11/9-Illini women top Cougars in exhibition

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The University of Illinois womens basketball team took the Assembly Hall floor Sunday afternoon for the first time this season, topping Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, 68-53, in the first and only preseason exhibition heading to the 2008-09 season. The Fighting Illini, who have six newcomers on the squad this year, came out sluggish early, falling behind in the opening minutes. Even after an 8-0 run to end the first half, the Illini still trailed a scrappy SIUE team 26-24. The Illini took control in the second half behind All-American center Jenna Smith, who scored 15 of her game-high 23 points after the intermission, and hot-shooting freshman Fabiola Josil. Smith gave the Illini a 32-30 lead with five quick points early in the second half and then Josil sparked a 29-6 Illini run down the stretch with back-to-back three-pointers midway through the second half the game. Smith led the way for Illinois with 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting, 13 rebounds and three blocks, Josil finished with 15 points, including 3-of-4 from three-point land, and senior Chelsea Gordon added 13 points and seven assists. Junior Lacey Simpson was hampered with foul trouble, but still totaled five rebounds and five steals, while newcomers Lana Rukavina (seven points, seven rebounds, two blocks), Whitney Toone (eight rebounds, four offensive rebounds), Macie Blinn (four points) and Lydia McCully (two assists, one steal, one block) all contributed to the victory in their Assembly hall debuts. As a team, the Illini shot 57 percent in the second half and 50 percent for the game. They turned a 19-19 rebounding deadlock at the half into a 44-28 advantage by the end of the day. Illinois will open the regular season on Friday, Nov. 14, when they travel to IPFW for a 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT match-up. The first regular season home game is on Sunday, Nov. 16, when Illinois hosts Eastern Illinois at noon at Assembly Hall.