WOMEN'S NIT--The Daily Southtown
Illinois 58, Western Illinois 37
CHAMPAIGN — Danyel Crutcher scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Illinois to a rout of Western Illinois in the preliminary round.
Illinois (16-14) held the Mid-Continent Conference regular-season champions to 28 percent field goal shooting and dominated the Westerwinds on the boards, 48-32. The Illini's physical play in the paint bothered Mid-Continent Player of the Year Zane Teilane, who was 4-of-17 from the field.
Western Illinois (23-7) struggled to find its offense in the first 20 minutes, scoring just 12 points. That tied an Assembly Hall record for fewest points in a half by an Illinois opponent.
Senior guard Janelle Hughes (Hillcrest) added 14 points and five steals for the Illini. Crutcher's double-double was her third this season and the fifth of the sophomore's career.
Freshman guard Sarah Miller led the Westerwinds with 12 points. Teilane scored 10 points and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
Illinois will visit Marquette in the first round on Friday night.
Campus notes--deseretnews.com
Southern Utah
GAINEY SIGNS DOWN UNDER: Tim Gainey, a two-year letterman on the SUU men's basketball team, has signed a contract with an Australian professional team. Gainey, who led the Thunderbirds in scoring during the 2004-05 season, has committed to play for the Warrnambool Seahawks of the Australian Basketball Association.
OAKLAND WOMEN: OU over Ivy League good pick for guard--The Detroit Free Press
Madness@Work--The Detroit News
OU’s Francis makes it back--The Oakland Press
By PAULA PASCHE Of The Oakland Press
AUBURN HILLS — In the little upstate burg of Germantown, N.Y., Beckie Francis played high school basketball and whatever other sport she could fit in.
The experience made her the coach she is today because of one special person — her coach Joyce Rockefeller.
“She influenced me to be a positive coach. She never yelled at me. She coached me in a number of different sports and was always enthusiastic positive, encouraging, never yelled, always believed in me,’’ the Oakland University women’s basketball coach said.
Francis has adopted Rockefeller’s positive style, and with it, she has found success. Her Golden Grizzlies earned a berth in the NCAA tournament by winning the Mid-Continent Conference championship last week.
As a No. 16 seed, they will face No. 1 seed Ohio State in the Albuquerque regional Sunday at West Lafayette, Ind.
“I’m not a yeller, I’m an encourager,” Francis said. “I cringe when I see people yelling at players. I think women and men are different. … I will get into people’s faces, I will motivate. I have a master’s in counseling.
“I try to assess each player, and everybody is motivated differently. I try to use that. Some people need love, some people need tough love, but everything is positive.’’
That positive vibe has crept into the soul of her squad.
The team was positive it could make noise in the conference tournament. It did not matter if it was the No. 6 seed. They believed.
While watching the first game, Greg Kampe, OU’s interim athletic director and men’s coach, could sense it.
“It was very obvious in the first-round game that this team had come together at the right time, which, as a coach, you try so hard to do. … The seniors knew there was a sense of urgency, and they had bought into what Beckie wanted,’’ Kampe said.
Francis is back coaching at Oakland this season after quitting in 2002, shortly after the Golden Grizzlies’ last NCAA tournament apperance. The 1987 graduate of Colgate had coached for five years.
It was a stress-induced health issue that led to her resignation. During that time, she missed coaching so much that it was tough for her to watch any OU basketball game, men’s or women’s.
When coach Eileen Hilliard resigned in August, Francis discussed it with her two doctors, her pastors, her therapist and also her husband, Dr. Gary D. Russi, who happens to be the president of Oakland University.
“We all came to the conclusion that coaching wasn’t what made me sick. It was my fears, it was dealing with some issues I had never dealt with. In therapy and in prayer and things like that, I really dealt with some of those things,’’ Francis said.
“Now I’m more comfortable in my skin. I have more confidence. I don’t fear what other people think. I don’t think I’m going to just die if we lose, and I used to think all those things.’’
She is not on medication and admits she’s keeping things in perspective.
Kampe was the one who hired her and, of course, her health issues concerned him. He got OU’s interim athletic director job toward the end of a national search to fill her position.
“There was no question, if she could do it, I wanted her. And I was convinced (by Francis and her doctors) she could do the job and her health would not be a factor,’’ Kampe said. “It was a no-brainer. There are banners hanging in our arena because she was the coach. Now there are two more.’’
The season was not all smooth for Francis and the 15-15 Grizzlies.
Their strength of schedule was tough, 103rd in the country compared with one in the 300s a year ago. Then they had to learn Francis’ system, which was in stark contrast to Hilliard’s.
“It was really hard to get a new system in, have them believe in it and play tough opponents,’’ said Francis, who was hired in October.
Oakland started 4-9. But Francis didn’t pay attention to that number so much as to how her team was playing.
When the Grizzlies caught on, winning became a habit until the end of the regular season, which they finished with a heartbreaking home loss to Oral Roberts on senior day, then losses at Chicago State and Southern Utah.
“I think they were tired. We had a team meeting. They were whining about it a little bit, I’m being honest. We had to address that it’s a privilege to play basketball,’’ Francis said.
“They regrouped themselves and said, ‘You’re right, coach, we’re taking things for granted, and we’re going to kick it into gear.’ And they did.’’
And as the season wraps up, the players have learned a lot about Francis.
“She’s very positive, she believes in instilling confidence in you as a player,’’ senior guard Jayme Wilson said.
“She’s really caring and committed, and she’s just really enthusiastic about the game of basketball. You can tell she cares about us more than just players, but also as people. It’s good to have someone like that as a coach,’’ Hafeli said.
That’s a lesson Francis learned long ago and obviously has not forgotten.
In fact, she’s having coach Rockefeller come to West Lafayette for Sunday’s game. Not only is Rockefeller a mentor, she’s something of a good-luck charm.
“I’ve flown her into both postseason tournaments we’ve won. She is 6-0,’’ said Francis. That goes up to 8-0 when including the regular season.
“Don’t tell Ohio State that,’’ Francis said. “They can’t have her.’’
Teilane named finalist for national honor--The Macomb Journal
They'll be back--The NWI Times
Illini blow out Westerwinds in preliminary round of WNIT--The Peoria Journal Star
--Chicago State Athletics
Gainey Signs With Australian Team--SOUTHERN UTAH THUNDERBIRDS
Steve Bruce Announces Resignation from Valpo’s Women’s Basketball Program--www.valpo.edu
Women's Basketball Falls at Illinois, 58-37, in the Preliminary Round of the WNIT--Western Illinois Athletics
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