#IUWBB Game 25 Preview: at Illinois

Wednesday, February 10

Champaign, Ill.

8 pm

Indiana University

at Illinois

2/9/2016 3:13:00 PM | Women's Basketball

THE OPENING TIP
Indiana will head to Champaign, Ill. to battle Illinois on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. ET inside the State Farm Center. The game can be heard on the state-wide IU Radio Network with Greg Murray on the call. It can be viewed via live stream on BTN Plus.

Indiana (15-9, 7-5) at Illinois (8-15, 1-11)
Wednesday, Feb. 10 • 8 p.m. ET
State Farm Center • Champaign, Ill.
Television: BTN Plus
Radio: IU Radio Network (Greg Murray)

DID YOU KNOW?
• Indiana defeated Illinois in their first meeting this season on Jan. 20 in Assembly Hall, 68-66. The Hoosiers trailed by 11 heading into the fourth quarter before mounting the comeback to take the win, including closing the game on an 8-0 run.
• Five times this season, the Hoosiers have overcame a deficit heading into the fourth quarter to earn a win.
• Indiana's seven wins in Big Ten play this year are the programs most since 2009-10 and IU's seven victories are the program's most through 12 conference games played since 2008-09.
• IU has held two Big Ten opponents under 50 points this year (Rutgers, Nebraska), marking the first time an Indiana team has held at least a pair of conference foes under 50 in the same season since 2005-06.
• The Hoosiers have won the rebounding battle in four of the last five games, winning all four of those contests as IU is 10-1 in games where it outrebounds an opponent this season.
• Indiana is a perfect 11-0 in games played in Assembly Hall this year, the best home start in program history.
• The Hoosiers are the only team in the Big Ten with an unblemished home record this season and one of just 20 teams nationally without a home defeat.
• Indiana has defeated three ranked opponents this season, tying for the most wins over ranked foes in a single regular season in program history.
• This year marks the fourth time in program history and the first time in 18 years that Indiana has defeated three ranked opponents during regular season play. IU downed three ranked teams during the regular season schedule previously during 1985-86, 1993-94 and 1997-98.
• Tyra Buss and Amanda Cahill both achieved double-doubles in Indiana's win over Nebraska, marking the third time this season that IU has had two players get double-doubles in the same game. That marks the first time Indiana has had three or more games with multiple players with double-doubles in the same season since 2006-07 (5 times).
• Buss' stat line in the Nebraska win was 17 points, 11 rebounds (season high), seven steals (season high) and six assists. She's scored in double figures in every game this season and in 28 straight games dating back to last year, the longest such streak for an Indiana player since 1998.
• Cahill finished with 16 points and a season-high 14 boards against Nebraska for her seventh double-double of the year. That's the most double-doubles by an IU player in a single season since 2008-09 (Whitney Thomas, 10).

THE COACHES
Indiana
Teri Moren
Career Record: 229-155 (13th year)
Indiana Record: 30-25 (2nd year)

Illinois
Matt Bollant
Career Record: 333-121 (14th year)
Illinois Record: 51-66 (4th year)

ILLINOIS AT A GLANCE
Illinois will look to get on track at home against the Hoosiers on Wednesday as IU just narrowly defeated the Illini in the first meeting this year in Bloomington on Jan. 20, 68-66. Five Illini players scored in double figures in that game. Chatrice White leads Illinois by averaging a double-double with 18.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. Kyley Simmons adds 11.6 points per contest as she leads the team in 3-pointers made (60), hitting 40 percent of her attempts. She nailed four treys in the first meeting and scored a team-high 16 points. Alex Wittinger has missed the last few games, but before that averaged 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while hitting 51.8 percent from the field.

MOST BIG TEN WINS IN SIX YEARS
With Sunday's win over Nebraska, it gave Indiana its seventh Big Ten victory on the season, marking the program's most wins in conference play since 2009-10. IU's current 7-5 record in Big Ten games is the program's most victories through 12 conference games since 2008-09. Earlier this year with consecutive wins over Illinois, Northwestern and Rutgers, the Hoosiers won three straight Big Ten games for the first time since Jan. 2009.

COMEBACK KIDS
Seven times this season, Indiana has faced late second-half deficits before overcoming them to earn a victory, including five games where IU trailed heading into the fourth quarter.

• Feb. 4 vs. Iowa*: The Hoosiers trailed by as many as 17 points in the second half before rallying to down the Hawkeyes in Assembly Hall, 79-74. Iowa led Indiana, 54-37, with under four minutes to play in the third quarter. IU outscored the Hawkeyes 42-20 in the game's final 13:19 to take the win. Trailing by 11 heading into the fourth quarter, IU hit 10-of-12 (83.3 percent) field goals in the final period, including four 3-pointers without a miss, to outscore Iowa 32-16 in the fourth quarter alone.
• Jan. 24 at No. 20 Northwestern*: Indiana faced a seven-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter on the road, 65-58. IU used a 12-2 run while shooting 12-of-16 (75 percent) in the final period to outscore the Wildcats 33-19 in the final 10 minutes to earn the program's first road Big Ten victory in the Teri Moren era.
• Jan. 20 vs. Illinois*: Indiana trailed by 11 with 7:11 to play in the fourth quarter, 62-51. The Hoosiers roared back, outscoring the Illini 17-4 in the game's final 6:55, including an 8-0 run to close the game in the final 3:09. Karlee McBride nailed the go-ahead 3-point field goal with 1:16 to play to put IU in front for good.
• Jan. 3 vs. Michigan*: IU trailed by nine with 5:48 remaining in the fourth quarter, five Hoosiers scored as part of a 12-0 Indiana run to take a 61-58 lead late in regulation. Michigan's Katelynn Flaherty hit a 3-point field goal to force OT before IU outscored the Wolverines 16-8 in the extra period. Indiana scored 12 of its OT points from the free throw line, including the last 10. The Hoosiers outscored Michigan 28-11 in the game's final 10:48.
• Dec. 11 vs. Samford: The Hoosiers trailed by 11 with 4:00 left in the third quarter. IU went on a 17-2 run over a span of 3:56, scoring 13-straight during the stretch to take a four-point lead. In overtime, Indiana outscored Samford 13-4, thanks in part to an 8-0 run by Amanda Cahill by herself to start the OT period.
• Dec. 2 vs. Georgia Tech: Indiana trailed by five with 8:36 to play in the game. IU outscored GT 20-6 in the final 6:37 and held the Yellow Jackets scoreless for the final 4:05 of the game.
• Nov. 17 vs. then-No. 24 Chattanooga*: IU trailed by four with 1:44 left in the third quarter and was behind heading into the fourth quarter. Indiana outscored the Mocs 19-6 in the fourth quarter to take the win.

*Indiana trailed heading into the fourth quarter

REBOUNDS = Ws
In four of the last five games (at Northwestern, Rutgers, Iowa, Nebraska), the Hoosiers have outrebounded the opposition. Eleven times total this year, the Hoosiers have outrebounded an opponent. IU is currently 10-1 in games in which it outrebounds its foe as Indiana picked up other wins winning that category against Tennessee State, Chattanooga, at IPFW, Samford, Yale and Michigan.

GET ON THE BUSS
Indiana sophomore Tyra Buss has scored 805 career points to become just the eighth player in program history to ever eclipse the 800-point mark in freshman and sophomore seasons played at IU.

With her 17 points in the win over Iowa, Buss has scored in double figures in every game this season and in 28 games consecutively dating back to last year, making her the first IU player with such a streak since Quacy Barnes scored in double digits in 37 consecutive games between the end of 1996-97 season and the start of 1997-98. Buss leads Indiana in scoring (18.5 ppg), assists (4.5 apg) and steals (2.0 spg) while playing 37.2 minutes per game (3rd in B1G, 21st nationally) and a Big Ten leading 893 minutes played total (6th nationally). She also adds 5.0 rebounds per game as she's tallied 20 or more points in 10 contests.

In each of the last two games and in three of the last five, Buss has achieved a double-double. Her stat line last time out vs. Nebraska was 17 points, 11 rebounds (season high), seven steals (season high), six assists and a block. She now has four career double-double performances.

Buss leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally in free throws made (149) and second nationally in attempts (191). Her 191 free throw attempts rank ninth in Indiana history for most attempts in a single season. With her four free throws made against Nebraska, Buss now ranks sixth in program history for most free throws made in a single season.

DOUBLE-DOUBLE VISION
Three times this season, Indiana has had two players achieve double-doubles in the same game, marking the first time IU has had two players have double-double performances in three or more contests since 2006-07 when it happened five times that season.

Last time out in the win over Nebraska, Tyra Buss and Amanda Cahill each had double-doubles as Buss tallied 17 points and a season-high 11 rebounds with Cahill finishing with 16 points and a season-best 14 boards. At Northwestern on Jan. 24, both Buss (21 points, 10 rebounds) and Cahill (20 points, 11 rebounds) had double-double performances. Cahill (19 points, 11 rebounds) and Alexis Gassion (13 points, 13 rebounds) each had a double-double in the win over Samford on Dec. 11.

CLIMBING TO THE CA-HILL TOP
Amanda Cahill had 16 points and a season-high 14 rebounds in the win over Nebraska for her seventh double-double of the season, the most by an IU player since 2008-09 (Whitney Thomas, 10). She had a career-high 24 points in the Iowa victory on Feb. 4, shooting 10-of-14 from the field, with eight rebounds.

In Big Ten games only, Cahill is averaging 16.3 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, making her one of only four players in the conference to average those numbers in league play so far. For the year, she is averaging 14.7 points (23rd in B1G) and a team-leading 8.2 rebounds per game (8th) with 1.3 steals per contest. She is shooting 51.6 percent from the field while leading the team in shooting 38.9 percent (12th) from 3-point range.

Cahill has scored in double figures in all but two games this year, including the last 17 consecutively, and has had seven or more rebounds in every game but three.

IU TIES FOR MOST RANKED WINS IN SINGLE REGULAR SEASON IN PROGRAM HISTORY
With Indiana's defeat of then-No. 20 Northwestern on the road on Jan. 24, it gave the 2015-16 Hoosiers their third win over a ranked opponent this season. It marks the first time that IU has downed three ranked teams in the same year since 2001-02 (including Big Ten Tournament games) and it is the first time since 1997-98 that the Hoosiers have won three games over ranked opponents in a single regular season.

The three ranked wins ties for the most victories over ranked foes in a single regular season in program history as IU achieved that feat just three times prior to this year in 1985-86, 1993-94 and 1997-98. It is the sixth time ever in program history that an IU team has defeated three or more nationally ranked teams for an entire season (including Big Ten Tournament and postseason games).

Years of Three or More Wins Over Nationally Ranked Opponents in IU History
1985-86: #20 Kentucky, #16/16 UNLV, #20 Northwestern in regular season
1993-94: #2/2 Iowa, #19/8 Northwestern, #11/12 Iowa in regular season
1996-97: #17/11 Wisconsin, #23/16 Wisconsin in regular season | #24 Purdue in B1G Tourney
1997-98: #8/8 Illinois, #23/24 Purdue, #16/15 Wisconsin in regular season
2001-02: #9/8 Wisconsin, #15/18 Minnesota in regular season | #7/7 Purdue, #23 Penn State in B1G Tourney
2015-16: #24 Chattanooga, #18/18 Michigan State, #20 Northwestern in regular season

CLOSING THE DOOR
The Hoosiers have had a trend of closing the door when needed in a number of wins this year.
• Indiana trailed Iowa by 17 points, 54-37, with under four minutes to play on Feb. 4 before storming back to outscore the Hawkeyes 42-20 in the game's final 13:19 to complete the comeback win. IU shot 83.3 percent (10-of-12) in the final period and outscored Iowa 32-16 in the fourth quarter alone.
• In the triumph over Rutgers on Jan. 27, the Scarlet Knights roared back into the game, cutting a 14-point halftime Indiana lead into a four-point game with 3:51 remaining in third quarter. IU would go on to outscore Rutgers 29-17 the rest of the way, including 12-2 run during the stretch during the fourth quarter.
• Indiana outscored Northwestern 33-19 in the fourth quarter on Jan. 24 using a 12-2 run during period. The Hoosiers nailed 12-of-16 field goals (75 percent) in the final period to take the road conference win.
• IU outscored Illinois 17-4 in the game's final 6:55, including an 8-0 run to end the game to upend the Illini on Jan. 20. Indiana limited Illinois to 2-of-10 from the field in the last six minutes of the game and held the Illini without a field goal for the final 3:17. IU outscored Illinois 18-10 in the fourth quarter.
• Indiana used a 12-0 run and outscored Michigan 28-11 in the final 10:34 of the game (regulation and OT) to earn a 77-69 victory in Assembly Hall on Jan. 3.
• The Hoosiers defeated Samford in overtime on Dec. 11 using a 17-2 run (including 13-straight points) late in the second half and then outscored the Bulldogs 13-4 in OT.
• IU downed Georgia Tech on Dec. 2 to give Indiana its fourth-straight win in Big Ten/ACC Challenge games. The Hoosiers closed the game with a 12-2 run over the final 4:20 of the contest, holding Georgia Tech scoreless for the final 4:05 of the game. Indiana outscored Georgia Tech 20-6 over the final 6:37 of the game. Indiana trailed by as many as five points in the fourth quarter.
• In the Austin Peay win, the Hoosiers led by only five at the half, but came out scorching in the third quarter, shooting 70.4 percent for the half and outscored the Governors in the third period alone, 34-11.
• Against then-No 24 Chattanooga on Nov. 17, IU trailed heading into the fourth quarter, but finished the game strong, using a 12-0 run to help outscore the Mocs 19-6 in the final period to earn the win.

KARLEE MCBUCKETS
Karlee McBride has started in each of the last eight games and has scored in double figures in four of them. During that stretch, she's averaging 10.3 points per game while shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc as she has two or more 3-point field goals in five of those games.

In the win over Rutgers on Jan. 27, McBride nailed 4-of-8 3-point field goals on her way to 12 points with four rebounds and a steal. Against Illinois on Jan. 20, McBride scored the first eight points of the game for the Hoosiers and nailed the go-ahead 3-point field goal with 1:16 to play to put IU in front for good. She tallied 16 points to tie for the team lead while nailing a career-high tying four 3-point field goals.

Against No. 18 Michigan State on Jan. 13, the junior scored a season-high 17 points without missing a shot, going 5-of-5 from the field, 3-of-3 from 3-point range and 4-of-4 from the free throw line. It marked the first time an IU player had a perfect night shooting from the field since McBride herself went 6-of-6 from the field with three 3-pointers for 15 points as a sophomore against Gardner-Webb on Nov. 15, 2014.

JENN FROM THE BLOCK
Jenn Anderson is starting to come around after missing some time in preseason due to injury as she has started in each of the last 18 games and is shooting 56.8 percent from the field so far this year, ranking fifth in that category in the Big Ten.

Anderson was instrumental in IU's comeback win over Iowa as she tallied a season-high 18 points, scoring 14 in the second half. She shot 6-of-11 from the field with six rebounds in the victory.

As a sophomore, Anderson ranked fourth in the Big Ten in field goal percentage in 2014-15, shooting 56.0 percent. Her field goal percentage was the highest percentage by an IU player for a single year since 1997-98. She appeared in 30 games and made 28 starts last year while averaging 7.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. Anderson also nailed 72.1 percent of her free throw attempts. From her freshman to sophomore year, Anderson saw major improvement in scoring (+4.5 ppg), field goal percentage (+10.2 percent), free throw percentage (+25 percent) as well as rebounds, steals and blocks.

CASHING IN ON THE FREE ONES
Indiana leads the Big Ten in free throws made (380) and attempted (518) and ranks fourth nationally in free throw makes and ninth in attempts. IU is outscoring opponents 380-209 (+171) from the charity stripe so far this season. The Hoosiers have made more free throws than opponents have attempted (317) while shooting 73.4 percent as a team from the line.

In the win over Rutgers on Jan. 27, Indiana shot a season-best 90 percent from the charity stripe, nailing 18-of-20 free throws. Against No. 18 Michigan State on Jan. 13, the Hoosiers hit 27-of-34 free throws as Indiana is 5-0 when it gets to the free throw line 30 or more times in a game this year. In the overtime win against Michigan on Jan. 3, Indiana nailed 32-of-42 free throws, marking the most free throws made and attempted ever in a Big Ten game in program history. Those free throws were the most makes and attempts from the line for an IU team since the Hoosiers shot 34-of-50 from the charity stripe against UAB on March 21, 1991.