The Sentinel

Illini women crush Truman State at home, 121-60

Illinois' Adalia McKenzie fires a shot above Truman State's Emma Bulman. McKenzie finished the team's only exhibition game of the season with nine points and was 3-for-3 from the free throw line on October 30.

Photo: University of Illinois Athletics/Eleanor Guinan

CHAMPAIGN - Every player on the Illinois women's basketball team saw at least two minutes of playing time in the Illini's opening exhibition match against Truman State. Eight players finished the night in double figures for the #23 ranked that rolled over the visiting Bulldogs 121-60 on Monday.

Genesis Bryant led the Illini's offensive effort with a team-high 18 points. Jada Peebles entered the game to drop 15 points on TSU, while Kendall Bostic, who hauled down ten rebounds, contributed another 14 points.

"Overall, it was a good outing. Obviously, we shot the ball really well, but on defense, we need to be sharper," said second-year Illinois head coach Shauna Green. "We need to be able to string more possessions together. That's a work in progress. We will continue to get better, but there were too many times where we got beat off the bounce way too easily."

The Illini snagged 11 steals and made 21 out of 27 free throws.

From beyond the arc, Illinois drained 54% of their shots, making 14 out of 26 attempts. Eight of 14 3-pointers found their way through the net in the first quarter.

"It makes us really hard to guard when everyone is shooting threes and knocking them down," Bryant said. "If we could shoot like that all the time, we would be very hard to beat. It's just fun, especially when teammates are knocking them down."

Truman State was paced by freshman Molly Joyce, who came off the bench to score 18 in her college debut. Teammate Lexie White kicked in another 14 points, and Madison Niemeier, a 6-2 junior, added another seven to round out the top scorers for the Bulldogs.

St. Joseph-Ogden product Ella Armstrong saw eight and a half minutes of playing time under the dome against the Illini. The Truman State sophomore hit a field goal against the Big Ten host.

Upcoming Illinios Womens Basketball Schedule

Home games listed in bold

TUESDAY NOV. 7
MOREHEAD STATE STATE FARM CENTER 6 PM

Saturday Nov. 11
at Marquette Milwaukee, Wis. (Al McGuire Center) 2 PM

WEDNESDAY NOV. 15
SAINT PETER’S STATE FARM CENTER 11 AM

Saturday Nov. 18
vs. Notre Dame # Washington, D.C.

SUNDAY NOV. 26
CANISIUS STATE FARM CENTER 1 PM

WEDNESDAY NOV. 29
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE STATE FARM CENTER 6 PM

Dodds Tennis Center offers tennis workouts throughout the week

Champaign - Like the flocks of geese that fly south for the winter and Snowbirds that trek to Florida for the winter months, it is time for tennis players to migrate from outdoor courts to the more comfortable environment provided by indoor tennis facilities.

Whether you are a seasoned competitor or an avid recreational player, Dodds Tennis Center, located at 2802 Farber Dr, Champaign, offers several drop-in workout sessions to help keep your level of play in top form during the winter months.

Ian Wang hits the ball back over the net while playing mixed-doubles this past summer back in late August. Now that temperatures have dipped below 50º recently, most tennis players have started playing indoors to enjoy the sport.

Photo: PhotoNews Media

Workouts and additional drop-in programs are available for everyone, from beginners to competitive weekend warriors.

For more information and program placement, contact Yuri Sohn at yuri.sohn@champaignparks.org or at (217)819-3993.

The park district also announced that Discounted Court Rates promotion will be back again for the Christmas Holiday season, starting Sunday, December 17, through Sunday, December 31. Bring family, friends, or guests in town for a little holiday fun at Dodds Tennis Center. Random court time rentals are just $21 per hour.

Winter Workout Schedule

Monday Lunch Club Workout 12-1:30pm
Level: Players 3.5 & Up
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Wednesday Ladies Day 9:30-11am
All Levels
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Thursday Intermediate Workout 5:30-7pm
Level: Players 2.5 & Up
Member Fee: $13/visit
Guest Fee: $16/visit

Thursday Late Night Workout 7-9pm
Level: Players 3.5 & Up
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

Saturday Morning Workout 9-11am
Level: Players 3.0 & Up
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

Sunday Morning Workout 9-11am
Level: Players 3.0 & Up
Member Fee: $17/visit
Guest Fee: $20/visit

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Fighting Illini Open women's tennis tournament starts November 6

Atkins Tennis Center, located on the University of Illinois campus, will host the area's final women's professional tennis tournament of the year on November 6-13. The Fighting Illini Open will be a unique opportunity for central Illinois tennis players and fans to see rising stars on the ladies' side of the sport and top players from all over the world. Thirty-two singles players and 16 double pairs will compete for a $15,000 purse during the first full week of November.