Preview: Illinois Women's Basketball vs. Oregon

Reasons for optimism are the return of Gretchen Dolan (who missed four games due to injury before returning against Washington) and the emergence of freshman forward Cearah Parchment, who has given the Illini a jolt of energy and production punch on both ends of the floor.

As Illinois continues to search for consistency, Parchment’s development has added a new layer to the rotation and presented a new problem in opponents' scouting reports at the perfect time. Coming off a road win against a top-25 foe, the Illini have a chance to return to Champaign for a pivotal homestand with some real momentum.Here’s more information on Illinois' cross-country matchup against Oregon:

How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Oregon Ducks

• Who: Illinois Fighting Illini (16-6, 6-5 Big Ten) vs. Oregon Ducks (17-7, 5-6 Big Ten)
• What: Big Ten conference matchup
• When: Wednesday, Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. CT
• Where: Matthew Knight Arena, Eugene, Oregon
• TV/streaming: BTN
• Radio/audio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (Champaign: WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM); Fighting Illini Productions; Varsity Network App
• Last week: Illinois went 1-1 last week, dropping a tough one to No. 2 UCLA before starting its West Coast trip with a win over Washington on Sunday. Oregon went 2-0 last week, beating Rutgers and Maryland on the road.
• Series history: IIlinois is 2-2 all time against Oregon, having won the teams' most recent meeting, 64-59, in Champaign a season ago.

What to know about Oregon

This isn’t the same Oregon team that once terrorized women's college basketball behind Sabrina Ionescu – but that doesn’t mean the Ducks are short on talent. Oregon is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance a season ago and has its sights set on getting back there with another steady, well-rounded campaign. This year’s group is built less on star power and more on balance, execution and discipline on both ends of the floor.

Oregon is led by sophomore guard Katie Fiso, (15.0 points per game), who is comfortable creating her own shot and setting the table for others, making her the top priority for Illinois' defense. Alongside Fiso is senior forward Mia Jacobs, a reliable second scoring option (13.7 points per game) who adds physicality and versatility in the frontcourt. If the Illini want to complete a West Coast sweep, slowing down Oregon’s lead duo is the place to start.