talented freshmen. In Law's first two seasons, she regularly had just eight or nine players dressed for a game, making her especially excited to have a big bench to turn to frequently. "The last two years, with a limited bench, I couldn't press or do some of the up-tempo things I want to do," Law said. "I'm encouraged now that I have different people who can play multiple positions. It will give me an opportunity to test some waters and I'll be able to rotate people in and out. It's going to be fun."
The unquestioned leaders of the team are seniors Jenna Smith and Lacey Simpson. Both have already made their mark on the Illinois record books and could do more damage this year. The duo combined for 30.0 points and 17.7 rebounds per game last year, with each contributing 10 double-doubles. No other Big Ten team had two players with more than five double-doubles apiece, making Smith and Simpson two of the most potent teammates in the country.
Smith has earned first team All-Big Ten honors for two consecutive seasons and already holds school records for career and season blocks. The Bloomington, Minn., native has a chance to further her legacy, as she could also become the Orange and Blue's all-time leader in points and rebounds. She enters this season ranked in the top-5 all-time in both categories with 1,545 career points and 830 career boards. Smith is already well-known on the national scale, as she was an Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American in 2007-08 and is a preseason candidate this year for the John R. Wooden Award as well as the State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year. Simpson, meanwhile, is a team leader and has developed into one of the most versatile players in the Big Ten. She embraces her role as Illinois' defensive stopper, leading the Big Ten and ranking ninth in the nation in steals last year, and has the ability to play nearly every position on the court. She was rewarded for a breakout junior season with third team All-Big Ten and Big Ten All-Defensive Team accolades and will aim for more honors in her senior campaign. The Zion, Ill., native is already Illinois' career leader in steals and also ranks sixth in career assists and 11th in career rebounding. Although their basketball honors and statistics speak for themselves, Law is looking for more from Smith and Simpson to take the Illini to the next level. "Most championship teams are led by their senior leadership," Law said. "They've broken records and they've done a lot of great things, but you become a champion when you get your team to the postseason. I've been challenging them to take control of this team, to work on their leadership qualities and leave their legacy."
Simpson and Smith should benefit most from Illinois' full roster, as they will finally be able to get a break from the court. Last season, Smith led the Big Ten and ranked fourth in the nation at 38.7 minutes per game, while Simpson and starting point guard Lydia McCully each averaged over 35 minutes a game. This year, everyone should be able to rest more and be fresh from start to finish. "None of them will have to play 40 minutes a game," Law said. "I have different people I can rotate in, so hopefully they can play their best 25 to 28 minutes and everybody will get an opportunity to play." In addition to Smith and Simpson, the Illini also return the three remaining starters from last year in sophomores Macie Blinn, Fabiola Josil and McCully, as well as key reserves in senior Whitney Toone and sophomores Eboni Mitchell and Lana Rukavina. Each played significant minutes last season and is back as a stronger and more experienced player. "All of the returnees are taking a great deal of pride in Illinois and helping the freshmen," Law said. "I know most people look at our record from last year as 10-21, but I look at the growth of the team and the experience with the eight kids returning. It's really been paying off for us this year. All of them have been trying to step up and be good leaders." Taking some of the load off the veterans is the highly-touted freshman class, ranked at No. 3 in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz. Highlighting the class are McDonald's All-American Destiny Williams and Karisma Penn, both top-20 recruits who add depth and strength to the Illini frontcourt. The other four members of the talented class - Adrienne Godbold, Brianna Jones, Kersten Magrum and Amber Moore - are also expected to see a lot of minutes on the court and be immediate contributors. "They're hungry and they're competitors," Law said of the freshmen. "I'm not trying to put any pressure on them, but they want to be a part of something. I like that they're eager to learn and are working extremely hard." Law feels that the Illini are about team more than ever this season, which should bode well for Big Ten play as well as the team's postseason hopes. "Everybody is helping each other," she said. "We're talking total team and we're going to do this thing together." GUARDS
"They played pretty much 40 minutes a game last year and they were tested," Law said of Josil and McCully. "Their maturity and confidence is up because of what they've been through, and I'm excited about them as point guards." The Illini have a pair of great shooters in Blinn (Greenville, Ohio) and Moore (Detroit, Mich.), who should open up the court for the Illini at the shooting guard position. "We have some people who can really open it up for us this year," Law said of her shooters. "We saw a lot of great things from Macie Blinn last year and now we're working on her consistency, and Amber is a phenomenal shooter. I'm encouraged with my shooting guards." Godbold (Chicago, Ill.) and Magrum (Mokena, Ill.) are both versative players who will also see time on the perimeter as well as on the inside. Godbold was named the top senior in the state after her final season at Marshall and Magrum had a lights-out senior season at Lincoln-Way East, averaging 23.1 points and shooting 53 percent from the field. Also in the mix at both guard positions is Mitchell (Decatur, Ga.), who is finally nearing full strength after playing through a stress fracture during her freshman season. FORWARDS "Lacey is one of the most dangerous players on the team because she's played multiple positions since I've been here," Law said. "Last year she just accepted a role and did very well in it. This year, we'll be able to put her back on the perimeter and let her do the things she's capable of doing." Also returning at forward is Toone (Brooklyn, N.Y.), who became a defensive asset toward the end of last season, averaging 30.7 minutes in the final three games. The freshman duo of Williams (Benton Harbor, Mich.) and Penn (Shaker Heights, Ohio) are also expected to see a lot of minutes at forward. Williams is the most highly regarded recruit in Illinois history, as she was ranked as the No. 8 senior in the nation by ESPN HoopGurlz and is the first McDonald's All-American to sign with the Illini. Most recently, Williams won a gold medal with the U.S. U19 National Team at the 2009 World Championships in Thailand. Penn also has an impressive list of credentials, as she was ranked No. 18 overall and as the No. 2 forward in her class by ESPN HoopGurlz and earned honorable mention WBCA All-America honors. Godbold and Magrum could also see time at the forward positions depending on the type of line-up Law decides to go with. POSTS "It will be a little tougher this year to double and triple team Jenna," Law said. "Now we have several different weapons that are going to make people play us honestly." Jones (Toledo, Ohio) is a lefty who brings a physical presence to the Illini along with Williams and Penn. Rukavina (Wheeling, Ill.) returns for her sophomore year vastly improved from her freshman season and ready to contribute. "Our front line is pretty good," Law said. "I'm loving the flexibility we have." |
