The women's Illinois basketball program is officially the No. 25 team in the country, and will be heading to Ann Arbor to take on the No. 8 Michigan Wolverines in a highly anticipated battle.
The Illini will be looking to take down another premier program in the nation after dropping the Maryland Terrapins by a score of 73-70. This will be the Illini's fourth ranked matchup in their last five games, with Shauna Green's crew losing to Michigan State and Ohio State in consecutive games.
Illinois needs some kind of spark on their resumé, and a win against the Wolverines could be just that. But what are some key questions that we should be asking ourselves prior to tonight's tip-off?
1. Can Illinois' defense stop the three headed monster of Michigan?
The Wolverines are one of the best teams in the country; that's a fact. They have climbed to a 14-2 record on the year, led by the three-headed monster of sophomore guards Olivia Olson, Syla Swords, and Mila Holloway.
These three players have been the driving force for Michigan's offense, averaging 46.5 points per game through the 15 games they have played together. They have been key players in head coach Kim Barnes Arico's program, with Olson and Swords both being named to the All-Big Ten Team last season.
The Illini are going to need to be on their A-game defensively at the Crisler Center. Michigan is going to hold a size advantage over the likes of guards Destiny Jackson and Jasmine Brown-Hagger. But with Illinois' quick and intense nature on defense, it will be interesting to see how they match up against Michigan's elite guard play.
2. Will turnovers become a major factor for Illinois in Ann Arbor?
The Illinois basketball team is in the upper echelon of the nation when it comes to taking care of the basketball, ranking No. 24 in the country with an average of 12.8 turnovers per game. They are a quality offense that is capable of distributing the ball around the floor without causing many mistakes.
The problem, however, is the fact that Green and the Illini will be facing off against one of the stoutest defenses in the entire country. The Wolverines, as of writing this, are one of the top teams in the country at forcing turnovers, ranking No. 9 in the country with 24.69 turnovers forced per game.
This may pose an issue for Illinois, with Michigan scoring 28.4 points per game off of their turnovers. They are going to need to be a lot more patient with where they sling the ball, and not allow the Wolverines to use the turnovers to get into a groove.
It's easier said than done, but patience is certainly something that can be controlled.
3. What kind of Illinois team will we get in the first half?
The Illini were in desperate need of a statement win after losing back-to-back games against Michigan State and Ohio State. They needed something to turn the vibes around, and they got just that from their 92-76 win against the Penn State Lady Lions.
From the final score, it looks like they dominated Penn State from the opening tip to the final buzzer. But that was not the case, with Penn State keeping it close all of the way up to the 3:19 mark of the second quarter.
It was a frustrating half for Illinois, as they were only able to muster a three-point lead throughout the majority of the first half. That is something that can not happen Thursday night against Michigan. If this team starts off slow in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines are going to pounce and make them pay for it.