The women's Illinois basketball team is on a roll right now and will take their six-game winning streak into Columbia, where they will take on the Missouri Tigers.
The Illini have been dominating the opposition on both ends of the floor, outscoring teams by an average of 35.6 points per game during this stretch. It has been a very impressive season for head coach Shauna Green's bunch, with their latest win coming in a 21-point rout of the Indiana Hoosiers.
This run has been something special for the navy and orange. Now, they will rehash an old rivalry with the 9-2 Missouri Tigers. The Illini will look to bring some 'Braggin' Rights' back to Champaign, after splitting the past four match-ups two games a piece. But what are some keys to this game that could help lead to an Illinois win in Columbia, Missouri?
1. Can Illinois' defense continue to be stout against stronger competition?
Defense, defense, defense. Through the first nine games of the season, Illinois' defense has almost become a "calling card" of sorts. As of writing this, they are giving up an average of 54.4 points per game, which ranks 29th overall in the country.
They will be taking on a Missouri Tigers team that is much more well-rounded when compared to Illinois' last opponent. The Tigers, who are on a five-game winning streak of their own, currently have two players averaging 15+ points per game: sophomore Grace Slaughter with 19.2, and junior Shannon Dowell with 17.1.
Missouri will not have to rely on one player to do all of their scoring like Indiana's Shay Ciezki, whose 23 points this past Saturday against Illinois accounted for almost half of the team's total. But this Illinois defense is intense. They are going to make this game tough for Missouri, and will key in on the fact that the Tigers don't protect the ball well (15.1 turnovers per game).
2. How much of a factor will forward Jordana Reisma be in this game?
Jordana Reisma is going to be an interesting piece to this game. The senior forward from Brown Deer, Wisconsin, is playing in her first year with Missouri after spending three seasons with the Cleveland State Vikings.
Reisma has already been a major presence for Mizzou this season in the paint, averaging 12 points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes per game. Her claim to fame, however, is her defense and that she is shooting an astounding 54.8% from the field.
She will face off against the likes of sophomore and freshman forwards Berry Wallace and Cearah Parchment down low. It will be a major test for the underclassmen to take on, as the veteran Reisma is one of the more physical post players in the country today.
3. Will Maddie Webber continue her surge off the bench?
Maddie Webber has been an absolute delight ever since she transferred from Villanova to Illinois. The junior guard has been a game-changer off the bench, providing Green the spark that she needs at the most opportune time.
Webber is quickly turning into the team's elite "sixth woman" this season. She is averaging the sixth most minutes on the team at 21.6, but has the fourth most points per game at 10.9. During Illinois' winning streak, Webber has averaged about 13 points per game off the bench in 23 minutes per game.
With Missouri giving up 69.1 points per game, I can't see Webber slowing down in this game. Expect another beautiful performance from the Bridgeville, Pennsylvania, product in her first Braggin' Rights game of her career.