March 21, 2010

Game Notes (PDF)  | WNIT Bracket (As of March 21)  | Live Video Stream

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. The Marquette women's basketball team will play at Illinois in the second round of the Women's National Invitation Tournament Monday, March 22, at 4 p.m., at Assembly Hall. The game will be streamed live on BigTenNetwork.com.

The winner of Monday's game will play at Missouri State on Thursday, March 25 at 7 p.m.

The Golden Eagles enter the game with Illinois following an 85-56 win over Eastern Illinois where the Golden Eagles had four players score in double figures and collectively shot 47.5 percent from the floor for the game. Marquette swiped a season-high and a MU WNIT record 20 steals and forced 30 Eastern Illinois turnovers. A season-high 40 points came off of Panther miscues in win.

The Illini (17-14) stamped their ticket to the second round with a 68-51 win over Western Kentucky Friday night. Three-time all-Big Ten First Team selection Jenna Smith, leads Illinois with 18.2 points and 11.2 rebounds per game. She scored 21 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks in the win over Western Kentucky.

Marquette is 4-1 all-time against Illinois. MU and Illinois met in the regular season with the Golden Eagles claiming the 65-55 win at Assembly Hall on Dec. 9. Angel Robinson scored a season-high 32 points in the win. Monday afternoon's contest will be the the third time the two teams will meet in the WNIT. The Golden Eagles and the Illini previously met in the third round of the 2008 WNIT where MU defeated Illinois 72-64, and in the 2006 tournament where The Golden Eagles prevailed 64-44. Marquette's lone loss was on Dec. 7, 1997, 99-86 in Champaign. Marquette owns a 25-34 all-time record against teams from the Big Ten Conference.